President Donald Trump signed a $1.3 trillion spending measure Friday, averting a midnight government shutdown. The signing comes just hours after Trump declared he was considering a veto.
Trump said he was “very disappointed” in the package; in part because it did not fully fund his plans for a border wall with Mexico and did not address some 700,000 “Dreamer” immigrants, who are now protected from deportation under a program that he has moved to eliminate.
Trump praised the increases the bill provides for military spending and said he had “no choice but to fund our military”.
U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan voted against the spending measure. Senator Sullivan stated that the legislation contains many critical spending priorities, necessary increases for our military and national security, safeguards for our schools and local communities, and investments to encourage job creation and economic growth.
Senator Sullivan; “This was a difficult vote for me, in large part because the bill contained a number of Alaska-specific priorities I authored or fought for – including funding for Secure Rural Schools and the Denali Commission, investments to fight our addiction and mental health crisis, resources for water and sewer infrastructure, and necessary upgrades to our missile defense systems.”
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski voted for the bill and outlined the benefits for Alaska in the 2018 government funding bill. In a press release Senator Murkowski outline that the bill makes significant strides in developing infrastructure projects, improving access to Native healthcare, and reducing the National Park Service’s maintenance backlog.
Senator Murkowski: “I am proud of the work we have done in this Interior appropriations bill to empower Alaskans to build our economy and create healthy communities for our families. These investments will have a lasting impact on our state. I believe it is our responsibility to lay the foundations now to ensure future generations of Alaskans will have the stability and tools needed to succeed.”
The spending bill funds the government through September.
