Senate Votes Down House Proposal For Shutdown Budget Talks

54-46

WASHINGTON — Hours after the first government shutdown began, the Senate on Tuesday rejected the House's request to hold formal talks on a stopgap spending bill that would end the stalemate.

The 54-46 vote along party lines reflected the ongoing politics of the issue: The Democratic majority and the two independents who vote with them want to fund the government with no restrictions, while the Republicans want to affect President Obama's health care law.