
Sen. Mike Crapo
Idaho Republican Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch voted ‘no’, but were in the minority, as the U.S. Senate passed its economic recovery package on Tuesday, setting the stage for the Senate and House to reconcile the differences between their versions of the plan.
The final vote in the Senate was 61 in favor and 37 opposed.
Sen. Crapo continues to have concerns over the government spending in the package, with the Senate version priced at $838 billion.
US Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) comments
[audio:021009_mcstim1.mp3]
Among the differences in the two bills, the House version includes more spending on education and aid to states, while the Senate’s bill includes more in tax cuts.
Despite his opposition to the stimulus package as a whole, Sen. Crapo says the Senate bill includes a few items beneficial to Idaho that he hopes make it through the conference committee.
Crapo continues
[audio:021009_mcstim2.mp3]
Crapo expects the stimulus proposal and other economic issues to dominate his first iTownHall meeting of the year Wednesday evening.
The format allows Idahoans to speak with the Senator in a conference call format. Wednesday’s meeting begins at 6 p.m. PST, with more information available online at crapo.senate.gov. (CNN)