(TheLibertyRevolution.com)- With the help of 18 Republicans, last Thursday, the Senate approved the $1.7 trillion omnibus spending bill to fund the government until September 30, 2023.
The 4,155-page bill, which passed the Senate 68 to 29, included an additional $44.9 billion in aid to Ukraine as well as over 7,200 earmarks totaling $15 billion.
When the bill was first introduced, Republicans Rand Paul, Mike Lee, Ron Johnson, Mike Braun, and Rick Scott blasted the Senate leadership during a press conference for forcing the legislation through without giving senators time to read all 4,155 pages.
Unfortunately, Senate Democrats had no problem finding enough Republicans willing to vote for the monstrosity without reading the bill.
The 18 Republicans who voted with their Democrat colleagues were Roy Blunt (MO), John Boozman (AR), Shelley Moore Capito (WV), Susan Collins (ME), John Cornyn (TX), Tom Cotton (AR), Lindsey Graham (SC), Jim Inhofe (OK), Mitch McConnell (KY), Jerry Moran (KS), Lisa Murkowski (AK), Robert Portman (OH), Mitt Romney (UT), Mike Rounds (SD), Richard Shelby (AL), John Thune (SD), Roger Wicker (MS), and Todd Young (IN).
Three other Republicans, John Barrasso (WY), Richard Burr (NC), and Kevin Cramer (ND) did not vote.
The $15 billion in earmarks in the bill included $575 million toward “family planning” and “reproductive health” in areas where population growth “threatens biodiversity,” $1.2 million for centers supporting the LGBTQ students at San Diego Community College, $3.6 million for the Michelle Obama Trail in Georgia, and $3 million toward the New York Historical Society’s “American LGBTQ+ Museum Partnership Project.”
During the House vote on Friday, nine Republicans joined the Democrats in voting to finalize the spending bill, including the seven outgoing Republicans Liz Cheney, John Katko, Chris Jacobs, Adam Kinzinger, Rodney Davis, Jamie Herrera Beutler, and Fred Upton.
Republican Congressmen Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania and Steve Womack of Arkansas also supported the measure.
Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was the only Democrat to vote against the bill.
