Via USA Today:
Democratic senators blocked a vote Tuesday to advance a Republican bill to keep the government open past Friday, because it did not include federal aid to help clean up lead-contaminated drinking water in Flint, Mich.
Senators voted 45-55 to advance the legislation, falling 15 votes short of the 60 needed to move the bill forward. A dozen Republicans joined 40 Democrats and two independents in opposing the proposal.
Congress must act by midnight Friday to prevent a government shutdown on Oct. 1, when fiscal 2017 begins.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., unveiled a proposal last week that would fund the government at existing levels through Dec. 9 to give lawmakers time to negotiate a bigger agreement to fund federal agencies through September 2017. It also would have provided $1.1 billion to combat the Zika virus and $500 million in aid to the flood-ravaged states of Louisiana, Maryland and West Virginia.
Democrats support those measures, but they were upset that Republicans did not include $220 million to help pay for a new water system for Flint, Mich., where residents have been poisoned by lead-contaminated drinking water. Democrats argue that Flint residents are victims of a disaster and deserve emergency aid just like the people of Louisiana.