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Senate Poised to Pass Budget Bill as House Weighs Options Senate Is Set to Vote on Budget Bill as House Weighs Options
(35 minutes later)
WASHINGTON — The Senate, in a bipartisan rebuke to Republican hard-liners, cut off debate Friday on legislation to keep the government open past a midnight Monday deadline, clearing the bill for final passage this afternoon and setting up a weekend showdown with the House. WASHINGTON — The Senate on Friday overwhelmingly approved stopgap spending legislation to keep the federal government open without gutting President Obama’s health care law, setting up a weekend showdown with the House that will decide whether much of the government shuts down at midnight Monday.
The 79-to-19 vote counted 23 Republicans voting yes, including the party’s leaders, and easily exceeded the 60-vote threshold to break a filibuster. The Senate will now vote to strip out House Republican language that tied further funding of the government to gutting President Obama’s health care law. That vote will require a simple 51-vote majority, as will final passage to follow. The 54-to-44 vote for final passage followed a more critical moment when the Senate, in a bipartisan rebuke to Republican hard-liners, cut off debate on the legislation. The 79-to-19 vote included the top Republican leadership and easily exceeded the 60-vote threshold to break a filibuster.
Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, the Senate majority leader, called the vote “the first step toward wresting control from the extremists.” Senator Ted Cruz, Republican of Texas, had been urging his Senate colleagues all week to oppose ending debate as a way to force Democrats to accept language defunding the Affordable Care Act. But with the clock ticking toward an Oct. 1 government shutdown, an overwhelming bipartisan majority wanted to act quickly to move the spending bill back to the House. The Senate then voted along party lines, 54 to 44, to strip out House Republican language that tied further funding of the government to defunding the health care law. That vote required only a simple 51-vote majority.
Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, the Senate majority leader, called the votes “the first step toward wresting control from the extremists.” Senator Ted Cruz, Republican of Texas, had been urging his Senate colleagues all week to oppose ending debate as a way to force Democrats to accept language defunding the Affordable Care Act. But with the clock ticking toward an Oct. 1 government shutdown, an overwhelming bipartisan majority wanted to act quickly to move the spending bill back to the House.
Now Speaker John A. Boehner of Ohio faces a defining choice: accept the Senate bill, which funds the government through Nov. 15 without Republican policy prescriptions, or listen to his conservatives, who will accept a government shutdown unless serious damage is done to the health care law.Now Speaker John A. Boehner of Ohio faces a defining choice: accept the Senate bill, which funds the government through Nov. 15 without Republican policy prescriptions, or listen to his conservatives, who will accept a government shutdown unless serious damage is done to the health care law.
But doing so would infuriate the conservatives who have often frustrated his efforts at compromise. House Republicans will meet at noon Saturday to hash out their options. Mr. Boehner has signaled that he will again attach language to chip away at the Affordable Care Act, but as the deadline approaches, fissures are appearing in the Republican ranks.
“The only time you shut down the government is when you shut it down and refuse to open it until you accomplish what you want. We’ll fold like hotcakes,” said Senator Tom Coburn, Republican of Oklahoma. “You do not take a hostage you are not going to for sure shoot, and we will not for sure shoot this hostage.”
The Senate legislation would almost certainly win approval in the House, largely with Democratic votes, but conservatives warned it could hurt the beleaguered speaker dearly.
“I think it would be devastating to the speaker’s support,” said Representative Richard Hudson, Republican of North Carolina, who is one of the members urging the Republican leadership to drive a hard bargain with the Senate.“I think it would be devastating to the speaker’s support,” said Representative Richard Hudson, Republican of North Carolina, who is one of the members urging the Republican leadership to drive a hard bargain with the Senate.
“I think the question is do we go with the carrot or the stick strategy,” Mr. Hudson added. “Do we try to do something bad enough to force Harry Reid to negotiate with us, or do we do something that we think he can’t refuse?” he said referring to the Senate majority leader. “I think the question is do we go with the carrot or the stick strategy,” Mr. Hudson added. “Do we try to do something bad enough to force Harry Reid to negotiate with us, or do we do something that we think he can’t refuse?”
Republicans were also considering a simple bill to keep the government open for as little as seven days while the legislative jousting continues. That was sternly opposed by senior Republicans, like Representative Harold Rogers of Kentucky, the chairman of the House Appropriations Committee.Republicans were also considering a simple bill to keep the government open for as little as seven days while the legislative jousting continues. That was sternly opposed by senior Republicans, like Representative Harold Rogers of Kentucky, the chairman of the House Appropriations Committee.
“If you can’t get the House and Senate together by midnight Sept. 30, it becomes a more viable strategy,” said Representative Pat Tiberi, Republican of Ohio and a close ally of Mr. Boehner.“If you can’t get the House and Senate together by midnight Sept. 30, it becomes a more viable strategy,” said Representative Pat Tiberi, Republican of Ohio and a close ally of Mr. Boehner.
