Democrats Fail to End Filibuster Over Jobs Bill

Senate Democrats lost their first attempt Friday to end a Republican filibuster that has blocked passage of President Clinton’s $16.3-billion emergency stimulus package, but they vowed to try again today and next week, rather than leave on a scheduled Easter recess.

The President’s supporters fell five votes short of the 60 votes needed to cut off debate, picking up 55 votes to 43 for opponents of the bill, which is designed to create jobs and give a short-term lift to the economy.

Republican senators, who charged that the legislation would provide mainly make-work jobs and pork-barrel projects, held their ranks and picked up the vote of a defecting Democrat, Sen. Richard C. Shelby of Alabama.

It is the strongest challenge to Clinton by the Republicans since the President took office a little more than two months ago. Two senators--Democrat Robert Krueger of Texas and Republican Judd Gregg of New Hampshire--missed the roll call, but their votes would not have changed the outcome.

The Senate was summoned into a rare session today as Democrats tried to turn up the political heat on Republicans for employing filibuster tactics against the new President. But there were some faint signs that leaders on both sides of the aisle were beginning to discuss a compromise.

Clinton, attending an environmental conference in Portland, Ore., accused the GOP lawmakers of “pure politics” by preventing a vote on a key part of his economic program.

“It will be a real shame if the minority in the Senate is successful in keeping hundreds of thousands more Americans out of work, and that’s what we’re on the verge of seeing,” the President told reporters. “The American people want us to put them first.”

Senate Minority Leader Bob Dole (R-Kan.) acknowledged the impasse but said that he and the 42 other Republicans in the Senate are acting on behalf of the public.

“We want to halt this bill in its entirety because it’s an emergency for the taxpayer,” Dole told the Senate after the first vote to halt debate. “And it’s an emergency for the economy, which can’t take any more deficit spending by the White House and Congress.”

Senate Majority Leader George J. Mitchell (D-Me.) presented a different view of what is at stake.

“What the American people want are jobs and an end to gridlock,” he said. “Our opponents want to continue the failed policies of the past. We want to change. This is an attempt to embarrass the President (and) to pick his program apart on a piecemeal basis.”

Mitchell, using his powers as majority leader to set the schedule, planned a second vote today on breaking the filibuster. If that fails, as expected, the Senate will make a third try on Monday, recess on Tuesday in observance of the Passover holiday and then, if necessary, vote again on closing debate on Wednesday.

The Senate was scheduled to begin a two-week recess Friday night, but Mitchell canceled at least part of it by ordering the votes next week.

Senators from both parties were forced to cancel meetings in their home states, political fund-raisers and family vacations as a result--a factor that could spur discussions on a compromise to break the deadlock.

Dole proposed a “leaner, meaner alternative,” to the stimulus bill, including $4 billion to pay for extended unemployment benefits. He advocated allocating another $350 million for summer jobs for youth, an immunization program, and highway and mass transit funds. That amount, however, would be offset by across-the-board cuts in government administrative expenses.

Dole acknowledged that his proposal would not be accepted by the Democratic majority, but he said it might send a signal that Republicans are sensitive to the need for some immediate extra spending on programs to create jobs.

“If we don’t find a solution, we’ll be on this bill for a considerable period of time,” Dole warned.

For his part, Mitchell said he would allow consideration of GOP amendments if the Republicans would limit their number and agree to vote on final passage of the bill at a definite time, rather than prolonging the debate indefinitely.

Dole, indicating that an end to the impasse might be in sight, responded: “The majority has left the door open--slightly; we can’t get through it, but we can see through it.”

Despite the apparent lack of progress, the bitter, angry mood that surfaced in the Senate on Thursday seemed to have been replaced by a more tolerant attitude on both sides Friday.

Even so, the charges and countercharges flew in the chamber throughout the day. Sen. Phil Gramm (R-Tex.) said the Senate was not in gridlock but in “porklock” because of all the questionable spending projects that he said would be paid for by the stimulus bill.

Sen. Thomas A. Daschle (D-N.D.) countered: “This is a partisan feud--a debate about whether we’re going to allow the President to lead. This is a vote on gridlock.”