Thune Tees Up Senate Votes on Annual Pentagon Spending Bill

Senate Majority Leader John Thune is moving to line up the Pentagon spending bill for a vote as Republicans and Democrats are still at loggerheads over reopening the government.

Thune (R-S.D.) on Tuesday filed cloture on the motion to proceed to the House-passed Defense appropriations measure (H.R. 4016; BGOV Bill Analysis). If there’s no time agreement, the vote to limit debate on taking up the bill will be Thursday, with the support of 60 senators needed.

The Senate leader is bringing up the legislation as lawmakers from both parties have been lamenting that troops—who have to work ...