Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., listens to witnesses during a hearing on 2020 census on Capitol Hill in Washington on July 16, 2019./Via Associated Press
By Yvonne Wingett Sanchez | Arizona Republic
Sen. Kyrsten Sinema skipped Friday’s procedural Senate vote on establishing a bipartisan commission to study the U.S. Capitol riot.
Senate Republicans, in their first use of the filibuster under President Joe Biden, blocked the legislation from proceeding.
It’s unclear why Sinema, D-Ariz., missed the vote, which took place Friday morning after Republicans forced an overnight marathon session involving separate legislation intended to bolster the U.S.’s competitiveness against China.
Sinema wasn’t the only senator who missed the 54 to 35 vote, which fell short of the 60 votes needed to overcome the filibuster. Ten other senators did not vote on the bill, including one other Democrat, Sen. Patty Murray of Washington. Republican Sen. Richard Shelby of Alabama was spotted Thursday night on a plane leaving Washington.
Sinema’s spokesperson did not immediately respond to The Arizona Republic’s request for comment.
Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., voted to advance the legislation.
