By Tom Raum
Associated Press Writer
Wednesday, Oct. 13, 1999; 4:45 p.m. EDT

WASHINGTON –– Senate Democrats failed today in a last-ditch attempt to force postponement of action on the nuclear test ban treaty, losing on a party-line vote that opened the way to expected rejection of the pact.

It represented a major defeat for President Clinton, who had made the 154-nation treaty a major second-term initiative.

"My feeling now is the right thing to do is defeat this treaty," Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, R-Miss., said as the vote neared.

Democrats forced a roll call vote on a motion by Lott to return to consideration of the treaty during the third, and concluding day of debate. That motion required a simple majority and Lott had it, 55-45.

The Democrats needed to marshal 67 votes for the Senate to ratify the treaty – and today's test vote demonstrated what both sides had been saying for days: that ratification was beyond grasp.

Earlier, a dejected Daschle said that Democrats had no apparent further means left to delay the vote – and that neither he nor Clinton would make further concessions.

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