Sen. Doug Jones co-sponsors bill to pay military during government shutdown

December 10, 2017: Doug Jones speaks during a campaign rally in Birmingham, Alabama. (AP)

Sen. Doug Jones, D- Ala., is co-sponsoring an initiative that would ensure military service members receive their pay during the federal government shutdown that began on Friday.

Jones is joined by Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., who introduced the measure shortly after the U.S. Senate failed to reach an agreement to prevent the government shutdown.

"Around the world and here at home, our military and their families continue to serve during this shutdown," Jones said in a statement, according to Al.com.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell objected to the measure on Sunday, urging the Congress to fund the entirety of the government rather than just the military.

He said a similar measure was passed during the prolonged shutdown in 2013 but expressed hope “that we can restore funding for the entire government before this becomes necessary.”

Video

Both Jones and McCaskill, Democrats from a deep-red state carried by President Trump in the 2016 election, broke ranks with their party and voted in favor of the Republican plan to fund the federal government on Friday.

Their votes were not enough to beat the filibuster – requiring 60 votes to pass the funding bill – and both sides reached a deadlock. Democrats insist on coming up with protections for undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children before re-opening the government.

There is an expected procedural vote in the Senate on Monday at noon that would fund the government until Feb. 8. It remains unclear if there’s enough support and it would not reopen the government.

Jones became the first Democratic Senator from Alabama in 25 years after beating last month embattled Republican candidate Roy Moore, who was accused of sexual misconduct with underage girls.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.