Senate: Earmark Ban Amendment Voted Down

By Trish Turner

Published December 23, 2015

As expected, Oklahoma Sen. Tom Coburn's earmark ban amendment failed to muster the 67 votes needed for passage. Due to the procedural tactic used, supporters needed to clear the super majority hurdle. The vote: 39 Yeas to 56 Nays.

Democrats voting for the measure were Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Sen. Evan Bayh (D-Ind.), Sen. Russ Feingold (D-Wis.), amendment cosponsor Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), amendment cosponsor Sen. Mark Udall (D-Colo.), Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) and Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.)

Republicans voting against the amendment were Sen. Bob Bennett (R-Utah), Sen. Thad Cochran (R-Miss.), Sen. James Inhoffe (R-Okla.), Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), Sen. Richard Lugar (R-Ind.), Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) and Sen. George Voinovich (R-Ohio). All except Inhoffe and Lugar are members of the Senate Appropriations Committee.

Five Senators missed the vote: Sen. Kit Bond (R-Mo.), Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kan.), Sen Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.) and Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.). Senators Bond, Brownback and Mikulski are members of the Senate Appropriations Committee.

Senator Bob Casey (D-Pa.) and Sen. Jim Webb (D-Va.) voted against the amendment. Both are up for reelection in 2012. Casey's home state of Pennsylvania elected a Republican governor and senator in recent elections. Webb's home state of Virginia elected Republican Governor Bob McDonnell in 2009.

Fox producer Wes Barrett contributed to this story.

URL

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/senate-earmark-ban-amendment-voted-down