House votes

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

Vote 1: AUTHORIZING FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE ACTIVITIES: The House passed a bill (HR 6304), sponsored by Rep. Silvestre Reyes, D-Texas, to create an improved process for authorizing certain foreign intelligence activities that would involve the attorney general and the director of national intelligence justifying such activities before the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court. Supporters of the bill said it updated outmoded legislation to reflect modern technology and protected civil liberties. Opponents said it did not do enough to protect civil liberties and judicial supervision of intelligence activity. The vote, on June 20, was 293 yeas to 129 nays.

NAYS: Allen, Michaud

Vote 2: EXPANDING AND EXTENDING MEDICARE PROGRAMS: The House passed a bill (HR 6331), sponsored by Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., that would expand Medicare programs and mental health treatment for rural areas as well as extend expiring provisions for the payment of doctors’ services under Medicare. Supporters called the bill a reform of Medicare, including the Medicare drug benefit, which also improved access to health care in low-income neighborhoods. Opponents criticized the hasty manner in which the bill was brought to the floor and its failure to address deeper problems in the Medicare system. The vote, on June 24, was 355 yeas to 59 nays, with a two-thirds majority required for approval.

YEAS: Allen, Michaud

Vote 3: REJECTING BILL TO PUNISH FUEL PRICE GOUGING: The House failed to pass the Federal Price Gouging Prevention Act, a bill (HR 6346) sponsored by Rep. Bart Stupak, D-Mich., that would have barred price gouging of gasoline and other fuels in times of emergency. Supporters said the bill remedied the current lack of a federal law prohibiting fuel price gouging at a time of exceptionally high gas prices. Opponents cited the hasty process for bringing the bill to the floor and its failure to adequately define price gouging. The vote, on June 24, was 276 yeas to 146 nays, with a two-thirds majority required for approval.

YEAS: Allen, Michaud

Vote 4: EXEMPTING TAXPAYERS FROM THE ALTERNATIVE MINIMUM TAX: The House passed the Alternative Minimum Tax Relief Act (HR 6275), sponsored by Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., to exempt a class of 25 million taxpayers from having to pay the alternative minimum tax in 2008. Supporters said the bill would relieve middle-class citizens from a tax burden without allowing growth in the deficit. Opponents said the bill would unfairly pay for the exemption by raising taxes on other citizens and by breaking an international tax treaty governing taxes for U.S. subsidiaries of foreign companies. The vote, on June 25, was 233 yeas to 189 nays.

YEAS: Allen, Michaud

Vote 5: REJECTING MICHIGAN TRIBAL LAND CLAIMS SETTLEMENT: The House rejected a bill (HR 2176), sponsored by Rep. Bart Stupak, D-Mich., to settle land claims by the Sault Ste. Marie and Bay Mills Indian tribes in Michigan. Supporters said the bill would resolve an ownership dispute between the tribes and other landowners and enhance the Michigan economy by allowing for the construction of American Indian-run casinos. Opponents said it was an improper move by the tribes to set up casinos far from their traditional lands, and the bill not only would set a poor precedent, but also would override the stated wishes of Michigan voters. The vote, on June 25, was 121 yeas to 298 nays.

YEAS: Allen, Michaud

Vote 6: LICENSING STANDARDS FOR TEEN TREATMENT PROGRAMS: The House passed the Stop Child Abuse in Residential Programs for Teens Act (HR 6358), a bill sponsored by Rep. George Miller, D-Calif., to establish licensing standards for alternative residential treatment programs for teenagers. Supporters said the bill would prevent abuse and ensure that teens have adequate plans for medical emergencies. The bill was deemed necessary because the Government Accountability Office “found thousands of cases and allegations of child abuse and neglect, stretching back decades, to teen residential programs, including boot camps, wilderness camps and therapeutic boarding schools,” Miller said. Supporters said the legislation would require the Department of Health and Human Services to set up minimum standards for residential programs and to enforce them while also calling upon the states to take up the role of setting standards within three years. The HHS and the state standards would include prohibitions on physical, sexual and mental abuse of children, Miller said. The vote, on June 25, was 318 yeas to 103 nays, with a two-thirds majority required for approval.

