House votes

Democratic Reps. Michael Michaud (2nd District) and Tom Allen (1st District)

Vote 1: Celebrating America’s Heritage Act (HR 1483): The House on Oct. 24 passed a bill sponsored by Rep. Ralph Regula, R-Ohio, that reauthorizes grants and funding for national heritage areas through 2027, raises the limit to $15 million per area and establishes new national heritage areas. Under the bill, Lincoln County, and Paint Creek and Cabin Creek in Kanawha County, W.Va., were added to the National Coal Heritage Area. It also adds Berkeley County to the South Carolina National Heritage Corridor and renames the Ohio & Erie Canal National Heritage Corridor as the Ohio & Erie National Heritage Canalway. Proponents said the bill provides funding to protect areas important to U.S. history and culture. The funding, they said, has encouraged tourism and economic growth. Opponents said the intent in the original legislation was to have the heritage areas become self-sufficient rather than receive increased funding. The vote was 291 yeas to 122 nays.

YEAS: Allen, Michaud

Vote 2: Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act (HR 505): The House on Oct. 24 passed a bill sponsored by Rep. Neil Abercrombie, D-Hawaii, that recognizes Native Hawaiian rights to form a governing entity and establishes the relationship with the U.S. government with that entity. Proponents said the bill will equalize the standing of American Indians, Native Alaskans and Native Hawaiians. They added that recent court challenges make it necessary to put the government-to-government relationship into law. Opponents said the bill could foster discrimination based on race or national origin. The vote was 261 yeas to 153 nays.

YEAS: Allen, Michaud

Vote 3: Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act (HR 3963): The House on Oct 25 passed a bill sponsored by Rep. John Dingell, D-Mich., that reauthorizes a program which provides medical coverage for children. The bill extends coverage to about 10 million children, adding eligibility for almost 4 million children over existing law at an expected price tag of $60 billion over five years. The bill is similar to one vetoed by President Bush earlier this month. The new bill sets the limit for coverage at three times the poverty level and strengthens language barring coverage for illegal immigrants and adults. Proponents said the bill will ensure that children will receive adequate medical coverage. Opponents said the income cutoff for coverage was too high and that some adults could be covered. The vote was 265 yeas to 142 nays.

YEAS: Allen, Michaud

Senate votes

Republican Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins

Vote 1: Patient Navigator Outreach: The Senate on Oct. 22 passed an amendment sponsored by Rep. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., to the appropriations bill (HR 3043) for the Department of Health and Human Services. The amendment would provide $15 million in funding for an outreach program to foster early disease detection and guide patients through treatment. Proponents said that the amendment would save lives and money by detecting and treating disease in early stages. The vote was 88 yeas to 3 nays.

YEAS: Collins, Snowe

Vote 2: Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations for Fiscal 2008 (HR 3043): The Senate on Oct. 24 passed an appropriations bill for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education. Included in the bill is $30 billion for the National Institutes of Health, $14.5 billion for Pell Grants, $7 billion for Head Start, $2.2 billion for community health programs and $2.2 billion for energy assistance. The White House said it would veto the bill. Proponents said the bill funds programs with a direct effect on many Americans’ lives. Opponents said the bill was too costly at $9 billion over the president’s request and contained about $400 million in earmarks that could be better spent elsewhere. The vote was 75 yeas to 19 nays.

YEAS: Collins, Snowe

Vote 3: Confirmation of U.S. Circuit Judge: The Senate on Oct. 24 confirmed Leslie Southwick of Mississippi as a circuit judge for the 5th Circuit of the U.S. Court of Appeals. Southwick served for more than a decade on the Mississippi Court of Appeals. Proponents said Southwick was qualified and critics unfairly pointed at two decisions of 6,000 the judge has issued. Opponents said the judge consistently ruled in favor of corporate interests and against workers’ rights. They said he also has consistently decided against minorities in discrimination cases. The vote was 59 yeas to 38 nays.

YEAS: Collins, Snowe

Compiled by Targeted News Service for the Bangor Daily News.