“This legislation should not be held hostage to the political antics of the Senate minority.”

WASHINGTON — Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), chairman of the Senate Republican Conference, issued the following statement after Senate Democrats blocked consideration of the Department of Defense appropriations bill:

“The recent attacks in Orlando, Istanbul, Bangladesh, Baghdad, and Saudi Arabia underscore the urgent need to fight ISIS abroad and protect the homeland. This bill initially received bipartisan support here in the Senate, yet today Senate Democrats chose to block this critical funding for partisan political reasons. The Department of Defense funding bill will support our armed forces and strengthen their ability to defeat current and future threats. This legislation should not be held hostage to the political antics of the Senate minority.”