McConnell’s ‘clean’ spending bill touts Zika funds

out internet-related language demanded by Texas GOP Sen. Ted Cruz and Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump.

But Democrats immediately blasted the proposal for failing to fund one of their top priorities: money to help Flint, Michigan, repair its lead-tainted water system.

McConnell’s move could set up a showdown vote next week. Democrats said they would likely filibuster the measure since it omits a bipartisan plan to provide $220 million to help Flint and other cities with lead emergencies replace pipes and take other steps to clean their water.

“To see the (stopgap funding bill) come to the floor with help for Louisiana and not for the families of Flint is outrageous,” said Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow of Michigan. “And I will do everything in my power to make sure that this does not happen.” She noted that the Flint aid has been many months in the making and is financed by spending cuts, while funding for flood aid in Louisiana is added directly to the national debt.

McConnell said the measure is “the result of many, many hours of bipartisan work across the aisle,” noting it would also allow stepped-up spending to combat opioid abuse — a priority of several Senate Republicans up for re-election, such as Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire and Rob Portman of Ohio. It also contains the budget for the Department of Veterans Affairs.

The stopgap spending bill needs to pass to prevent the government from shutting down next Friday at midnight. Republicans control Congress and have taken the blame for previous shutdowns, such as one that shuttered the government for 16 days in 2013.

But McConnell drafted the measure in hopes of making it as difficult as possible for Democrats to filibuster.

The $1.1 billion to battle the Zika virus is long overdue and has been held up by a series of battles and setbacks. In the end, however, McConnell dropped controversial provisions that would have blocked Planned Parenthood’s affiliates in Puerto Rico from being eligible for new Zika treatment and prevention funds. He also dropped a House bill to ease Clean Water Act rules on pesticide spraying.