Huge $1.7T spending package passes in U.S. Senate with bipartisan backing 

Casting his last vote in Washington, Republican U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey, of Pa., opposed the bill

By: and - December 22, 2022 4:15 pm

U.S. Sens. Bob Casey (D) and Pat Toomey (R) of Pennsylvania (Capital-Star file)

Pennsylvania’s two U.S. senators, Democrat Bob Casey and Republican Pat Toomey, who will retire in days, split on the bill. Casey voted for it, Toomey against, according to an official Senate roll call.

In a statement, Toomey said that while the “increase in defense spending included in the bill is desperately needed, given the dangers facing our country and our international allies,” its “reckless increase in domestic spending—that simply ignores the past two years and trillions in extraordinary partisan spending above and beyond the normal appropriations—will only exacerbate inflation and make it more likely that future generations will inherit a magnitude of debt that can only be resolved through crisis.

“With my last vote as a member of this body, I could not in good conscience condone this irresponsible product nor the process that created it,” Toomey said.

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Jennifer Shutt
Jennifer Shutt

Jennifer covers the nation’s capital as a senior reporter for States Newsroom. Her coverage areas include congressional policy, politics and legal challenges with a focus on health care, unemployment, housing and aid to families.

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John L. Micek

A three-decade veteran of the news business, John L. Micek is the Pennsylvania Capital-Star's former Editor-in-Chief.

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