Senate votes to reconfirm Ben Bernanke; NW senators evenly divided for and against

The United States Senate has just voted seventy to thirty to reconfirm Ben Bernanke as Chairman of the Federal Reserve.

The vote, which came after a successful motion to cut off debate, featured an unusual alliance of progressive Democrats and conservative Republicans sick of the lack of accountability at the Fed.

The Pacific Northwest's ten United States Senators were evenly split (although not along partisan lines), with an equal number of ayes and nays.

VOTING AYE: Baucus, Tester, Murray, Wyden, Murkowski
VOTING NAY: Cantwell, Merkley, Crapo, Risch, Begich

In California, Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer also parted ways, with Feinstein happily supporting Bernanke and Boxer casting the informed and responsible no vote. (Boxer did, however, support ending debate on Bernanke's nomination).

Senator Cantwell is currently speaking to her vote on the floor of the Senate, saying she has heard loud and clear from her constituents - especially small business owners - that they feel abandoned by the federal government.

"How is it that we can act immediately to save the AIGs but we can't act immediately to save companies like Vancouver Iron and Steel?" Cantwell asked.

"The Fed Chairman has to realize the urgency with which the big banks have been saved... That urgency has to apply to Main Street," she declared. "I urge the Fed now... and the Treasury... to make this their number one priority."

That's our Senator... Maria Cantwell! She proudly works for us, not Wall Street. And we're incredibly proud of her for the heroic, tireless work she does to improve economic security for families across Washington and America.