Senate OKs bill to fund security at conventions

By Tillie Fong, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published December 19, 2007 at 12:30 a.m.

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The U.S. Senate passed a $930 billion omnibus appropriations bill Tuesday night by a vote of 76 to 17 that includes $50 million apiece for security at the Democratic National Convention in Denver and the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minn., next year.

"I am proud of my Republican and Democratic colleagues for working so hard to secure these funds," said Sen. Ken Salazar, D-Colo. who voted in favor of the omnibus bill.

Although Sen. Wayne Allard, R-Colorado, joined Salazar in requesting the convention security funding be included in the omnibus bill, Allard voted against the appropriations bill Tuesday.

The bill also contains an amendment sponsored by Salazar to prohibit funding for expansion of the Pinon Canyon Maneuver Site in 2008.

Since the Senate added an amendment for $50 billion in funding for the troops in Iraq to the omnibus bill, the entire measure goes back to the House of Representatives for approval.

Earlier this week, the House had split the appropriations bill into two amendments, approving $20 billion to support the war in Afghanistan but no money for Iraq.

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