Republicans reject 1 percent cut to Interior Department

Dozens of House Republicans on Friday voted down language that would have imposed a 1 percent cut on funding for the Department of the Interior, forcing the proposal to fail. Rep. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., offered up the language as part of a giant spending bill that combines four of the 12 annual appropriations bills. Blackburn often proposes amendment make a small overall cut to various agencies in order to tackle the $20 trillion national debt.But Republican opposition prevented its passage. But Republican opposition prevented its passage. In a Friday morning vote, 68 Republicans opposed it, prompting it to fail 156-248. In the final vote, 154 Republicans supported Blackburn's plan. Blackburn was one of several Republicans who backed a Thursday letter to House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., asking him to take up several possible ideas to cut spending. That letter, from the Republican Study Committee, warned Ryan that the group was not a fan of the deal struck this week to extend federal spending and borrowing authority into December since that deal did nothing to curb spending...more