SEN COLLINS VOTES TO ENSURE FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY IN FEDERAL SPENDING BILL

WASHINGTON, DC—Senator Susan Collins today voted in support of an amendment to the fiscal year 2006 Budget Resolution that would have required new tax cut measures or spending bills to be offset by spending cuts. The amendment, which was sponsored by Senator Feingold (D-WI), was known as "pay go." A similar amendment that Senator Collins also supported was passed by the Senate last year.

"One of the most important things we can do for future generations is to leave behind a legacy of fiscal discipline rather than soaring budget deficits. There are many tax relief measures--such as the child tax credit and elimination of the marriage penalty tax—that are crucial for low and middle-income families --and I will continue to support these important tax measures. But given the size of the current budget deficit, it is important for us to instill as much fiscal discipline into the federal spending process as possible," said Senator Collins.

Specifically, the Feingold Amendment would have required that any tax cut legislation or spending bills needing Congressional approval be offset by an equal amount of spending cuts, or be approved by 60 votes in the Senate. Proponents of the "pay-go" amendment argue that it would ensure greater fiscal discipline in the federal spending process.

The measure failed by a vote of 50 to 50.

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