The Democratic plan called for replacing the $85 Billion in
budget cuts with some targeted cuts and more taxes. It failed by a 51-49 vote
(60 votes were needed for passage).
Louisiana Senators Mary Landrieu (D-New Orleans) and David
Vitter (R-Metairie) both voted against the Democratic plan. Landrieu objected
to $27.5 Billion in farm subsidies that would be cut over 10 years because it
would hurt the state’s rice farmers.
"Louisiana farmers
and rural communities are a very important component of our economy at home and
I do not think it is fair to single them out in this way,” Landrieu said in a written statement. “ I
remain committed to a 10-year balanced approach to fix our problems, but
neither plan presented today would have done so."
The
Republican plan would have given President Obama the flexibility to find the
$85 Billion in cuts but not increased revenue. It too failed by a 38-52 vote.
Senator
Landrieu voted against the Republican plan while Senator Vitter supported it.
"I am strongly in
favor of a balanced approach to fix our debt and deficit problems in a way that
has the least negative effect on the promising economic recovery underway
across the country," Landrieu said. "However, I could not vote for either
proposal today - one of which refused to raise any additional revenue and the
other that would disproportionally take the cut out of agriculture."