Four Republican senators failed to show up to vote on an amendment that would have barred federal funding for President Joe Biden’s vaccine mandates that have yet to be blocked by federal courts.
According to The Epoch Times, had those senators been present the measure likely would have passed the upper chamber, at least:
The amendment, offered by Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), failed in a narrow 46–47 vote.
Lee and fellow Republicans were optimistic because they hold a slight majority in the upper chamber since Sen. Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.) suffered a stroke. Additionally, Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) were absent with reported family emergencies.
But four Republican senators missed the vote, dooming the measure.
They were: Sens. Richard Burr (R-N.C.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), and Mitt Romney (R-Utah).
Romney and Inhofe voted to advance the measure but Graham and Burr missed all votes on Thursday.
Senate Minority Whip John Thune (R-S.D.) told reporters before the votes that there would be “natural attrition” because some senators were leaving Washington to attend the Munich Security Conference.
“We don’t have a lot of control” over members leaving, Thune said.
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