The Senate this week voted to spend $295 billion on a highway bill, even though President Bush vowed to veto the bill if it exceeded the $284 billion the House approved earlier this year. When Senate Budget Chairman Judd Gregg (R.-N.H.) offered a budget point of order seeking to cut the Senate bill back to $284 billion, the point of order was rejected 76-22, with 30 Republicans voting the wrong way.
Twenty-one Republicans did the right thing and voted to cut the excessive spending. They were: Wayne Allard (Colo.), Sam Brownback (Kan.), Saxby Chambliss (Ga.), Tom Coburn (Okla.), John Cornyn (Texas), Larry Craig (Id.), Jim DeMint (S.C.), John Ensign (Nev.), Mike Enzi (Wyo.), Bill Frist (Tenn.), Lindsey Graham (S.C.), Judd Gregg (N.H.), Chuck Hagel (Neb.), Kay Bailey Hutchison (Texas), Johnny Isakson (Ga.), Jon Kyl (Ariz.), John McCain (Ariz.), Mitch McConnell (Ky.), Jeff Sessions (Ala.), John Sununu (N.H.), Craig Thomas (Wyo.). Russ Feingold of Wisconsin was the only Democrat to vote to cut the spending.
