WASHINGTON — The U.S. House voted 222-209 to acept a Senate bill to end the 40-day lapse in federal spending that has suspended a wide range of government services. In general Republicans voted for the Trump package of priorities that included major cuts in healthcare and nutrition assistance, expanded immigration crackdowns by military force, and more tax advantages for rich people. Democrats had attempted to block Trump budget realignments. How the Minnesota and Wisconsin delegations voted:
To end shutdown
> Tom Emmer, R-MN6 (north suburbs)
> Brad Finstad, R-Mn1 (south)
> Michelle Fischback, R-Mn7 (rural west)
> Pete Stauber, R-Mn8 (Iron Range)
—
> Scott Fitzgerald, R-Mn8 (Iron Range)
> Glen Grothman, R-Wi6 (Campbellsport)
> Bryan Steil, R-Wi1 (Janesville)
> om Tiffany, R-Wi7 (Hazelburst)
> Derrick Van Orden, R-Wi3 (Prairie du Chien)
> Tony Wied, R-Wi8 (DePere)
Against
> Angie Craig, D-Mn2 (south suburbs)
> Betty McCollum, D-Mn4 (St. Paul)
> Kelly Morrison, D-Mn3 (west suburbs)
> Ilhan Omar, D-Mn5 (Minneapolis)–
—
> Gwen Moore, D-Wi4 (Milwaukee)
> Mark Pocan, D-Wi2 (Madison)
A biker’s alternative
Many House members were caught back in their home districts hy the aviation slowdown caused by the Trump-odered reduction in airline schedules. Getting back to Washington for the budget vote was problematic. Tickets were hard to come by. As an alternative, biker Derrick Van Orden of Wisconsin chose to ride his Harkey the 940 miles back to the Capitol. It was a chilly November trip.
Trump sex scandal
House Speaker Mike Johnson had kept the House in recess recess seven weeks to delay recently elected Adelita Grijalva of Arizona from taking office. Grijalva, a Democrat, had vowed to be necessary 218th House signatory to a demand that Trump release investigatory files that implicate him with activities s arranged by his sex-trafficking buddy Jeffrey Epstein. Once sworn in, Grijalva signed. What’s this mean for Trump? First: Eith the House back in session, Trump got his budget passed. Second: 33,000 pages of investigative reports will be opened into Epstein’s sex empire that peddled under-age girls.