The U.S. Senate narrowly avoided a government shutdown by approving a funding bill just hours before the deadline. Vermont Senators Bernie Sanders and Peter Welch opposed the bill, citing concerns about giving President Trump too much budgetary power. They criticized the lack of oversight and potential cuts to essential programs. Meanwhile, senators from neighboring New England states supported the bill, including Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire and Senators Susan Collins and Angus King of Maine. Despite opposition from Vermont’s delegation, the bill passed with a 54-46 vote.
Representative Becca Balint also expressed her disapproval of the bill, calling it a gift to Trump and Elon Musk. She criticized Republicans for not engaging in bipartisan negotiations to address the needs of Americans. The Vermont delegation decried the lack of specificity in the continuing resolution, warning of potential cuts to veterans’ care, scientific research, disaster relief, and flood resilience.
Sanders called the bill an “absolute dereliction of duty” by Democratic leadership and accused it of enabling the administration’s “savage war” against vulnerable populations. The delegation’s opposition highlights the ongoing partisan divisions in Congress and the challenges of passing bipartisan legislation.
————————————————————————
Note: The image is for illustrative purposes only and is not the original image associated with the presented article. Due to copyright reasons, we are unable to use the original images. However, you can still enjoy the accurate and up-to-date content and information provided.
————————————————————————
