Senate votes to fund committees through fiscal year

The Senate approved a resolution outlining Senate committee budgets for the remainder of the fiscal year.

S. Res. 64 passed by voice-vote after the Senate rejected an amendment by Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) that would have removed funding for the Senate National Security Working Group.

Paul said the National Security Working Group provides additional staff funds to the few in Senate leadership. Paul said all members should make do with their existing office budgets, especially in a time of budget cuts.

“As some of you may have heard, we’re a bit short on money,” Paul said ahead of the vote Tuesday. “Will this balance the budget? No, but is it a place we should start? Yes.”

Paul said his amendment would have saved $700,000 annually. His amendment failed on a 44-53 vote.

Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin (D-Mich.) said the bipartisan National Security Working Group was a “key component of the Senate’s ability to work on treaties” while they’re being negotiated. But Paul said that’s a job for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Levin said the funding for the National Security Working Group ensured that a small bipartisan group of senators was able to work on the START treaty with Russia while it was being drafted. He said it was important that the group continue to serve its “useful role.”

S. Res. 64 funds the work of Senate committees through Sept. 30.

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