Senate blocks stopgap bill to prevent shutdown

Associated Press

WASHINGTON — A must-do bill to prevent the government from shutting down this weekend and to fund the fight against the Zika virus is stalled in the Senate, held up by bipartisan opposition as the clock ticks toward a Friday deadline.

Democrats, demanding money so Flint, Mich., can address its lead-contaminated water crisis, overwhelmingly opposed the measure is a Senate test vote Tuesday. So did a dozen of the Senate’s most conservative members.

The 45-55 vote ties up the stopgap funding bill — for now at least. The GOP defections left Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., short of a simple majority, much less the 60 votes needed to clear a filibuster hurdle.

Mr. McConnell is looking for a way out of the legislative box canyon that doesn’t include capitulating on Flint, which GOP leaders fear would start a revolt among House Tea Party conservatives.

Instead, senior congressional leaders are scrambling for a compromise solution on the Flint water issue that would satisfy Democrats. The Senate has passed $220 million worth of aid to Flint and other cities grappling with lead-tainted water and want the package added to the temporary spending bill.

Republican leaders are promising to address the Flint issue after the election in endgame talks on a separate water resources bill, but Democrats refuse to take them at their word.

“‘Trust me, we will consider Flint later’ — that’s like nothing to me,” said House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.

But both sides predicted a government shutdown was unlikely.

House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., said talks continued. “There might be an element [on Flint] we could do,” Mr. McCarthy told reporters.

Democrats say it’s unfair that the water crisis in Flint has gone on for more than a year with no assistance, while Louisiana and other states are getting $500 million for floods that occurred just last month.

Mr. McConnell characterized the Democratic position as “no Flint, no flood” and indicated he is considering dropping the flood aid. Both sides hope to avert that.

The stopgap spending bill would keep the government running through Dec. 9 and provide $1.1 billion in long-delayed funding to fight the spread of the Zika virus.