Senate Democrats block spending bill over aid to Flint victims

WASHINGTON, Sept. 27 (UPI) -- Senate Democrats blocked a Republican spending bill Tuesday due to its lack of aid for the water crisis in Flint, Mich.

The spending bill would stop a possible government shutdown and would also including funding to fight Zika.

With just three days before government agencies run out of money, a compromise bill is expected to pass before the midnight Friday deadline, lawmakers said.

The spending bill failed 45-55, just five votes short of passing. Democrats uniformly voted against the bill along with 12 Republicans.

To reach the compromise, lawmakers will have to resolve issues over aid to Flint, as well as Louisiana flood victims, and over the level of spending. The bill is also only a stopgap, funding the government until Dec. 9, when congress will have to take up many of the same battles during a lame-duck session after the election.

Democratic and Republican congressional leaders were not deterred by the measure's failure.

"We're not shutting the government down," said Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., the minority leader. "We're going to finish this."

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell also has proposed an alternative that would leave aid money to Flint or Louisiana for a later bill.