McCain: Hold lifted on NDAA, after three hours wasted

The Senate passed an amendment package of nearly 20 more amendments once the hold was lifted.

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) said the Republican hold on the National Defense Authorization Act was lifted Monday afternoon.

“The previous objection has been lifted so we’ve been able to make progress,” McCain said Monday, after he and Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.) passed an amendment package of nearly 20 more amendments. Earlier Monday McCain had said a "senator from Kentucky," presumably Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), would object to any more unanimous consent agreements until his particular amendment is considered.

McCain said the hold on the National Defense Authorization Act, S. 3254, meant “we lost three hours” of amendment work time before the vote on the motion to end debate shortly after 5:30 p.m.

Levin said he expects to pass another managers’ package of amendment before the vote.

After McCain’s statement about Paul, Paul’s spokeswoman said the senator wanted nothing more than to review the amendment packages that the Senate is preparing to pass.

Amendments 2954, 2978, 3015, 3022, 3024, 3028, 3042, 3054, 3066, 3091, 3160, 3164, 3176, 3188, 3208, 3218, 3227, 3268, 3289 and 3119 passed by voice vote.

Click here for more information on the amendments.

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