Senate

Senators block sequestration relief

by Jordain Carney - 03/25/15 6:59 PM ET

Senators killed an amendment Wednesday that would have rolled back sequestration’s budget cuts.

Senators voted 46-53 on the amendment from Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), who had previously helped reach a deal with Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) on easing spending caps.

{mosads}The amendment would have increased defense and non-defense spending above sequestration levels. It also would have rolled back the “Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) gimmick contained in the committee-reported resolution.”

Budget Committee Republicans added an extra $38 billion to the OCO funds during markup last week.

Murray said ahead of the vote that the amendment “builds upon” the Murray-Ryan deal and “extends the sequester relief for two more years.”

The extra spending would have been paid for by closing tax loopholes.

But, Sen. Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.) urged his colleagues to vote against the amendment.

“If we want to change the Budget Control Act … we need to pass a bill to do so later this year,” he said ahead of the vote.

Tags Patty Murray