This vote was on a motion to send the budget resolution that serves as the blueprint for Congress' budget priorities in fiscal 2010 to the Budget Committee for a rewrite (known as a "motion to recommit"). Mike Johanns, R-Neb., who made the motion, wanted the budget resolution rewritten to limit the overall increase in spending this year to the 2009 projected rate of inflation for non-defense-related spending.
"We are faced with the steepest economic decline since the Great Depression. The underlying [budget resolution] already cuts nondefense discretionary spending by more than $160 billion. This would cut another $120 billion, much of it front end loaded, at the worst possible time for economic recovery," Conrad said.
By a vote of 43-55, the motion was rejected. All but two Democrats present voted against the motion. Every Republican present voted for the motion. The end result is that the motion to send the budget resolution back to the committee to limit its non-defense spending to 2009's inflationary levels was defeated, and consideration of the bill continued.