The Senate passed a short-term government funding bill Thursday, averting a shutdown after a last-minute roadblock emerged over enforcement of President Biden’s coronavirus vaccine mandate.
In a 65-27 vote, the Senate passed a funding measure meant to keep the government afloat until March 11. Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer, New York Democrat, said the three-week extension would allow lawmakers of both parties to negotiate a year-long budget deal.
“It’s the most responsible thing we can do to support our appropriators as they continue their bipartisan work to finish an omnibus” budget, Mr. Schumer said.
The funding bill now heads to Mr. Biden’s desk, where the president is expected to sign it before the Friday government shutdown deadline.
The Senate only passed the measure after Mr. Schumer struck a deal with a cadre of GOP senators to expedite passage.
The senators, led by Ted Cruz of Texas and Mike Lee of Utah, had threatened to block the bill well past the shutdown deadline if Democrats did not allow a vote defunding the White House’s vaccine mandate.
“Enough is enough,” Mr. Cruz said. “It’s time to stop the petty tyrants imposing COVID-19 vaccine mandates on families across the country.”
Mr. Schumer acquiesced to a simple-majority vote on the amendments. With at least three Democrats out this week, the amendments looked set to pass.
That proved impossible, however, because of GOP absences and defections.
Mr. Lee’s amendment, which would have blocked the vaccine mandate for public health workers, lost a 47-46 vote.
Four absent GOP senators, Richard Burr of North Carolina, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, James Inhofe of Oklahoma and Mitt Romney of Utah, made up the margin of defeat.
Some of the Republicans are traveling to attend the Munich Security Conference in Germany and had already left the capital. Mr. Graham is visiting Israel on an official trip to discuss Iran’s attempts to develop a nuclear weapon.
Despite the business reasons for the absences, some Republicans say the lawmakers should have been at the Capitol to help kill Mr. Biden’s vaccine mandate.
“Where are Romney, Inhofe and Burr? Lindsey Graham is in Israel and should’ve come back … but where are the other three,” said Rep. Chip Roy, Texas Republican. “Romney and Inhofe voted today but left. They need to be asked: ‘What was more important to you than defending your constituents?’”
Similarly, Mr. Cruz’s amendment to block the vaccine mandate for schoolchildren was killed in a 49-46 vote because of Republicans. In that case, two GOP senators voted with all 47 Democrats in attendance to block the amendment.
The two Republican lawmakers were Sens. Roy Blunt of Missouri and Susan Collins of Maine.
• Haris Alic can be reached at halic@washingtontimes.com.
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