U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., blamed Senate Democrats Thursday for setting a "dangerous precedent" by blocking debate on a bipartisan Energy and Water Develoment that includes $29 million to restart work at the stalled Chickamauga Lock in Chattanooga.
Alexander, chairman of the energy and water development panel, said the Senate Democrats' filibuster against voting on the $35.4 billion energy and water measure "really insults the Senate" and he said "that's not the way we are supposed to do our jobs."
The energy and water appropriations bill is one of the least controversial of the 12 major spending bills Congress must take up by Dec. 11 when the temporary budget runs out. The overall spending bill is $1.2 billion above last year's appropriation, although it is still $668 million below President Obama's budget request.
Democrats are holding up the issue to pressure Republicans to discuss an overall budget deal, including raising the federal debt ceiling.
"They've been beginning to talk, but we've got to get serious," said U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer, the vice chairman of the Democratic conference.