HOW THEY VOTED: MAINE’S CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION, JULY 13-19 Congress focuses on spending bills, troops in Iraq

House votes

Democratic Reps. Michael Michaud and Tom Allen

Vote 1: Collective Bargaining for State Public Safety Officers (HR 933): The House on July 17 passed a bill sponsored by Rep. Dale Kildee, D-Mich., that allows firefighters, police, corrections officers and other public safety officers to enter into collective bargaining for working conditions and salaries. It prohibits strikes and lockouts. Proponents said the bill provides a minimum standard but will not interfere with right-to-work laws. Opponents said it will force unions on public safety employees. The vote was 314 yeas to 97 nays.

YEAS: Michaud, Allen

Vote 2: Energy and Water Development Appropriations, fiscal 2008 (HR 2641): The House on July 17 passed a bill sponsored by Rep. Peter Visclosky, D-Ind., that provides $31.6 billion in funding for the Energy Department, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Department of the Interior. In DOE, $6.7 billion is slated for environmental cleanup of manufacturing sites, $4.5 billion goes to the Office of Science, $1.9 billion to renewable energy and conservation programs, and $1.7 billion for nonproliferation activities. The Corps of Engineers will receive $5.6 billion. The Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Land Management and Bureau of Reclamation are receiving $1.1 billion. The president has said he will veto this and other appropriations bills that are more than he requested. The vote was 312 yes to 112 nays.

YEAS: Michaud, Allen

Vote 3: Prohibiting Pay to Commissioner Not Confirmed by the Senate: The House on July 18 passed an amendment sponsored by Rep. John Dingell, D-Mich., to the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations, 2008 (HR 3043), that prohibits any funds being used for the salary of any deputy commissioner of the Social Security Administration who has not been confirmed by the Senate. Andrew Biggs was a recess appointment by the president. Proponents said the amendment will bring Biggs, a proponent of Social Security privatization, before the Senate Finance Committee in the confirmation process. Opponents said the amendment was incorrectly focused. They said the Social Security system would be better protected by passing legislation than by targeting the salary of an appointee. The vote was 231 yeas to 199 nays.

YEAS: Michaud, Allen

Vote 4: Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations, fiscal 2008 (HR 3043): The House on July 19 passed a bill sponsored by Rep. David Obey, D-Wis., that provides $455.5 billion for mandatory programs such as Medicare and Medicaid and $151.5 billion in discretionary spending for labor, health and education programs. The bill increases funding for No Child Left Behind, college assistance programs, programs for special education and the Head Start program. It increases funding to the National Institutes of Health and for programs to assist those without health insurance coverage. The president said he would veto the bill as it was almost $11 billion more than his request. The vote was 276 yeas to 140 nays.

YEAS: Michaud, Allen

Senate votes

Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins

Vote 1: Withdrawal of Troops from Iraq: The Senate on July 18 filed to pass a cloture motion, a parliamentary procedure to prevent a filibuster, thereby killing an amendment sponsored by Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., to the defense authorization bill (HR 1585) that would have begun the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq this fall with total withdrawal of all but select training and security forces by April 2008. Proponents said the conflict in Iraq cannot be solved by military force, but by political and diplomatic efforts. They said the continued Western presence in a Muslim country was a recruiting tool for terrorists and the withdrawal of U.S. troops will prod the Iraqi government to forge political compromises on the sharing of oil revenues and other issues necessary to stabilize the country. Opponents said that a quick U.S. withdrawal will create a haven for terrorists and will increase the likelihood that neighboring countries will invade. They argued that the Senate had agreed to wait until September when a report on progress in Iraq is due. The vote was 52 yeas to 47 nays. (Three-fifths required.)

YEAS: Snowe, Collins

Vote 2: Protection for Reporting Suspicious Activity: The Senate on July 19 failed to waive budget considerations, thereby killing, an amendment sponsored by Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, to the Higher Education Access Act (HR 2669) that would have protected those who report possible terrorist activities from lawsuits. Proponents said in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks, citizens should be able to report suspicious behavior to authorities without fear of being sued. Opponents said the amendment was too broad and could lead to profiling. The vote was 57 yeas to 39 nays. (Three-fifths required.)

YEAS: Snowe, Collins

Vote 3: Higher Education Access Act (HR 2669): The Senate on July 20 passed a bill that increases student aid by $17.4 billion by cutting fees to lenders by $18.5 billion. It raises the maximum Pell Grant from $4,310 this year to $5,100 next year and to $5,400 by 2011. Repayment of student loans is capped at 15 percent of income and those in some public service jobs would have loans forgiven in part. It also simplifies the application form. The bill now goes to conference to reconcile with the House version. Proponents said the cost of college has risen dramatically and many middle-income families can no longer afford a four-year education for their children. Opponents said the bill misused a budget reduction tool to increase mandatory spending. They added that the decreased fees to private lenders could force some out of the market and decrease competition. The vote was 78 yeas to 18 nays.

YEAS: Snowe, Collins

Compiled by Targeted News Service for the Bangor Daily News