WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski joined four other GOP senators in voting against the budget passed by the Republican-led House of Representatives. The budget has stirred public opinion for its dramatic reshaping of Medicare.
Murkowski instead voted for an alternative budget proposal by Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., and earlier this week, introduced her own bill that would address some Medicare spending issues.
Although she voted against the House GOP proposal, Murkowski complained that Senate Democrats had failed to come up with their own plan.
"What also stood out to me today was what we didn't vote on -- any type of solution put forward by my Senate colleagues across the aisle," she said. "It's reckless that as the country falls deeper into debt they haven't submitted a budget of their own in over two years."
She was joined in her vote against the House GOP budget by Sens. Scott Brown, R-Mass., Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Olympia Snowe, R-Maine. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., also voted against the House budget, but because he said it didn't make enough cuts. It failed 57 to 40, with 60 votes needed to bring it up for debate.
Anchorage Daily News / adn.com