GOP senators stall spending bill

WASHINGTON, March 12 (UPI) -- Two Republican senators have blocked a bipartisan proposal to keep the government funded with a $984 billion spending bill, officials said.

The bill was negotiated by Senate Appropriations Chairwoman Barbara Mikulski, D-Md., and ranking member Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala.

But Republican Sens. John McCain of Arizona and Tom Coburn of Oklahoma argued they were not given enough time to read the 500-page proposal, said they already had found pork in it and blocked the legislation, The Hill reported.

McCain said what the pair "found is egregious pork barrel spending."

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Neb., said he was "stunned" and "flabbergasted" the pair blocked the bill, and Mikulski said it did not contain pork.

If the spending bill is not passed by March 27, the government will shut down.