After weeks of delays and partisan squabbling, the Senate on Wednesday unanimously passed a bill to combat human trafficking.
The legislation passed 99-0, with Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) the lone member to miss the vote. The bill stalled earlier this year as Democrats sought to weaken anti-abortion language they deemed extraneous, though lawmakers finally reached a compromise Tuesday to ensure bipartisan support for the measure.
Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) refused to hold a confirmation vote for attorney general nominee Loretta Lynch until the Senate dealt with the trafficking bill. The upper chamber is slated to begin debate on that long-awaited vote Thursday.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Continue reading for free
We hope you're enjoying The Week's refreshingly open-minded journalism.
Subscribed to The Week? Register your account with the same email as your subscription.