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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