The Webb amendment that would have given troops more time at home between deployments was blocked by Senate Republicans [1]. Senate Democrats could not get enough votes for cloture to end a Republican filibuster of the bill. Tennessee Sens. Alexander and Corker both voted against cloture, which is a vote against the amendment. As Sven noted yesterday [2], Alexander had said just the day before that he was "studying" the amendment and might consider it. But Alexander and Corker both decided to once again toe the Bush party line. Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-Nebraska) said "The White House has been very effective of making this a loyalty test for the party." Sens. Collins and Snowe of Maine, Coleman of Minnesota, Sununu of New Hampshire, and Smith of Oregon were the other Republicans who supported the troops, along with every Democrat [3].