Senate Passes Budget for the First Time in Four Years
For the first time since 2009, the Senate passed a budget after a marathon session that lasted until about 5:00 am (EST) Saturday morning. The vote slimly passed: 50-49.
All 45 Republicans and four Democrats voted against the $3.7 trillion 10-year plan (FY2014-2023). The four Democrats were Mark Pryor (Arkansas), Kay Hagan (North Carolina), Mark Begich (Alaska) and Max Baucus (Montana). A fifth Democrat, New Jersey's Frank Lautenberg, did not vote.
The Senate budget plan would reduce, but not eliminate, the deficit over the next 10 years by a combination of spending cuts and tax increases. The spending cuts do not include the sequester. Although attention has focused on the effects of the sequester for this year (FY2013) -- for which it remains in place -- pursuant to the Budget Control Act of 2011 it lasts until FY2021....
