Ayotte Votes to Fund Government, Prevent Government Shutdown

Press Release

U.S. Senator Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) today voted in support of the fiscal year 2015 appropriations bill, which funds the government through September 30, 2015. The legislation contains full funding for 11 of the 12 regular annual appropriations bills, with the exception of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which is funded under a temporary Continuing Resolution at the current fiscal year 2014 level, and expires in February 2015.

"It's important that we prevent a government shutdown, and this bill adheres to the spending limits established by Congress last December and provides certainty for the remainder of the fiscal year, while also providing an opportunity to address the president's executive action on immigration when the full Congress is under Republican leadership," said Ayotte. "In addition to providing critical funding to combat ISIS and Ebola, the bill also includes important policy measures to boost manufacturing, prevent Obamacare bailouts for insurance companies, extend the ban on Internet access taxes, and provide schools with greater flexibility on school lunch mandates."

She continued, "With the Senate under new leadership next year, we should not continue funding our government through short-term extensions and last minute catch-all bills. As a member of the Budget Committee, I will push for the Senate to conduct a timely, more transparent budget and appropriations process that allows spending bills to be debated and voted on separately."

KEY POLICY PROVISIONS OF THE CONSOLIDATED AND FURTHER CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS ACT OF 2015:

* Prevents Obamacare bailouts for insurance companies.

* Extends the ban on new Internet access taxes until October 2015. Senator Ayotte helped introduce legislation earlier this year that would make the ban permanent.

* Provides some relief from federal school lunch mandates, which Senator Ayotte has called for in response to some New Hampshire schools that have said the mandates are resulting in increased costs and wasted food.

* Includes the House-passed version of the Revitalize American Manufacturing and Innovation Act of 2014. Senator Ayotte is a cosponsor of the Senate companion bill, which would bring together industry, universities and community colleges, federal agencies and all levels of government to accelerate manufacturing innovation in technologies with commercial applications.

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