House votes

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

Vote 1: SUMMER OF SERVICE GRANT PROGRAM: The House on March 6 rejected an amendment by Rep. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., to the Generations Invigorating Volunteerism and Education Act (HR 2857) that would strike the “Summer of Service” grant program and reduce funding under the law by $20 million. The program offers government incentives, such as education awards of up to $1,000 for school-aged children, for the completion of a 100-hour community-based service-learning project. Proponents said people would volunteer on their own initiative, as they do through local programs such as Rotary Clubs, churches and Boy Scouts and that prompting acts of service through financial incentives was unnecessary. Opponents of the amendment said the “Summer of Service” program created opportunities to reach young people who would benefit from spending a summer in service to their communities and would set them on a course of active citizenship and civic engagement and engaged learning. The vote was 153 yeas to 260 nays.

NAYS: Allen, Michaud

Vote 2: ENERGY CONSERVATION CORPS GRANTS: The House on March 6 accepted an amendment introduced by Rep. Jay Inslee, D-Wash., and Rep. John Sarbanes, D-Md., to the Generations Invigorating Volunteerism and Education Act (HR 2857) that would establish an energy conservation corps grant program to fund educational service grants and “green collar” training to nonprofit organizations and universities as well as to state and local governments. The bill would authorize $10 million in fiscal year 2009. Proponents said that by establishing the new energy conservation corps there would be opportunities for young people to become engaged with clean energy projects and to take an active role in caring for the environment and their communities. Opponents said the program would create more bureaucracy and administrative costs rather than focus on getting dollars out to the participants in the programs that currently exist. The vote was 252 yeas to 161 nays.

YEAS: Allen, Michaud

Vote 3: EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT INCOME SECURITY ACT IMPROVEMENTS: The House on March 5 passed a bill (HR 1424) sponsored by Reps. Patrick Kennedy, D-R.I., and Jim Ramstad, R-Minn., to amend the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, Public Health Service Act, and Internal Revenue Code to require equity in the provision of mental health and substance-related disorder benefits under group health plans, to prohibit discrimination on the basis of genetic information with respect to health insurance and employment, and for other purposes. Supporters said the bill would allow individuals who have been disabled by mental health and addiction disorders to get the treatment they need to become productive members of society again. Opponents said the bill’s focus is too broad and included coverage of some conditions that are not considered diseases under most scientifically accepted definitions. There were 268 yeas and 148 nays.

YEAS: Allen, Michaud

Senate votes

Republican Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins

Vote 1: CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY MODERNIZATION ACT: The Senate on March 6 passed the Consumer Product Safety Modernization Act (S. 2663), introduced by Sen. Mark L. Pryor, D-Ark., to reform the Consumer Product Safety Commission and to provide greater protection for children’s products. The bill also improves the screening of noncompliant consumer products and the effectiveness of consumer product recall programs. Proponents said the bill would help enforce safety standards and prevent dangerous imported products from entering the U.S. as well as ban the sale of recalled products and put real consequences in place for companies in violation of the law. Opponents offered amendments to the bill allowing for judges to award costs from winners to losers in a product safety lawsuit. They called the original bill “unbalanced and unfair” and said that consequences as laid out in the bill encouraged frivolous lawsuits that would add to the workload of the courts. The vote was 79 yeas to 13 nays.

YEAS: Collins, Snowe

Compiled by Targeted News Service for the Bangor Daily News