Senate Rejects Funding WH Tours to Save Elvis Cruises, Ukranian Easter Eggs

The Senate on Wednesday refused to divert federal funds from Elvis cruises, wine trains, and Ukrainian Easter egg workshops by rejecting an amendment that would have funded the White House tours that President Obama slashed as a part of the sequester.

Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) proposed an amendment to the Senate’s $984 billion spending bill to fund the government after March 27 that would have diverted $8 million from the Heritage Areas to fund the White House tours and historical sites.  

According to The Hill, Coburn’s amendment failed on a 45-54 vote that was straight down party lines, as Democrats wanted to protect Obama from what would have been considered a defeat.

Coburn said the Heritage Areas fund supports “wine trains, Elvis cruises and Ukrainian Easter Egg workshops.”

Photo: Henry Burrows/Flickr