Reid promises to move Defense authorization bill

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) on Tuesday, pledged to move a contentious Defense authorization bill through the Senate after several senior Republicans criticized him for blocking a vote on the bill. 

The Republicans said Reid is blocking a vote because of provisions in the bill meant to ensure that detainees at the Guantanamo Bay prison in Cuba are not brought to the United States for trial. The Obama administration opposes those provisions, which would make it more difficult to bring detainees to the Untied States.

Reid on Tuesday said the Republicans are right in calling for a vote on the bill. 

But Reid also sought to cast some blame on the GOP, which he has repeatedly criticized for obstruction in the Senate.

“We have wasted months and months because of obstructionism,” Reid said. “We are trying to find time to do lots of things.”

Republican Sens. John McCain (Ariz.), Kelley Ayotte (N.H.), Lindsey Graham (S.C.) and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) had argued in a colloquy, just moments before, that Reid ought not to hold up the funding bill, which cleared committee by strong support, over a single provision he or President Obama oppose. 

“I always believe these issues were to be resolved through debate,” McCain said.