YEAS: Allen, Michaud

Vote 7: AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES REDEFINED: The House passed the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (HR 3195), sponsored by Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Md., to redefine the definition of a disability with the intent of ensuring that citizens receive the protection of laws barring discrimination against the disabled. Supporters said the bill remedied a situation in which courts had failed to recognize the rights of the disabled in ruling against them in discrimination lawsuits. Rep. George Miller, D-Calif., said in a floor statement in the House: “Several Supreme Court rulings have dramatically reduced the number of workers with disabilities who are protected from discrimination under the law. Workers with diabetes, cancer, epilepsy, the very workers for whom the Americans With Disabilities Act was intended to protect, can be legally fired or passed over for promotion just because of their disability.” There were no speakers in opposition. The vote, on June 25, was 402 yeas to 17 nays.

YEAS: Allen, Michaud

Vote 8: EXPANDING SUPPORT FOR PUBLIC TRANSIT AND ALTERNATIVE FUELS: The House passed the Saving Energy Through Public Transportation Act (HR 6052), sponsored by Rep. James Oberstar, D-Minn., to expand funding of state and local public transit agencies by $1.7 billion over two years and fully fund capital costs for alternative fuel equipment development by the agencies. Supporters said the bill would help Americans effectively respond to high gas prices by cutting demand and providing alternatives to single-occupancy vehicle commutes. The vote, on June 26, was 322 yeas to 98 nays.

YEAS: Allen, Michaud

Vote 9: DIRECTING CFTC TO POLICE ENERGY FUTURES MARKETS: The House passed the Energy Markets Emergency Act (HR 6377), sponsored by Rep. Collin Peterson, D-Minn., directing the Commodity Futures Trading Commission to focus its authority on an enforcement effort against illicit speculation and trading activities on the energy futures markets. Supporters said that given the record levels of activity in the markets there was a corresponding need to increase policing, especially given the elevated nature of energy prices. It was noted that the bill would not expand agency authority over the markets. The vote, on June 26, was 402 yeas to 19 nays, with a two-thirds majority required for approval.

YEAS: Allen, Michaud

Vote 10: REQUIRING ENERGY PRODUCTION ON FEDERAL LAND LEASES: The House failed to pass the Responsible Federal Oil and Gas Leak Act (HR 6251), sponsored by Rep. Nick Rahall, D-W.Va., to bar the Interior Department from awarding new oil and natural gas production leases on federal land to companies that have not sought to develop production on existing leases. Supporters said the bill will prompt greater oil and gas production and charged energy companies with failing to develop available resources. Opponents faulted the process for bringing the bill to the floor and cited current excessive restrictions on production as contradicting the intent of the bill. The vote, on June 26, was 223 yeas to 195 nays, with a two-thirds majority required for approval.

YEAS: Allen, Michaud

Senate votes

Republicans Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins

Vote 1: EXPANDING AND EXTENDING MEDICARE PROGRAMS: The Senate failed to approve cloture for the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act (HR 6331), sponsored by Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., that would expand Medicare programs for rural areas and mental health treatment as well as extend expiring provisions for the payment of doctors’ services under Medicare. Supporters said the bill would ensure continued treatment of Medicare patients by sustaining a level of payments to doctors. Opponents criticized the hasty manner with which the bill was brought up for consideration and its failure to include certain important provisions. The vote, on June 26, was 58 yeas to 40 nays, with a three-fifths majority needed to close off debate and move for final consideration of the legislation.

YEAS: Collins, Snowe

Vote 2: FUNDING MILITARY PROGRAMS FOR FISCAL 2008: The Senate passed the Supplemental Appropriations Act (HR 2642), sponsored by Rep. Chet Edwards, D-Texas, providing supplemental appropriations for various parts of the Defense Department, Veterans Affairs Department, and related agencies for fiscal 2008. The vote, on June 26, was 92 yeas to 6 nays.

YEAS: Collins, Snowe

Compiled by Targeted News Service for the Bangor Daily News.