PA Senate Sends House Short-Term Funding Bills
By Tony Romeo
HARRISBURG, Pa. (CBS) -- Undeterred by a veto threat from Democratic Governor Wolf, the Republican-controlled state Senate Friday sent the House legislation to provide some short-term state funding as the two-and-a-half month-old budget stalemate continues.
Voting along party lines, the state Senate approved legislation that would provide about four months of state funding for many budget lines and would free up federal money. But Vincent Hughes of Philadelphia, ranking Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee, called it yet another Republican "gimmick."
"If we continue down this path with stopgap budget proposals, we're only replicating what is happening in Washington, DC."
Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman, pointing to another possible federal government shutdown, said Pennsylvania lawmakers are acting to the contrary.
"What we're trying to do today, ironically and exact opposite, is put a vote up before us and keep the government open."
The House is to consider the bills next week. But Governor Wolf has characterized the GOP's short-term funding approach as "poking [him] in the eye."