Senate appropriators hope 'poison pills' won't derail spending bill

Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Richard Shelby (R-AL) said today he hopes the Senate can pass a "minibus" spending bill this week that includes $675 billion for defense.

"I simply want to remind my colleagues what is at stake with this legislation and our path to success -- hopefully this week," he said on the Senate floor.

Shelby said past appropriations bills failed because of controversial amendments, often called "poison pills."

"We know where the fault lines run," he said. "Hopefully we can avoid them."

Along with defense spending, the "minibus" also includes funding for the Labor, Health and Human Services and Education departments as well as related agencies.

Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT), the top Democratic appropriator, said he and Shelby have been successful at achieving bipartisan consensus in part because of a "rejection of poison pill riders and controversial authorizing language."

Meanwhile, Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) has offered an amendment to the bill that would defund Planned Parenthood, which provides abortion services.

If the bill is to avoid a Democratic filibuster, it is likely that measures like Paul's will need to be excluded.

On the Senate floor, Shelby said he understands that "one senator's poison pill is often another senator's priority," and urged his colleagues to focus "on accomplishing the big-picture priorities" in the bill, such as an increase in defense spending.

"I hope my optimism is not misplaced," he said.