Senate approves amendment banning federal funds for conventions

The Senate decisively approved a farm bill amendment prohibiting the use of federal funds for party conventions.

The Thursday vote on the bill, sponsored by Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.), was 95 to 4. Sens. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), Mary Landrieu (D-La.)., Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.) and Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) were the only nay votes.

Under the amendment, the federal government is prohibited from using money from the Presidential Election Campaign Fund for political party conventions, effective Dec. 31, 2012, after the next Republican and Democratic presidential conventions in late August and early September. According to Coburn, the amendment saves a total of $36.6 million.

The funds would instead be used toward reducing the deficit.

Coburn and Sen. Mark Udall (D-Colo.) introduced a similar standalone bill in early June.

Just before the vote on Coburn's amendment, the Senate defeated an amendment, 26 to 73, by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) allowing states to require a label on food products that include a genetically engineered ingredient.

The Senate also defeated an amendment by Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) that amends the National Labor Relations Board Act to let employers pay higher wages to individual employees. That amendment was defeated 45 to 54.

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