The Senate’s bipartisan spending spree faced an unexpected turbulence on Thursday, hitting a significant roadblock primarily due to conservative opposition.
For days, Senate leaders had diligently worked towards securing an agreement that would guarantee swift votes on amendments and final approval of the substantial $280 billion funding legislation, aiming for a vote as early as the following week. Progress had been sailing fairly smoothly, with senators effortlessly surmounting two procedural obstacles, garnering remarkable bipartisan support.
However, the smooth seas turned tempestuous after the second procedural vote on Thursday, as Senator Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) vehemently opposed Senator Patty Murray’s (D-Wash.) endeavor to bring forth numerous amendments, equally divided between Republicans and Democrats, for consideration. Johnson’s objection stemmed from his disapproval of bundling measures that fund the departments of Agriculture and Transportation with the bill designated for military construction and the Department of Veterans Affairs.
In a passionate outburst, Johnson expressed his exasperation: “This place is completely out of control, completely dysfunctional. Quite honestly, we should have been bringing up these appropriations bills in May, June, July, you know, pass a budget, then go through an orderly process one appropriation bill at a time.”
Frustration spilled onto the Senate floor, with Senators Murray and Susan Collins of Maine, the leading Republican appropriator, vehemently denouncing Johnson and a handful of other conservative holdouts. Their objection disrupted what had otherwise been a process celebrated for its bipartisan unity, standing in stark contrast to the chaotic state of spending affairs in the House.
Murray stressed the importance of allowing senators to voice their opinions through amendments, asserting that it’s a vital part of the regular order. “So we can’t move at a glacial pace and we can’t have senators obstruct the process needlessly,” she emphasized. Notably, the Senate’s spending package remains incapable of averting a government shutdown on October 1st if the House and Senate fail to reach a temporary funding agreement.
Collins expressed her concerns, suggesting that Johnson’s actions were “setting us up for either an omnibus bill or a government shutdown,” with “none of those outcomes serv[ing] the American people well.”
Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer ended the week by accusing conservative senators of trying to emulate the Freedom Caucus in the House, thereby jeopardizing the defense bill, which had garnered substantial bipartisan support.
