HOW THEY VOTED: MAINE’S CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION, SEPT. 15-21, 2006 Voting, free trade in spotlight

House votes

Democratic Reps. Michael Michaud and Tom Allen

Vote 1: Proof of Citizenship to Vote: The House on Sept. 20 passed the Federal Election Integrity Act (H.R. 4844) sponsored by Rep. Henry Hyde, R-Ill., that requires voters to present government-issued photo identification to vote in the 2008 election and proof of citizenship for the 2010 election. Proponents said the bill has wide public support and that the identification will be provided free to those who cannot afford it. Opponents said the bill deliberately disenfranchises the poor and elderly, many of whom do not have driver’s licenses. The vote was 228 yeas to 196 nays.

NAYS: Michaud, Allen

Vote 2: Community Protection Act (H.R. 6094): The House on Sept. 21 passed a bill sponsored by Rep. James Sensenbrenner, R-Wis., that allows the secretary of homeland security to detain certain illegal aliens for longer than the six months currently allowed. It also expands expedited deportation to include illegal aliens who have not committed a felony and takes away asylum and mandates detention of alien gang members. Proponents said the bill is necessary to protect the public. Opponents said a piecemeal approach to immigration reform was not supported by law enforcement and was an election-year ploy. They asserted that the comprehensive reform bill passed earlier in the year should be finished instead of passing this bill. The vote was 328 yeas to 95 nays.

YEAS: Michaud, Allen

Vote 3: Immigration Law Enforcement Act (H.R. 6095): The House on Sept. 21 passed a bill sponsored by Rep. James Sensenbrenner, R-Wis., that reaffirms the right of state and local law enforcement to enforce immigration laws, expresses the sense of Congress that the attorney general should set strict guidelines for the prosecution of smugglers, and ends the catch-and-release program. Proponents said the bill provides state and local law enforcement the clear right to enforce federal immigration law. Opponents said the bill requires state and local law enforcement to take up federal responsibilities without compensating funding. They noted dozens of state and local law enforcement entities that oppose the bill because it will discourage the relationship between the police and illegal aliens who may have witnessed crimes. The vote was 277 yeas to 140 nays.

NAYS: Michaud, Allen

Vote 4: Appalachian Regional Development Act (S. 2832): The House on Sept. 21 failed to suspend the rules by the required two-thirds majority and pass a bill that would have reauthorized and revised the Appalachian Regional Commission. Proponents said the commission has reduced poverty and joblessness in the region and adds federal aid to certain areas at a diminished rate. They noted the commission expires in 10 days. Opponents said the House version of the bill protects the commission from being raided by earmarks, but the Senate version does not. The vote was 215 yeas to 204 nays. (A two-thirds majority required.)

NAYS: Michaud, Allen

Senate votes

Republican Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins

Vote 1: Oman Free Trade Agreement (H.R. 5684): The Senate on Sept. 19 passed a bill that lifts tariffs on goods traded with Oman. Proponents said the bill encourages trade with an important Middle Eastern ally. Opponents said the free-trade agreements are shipping American jobs overseas. The vote was 62 yeas to 32 nays.

NAYS: Sen. Susan M. Collins R-ME, Sen. Olympia J. Snowe R-ME

Compiled by Targeted News Service for the Bangor Daily News.