Senate Rejects Defense Spending Bill Amid Shutdown

The Senate blocked a bill on Oct. 16 to fund the Department of Defense for the 2026 fiscal year amid the government shutdown. The tally was 50-44. The bill failed to clear the 60-vote filibuster threshold to advance legislation. The House passed the bill in July. The $831.5 billion measure includes a 3.8 percent pay raise for members of the military, $1.5 billion to improve military readiness, $500 million for the Taiwan Security Cooperation Initiative, and $500 million for missile defense programs in Israel. Ahead of the vote, Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) told reporters he would not vote for it, accusing Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) of “playing games.”...