Both Bennett and Utah's other Republican senator, Orrin Hatch, were absent for Saturday's rare session in which Democrats failed to gain the 60 votes they wanted to start debate on a nonbinding resolution against President Bush's plan to send 20,000 more troops to fight in Iraq.

Hatch was attending his granddaughter's wedding and couldn't make it back to Washington, his spokesman Peter Carr said.

Hatch and Bennett would have voted against continuing on to debate on the Democrats' resolution. The vote was 56-34 to move ahead, four short of the 60 vote threshold Democrats needed.

Bennett, who is chairman of the Transatlantic Policy Network, is leading a delegation to London, Germany and Brussels, says spokeswoman Emily Christensen.

"Senator Bennett was unable to be in Washington on Saturday due to a long-standing commitment to host a congressional delegation overseas," Christensen said, noting Bennett supports a GOP-drafted proposal for votes on several resolutions.

"Unfortunately, the Democrats refuse to allow these important votes to occur and are blocking the chance for opposing views to be heard," Christensen said.