The U.S. Senate put off a final vote on a $410 billion spending package until next week after Republicans demanded time to offer more amendments.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Nevada Democrat, said he was “probably a vote short” of the 60 needed to cut off debate late yesterday and bring the bill to a final vote. “We’re going to have to continue work on this bill,” he said.
Lawmakers will try for passage early next week after considering more Republican amendments, Reid said. In the meantime, lawmakers will approve a new stopgap measure to replace one currently funding the federal government, which expires tonight, he said. The second stopgap measure will be written to expire at midnight on March 10.
Democrats, who control the Senate with 58 votes, must rely on some Republican support to proceed to final passage of the so- called omnibus bill, in part because at least two Democrats said they oppose it. Democratic Senators Evan Bayh of Indiana and Russ Feingold of Wisconsin each said they will vote against it because they believe it spends too much.
A third Democrat, Senator Robert Menendez of New Jersey, criticized the bill because it would loosen the nation’s trade embargo on Cuba. His spokesman said Menendez is leaning against the measure.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, said yesterday his colleagues wanted a “reasonable number of amendments” before allowing a final vote because “this is a huge appropriations bill.”
The House last week approved the measure, which is needed to fund the federal government through September when its current fiscal year ends. The bill would provide an 8 percent budget increase for domestic programs.
It also would fund thousands of pet projects known as earmarks and kill several policies adopted by former President George W. Bush, including rules that bar Cuban-Americans from visiting relatives in Cuba more than once every three years.