A $612 million dollar defense authorization bill has been passed by the U.S. Senate but Democrats have voted against a motion to begin debate on the bill that would pay for everything in it, in an attempt to get Republicans to negotiate.

Senator Roy Blunt (R-Missouri) accuses Democrats of playing politics.

“Things are much more difficult by a strategy that is purposefully out there just to see that nothing happens,” said Blunt. “That is not the job of the government. The job of the government is to do the people’s business. All spending is not created equal. The number one priority of the federal government is to defend the country.”

The defense bill faces a Presidential veto because of the spending caps included. Blunt criticizes the President’s approach.

“It’s not the way you decide how to defend the country. It’s not the way you decide what your priorities are.”

The proposal contains no cuts for Fort Leonard Wood and the authorization of $29.5 million for construction of a consolidated operations facility at Whiteman Air Force Base. The bill still has to be reconciled with the House’s version passed in May.