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Senate Democrats sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ken., on Friday calling for votes on four bills benefiting the middle class that were approved as non-binding amendments to the budget resolution last month.

The Democratic lawmakers said the proposals all garnered significant Republican support during the budget "vote-a-rama" that took place before the two-week Easter recess.

The Senators called for up-or-down votes on legislation to provide paid sick leave for workers, protect pregnant workers from discrimination, ensure same-sex couples have equal access to federal benefits and enact tax cuts for middle class families.

During the budget process, three of the four proposals received at least the 60 votes needed to override a filibuster, although the amendment providing equal access to benefits for same-sex couples fell three votes short.

"As you know, amendments to the budget that are voted on during vote-a-rama do not have the force of law," the Senators wrote. "However, a bipartisan majority vote on an amendment can be an important mark of whether or not a certain policy can pass the Senate with a 60 vote affirmative threshold."

The added, "Too often, the budget vote-a-rama is characterized as a partisan exercise that leaves no lasting policy impact. Working with you, we hope to make this Budget vote-a-rama different."

The Democrats reiterated their opposition to the underlying Senate Republican budget but argued that their proposals deserve a vote.

Responding to the letter, McConnell spokesman Don Stewart noted that the Democrats left out a lot of Republican amendments that passed with bipartisan support, adding, "I'm sure that was just an oversight."

"Despite not bringing many of these issues to the floor when they were in the majority, under the new Congress' return to regular order, Senators of both parties now have the opportunity to work with the appropriate committee chairmen to report bipartisan legislation that complies with the budget," Stewart said.

The letter was signed by Sens. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., Patty Murray, D-Wash., Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., Bob Casey, D-Penn., Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, and Al Franken, D-Minn.

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Democrats Ask McConnell For Binding Votes On Middle Class Bills