The U.S. House approved Wednesday the $410-billion Consolidated Appropriations Bill. The measured was approved on a 245-178 vote. Montana’s lone Rep. Denny Rehberg, a Republican, voted against the bill. His reasoning:
“While the bill included many good things for Montana that I have fought for over a year to secure, it also contained way too much wasteful spending that wasn’t scrutinized close enough. From hundred billion dollar bailouts to a so-called “stimulus package” that cost taxpayers almost a trillion dollars, Congress is spending too much and racking up a huge debt. It’s only February and already federal government spending has increased 80% since last year. That simply is not good government.”