House votes

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

Vote 1: INCREASED FUNDING FOR COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS: The House passed a bill (HR 1343), sponsored by Rep. Gene Green, D-Texas, to amend the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize and increase funding for community health centers. Supporters said the Health Centers Renewal Act would open new health centers in underserved areas across the U.S. while enhancing service at current health centers. They also cited the health centers’ ability to lower Medicaid costs. There were no speakers in opposition. The vote, on June 4, was 393 yeas to 24 nays, with a two-thirds majority required for approval.

YEAS: Allen, Michaud

Vote 2: FUNDING POISON PREVENTION PROGRAMS: The House passed a bill (HR 5669), sponsored by Rep. Edolphus Towns, D-N.Y., to fund various poison prevention and treatment programs. Supporters noted the benefit the programs had on public health by limiting the incidence and consequences of accidental poisoning. The vote, on June 4, was 405 yeas to 10 nays, with a two-thirds majority required for approval.

YEAS: Allen, Michaud

Vote 3: PUBLIC SCHOOL FACILITIES LAW AMENDED: The House passed an amendment to the 21st Century Green High-Performing Public School Facilities Act (HR 3021), sponsored by Rep. Dale Kildee, D-Mich., making various changes to a law that provides Education Department grants for school facilities. Supporters said the amendment will allow schools to enhance security and modernize their buildings while encouraging renewable energy use. Opponents said it did not adequately address the pressing issue of energy costs and gave too much federal authority over education. The vote, on June 4, was 260 yeas to 151 nays.

YEAS: Allen, Michaud

Vote 4: BARRING SCHOOLS FROM BUYING CARBON OFFSETS WITH FEDERAL FUNDS: The House passed an amendment sponsored by Rep. Vernon Ehlers, R-Mich., to the 21st Century Green High-Performing Public School Facilities Act (HR 3021) barring schools from using federal funds to buy carbon offsets or carbon credits. Supporters said the amendment would ensure that schools do not invest funds best used for energy efficiency to buy offsets instead. The vote, on June 4, was 397 yeas to 17 nays.

YEAS: Allen, Michaud

Vote 5: FUNDING RENEWABLES AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY AT SCHOOLS: The House passed an amendment sponsored by Rep. Peter Welch, D-Vt., to the 21st Century Green High-Performing Public School Facilities Act (HR 3021) to allow Education Department grants to be made for the construction of renewable power and heating systems at schools. Supporters cited the positive effects of using local, renewable resources on energy security, the U.S. economy and school budgets. The vote, on June 4, was 409 yeas to 5 nays.

YEAS: Allen, Michaud

Vote 6: REPORTING OF FLOORING INFORMATION BY PUBLIC SCHOOLS: The House passed an amendment, sponsored by Jim Matheson, D-Utah, to the 21st Century Green High-Performing Public School Facilities Act (HR 3021) that will require educational agencies receiving grants from the Education Department to submit information about the types of flooring installed in their building. Supporters said it would reveal information about the presence of possibly unhealthy materials in existing structures and would report on the cost effectiveness of installing flooring made from sustainable materials in new structures. Opponents said it was a distraction from the core goal of educating children and represented an inappropriate extension of federal authority. The vote, on June 4, was 266 yeas to 153 nays.

YEAS: Allen, Michaud

Vote 7: FUNDING CONSTRUCTION AND REPAIR OF SCHOOLS: The House passed a bill (H.R. 3021), sponsored by Rep. Ben Chandler, D-Ky., requiring the Education Department to issue nearly $7 billion in grants and low-interest loans to fund construction of new educational facilities and to fund the repair and upgrade of existing facilities. Supporters said the bill was vital to ensuring the good condition of schools, lower energy costs, and improved educational opportunities. Opponents said it was ineffective and would enhance federal authority at the expense of local authority. They added that it would harm the funding of current federal education programs. The vote, on June 4, was 250 yeas to 164 nays.

YEAS: Allen, Michaud

Senate votes

Republican Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins

Vote 1: ENERGY BILL TO BE CONSIDERED: The Senate moved to begin consideration of a landmark bill, the Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act (S. 3036), sponsored by Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., that would address issues affected by global warming and climate change. Proponents said the bill will bring about a better fuel economy and nearly $1 trillion in tax relief, which will offset skyrocketing energy costs. Opponents criticized the lack of cost controls or price caps and said American citizens would bear the brunt of costs if they rose higher than expected. The vote, on June 2, to close debates and proceed to consideration of the bill was 74 yeas to 14 nays.

YEAS: Collins, Snowe

Vote 2: APPROVING FISCAL 2009 BUDGET CONFERENCE REPORT: The Senate passed a conference report establishing the fiscal 2009 budget for the federal government and setting budgetary targets through fiscal 2013. Proponents said the budget would lower the deficit while supporting investment in the economy and improving U.S. security. Opponents said it projected large tax increases that would burden the economy and that it failed to address the need to adjust entitlement spending for the coming wave of baby boomer retirees. The vote, on June 4, was 48 yeas to 45 nays.

YEAS: Collins, Snowe

Vote 3: FOOD CONSERVATION ACTS PASSES: The Senate passed a House measure, the Food, Conservation and Energy Act (HR 6124) sponsored by Rep. Collin Peterson, D-Minn., which will provide for the continuation of certain Agriculture Department programs through fiscal 2012. Proponents agreed that the bill provides a relative safety net for farmers, but that it also provides critical resources to school lunch programs, food stamps and other programs. Opponents said the bill lacked performance measures and essentially steals money away from true agricultural programs and hands it over to unrelated food programs. The vote, on June 5, was 77 yeas to 15 nays.

YEAS: Snowe

NAYS: Collins

Compiled by Targeted News Service for the Bangor Daily News