The U.S. Senate put the future of the defense budget into question Thursday by passing a sweeping defense policy bill but then rejecting a complimentary measure to pay for it.

The blocking of the fiscal 2016 defense spending bill was orchestrated by the Senate Democrats, part of a campaign against the use of “gimmicks” by the Republicans to boost the Pentagon’s budget.

The dispute centers around how the Republican-led budget handles the spending caps from the 2011 Budget Control Act — the so-called sequestration. The GOP plan sidesteps the mandatory restrictions put in place under the sequestration by putting $38 billion in special war contingency funds.

Senators Brian Schatz and Mazie Hirono.

Courtesy of Sen. Mazie Hirono

Hawaii’s two senators, Mazie Hirono and Brian Schatz, voted against the spending plan.

Hirono also voted against the defense policy bill, but Schatz broke ranks with the Senate Democratic leadership and voted in favor of it. In a statement, Schatz said the policy bill includes provisions that are boon to Hawaii’s economy and military community.

“The bill specifically states that any withdrawal of U.S. forces from U.S. Pacific Command would undermine the rebalance to the Asia Pacific, and that U.S. forces under the operational control of U.S. Pacific Command—like those of U.S. Army Pacific based in Hawai‘i—should be increased, consistent with our commitment to the region,” Schatz said in the statement.

The Obama administration has been threatening a veto on the bill, citing the cap busting budget gimmick as a reason.