Minnesota’s delegation votes 5-3 on bill that averts shutdown

Minnesota's U.S. House delegation split their votes on a continuing resolution that would cut $4 billion from the federal budget and avert a partial government shutdown for two weeks.

The House passed the bill 335-91.

Republicans John Kline, Erik Paulsen and Chip Cravaack joined Democrats Tim Walz and Collin Peterson in supporting the measure. Republican Michele Bachmann joined Democrats Betty McCollum and Keith Ellison in opposing the measure.

Bachmann was one of five Republicans to vote against the bill. She issued a statement saying she voted against the bill because it didn't defund the federal health care law

Create a More Connected Minnesota

MPR News is your trusted resource for the news you need. With your support, MPR News brings accessible, courageous journalism and authentic conversation to everyone - free of paywalls and barriers. Your gift makes a difference.

"I agree with the need to cut spending, but I voted against the two-week CR today because it did not include language to defund ObamaCare. Over the coming years, ObamaCare will hurt our economy so defunding it must remain part of our negotiations on a CR.

"Nearly two weeks ago I voted for the CR because it contained language that would begin to defund ObamaCare. This legislation today did not.

"The real question to consider: Do President Obama and Harry Reid actually need to keep funding ObamaCare for the next two weeks?"

Cravaack issued a statement saying the bill is a "step in the right direction."

"Two weeks ago, my colleagues and I in the House voted to provide funding for the federal government through the rest of this fiscal year. That bill made historic cuts to our massively bloated budget. Unfortunately, the Senate has not yet acted on that legislation. So again the House has taken the lead.

Today, we passed a short-term continuing resolution to keep the federal government up and running, while at the same time saving taxpayers $4 billion compared to current spending levels. Although this is in no way a permanent solution, it is a step in the right direction. I hope our friends in the Senate will follow suit as we work toward truly sustainable spending levels."

I'll post other statements if/when they come in.