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Capitol View®
Brett Neely

Minnesota U.S. House Dems all vote against spending bill

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WASHINGTON - In a fitting conclusion to one of the most divided and least productive Congresses on record, the U.S. House on Thursday approved by the narrowest of margins a government spending bill at the very last minute.

All five Minnesota Democrats in the House were among 206 members to vote against the measure. They were joined by 6th District Republican Rep. Michele Bachmann in one of her final acts as a member of Congress. Republican Reps. John Kline and Erik Paulsen were the only members from Minnesota to vote in favor of the $1.1 trillion annual spending package.

Although the bill had been negotiated between Democrats and Republicans, it splintered both parties and very nearly failed to pass.

Most House Democrats defied pressure from the White House and their Democratic allies in the Senate to oppose the bill on the grounds that the final legislation contained policy provisions that allowed big banks to take greater risks with funds backed by federal deposit insurance. Democrats also objected to a provision that dramatically raised campaign contribution limits to political parties.

Republicans opposed the bill on the grounds that it did not defund President Obama's recent executive order on immigration. Bachmann and her frequent ally, Iowa Rep. Steve King, had proposed a short-term funding bill

“Today, I voted NO because the bad outweighs the good in this $1.1 trillion dollar measure that was negotiated by a few leaders behind closed doors and brought to a vote with no opportunity for open debate and amendment," said 8th District DFL Rep. Rick Nolan in a statement issued after the vote.

The legislation now heads to the Senate where a vote is likely in the coming days. Neither of Minnesota's Democratic Senators, Amy Klobuchar and Al Franken, have indicated opposition to the bill.