House votes

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

Vote 1: Head Start Reauthorization, Conference Report (HR 1429): The House on Nov. 14 accepted the joint House-Senate conference report on a bill that reauthorizes the Head Start program for five years. The bill authorizes up to $7.4 billion in spending for fiscal 2008, $7.7 billion for fiscal 2009, and $8 billion for fiscal 2010, subject to congressional action on appropriations bills. The legislation limits the compensation paid to local administrators; expands the Early Head Start program and services to American Indians; expands the migrant and seasonal program; allows flexibility in determining need in areas where the cost of living is high; creates new standards of accountability and testing; requires an associate degree for teaching assistants, teachers and other related personnel by 2012; and requires a bachelor’s degree for half of the Head Start teachers by 2013. Proponents said the program has helped disadvantaged children attain readiness for school and has prepared them for a brighter future. The vote was 381 yeas to 36 nays.

YEAS: Allen, Michaud

Vote 2: Transportation and Housing and Urban Development Appropriations for fiscal 2008, Conference Report (HR 3074): The House on Nov. 14 accepted the House-Senate conference report on a bill that provides funding for the Departments of Transportation and Housing and Urban Development. In transportation, $40.2 billion is slated for highway improvement and maintenance; $9.7 billion for the Federal Transit Administration; $3.5 billion for airport modernization; $1.5 billion for Amtrak; $1.1 billion for Federal Aviation Administration operations; and $1 billion for bridge repair and maintenance. Of the $38.7 billion for HUD, $22.8 billion is slated for Section 8 programs; $4.2 billion for the Public Housing Operating Fund; and $3.8 billion for Community Development Block Grants. President Bush has said he will veto the bill because it is about $3 billion over his funding request. Proponents said the bill provides economic stimulus and would create 100,000 jobs, as well as setting up a fund to provide housing for homeless veterans. They said that during the recent years when the Republicans were in the majority in Congress, Bush signed several similar bills that exceeded his initial request. Opponents focused their attention on the need to install stronger oversight on the Sect. 8 housing program to prevent fraud. They also noted that there were more than 1,000 earmarks in the bill. The vote was 270 yeas to 147 nays.

YEAS: Allen, Michaud

Vote 3: Defense Department Supplemental Appropriations (HR 4156): The House on Nov. 14 passed a bill sponsored by Rep. David Obey, D-Wis., that provides $50 billion of the $196.4 billion requested by President Bush in supplemental funding, mainly for the missions in Iraq and Afghanistan. The legislation calls for a transition from a combat mission to diplomatic, training and peacekeeping missions in Iraq, with a goal for complete withdrawal of U.S. combat forces by December 2008. The bill specifies that the Army Field Manual will be used as the standard for interrogation techniques. It prohibits the establishment of permanent U.S. bases in Iraq. Proponents said Bush had asked for $200 billion to continue the conflict and the committee moved to create a bill that provides $50 billion to shut it down. They added that the U.S. forces’ main mission is to protect and defend the U.S., not act as beat-cops for the Iraqis. Opponents said the policy shift to the so-called surge is working and that the president’s options should not be constrained by Congress. The vote was 218 yeas to 203 nays.

NAYS: Allen, Michaud

Vote 4: Mortgage Reform and Anti-Predatory Lending Act (HR 3915): The House on Nov. 15 passed a bill sponsored by Rep. Brad Miller, D-N.C., that requires mortgage brokers and certain employees of mortgage loan originators to be licensed. The legislation sets minimum standards for mortgages and requires that lenders ensure that borrowers have a reasonable ability to repay the loan. The bill prohibits steering borrowers to subprime loans and certain excessive fees and practices for high-cost loans. Proponents said the bill would help protect consumers from questionable practices in the lending industry that have caused a record number of home-loan foreclosures. Opponents said the bill would limit consumers’ ability to get credit. They said that a reasonable ability to repay a loan was vague language that would result in lawsuits, not consumer protection. They added that fluidity in the mortgage market has contributed to gains in the housing sector. The vote was 291 yeas to 127 nays.

YEAS: Allen, Michaud

Vote 5: Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act Amendments (HR 3773): The House on Nov. 15 passed a bill sponsored by Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., that amends the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 to allow and clarify surveillance tactics that are legal to protect national security. The bill stipulates that no warrant is necessary to monitor foreigners outside the U.S. The bill limits extended surveillance authority to cases involving national security and requires periodic reports to the FISA court. The bill requires a warrant for surveillance in the U.S., but allows surveillance for a limited time while a court order is pending. The bill does not provide a shield from liability for companies that provided information to the government in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. President Bush has said he would veto the bill in its current form. Proponents said the bill protects the rights of Americans while still allowing intelligence agencies to gather materials to protect the country from harm. The House insisted on reviewing classified documents to determine whether retroactive immunity is necessary for telecommunications companies that collaborated with government investigators, noting those documents were sent to the Senate but have not been made available to the House. Opponents said the bill would limit the intelligence community from being able to gather information on threats from terrorists and others. The vote was 227 yeas to 189 nays.

YEAS: Allen

NAYS: Michaud

Vote 6: Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations, Overriding Presidential Objection (HR 3033): The House on Nov. 15 failed to override President Bush’s veto of a bill that would have provided $150.7 billion in funding for the federal Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and related programs. Proponents said the bill reflects evolving priorities and Bush was willing to expand the conflict in Iraq while refusing to invest in key domestic programs. Opponents said the bill had too many earmarks and was not fiscally responsible. The vote was 277 yeas to 141 nays, two votes shy of the two-thirds required.

YEAS: Allen, Michaud

Senate votes

Republican Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins

Vote 1: Head Start Reauthorization, Conference Report (HR 1429): The Senate on Nov. 14 accepted the joint House-Senate conference report on a bill that reauthorizes the Head Start program for five years. The bill authorizes up to $7.4 billion in funding for the program in fiscal 2008. In addition to expanding the Early Head Start program, the bill establishes salary ceilings for administrators, revamps the evaluation process and sets college degree requirements for teaching assistants, teachers and certain other personnel. Proponents said the program provides children living in poverty medical, educational and nutritional services that they need to succeed in school. The vote was 95 yeas to 0 nays.

YEAS: Collins, Snowe

Compiled by Targeted News Service for the Bangor Daily News.