House votes

Democratic Reps. Michael Michaud (2nd District)

and Tom Allen (1st District)

Vote 1: Transportation and Housing and Urban Development Appropriations for Fiscal 2008 (H.R. 3074): The House on July 24 passed a bill sponsored by Rep. John Olver, D-Mass., that provides funding for housing and transportation programs. Highway programs were funded at $40.2 billion; the Federal Transit Administration would receive $9.7 billion and Amtrak $1.4 billion. The bill includes $3.6 billion for grants to modernize airports and $1.1.billion for Federal Aviation Administration inspectors. In housing, the Section 8 tenant voucher program was funded at $16.3 billion and the project-based program at $6.5 billion. The public housing operating fund received $4.2 billion and the public housing capital fund received $2.4 billion. The Community Block Grant Program was funded at $4 billion. The vote was 268 yeas to 153 nays.

YEAS: Allen, Michaud

Vote 2: Barring Permanent U.S. Military Bases in Iraq (H.R. 2929): The House on July 25 passed a bill sponsored by Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Calif., that limits funding to establish permanent U.S. military bases in Iraq or to control Iraqi oil fields. Proponents said Congress should clarify that the U.S. did not intend to be in Iraq for 50 years. While there was little opposition to the bill, representatives noted it did not bar joint Iraqi-American bases and would allow troops to be stationed there at the request of the Iraqi government. The vote was 399 yeas to 24 nays.

YEAS: Allen, Michaud

Vote 3: State Laws on Medical Marijuana: The House on July 25 rejected an amendment sponsored by Rep. Maurice Hinchey, D-N.Y., to the appropriations bill (H.R. 3093) for commerce, science and justice, that would have prohibited the use of funds to stop 12 states – Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington – from allowing the use of marijuana for medical purposes. Proponents argued that heath care was in the purview of the states. They argued that the state laws were in place to allow palliative treatments to certain patients. Opponents argued that marijuana was the most abused drug in the country and that acknowledging a medical use would be sending the wrong signal to young people. The vote was 165 yeas to 262 nays.

YEAS: Allen

NOT VOTING: Michaud

Vote 4: Commerce, Justice and Science Appropriations for Fiscal 2008 (H.R. 3093). The House on July 26 passed a bill sponsored by Rep. Alan Mollohan, D-W.Va., that provides $53.8 billion for the Commerce and Justice Departments as well as a variety of science functions. The FBI received $6.5 billion for salaries and expenses; funding for federal prisons was set at $5.2 billion; and $3.2 billion was included for state and local law enforcement. The Drug Enforcement Administration was funded at $2.1 billion. Science and science education was funded at $28 billion. Of that NASA received $5.7 billion for research in space and $3.9 billion for manned space exploration development. The National Science Foundation received about $6 billion and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is funded at $4 billion. The Census Bureau received $1.2 billion. The bill also includes $1.9 billion for climate change studies. The vote was 281 yeas to 142 nays.

YEAS: Allen

NOT VOTING: Michaud

Senate votes

Republican Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins

Vote 1: Higher Education Amendments Act (S. 1642): The Senate on July 24 unanimously passed a bill sponsored by Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., that reauthorizes federal college programs. The bill includes increased Perkins Loan forgiveness to members of the military, encourages states to partner with colleges to secure need-based grants, provides grants to strengthen education programs and simplifies the student loan application process. The vote was 95 yeas to 0 nays.

YEAS: Collins, Snowe

Vote 2: Renewal of Sanctions Against Burma (H.J.Res. 44) The Senate on July 24 passed a resolution that retains sanctions against Burma. Proponents said Burma’s tyrannical regime has condoned the burning of 3,000 villages and forced 70,000 children to become soldiers. The military condones the use of rapes as a means to repress. The country’s opium production is surpassed only by Afghanistan. Senators also called for the release of Noble Peace Prize winner and head of the National League for Democracy Aung San Suu Kyi. The party won the last parliamentary election held in Burma almost two decades ago. The vote was 93 yeas to 1 nay.

YEAS: Collins, Snowe

Vote 3: Increasing Border Security: The Senate on July 26 accepted an amendment sponsored by Sen. Lindsay Graham, R-S.C., that increased funding for border security by $3 billion to add to the number of border patrol agents and detention beds. It also funds 700 miles of border fencing and 300 miles of vehicle barriers. Proponents said the amendment “puts more boots on the ground” in the efforts to stem illegal immigration and provides facilities to hold illegal immigrants who are captured. It is similar to a proposal included in the failed immigration reform bill. The vote was 89 yes to 1 nay.

YEAS: Collins, Snowe

Vote 4: Certifying Workers on H-2B Visas: The Senate on July 26 accepted an amendment sponsored by Sen. Bernard Sanders, I-Vt., that prohibits funding to support a proposed regulation that would require that employers simply attest that no U.S. worker was available rather than continue the current requirement of certification by state and federal labor entities. Proponents said the proposed regulation would lower wages for U.S. workers and would fail to ensure workplace protections for temporary workers. The vote was 51 yeas to 43 nays.

NAYS: Collins, Snowe

Vote 5: Department of Homeland Security Appropriations for Fiscal 2008 (H.R. 2638): The Senate on July 25 passed a bill that provides $40.6 billion in funding for the Department of Homeland Security. The White House has said it will veto the bill if it clears Congress in its present form because it is over the president’s request. The vote was 89 yeas to 4 nays.

YEAS: Collins, Snowe

Vote 6: Implementation of Recommendations of the 9-11 Commission, Conference Report (H.R. 1): The Senate on July 26 accepted the House-Senate conference report on a bill that implements several recommendations of the 9-11 Commission. The bill requires that foreign ports screen all cargo bound for the U.S. within five years. It also requires security plans for rail and mass transit systems and authorizes grants. It requires the screening of cargo transported on passenger planes within three years. It revamps the process to award homeland security grants to reflect risk. Proponents argued the bill, which includes some compromises with the House, will leave the nation more secure. Opponents argued that too much of the funding will not go to high-risk areas and that a provision barring felons from secure areas at ports was not strong enough. They argued that the port cargo screening provisions were unworkable. The vote was 85 yeas to 8 nays.

YEAS: Collins, Snowe

Compiled by Targeted News Service for the Bangor Daily News