Good morning! Here’s how Cascadia’s United States Senators voted on major issues during the legislative week ending Friday, August 7th.
In the United States Senate
CONFIRMING DEPUTY SECRETARY OF ENERGY: Voting 79 for and 16 against, the Senate on August 4th confirmed Mark W. Menezes as deputy secretary of energy. His duties will include overseeing the $35 billion Department of Energy budget and helping to manage the U.S. nuclear arsenal.
Menezes had served as an under secretary of energy since 2017, and before that he was chief counsel on the House Energy and Commerce Committee and worked for the American Electric Power Company and Berkshire Hathaway Energy.
Lisa Murkowski, R‑Alaska, a supporter of the nominee, said Menezes has been a leader in advancing renewable and nuclear energy and defending America’s energy infrastructure against cybersecurity threats, and is well qualified to guide the department through the COVID-19 pandemic.
No senator spoke against Menezes. A yes vote was to confirm the nominee.
Voting Aye (2): | |
Voting Nay (2): | |
Voting Aye (2): |
Cascadia total: 4 aye votes, 2 nay votes
BARRING TIKTOK FROM GOVERNMENT DEVICES: On a non-record vote, the Senate on August 6th passed a bill (S. 3455) that would require federal agencies to remove the Chinese social messaging app TikTok from government-issued smartphones and computers, as the Department of Defense already has done. TikTok, which is used to make music videos, resides on more than eighty million devices in America including some operated by federal workers.
Critics say TikTok collects voluminous personal data on users for potential or actual sharing with the Chinese government and Chinese Communist Party.
The company is exploring the possible sale of its operations in the United States and certain other countries to Microsoft.
Josh Hawley, R‑Missouri, said TikTok “is currently a major security risk, both to our data security and to our national security…at a time when we need to be clear-eyed about the threat from the Chinese Communist Party.”
No senator spoke against the bill, which is now before the House.
Editor’s Note: Because this was not a recorded vote, there is no roll call to share. We can only know how our Pacific Northwest senators voted by contacting their offices and asking them for their views on S. 3455.
Key votes ahead; timing uncertain
The House and Senate are currently in recess while awaiting the outcome of negotiations between Democratic leaders and the White House on a new round of coronavirus relief for recipients including the unemployed, renters, schools, medical providers and state and local governments.
Editor’s Note: The information in NPI’s weekly How Cascadia’s U.S. lawmakers voted feature is provided by Voterama in Congress, a service of Thomas Voting Reports. All rights are reserved. Reproduction of this post is not permitted, not even with attribution. Use the permanent link to this post to share it… thanks!
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