House votes

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

Vote 1: Water Resources Development Act, Overriding Presidential Objection (HR 1495): The House on Nov. 6 countermanded the president’s veto and approved a bill that authorizes $23 billion in water, flood control, navigation and other related projects. Proponents said the bill was necessary to repair aging infrastructure, provide flood protection, ensure potable water and mitigate damage to the environment in many states. Opponents said the bill was too expensive. The vote was 361 yeas to 54 nays.

YEAS: Allen, Michaud

Vote 2: Prohibiting Employment Discrimination for Sexual Orientation (HR 3685): The House on Nov. 7 passed a bill sponsored by Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., that prohibits gay men and women from being denied a job, a promotion or being fired on the basis of their sexual orientation. Proponents said that several states have passed laws banning discrimination for sexual orientation, but that federal legislation was necessary to ensure equal rights. Opponents said the matter should be left to individual states. They argued that courts could use the bill to give homosexuals the right to marry. The vote was 235 yeas to 184 nays.

YEAS: Allen

NAYS: Michaud

Vote 3: Peru Trade Agreement (HR 3688): The House on Nov. 8 passed a bill sponsored by Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Md., that establishes free trade between the U.S. and Peru. The bill includes labor standards and environmental safeguards. Proponents said free trade is necessary to spur the U.S. economy since farmers and manufacturers who export goods are less competitive because of the tariff imposed. Opponents said that labor standards are not being enforced in Peru. They said that the agreement will export more American jobs. The vote was 285 yeas to 132 nays.

NAYS: Allen, Michaud

Vote 4: Defense Department Appropriations for fiscal 2008, Conference Report (HR 3222): The House on Nov. 8 accepted the joint House-Senate conference report that provides $459 billion for the Department of Defense. Included is a 3.5 percent pay increase for service members, $23.5 billion for health programs and $11.6 billion for mine-resistant vehicles. The bill eliminates a proposed TRICARE co-payment and provides $2.6 billion for schools and other services to military families. Among the programs funded are Future Combat Systems at $3.4 billion and the F-22 at $3.2 billion. The vote was 400 yeas to 15 nays.

YEAS: Allen, Michaud

Vote 5: Homeowners Defense Act (HR 3355): The House on Nov. 8 passed a bill sponsored by Rep. Ron Klein, D-Fla., that allows states to join a National Catastrophe Risk Consortium to allow them to pool risk for reinsurance and sell bonds. It would allow the federal government to make loans to states to help cover losses from a natural disaster. Proponents said that the bill allows states to insure property owners against floods, fires and other natural disasters. They argued that in some states properties that are in areas unlikely to have a disaster have seen insurance rates rise to cover losses incurred for other areas. Opponents said the insurance industry is already in place to take care of the issues, that states can already enter insurance pools and that the bill will encourage development in areas such as shoreline which are more likely to be hit by hurricanes. The vote was 258 yeas to 155 nays.

YEAS: Allen, Michaud

Vote 6: Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations for fiscal 2008, Conference Report (HR 3043): The House on Nov. 8 accepted an amended joint House-Senate conference report on the bill that provides $150.7 billion in funding labor, health and human services, and education programs. The bill provides $68.5 billion for the Department of Health and Human Services, $60.7 billion for the Department of Education, and $12 billion for the Department of Labor. Funding for veterans affairs and military construction were included in the conference report but were removed on a point of order in the Senate. President Bush said he will veto the bill because it exceeds his request by about $10 billion. The vote was 274 yeas to 141 nays.

YEAS: Allen, Michaud

Senate votes

Republican Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins

Vote 1: Veterans Affairs and Military Construction in Labor Appropriations Bill: The Senate on Nov. 7 rejected a motion by Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, to waive a rule that prohibits adding items in the Joint House-Senate conference committee report that were not included in the bill by either chamber. The point of order, raised by Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchinson, R-Texas, was on the insertion of veterans affairs and military constructions appropriations in the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations bill for fiscal 2008. Proponents said the areas are connected since programs for health and education relate to veterans and military families. The separate bills were combined for that reason. Opponents said the president indicated he would sign the veterans affairs bill but veto the other. Combining them would jeopardize funding for veterans and military families. The vote was 47 yeas to 46 nays. (Three-fifths required.)

NAYS: Collins, Snowe

Vote 2: Water Resources Development Act, Overriding Presidential Objection (HR 1495): The Senate on Nov. 8 countermanded the president’s veto and approved a bill that authorizes $23 billion in water, flood control, navigation and other related projects. Proponents said there has not been a bill authorizing crucial water projects in seven years. They argued that an authorizing bill is normally done every two years. Opponents argued that needed reforms of performance standards for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers were stripped from the bill in conference. They said the current backlog of projects totals $58 billion, but only about $2 billion is appropriated annually for construction. They said adding projects with no funding is irresponsible. The vote was 79 yeas to 14 nays.

YEAS: Collins, Snowe

Vote 3: Confirmation of Michael Mukasey as U.S. Attorney General: The Senate on Nov. 8 confirmed Michael Mukasey of New York as the U.S. attorney general. Mukasey, a graduate of Columbia University and Yale Law School, was the chief judge of the Federal Court in the Southern District of New York. Proponents said that Mukasey confirmed that the congressional power in instances such as defining waterboarding as torture superseded presidential authority to allow the practice. They argued Mukasey said he would resign if the president disregarded his advice on a serious matter. Opponents said that while Mukasey had said he wanted to reorganize the department, his evasive answers on torture were unacceptable. The vote was 53 yeas 40 nays.

YEAS: Collins, Snowe

Compiled by Targeted News Service for the Bangor Daily News.