House votes

Democratic Reps. Michael Michaud and Tom Allen

Vote 1: Military Construction, Military Quality of Life and Veterans Affairs Appropriations, Fiscal 2007, H.R. 5385: The House, on May 19, passed a bill sponsored by Rep. James Walsh, R-N.Y., that provides $94 billion in funding for military quality of life, $824 million less than the president’s request. The funding includes: $25.4 billion for veterans’ medical services; $6.6 billion for military construction; $4 billion for military family housing; $21 billion for military health care; and $5.5 billion for base realignment and closure activities. About $500 million that was classified as emergency spending was cut from the bill as some members labeled the projects pork. Others argued that cuts coupled with other reductions left the bill $1.5 billion short in wartime. The vote was 395 yeas to 0 nays.

YEAS: Michaud, Allen

Vote 2: Agriculture, Rural Development and Food and Drug Administration Appropriations, Fiscal 2007 (H.R.5384): The House, on May 23, passed a bill sponsored by Rep. Henry Bonilla, R-Texas, that provides funding for agricultural and rural development programs and the Food and Drug Administration. The bill includes $76 billion for mandatory programs, such as food stamps and child nutrition. Eight programs totaling $465 million were terminated. Discretionary spending drops to $18.4 billion with the largest allocations going to the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, $5.2 billion; Food and Drug Administration, $1.5 billion; Food for Peace Program, $1.2 billion; Agricultural Research Service, $1.2 billion; and the Farm Service Agency, $1.1 billion. The vote was 378 yeas to 46 nays.

YEAS: Michaud, Allen

Vote 3: Energy and Water Development Appropriations, Fiscal 2007 (H.R.5427): The House, on May 24, passed a bill sponsored by Rep. David Hobson, R-Ohio, that funds the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers civil works programs at $5 billion, the Department of Interior’s Bureau of Reclamation at $1 billion and the Department of Energy at $24.4 billion. Within the Energy Department, funding is set at: National Nuclear Security Administration, $9.2 billion; Defense Environmental Cleanup programs, $5.6 billion; Office of Science, $4.1 billion; and Energy Supply and Conservation programs, $2 billion. The vote was 404 yeas to 20 nays.

YEAS: Michaud, Allen

Vote 4: Drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge: The House, on May 25, passed the American-Made Energy and Good Jobs Act, H.R. 5429, sponsored by Rep. Richard Pombo, R-Calif., that would allow drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Proponents said that drilling on a small part of the preserve would create jobs, put revenue in federal coffers and reduce the price of oil. Opponents said drilling in the preserve could cause environmental damage, would not decrease U.S. dependence on foreign oil and was not large enough to influence the world price of oil. The vote was 225 yeas to 201 nays.

NAYS: Michaud, Allen

Senate votes

Republican Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins

Vote 1: Funding Border Security with $500 Fee from Illegal Immigrants: The Senate, on May 24, accepted an amendment sponsored by Sen. Robert Byrd, D-W.Va., to the Immigration Reform bill, S. 2611, that levies an additional $500 fee on applications for legal status filed by those in the U.S. illegally. The funds would be used for border security and immigration enforcement. Proponents said that border security is underfunded and the additional fine that brought the total application fees and fines to $3,250 was not excessive. Opponents said an increased fine might discourage undocumented aliens from applying for legal status. The vote was 73 yeas to 25 nays.

YEAS: Snowe, Collins

Vote 2: Increase Visas to Aliens with Advanced Degrees: The Senate, on May 24, accepted an amendment sponsored by Sen. Judd Gregg, R-N.H., to the Immigration Reform bill, S. 2611, that allots two-thirds of the 50,000 lottery visas awarded annually to applicants with skills needed in the U.S., such as those with degrees in engineering, science and technology. Proponents argued that visas for citizens of some countries should be awarded on the basis of their ability to contribute to the U.S. needs. Opponents argued that the amendment would destroy the diversity visa program and threaten the jobs of U.S. workers. Also, they argued it would harm developing countries by encouraging their most highly skilled citizens to migrate. The vote was 56 yeas to 42 nays.

YEAS: Collins

NAYS: Snowe

Vote 3: Limiting Employment-Based Immigration to 650,000 Annually: The Senate, on May 24, accepted an amendment sponsored by Sen. Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M., to the Immigration Reform bill (S. 2611) that limits the total number of employment-based legal resident visas to 650,000 annually including spouses and children of applicants. Proponents said that family members greatly increased the number of people entering the country and that a cap was necessary to be able to predict the number of immigrants. Opponents argued that immigrants who were allowed to bring family members into the country were more likely to assimilate into society. The vote was 51 yeas to 47 nays.

NAYS: Snowe, Collins

Vote 4: Immigration Reform bill, S.2611: The Senate, on May 25, passed a bill sponsored by Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., that revamps immigration policy including a guest worker program, earns citizenship for illegal aliens in the country more than five years, and makes English the national language. The bill also includes fencing for the U.S. Mexican border and increases port security. The bill now will go to conference to be reconciled with the House version, which is more heavily weighted on border enforcement. Soon after the vote, the Senate version met criticism on the House floor, with members deriding it as amnesty for lawbreakers. The vote was 62 yeas to 36 nays.

YEAS: Snowe, Collins

Compiled by Targeted News

Service for the Bangor Daily News