Barring any unforeseen twists, which can never be ruled out on Capitol Hill, the Senate will send a budget bill to the House that Republicans there have vowed to change because of their strong opposition to any measure that helps the administration put the health care law into effect.Barring any unforeseen twists, which can never be ruled out on Capitol Hill, the Senate will send a budget bill to the House that Republicans there have vowed to change because of their strong opposition to any measure that helps the administration put the health care law into effect.
That will set up a game of legislative Ping-Pong that will tip the government perilously close to shutting down on Tuesday.That will set up a game of legislative Ping-Pong that will tip the government perilously close to shutting down on Tuesday.
Mr. Reid has said he would reject anything but a plain budget bill.Mr. Reid has said he would reject anything but a plain budget bill.
Another idea under consideration, according to a Republican who had spoken to the leadership, would be to put an amendment in the Senate budget bill that would eliminate health insurance subsidies for members of Congress and many of their aides, who must purchase their insurance on the exchanges that are part of the new law.Another idea under consideration, according to a Republican who had spoken to the leadership, would be to put an amendment in the Senate budget bill that would eliminate health insurance subsidies for members of Congress and many of their aides, who must purchase their insurance on the exchanges that are part of the new law.
“That is an arrow in the quiver,” the Republican said.“That is an arrow in the quiver,” the Republican said.
That strategy, Republicans said, would put Senate Democrats in the uncomfortable position of either approving the amendment or rejecting it and risk appearing that they are willing to shut down the government over subsidies for themselves and their staffs.That strategy, Republicans said, would put Senate Democrats in the uncomfortable position of either approving the amendment or rejecting it and risk appearing that they are willing to shut down the government over subsidies for themselves and their staffs.
But the Senate would not be able to act on any House bill until Monday, the day before the government is set to shut down if an agreement is not reached.But the Senate would not be able to act on any House bill until Monday, the day before the government is set to shut down if an agreement is not reached.
Getting to that point could be bumpy.Getting to that point could be bumpy.
Conservative Republicans like Ted Cruz of Texas and Mike Lee of Utah caused a stir on the Senate floor on Thursday when they raised objections that forced a budget vote, which could have occurred that afternoon, to be pushed back until Friday.Conservative Republicans like Ted Cruz of Texas and Mike Lee of Utah caused a stir on the Senate floor on Thursday when they raised objections that forced a budget vote, which could have occurred that afternoon, to be pushed back until Friday.
Mr. Cruz’s 21-hour speech from Tuesday afternoon until noon Wednesday was a sensation in the conservative media and among Tea Party activists, even as some Republican colleagues accused him of putting his own ambitions and a desire for national attention above the party’s interests.Mr. Cruz’s 21-hour speech from Tuesday afternoon until noon Wednesday was a sensation in the conservative media and among Tea Party activists, even as some Republican colleagues accused him of putting his own ambitions and a desire for national attention above the party’s interests.
He and his allies in the Senate, like Mr. Lee, have planned a sequel of sorts on Friday with a series of interviews on conservative radio shows and on Fox News.He and his allies in the Senate, like Mr. Lee, have planned a sequel of sorts on Friday with a series of interviews on conservative radio shows and on Fox News.
On Sean Hannity’s Fox News program on Thursday night, Mr. Cruz encouraged viewers to go to a Web site that lists the telephone numbers of Republican senators who are opposed to his plan, and he encouraged them to keep fighting as Friday’s vote neared. He offered some dismissive words for his Republican colleagues.On Sean Hannity’s Fox News program on Thursday night, Mr. Cruz encouraged viewers to go to a Web site that lists the telephone numbers of Republican senators who are opposed to his plan, and he encouraged them to keep fighting as Friday’s vote neared. He offered some dismissive words for his Republican colleagues.
“They’re beaten down, and they’re scared that if we stand together on this, and if a government shutdown results, that Republicans will be blamed and it’s too politically risky,” Mr. Cruz said, adding: “I hope they have second thoughts. I hope they listen to their constituents.”“They’re beaten down, and they’re scared that if we stand together on this, and if a government shutdown results, that Republicans will be blamed and it’s too politically risky,” Mr. Cruz said, adding: “I hope they have second thoughts. I hope they listen to their constituents.”
The campaign has infuriated many of his fellow Republicans, who have done little to conceal their outrage. They have accused Mr. Cruz and his supporters of staging self-serving publicity stunts fueled by social media-savvy outside groups that have urged their followers to bombard the Senate with phone calls.The campaign has infuriated many of his fellow Republicans, who have done little to conceal their outrage. They have accused Mr. Cruz and his supporters of staging self-serving publicity stunts fueled by social media-savvy outside groups that have urged their followers to bombard the Senate with phone calls.
Mr. Cruz and his allies “have sent e-mails around the world and turned this into a show,” Senator Bob Corker, Republican of Tennessee, said on Friday. “And that is taking priority over getting legislation into the House.”Mr. Cruz and his allies “have sent e-mails around the world and turned this into a show,” Senator Bob Corker, Republican of Tennessee, said on Friday. “And that is taking priority over getting legislation into the House.”