( CNN ) -- It is a rare , strange day when Senate Republicans vote to block billions in tax cuts . But that 's what happened Thursday when they chose to freeze a massive tax credit package in order to protest how Democrats are running the chamber . By a vote of 53-40 , the EXPIRE Act , which would extend $ 85 billion in tax credits , failed to get the 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster . Only one Republican , Sen. Mark Kirk of Illinois , voted with Democrats to advance the measure . The rest of the GOP votes were `` no , '' as Republicans vented anger that Democrats have refused to allow votes on their amendments to this and most other bills in the past year . `` This is bigger than any one bill , '' Republican Leader Mitch McConnell said on the floor . `` What ( Democrats are ) doing is muzzling the people of this country , a gag order on the people we were sent here to represent . '' `` It 's time to act as the U.S. Senate should act and allow ( both sides ) the opportunity to express their view , '' echoed Sen. Orrin Hatch , Republican of Utah . The pushback comes as the Senate struggles to find a way to operate . Traditional processes and procedures for working through sharp divides have broken down in the past year . Democrats , frustrated with Republicans for blocking presidential nominees , changed a significant piece of the filibuster rule . Triggering the so-called `` nuclear option , '' Majority Leader Harry Reid and Democrats made it easier to get around GOP objections . That raised hostility behind the scenes to a new level . At the same time , Republicans are also furious that Democrats will not let bills have a so-called `` open '' process , where senators can propose amendments and get a vote on their idea . That is far from unique to Reid or this Senate . Republicans have used the same tactic to choose friendly amendments when they were in the majority . But after months of tension and in a bitter midterm election year where they want to rail against Democrats , Republicans decided that Thursday was the day to take a stand on the process issues in the Senate . Reid fired back , insisting that Republicans are the ones causing obstruction in the Senate and are doing so for political reasons . `` It should not be lost that Republican senators are continuing their agenda by just saying no , '' the Nevada senator said after the vote . `` I wonder who called them today to kill this bill ? No matter the excuse , Republicans continue to wage war against common sense . '' Reid also made sure to point out that , with Thursday 's vote , Republicans were blocking their own cause . `` That 's what just happened , Republicans just voted against tax cuts , '' Reid said . What happens next ? The bill to extend the tax cuts is frozen temporarily but not dead . Reid suggested that both sides should take the weekend to think about their next moves .
Republicans were protesting how Democrats run the Senate . Pushing tax credits is usually a Republican staple . Comment: Democrats are frustrated with Republicans over nominations ; The GOP says Dems block their ideas .