HOW THEY VOTED: MAINE’S CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION, APRIL 4-10, 2008 Congress takes action on renewable energy

House votes

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

Vote 1: Call for China to release hold on Tibet, dialogue with Dalai Lama: The House on April 9 agreed to a resolution (HR 1077) introduced by Rep. Howard Berman, D-Calif., to appeal to the Chinese government to lift restrictions on the nation of Tibet and to negotiate peace solutions with the Dalai Lama for the purposes of preserving Tibetan culture and religious identity and affording Tibetans fundamental freedoms. The vote was 413 yeas to 1 nay.

YEAS: Allen, Michaud

Senate votes

Republican Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins

Vote 1: Bonus depreciations for loss-making companies: The Senate on April 4 passed an amendment (No. 4406) sponsored by Sen. George Voinovich, R-Ohio, to a bill providing energy conservation and clean energy incentives (HR 3221). The amendment would extend bonus depreciation tax write-downs to include companies that have not earned a profit in a given year. Supporters said it would aid the economy, particularly in distressed regions of the U.S., while minimizing revenue loss for the Treasury. The vote was 76 yeas to 2 nays.

YEAS: Collins, Snowe

Vote 2: Amendment for tax extension rejected: The Senate on April 10 rejected an amendment (No. 4429) introduced by Rep. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., to the Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation Tax Act of 2007. This amendment, which would have amended the one introduced by Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., sought to provide a longer extension of tax credits as incentives for the continuation of renewable energy production and the development of new sources of generating electricity. Proponents said the amendment would extend the time period of tax credits from one to two years and that this extension would allow for new technologies to have the time necessary to become fully developed. Opponents said the amendment would curtail investments in renewable energy and had too much of a long-term focus rather than working to salvage the current year’s investment cycle. The vote was 15 yeas to 79 nays.

NAYS: Collins, Snowe

Vote 3: Amending the housing bill with energy credits: The Senate on April 10 adopted an amendment (No. 4419) introduced by Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., to the New Direction for Energy Independence, National Security and Consumer Protection Act that would amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. The amendment will provide incentives for clean energy production and the continued improvement of energy efficiency on a limited basis through tax credits in the event that tax laws cause production or growth to slow down. Proponents said the amendment would help create new jobs and technologies and pointed out that the amendment was supported by a number of industries and environmental groups. Opponents said a different amendment was necessary to seek broader investment in renewable energy and that the amendment was misplaced as attached to a housing bill. The vote was 88 yeas to 8 nays.

YEAS: Collins, Snowe

Vote 4: Energy independence, renewable energy and energy conservation tax: The Senate on April 10 passed a bill (HR 3221) sponsored by Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., creating the New Direction for Energy Independence, National Security, and Consumer Protection Act, which included a number of amendments to existing energy bills, established clean energy-related agencies and instituted a number of government-sponsored programs for renewable or alternative energy, wildlife, job creation and training, businesses and more. Proponents said the bipartisan bill would help the U.S. achieve greater energy independence, modernize the energy infrastructure and provide for housing reform and tax incentives for the production of renewable energy. Opponents expressed concern that the bill, in its entirety, was not a wise use of taxpayer dollars. The vote was 84 yeas to 12 nays.

YEAS: Collins, Snowe

Vote 5: The Senate on April 10 rejected an amendment (No. 4520) to the Consolidated Natural Resources Act of 2008 (S. 2739) introduced by Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., that would have notified people living in areas designated as proposed National Heritage Areas of the change. Proponents said the amendment would require an annual accounting from the Office of Management and Budget of how much property the government owned and also how much that ownership would cost taxpayers. Opponents said this type of report would be too substantial to be handled by an agency other than the Homeland Security Committee and that the cost assessment should not take place without having an idea of what the results would be. The vote was 27 yeas to 67 nays.

YEAS: Collins, Snowe

Vote 6: Consolidated Natural Resources Act: The Senate on April 10 passed a bill, the Consolidated Natural Resources Act (S. 2739), introduced by Sen. Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M., dealing with a range of public land, national park, water, and territorial issues. Proponents said each smaller bill contained in the larger one was noncontroversial but important to the transfer of lands, national and state trail systems, establishment of new National Heritage areas, to preserve forestry and to address water resource challenges. Opponents said the bills could collide with property rights issues and that certain bills within the legislation could impede protection and preservation processes rather than support them. The vote was 91 yeas to 4 nays.

YEAS: Collins, Snowe

Compiled by Targeted News Service for the Bangor Daily News