This Week in Congress Update

Yesterday the Senate passed the $854.3 billion Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education and Defense Appropriations bill. Only seven Senators voted no:

Mike Crapo (R-ID)

Jeff Flake (R-AZ)

Mike Lee (R-UT)

Rand Paul (R-KY)

James Risch (R-ID)

Bernie Sanders (I-VT)

Pat Toomey (R-PA)

Prior to the vote on final passage, there was a vote on waiving all budgetary dislikes so no Senator can object to the bill breaking budget rules. Only 24 Senators opposed that. You can see the vote here.

Finally, after calling out Senate leadership on the floor, Rand Paul got his vote to prohibit funds from going to abortion providers. Republican Senators Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska joined every Democrat in opposing the amendment, which lost by a vote of 45-48.