UPDATE: 5:00 P.M.
U.S. Senator Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security, issued the following statement today after the Senate overcame a Republican filibuster and voted to move forward with a measure that would provide emergency disaster relief for communities hit by Hurricane Irene and other disasters. The bill will now be considered on the Senate floor.
“The Senate has overcome a senseless and heartless Republican filibuster attempt to block disaster relief funding. We cannot turn our backs on the families, businesses and communities that are struggling to recover,” Senator Lautenberg said. “FEMA is running out of money, so Republicans must set aside their political games and work with us to pass a disaster relief bill.”
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Yesterday, the Senate voted against more Hurricane Irene relief that would have provided $6.9 billion to victims of natural disasters.
The votes were just 7 less than needed to pass this bill. The bill failed with 53 votes - 60 were needed. Votes tallied 53 for the bill with 33 against the bill. Every nay vote was made by a Republican, and out of the 53 'yea' votes, only 6 Republicans in total voted to pass this bill.
U.S. Senator Frank Lautenberg reacted to the vote.
"With so many people suffering from floods and other disasters, it is shameful that Republicans blocked disaster relief today," said Lautenberg. "No wonder Americans are fed up with Congress when the Republicans make disaster victims pawns in a political game. The Republicans seem to be willing to go to any length to make the government appear to be dysfunctional and ineffective. It's time for the Republicans to stop playing politics and work with us to get people the disaster relief they need."
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) was furious, saying “The only reason someone might be holding up this bill today is because my friends on the other side of the aisle, the Republicans, don’t want the Senate to vote on disaster assistance."
Already, 30,000 plus New Jersey residents have applied for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) assistance, with FEMA reporting disbursements have already begun.
When President Barack Obama toured the flood plagued regions in New Jersey only two weeks ago, he vowed to push for a bi-partisan consensus so FEMA could get the funds necessary to quickly pay for cleaning up the floods that ravaged so many homes - and lives.
Now, the war between Republicans in the Senate that want to avoid any kind of increase in U.S. spending and Democrats - along with a few Republicans - who want to offer a helping hands to flood and other natural disaster victims has stalled the process of getting the money to
flow as quickly into areas devastated by flash flooding.
The bill that failed was offered by Democrat leaders and was voted down in a budget battle that has been ongoing for months in Washington D.C.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) urged everyone to vote for this bill, and said not voting for the bill which was never deemed controversial would send a message that FEMA would not be funded. The bill that included FEMA money also included a non-controversial bill to renew sanctions on Burma - sanctions both parties have agreed upon publicly and have voted for in the past.
Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) spoke to the Senate before the vote, saying
he thought the nearly $7 billion was too much money to spend for FEMA and for U.S. victims of natural disasters.
