Senate Democrats aren’t set on whether they will vote to advance a Veterans and Military Construction spending bill on Tuesday — a key test of Congress’ ability to fund the government on a bipartisan basis — and they’ll discuss the vote at lunch.
There’s plenty of skepticism in the caucus after Republicans unilaterally pushed through a $9 billion spending-cuts package.
Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., said that amounted to a “switcheroo” on funding.
“I’m skeptical about, ‘Please work a deal with us that we can undo one minute after we vote on it,’” Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., told Semafor.
Starting with the veterans bill is intentional by the GOP: It’s among the most popular spending measures.
“The bill came out of committee 26-3,” Senate Appropriations Chair Susan Collins, R-Maine, told Semafor. “This is a test of whether senators are serious.” (She opposed the cuts package.)