(READ) Arizona Rep. McSally One of 79 Republicans Helping Pass 2-Yr Budget Deal; Tired Of "Salami Slice-Style Budgeting"

Rep. Martha McSally (R-CD2) was the only GOP member of Arizona's delegation to help approve the 2-year budget & debt limit agreement this afternoon.  78 other Republicans also joined all of the Democrats to send it to the Senate with a  266-167 vote.  McSally said she did it to "take(s) us away from the harmful partisan brinkmanship and salami slice-style budgeting that has weakened our military and hurt our readiness."  Her full statement is below.

The deal is expected to obtain Senate approval and the President's signature.  It is one of the last major items to be moved through by retiring House Speaker John Boehner; he had indicated he wanted to clear the decks as much as possible for his soon-to-be-elected successor.

Here is McSally's full statement (voice cue: read with nasally voice, as if holding nose):

“Today’s vote is about providing certainty to Southern Arizona families, businesses, and seniors and strengthening our national defense. The Bipartisan Budget Agreement takes us away from the harmful partisan brinkmanship and salami slice-style budgeting that has weakened our military and hurt our readiness. It provides stability to our brave men and women serving in harm’s way, whom the President has shamefully been using as a political bargaining chip over the last month. This deal puts an end to his grandstanding by setting a minimum defense budget for the next two years.”

“The agreement also takes many positive actions like preventing a Medicare premium spike on millions of seniors, avoiding a catastrophic default on our debt, and restoring Congress’ ability to make appropriations that reflect our country’s priorities.”

“However, today’s deal does not replace the need for a defense authorization bill, which the President vetoed last week. We still have work to do to ensure the provisions I fought for protecting the A-10 and EC-130H next year are signed into law, and I’ll continue to work to make that happen.”

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