Senate Sends this Year's Spending Bill to President, Votes on Defunding Health Care Law

Press Release

U.S. Senator Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., voted in favor of a funding bill that keeps the government running through the end of the fiscal year and cuts $315 billion over the next 10 years.

"This bill is a start. It isn't a grand fix to all our debt problems but for the first time Washington is taking steps to cut instead of spend and that is a success in and of itself. My goal now is to approve a budget for next year with much more savings, deal with the impending debt ceiling and get our finances under control," said Enzi, member of the Senate Budget Committee.

The Senate passed H.R. 1473, the FY 2011 Defense Appropriations bill and continuing resolution, by a vote of 81-19 shortly after the House of Representatives passed the bill. It will now go to the President.

"Our soldiers should never be used as pawns in a beltway budget showdown. I am pleased this bill ensures they are compensated for putting their lives on the line defending our freedoms," said Enzi.

The bill fully funds the military for the remainder of this fiscal year. It also funds the government through Sept. 30 while cutting $38 billion from current spending which is $78 billion less than the President's budget proposal from last year that was not passed. The bill also contains language that removes wolves from the Endangered Species Act in Idaho and Montana while preserving a court decision stating the U.S. Fish and Wildlife was wrong to reject Wyoming's wolf management plan.

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