WASHINGTON -- Minnesota's two Democratic senators mirrorred their Democratic House colleagues last week and voted against the massive government spending bill over the weekend.
The measure, which passed the Senate 56-40 late night Saturday, funds most of the federal government through next September. It passed the House last week. No Minnesota House Democrats supported it and neither did outgoing Rep. Michele Bachmann.
In statements Sunday, both Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Al Franken said they didn't support the spending bill because of a provision that gave wealthy people more influence over campaigns because it lifted some contribution limits to party committees.
"This spending bill included major provisions that were added with no public debate," Klobuchar said Sunday, in a statement, "including measures designed to chip away at campaign finance laws. We need to have these debates in the light of day through an open process and moving forward I will continue to fight to make sure we can find common ground."
Franken said, in a statement, he didn't favor the campaign finance measure either. He also disagreed with a provision in the big spending bill that rolls back some banking rules that were put in place by Congress after the 2008 financial crisis.
"I didn't support this spending bill because Minnesotans deserve a government that helps make the economy work for the middle class and those aspiring to be in the middle class," he said. "After closely studying this legislation, I could not in good conscience vote for it."