"Seven billion dollars?," he asked. "The state of Alabama’s general budget is $2 billion. Seven billion is a lot of money."
As of the early hour, calls to the Governor's Office and the White House have not yet been returned.
The Senate Appropriations Homeland Security Subcommittee approved the FEMA budget on Tuesday, before offering it to the Senate for a vote. This $6.9 billion budget is part of the Department of Homeland Security's 2012 budget and earmarked as appropriations for FEMA.
This proposed and rejected $6.9 billion FEMA funding - voted down - is $666 million below the 2011 appropriations.
Updates will follow.
LIST OF SENATORS VOTES FOR THIS BILL
Alphabetical by Senator Name
Akaka (D-HI), Yea
Alexander (R-TN), Nay
Ayotte (R-NH), Nay
Barrasso (R-WY), Nay
Baucus (D-MT), Yea
Begich (D-AK), Yea
Bennet (D-CO), Yea
Bingaman (D-NM), Yea
Blumenthal (D-CT), Yea
Blunt (R-MO), Yea
Boozman (R-AR), Nay
Boxer (D-CA), Yea
Brown (D-OH), Yea
Brown (R-MA), Yea
Burr (R-NC), Nay
Cantwell (D-WA), Yea
Cardin (D-MD), Yea
Carper (D-DE), Yea
Casey (D-PA), Not Voting
Chambliss (R-GA), Nay
Coats (R-IN), Yea
Coburn (R-OK), Nay
Cochran (R-MS), Nay
Collins (R-ME), Yea
Conrad (D-ND), Yea
Coons (D-DE), Yea
Corker (R-TN), Nay
Cornyn (R-TX), Nay
Crapo (R-ID), Nay
DeMint (R-SC), Not Voting
Durbin (D-IL), Yea
Enzi (R-WY), Nay
Feinstein (D-CA), Yea
Franken (D-MN), Yea
Gillibrand (D-NY), Yea
Graham (R-SC), Nay
Grassley (R-IA), Nay
Hagan (D-NC), Yea
Harkin (D-IA), Yea
Hatch (R-UT), Nay
Heller (R-NV), Yea
Hoeven (R-ND), Not Voting
Hutchison (R-TX), Not Voting
Inhofe (R-OK), Not Voting
Inouye (D-HI), Yea
Isakson (R-GA), Nay
Johanns (R-NE), Nay
Johnson (D-SD), Yea
Johnson (R-WI), Nay
Kerry (D-MA), Yea
Kirk (R-IL), Not Voting
Klobuchar (D-MN), Yea
Kohl (D-WI), Yea
Kyl (R-AZ), Nay
Landrieu (D-LA), Not Voting
Lautenberg (D-NJ), Yea
Leahy (D-VT), Yea
Lee (R-UT), Nay
Levin (D-MI), Yea
Lieberman (ID-CT), Yea
Lugar (R-IN), Nay
Manchin (D-WV), Yea
McCain (R-AZ), Nay
McCaskill (D-MO), Yea
McConnell (R-KY), Nay
Menendez (D-NJ), Yea
Merkley (D-OR), Yea
Mikulski (D-MD), Yea
Moran (R-KS), Nay
Murkowski (R-AK), Not Voting
Murray (D-WA), Yea
Nelson (D-FL), Yea
Nelson (D-NE), Yea
Paul (R-KY), Nay
Portman (R-OH), Nay
Pryor (D-AR), Yea
Reed (D-RI), Yea
Reid (D-NV), Yea
Risch (R-ID), Nay
Roberts (R-KS), Nay
Rockefeller (D-WV), Not Voting
Rubio (R-FL), Not Voting
Sanders (I-VT), Not Voting
Schumer (D-NY), Yea
Sessions (R-AL), Nay
Shaheen (D-NH), Yea
Shelby (R-AL), Nay
Snowe (R-ME), Yea
Stabenow (D-MI), Not Voting
Tester (D-MT), Yea
Thune (R-SD), Nay
Toomey (R-PA), Nay
Udall (D-CO), Yea
Udall (D-NM), Yea
Vitter (R-LA), Not Voting
Warner (D-VA), Yea
Webb (D-VA), Yea
Whitehouse (D-RI), Yea
Wicker (R-MS), Nay
Wyden (D-OR), Not Voting
Vote Summary By Senator Name By Vote Position By Home State
Grouped By Vote Position
YEAs ---53
Akaka (D-HI)
Baucus (D-MT)
Begich (D-AK)
Bennet (D-CO)
Bingaman (D-NM)
Blumenthal (D-CT)
Blunt (R-MO)
Boxer (D-CA)
Brown (D-OH)
Brown (R-MA)
Cantwell (D-WA)
Cardin (D-MD)
Carper (D-DE)
Coats (R-IN)
Collins (R-ME)
Conrad (D-ND)
Coons (D-DE)
Durbin (D-IL)
Feinstein (D-CA)
Franken (D-MN)
Gillibrand (D-NY)
Hagan (D-NC)
Harkin (D-IA)
Heller (R-NV)
Inouye (D-HI)
Johnson (D-SD)
Kerry (D-MA)
Klobuchar (D-MN)
Kohl (D-WI)
Lautenberg (D-NJ)
Leahy (D-VT)
Levin (D-MI)
Lieberman (ID-CT)
Manchin (D-WV)
McCaskill (D-MO)
Menendez (D-NJ)
Merkley (D-OR)
Mikulski (D-MD)
Murray (D-WA)
Nelson (D-FL)
Nelson (D-NE)
Pryor (D-AR)
Reed (D-RI)
Reid (D-NV)
