Murkowski Votes In Favor Of 2011 Budget
WASHINGTON, D.C. –Senator Lisa Murkowski today voted in favor of the 2011 federal budget – featuring the largest cuts in American history – while criticizing the vote’s delay. “Here we are, halfway through the fiscal year without having come to an agreement on spending levels,” said Murkowski. “There are entire public sectors whose hirings have been put on hold because of the fiscal uncertainty, like Forest Service workers to fight wildfires this upcoming summer.”
“Alaskans have understandably been concerned about what these cuts would do to our state. We’ve worried about initiatives and programs like the Denali Commission, Village Safe Water, LIHEAP and public broadcasting,” Murkowski added. “These programs have been spared deep cuts and remain viable for the good of Alaska.”
“But I worry about what this means for future budget negotiations. The time to begin serious consideration and conversations about 2012 is now, not during the summer,” said Murkowski. “There are long and hard conversations to be had for the road ahead. We cannot allow partisan delays to be the new normal.”
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