Swordsmyth
10-28-2019, 06:07 PM
The Senate on Monday rejected an effort by Sen. Rand Paul (https://thehill.com/people/rand-paul) (R-Ky.) to place an across-the-board spending cut in a domestic funding package being debated by lawmakers
Senators voted 24-67 on the amendment from Paul, which would reduce spending by two percent compared to 2019 fiscal year levels.
The amendment, had Paul been successful, would have been added to a spending package that includes Commerce-Science-Justice, Transportation-Housing and Urban Development, Agriculture and Interior.
Sen. Patrick Leahy (https://thehill.com/people/patrick-leahy) (D-Vt.), the top Democrat on the Appropriations Committee, urged senators to oppose Paul's amendment.
"His amendment will slash spending below the bipartisan budget act that we all negotiated," Leahy said from the Senate floor ahead of the vote.
It's the latest attempt by Paul, a libertarian-leaning GOP senator, to slash spending, only to be rebuffed by a majority of his Senate colleagues. The Senate previously rejected a balanced budget proposal from Paul in June.
The Club for Growth, a conservative outside group, tried to build support for Paul's amendment ahead of Monday's vote, warning they would factor how senators voted into their legislative scorecard.
"KEY VOTE ALERT: @club4growth urges all Senators to vote YES on Senator @RandPaul’s Amendment to begin balancing the budget and reign in out-of-control spending #StandWithRand," Club for Growth tweeted on Monday.
The domestic spending package marks the first fiscal 2020 spending bill to be taken up by the Senate.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (https://thehill.com/people/mitch-mcconnell) (R-Ky.) moved to wrap up the bill on Monday evening, paving the way for the chamber to pass it by the end of the week. McConnell is then expected to try to bring up a mammoth defense funding bill.
More at: https://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/senate/467817-senate-rejects-paul-effort-to-cut-spending
Senators voted 24-67 on the amendment from Paul, which would reduce spending by two percent compared to 2019 fiscal year levels.
The amendment, had Paul been successful, would have been added to a spending package that includes Commerce-Science-Justice, Transportation-Housing and Urban Development, Agriculture and Interior.
Sen. Patrick Leahy (https://thehill.com/people/patrick-leahy) (D-Vt.), the top Democrat on the Appropriations Committee, urged senators to oppose Paul's amendment.
"His amendment will slash spending below the bipartisan budget act that we all negotiated," Leahy said from the Senate floor ahead of the vote.
It's the latest attempt by Paul, a libertarian-leaning GOP senator, to slash spending, only to be rebuffed by a majority of his Senate colleagues. The Senate previously rejected a balanced budget proposal from Paul in June.
The Club for Growth, a conservative outside group, tried to build support for Paul's amendment ahead of Monday's vote, warning they would factor how senators voted into their legislative scorecard.
"KEY VOTE ALERT: @club4growth urges all Senators to vote YES on Senator @RandPaul’s Amendment to begin balancing the budget and reign in out-of-control spending #StandWithRand," Club for Growth tweeted on Monday.
The domestic spending package marks the first fiscal 2020 spending bill to be taken up by the Senate.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (https://thehill.com/people/mitch-mcconnell) (R-Ky.) moved to wrap up the bill on Monday evening, paving the way for the chamber to pass it by the end of the week. McConnell is then expected to try to bring up a mammoth defense funding bill.
More at: https://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/senate/467817-senate-rejects-paul-effort-to-cut-spending