The U.S. Senate passed a two-year budget bill early Friday morning, in a vote that split Alaska’s two senators.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski voted it for it.
She says it’s imperfect but avoids a debt default and makes needed reforms to entitlement spending. She also says it helps the military by lifting the threat of sequestration budget cuts.
The deal increases spending by about $80 billion dollars, half to defense and half to domestic programs.
Those increases are offset by entitlement reforms, cuts to farm subsidies and selling assets, like stockpiled oil and the nation’s airwaves.
Sen. Dan Sullivan was among 35 who voted against the budget.
He says it spends too much on government agencies and not enough on the military, while doing nothing to grow the economy.
The bill now goes to the president for his signature.
Liz Ruskin is the Washington, D.C., correspondent at Alaska Public Media. Reach her atlruskin@alaskapublic.org. Read more about Lizhere.
