Sen. Lindsey Graham waits for an elevator on Capitol Hill on May 2 after leaving a policy luncheon with Vice President Mike Pence. | AP Photo Graham loathes spending bill but won't force government shutdown

Sen. Lindsey Graham is mad as hell about the spending deal struck by congressional leaders.

And while he initially said in an interview that he was willing to hold up the government funding bill past the Friday deadline to be heard, he later told reporters he planned to vote against the bill but would not stop it from advancing and would not cause a government shutdown.


The South Carolina Republican and prominent defense hawk said in a Tuesday interview that he needs more than just the bill's $15 billion boost in defense spending. He also wants the must-pass bill to restore the full authority of the Export-Import Bank, which doesn't have enough members to operate, and renew expiring energy credits vital to the nuclear power industry. Both items are important to South Carolina.

"Those are two things that have been lingering problems that I've been trying to be a team player on. And this is like the third year in a row. Enough is enough," Graham said. "I am definitely willing to hold the bill up."

Asked if he was willing to do so past the Friday deadline, he replied affirmatively.

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Any senator can delay the funding bill by requiring procedural votes and forcing the Senate to use 30 hours of debate time.

With the House set to pass the bill on Wednesday, Graham could conceivably cause a brief government shutdown if he followed through with his initial threat, which other Republicans said was unlikely. The Senate is hoping to get agreement to vote on the bill Thursday or early Friday — though Graham could reject such entreaties.

There is greater concern about one of the most hawkish members of the Senate turning down a significant investment in the military, according to a congressional aide. But Graham says his priorities keep getting left behind on spending bills. And he's willing to take the government to the brink to make his point.

"I'm tired of doing it this way," Graham fumed, attacking plans to keep Obamacare's subsidies on line. "Why we're funding Obamacare I don't know. We're actually funding Obamacare in the same fashion that we declared to be illegal when they did it."

Austin Wright contributed to this story.