Schumer (D-NY)
Shaheen (D-NH)
Snowe (R-ME)
Tester (D-MT)
Udall (D-CO)
Udall (D-NM)
Warner (D-VA)
Webb (D-VA)
Whitehouse (D-RI)
NAYs ---33
Alexander (R-TN)
Ayotte (R-NH)
Barrasso (R-WY)
Boozman (R-AR)
Burr (R-NC)
Chambliss (R-GA)
Coburn (R-OK)
Cochran (R-MS)
Corker (R-TN)
Cornyn (R-TX)
Crapo (R-ID)
Enzi (R-WY)
Graham (R-SC)
Grassley (R-IA)
Hatch (R-UT)
Isakson (R-GA)
Johanns (R-NE)
Johnson (R-WI)
Kyl (R-AZ)
Lee (R-UT)
Lugar (R-IN)
McCain (R-AZ)
McConnell (R-KY)
Moran (R-KS)
Paul (R-KY)
Portman (R-OH)
Risch (R-ID)
Roberts (R-KS)
Sessions (R-AL)
Shelby (R-AL)
Thune (R-SD)
Toomey (R-PA)
Wicker (R-MS)
Not Voting - 14
Casey (D-PA)
DeMint (R-SC)
Hoeven (R-ND)
Hutchison (R-TX)
Inhofe (R-OK)
Kirk (R-IL)
Landrieu (D-LA)
Murkowski (R-AK)
Rockefeller (D-WV)
Rubio (R-FL)
Sanders (I-VT)
Stabenow (D-MI)
Vitter (R-LA)
Wyden (D-OR)
Vote Summary By Senator Name By Vote Position By Home State
Grouped by Home State
Alabama: Sessions (R-AL), Nay Shelby (R-AL), Nay
Alaska: Begich (D-AK), Yea Murkowski (R-AK), Not Voting
Arizona: Kyl (R-AZ), Nay McCain (R-AZ), Nay
Arkansas: Boozman (R-AR), Nay Pryor (D-AR), Yea
California: Boxer (D-CA), Yea Feinstein (D-CA), Yea
Colorado: Bennet (D-CO), Yea Udall (D-CO), Yea
Connecticut: Blumenthal (D-CT), Yea Lieberman (ID-CT), Yea
Delaware: Carper (D-DE), Yea Coons (D-DE), Yea
Florida: Nelson (D-FL), Yea Rubio (R-FL), Not Voting
Georgia: Chambliss (R-GA), Nay Isakson (R-GA), Nay
Hawaii: Akaka (D-HI), Yea Inouye (D-HI), Yea
Idaho: Crapo (R-ID), Nay Risch (R-ID), Nay
Illinois: Durbin (D-IL), Yea Kirk (R-IL), Not Voting
Indiana: Coats (R-IN), Yea Lugar (R-IN), Nay
Iowa: Grassley (R-IA), Nay Harkin (D-IA), Yea
Kansas: Moran (R-KS), Nay Roberts (R-KS), Nay
Kentucky: McConnell (R-KY), Nay Paul (R-KY), Nay
Louisiana: Landrieu (D-LA), Not Voting Vitter (R-LA), Not Voting
Maine: Collins (R-ME), Yea Snowe (R-ME), Yea
Maryland: Cardin (D-MD), Yea Mikulski (D-MD), Yea
Massachusetts: Brown (R-MA), Yea Kerry (D-MA), Yea
Michigan: Levin (D-MI), Yea Stabenow (D-MI), Not Voting
Minnesota: Franken (D-MN), Yea Klobuchar (D-MN), Yea
Mississippi: Cochran (R-MS), Nay Wicker (R-MS), Nay
Missouri: Blunt (R-MO), Yea McCaskill (D-MO), Yea
Montana: Baucus (D-MT), Yea Tester (D-MT), Yea
Nebraska: Johanns (R-NE), Nay Nelson (D-NE), Yea
Nevada: Heller (R-NV), Yea Reid (D-NV), Yea
New Hampshire: Ayotte (R-NH), Nay Shaheen (D-NH), Yea
New Jersey: Lautenberg (D-NJ), Yea Menendez (D-NJ), Yea
New Mexico: Bingaman (D-NM), Yea Udall (D-NM), Yea
New York: Gillibrand (D-NY), Yea Schumer (D-NY), Yea
North Carolina: Burr (R-NC), Nay Hagan (D-NC), Yea
North Dakota: Conrad (D-ND), Yea Hoeven (R-ND), Not Voting
Ohio: Brown (D-OH), Yea Portman (R-OH), Nay
Oklahoma: Coburn (R-OK), Nay Inhofe (R-OK), Not Voting
Oregon: Merkley (D-OR), Yea Wyden (D-OR), Not Voting
Pennsylvania: Casey (D-PA), Not Voting Toomey (R-PA), Nay
Rhode Island: Reed (D-RI), Yea Whitehouse (D-RI), Yea
South Carolina: DeMint (R-SC), Not Voting Graham (R-SC), Nay
South Dakota: Johnson (D-SD), Yea Thune (R-SD), Nay
Tennessee: Alexander (R-TN), Nay Corker (R-TN), Nay
Texas: Cornyn (R-TX), Nay Hutchison (R-TX), Not Voting
Utah: Hatch (R-UT), Nay Lee (R-UT), Nay
Vermont: Leahy (D-VT), Yea Sanders (I-VT), Not Voting
Virginia: Warner (D-VA), Yea Webb (D-VA), Yea
Washington: Cantwell (D-WA), Yea Murray (D-WA), Yea
West Virginia: Manchin (D-WV), Yea Rockefeller (D-WV), Not Voting
Wisconsin: Johnson (R-WI), Nay Kohl (D-WI), Yea
Wyoming: Barrasso (R-WY), Nay Enzi (R-WY), Nay
Vote Summary By Senator Name By Vote Position By Home State
