Senator Harry Reid rejected the House?s latest proposal, with hours to go before the budget deadline.
Within minutes of convening just after 2 p.m., the Senate, on a 54-to-46 vote, followed through on Democratic threats to strip the health care provisions from a measure passed by the House early Sunday and send it back to the House.
?We?re at the brink,? Senator Barbara Mikulski, Democrat of Maryland and chairwoman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, said after the vote.
Senator Harry Reid, the majority leader, criticized Speaker John A. Boehner in harsh terms, as well as what he called the ?Banana Republican mindset? of the House. Mr. Reid called on the speaker to put the Senate bill up for a vote, which would almost certainly pass in the House because of overwhelming Democratic support and backing from moderate Republicans.
?I have a very simple message to John Boehner: Let the House vote. Stop trying to force a government shutdown,? he said.
