The Senate on Thursday failed to pass a continuing resolution (CR) that tied the spending needed to keep the government running until mid-December with the withdrawal of federal funds for Planned Parenthood.
Democrats and a handful of Republicans blocked the measure in a 52-47 vote that needed 60 votes to pass, paving the way for a vote on a “clean” CR, which is expected to occur early next week.
Immediately after the vote, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) filed the clean CR, which like the original bill would expire on Dec. 11. The bill provides funding at annual rates of $1.017 trillion—the topline discretionary spending limit for fiscal year 2016—and $74.7 billion for Overseas Contingency Operations.
Lawmakers have only a scant couple of days to pass a bill in the Senate and then move it through the House. However, the bill faces an uphill climb in the lower chamber, as some conservative Republicans have threatened to derail the bill unless it eliminates all funding for Planned Parenthood. A government shutdown looms around the corner unless Congress can pass a funding measure by Oct. 1, when the new fiscal year begins.
Eight Republicans voted against the original CR including Sens. Kelly Ayotte (N.H.), Susan Collins (Maine), Tom Cotton (Ark.), Dean Heller (Nev.), Mark Kirk (Ill.), Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), Rand Paul (Ky.), Ben Sasse (Neb.).
After the vote, Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.), the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, implored his colleagues to pass the clean CR in the hopes of averting a shutdown.
“At this late hour, we should pass this short term measure and move on to negotiations about budget cap this year and beyond,” he said. “We’re here because of the Budget Control Act. … Let’s remember these sequester level caps were never intended to be implemented.”
Because the Senate is likely to approve the clean CR, whether the government shuts down will likely come down to the House, according to SASC Chairman John McCain (R-Ariz).