There’s been a lot of talk this week about an amendment, proposed by Senator Kent Conrad, that would create a special commission to make recommendations on how to cut the budget deficit. The amendment was attached to H.J. RES. 45, legislation that would increase the debt limit.
The amendment was defeated by a vote of almost the entire Senate today, just the 5th Senate roll call vote of the year.. There will be no budget commission. That’s news enough, but what’s as remarkable as the failure of the legislation is the shape of the vote. It was remarkably mixed.
16 Republicans, 1 independent, and 36 Democrats voted in favor of the budget commission.
13 Republicans, 1 independent, and 22 Democrats voted in opposition of the budget commission.
(1 Republican, Lisa Murkowski, did not vote at all.)
