Good morning! Here’s how Cascadia’s Members of Congress voted on major issues during the legislative week ending Thursday, September 30th, 2021.
In the United States House of Representatives
CONTINUING RESOLUTION TO KEEP FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OPEN: The House on September 30th concurred in the Senate’s amendment to the Extending Government Funding and Delivering Emergency Assistance Act (H.R. 5305), sponsored by Representative Rosa L. DeLauro, D‑Connecticut.
This stopgap legislation would fund the federal government through December 3rd and add emergency supplemental funding to deal with the withdrawal from Afghanistan and recent weather events. DeLauro said it “ensures that vital education, health, housing, and public safety programs continue to serve those who rely on them.” An opponent, Representative Kay Granger, R‑Texas, said the Senate amendment failed to include funding for Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system (although the House authorized funding for that separately).
The vote was 254 yeas to 175 nays.
A yes vote was to send the measure to President Biden, who signed it into law.
 | Voting Aye (1): Republican Representative Mike Simpson Voting Nay (1): Republican Representative Russ Fulcher |
 | Voting Aye (4): Democratic Representatives Suzanne Bonamici, Earl Blumenauer, Peter DeFazio, and Kurt Schrader Voting Nay (1): Republican Representative Cliff Bentz |
 | Voting Aye (10): Democratic Representatives Suzan DelBene, Rick Larsen, Derek Kilmer, Pramila Jayapal, Kim Schrier, Adam Smith, and Marilyn Strickland; Republican Representatives Jaime Herrera Beutler, Dan Newhouse, and Cathy McMorris Rodgers |
Cascadia total: 15 aye votes, 2 nay votes
TEMPORARILY SUSPENDING THE DEBT CEILING (AGAIN): The House on September 29th passed a bill (S. 1301), sponsored by Senator Sherrod Brown, D‑Ohio, to suspend the federal government’s debt ceiling through December 16th, 2022. A supporter, Rep. Richard E. Neal, D‑Massachusetts, said: “Ensuring that the government can finance its existing obligations is a responsibility that we share jointly in this chamber.” An opponent, Representative Kevin Brady, R‑Calif., said: “It is irresponsible to keep raising the debt limit, keep on spending without any framework, or any discussion about this explosion of America’s debt.”
The vote was 219 yeas to 212 nays.
A yes vote was to send the legislation back to the Senate.
| Voting Nay (2): Republican Representatives Russ Fulcher and Mike Simpson |
| Voting Aye (3): Democratic Representatives Suzanne Bonamici, Earl Blumenauer, and Peter DeFazio Voting Nay (2): Republican Representative Cliff Bentz; Democratic Representative Kurt Schrader |
| Voting Aye (7): Democratic Representatives Suzan DelBene, Rick Larsen, Derek Kilmer, Pramila Jayapal, Kim Schrier, Adam Smith, and Marilyn Strickland Voting Nay (3): Republican Representatives Jaime Herrera Beutler, Dan Newhouse, and Cathy McMorris Rodgers |
Cascadia total: 10 aye votes, 7 nay votes
PROTECTING REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS IN FEDERAL LAW: The House on September 24th passed the Women’s Health Protection Act (H.R. 3755), sponsored by Representative Judy Chu, D‑California.
The bill would remove various restrictions on abortion, including those based on time after gestation, established by state and local governments.
Chu said: “This bill respects our right and the freedom to make our own choices about our bodies, and it leaves those decisions up to us and our doctors.”
An opponent, Representative Tim Walberg, R‑Michigan, said the bill “would ban virtually all conscience protections for medical personnel and enable the use of taxpayer money to fund abortion procedures, violating sincerely held beliefs of millions of Americans on the sanctity of human life.”
The vote was 218 yeas to 211 nays.
| Voting Nay (2): Republican Representatives Russ Fulcher and Mike Simpson |
| Voting Aye (4): Democratic Representatives Suzanne Bonamici, Earl Blumenauer, Peter DeFazio, and Kurt Schrader Voting Nay (1): Republican Representative Cliff Bentz |
| Voting Aye (7): Democratic Representatives Suzan DelBene, Rick Larsen, Derek Kilmer, Pramila Jayapal, Kim Schrier, Adam Smith, and Marilyn Strickland Voting Nay (3): Republican Representatives Jaime Herrera Beutler, Dan Newhouse, and Cathy McMorris Rodgers |
Cascadia total: 11 aye votes, 6 nay votes
SANCTIONS IN SUPPORT OF PEACE IN LIBYA: The House on September 28th passed the Libya Stabilization Act (H.R. 1228), sponsored by Rep. Theodore E. Deutch, D‑Florida, to impose sanctions on foreigners believed to have destabilized Libya and require federal agencies to commit resources on behalf of peace and democracy in Libya. Deutch said Libyans “deserve a future free from foreign meddling, from conflict and corruption, and from economic turmoil. They deserve to choose their leaders in free and fair elections.”
The vote was 386 yeas to 35 nays.
| Voting Aye (2): Republican Representatives Russ Fulcher and Mike Simpson |
| Voting Aye (5): Democratic Representatives Suzanne Bonamici, Earl Blumenauer, Peter DeFazio, and Kurt Schrader; Republican Representative Cliff Bentz |
| Voting Aye (10): Democratic Representatives Suzan DelBene, Rick Larsen, Derek Kilmer, Pramila Jayapal, Kim Schrier, Adam Smith, and Marilyn Strickland; Republican Representatives Jaime Herrera Beutler, Dan Newhouse, and Cathy McMorris Rodgers |
Cascadia total: 17 aye votes
BOLSTERING REWARDS FOR INFORMATION ON WAR CRIMINALS: The House on September 28th passed the War Crimes Rewards Expansion Act (H.R. 4250), sponsored by Representative Virginia Foxx, R‑North Carolina, to expand authority for rewards offered by the State Department for information that leads to the conviction of foreigners accused of war crimes. Foxx said the bill “will help make America safer and bring perpetrators of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide to justice.” The vote was 412 yeas to 9 nays.
| Voting Aye (2): Republican Representatives Russ Fulcher and Mike Simpson |
| Voting Aye (5): Democratic Representatives Suzanne Bonamici, Earl Blumenauer, Peter DeFazio, and Kurt Schrader; Republican Representative Cliff Bentz |
| Voting Aye (10): Democratic Representatives Suzan DelBene, Rick Larsen, Derek Kilmer, Pramila Jayapal, Kim Schrier, Adam Smith, and Marilyn Strickland; Republican Representatives Jaime Herrera Beutler, Dan Newhouse, and Cathy McMorris Rodgers |
Cascadia total: 17 aye votes
REDUCING UNFAIRNESS IN DRUG PROSECUTIONS: The House on September 28th passed the Eliminating a Quantifiably Unjust Application of the Law Act (H.R. 1693), sponsored by Representative Hakeem S. Jeffries, D‑New York, to change federal criminal sentencing standards by equalizing the standards for crack cocaine and powder cocaine. Jeffries said: “There is no policy justification for punishing crack cocaine offenses more harshly than the same offense involving powder cocaine.” The vote was 361 yeas to 66 nays.
| Voting Aye (2): Republican Representatives Russ Fulcher and Mike Simpson |
| Voting Aye (5): Democratic Representatives Suzanne Bonamici, Earl Blumenauer, Peter DeFazio, and Kurt Schrader; Republican Representative Cliff Bentz |
| Voting Aye (10): Democratic Representatives Suzan DelBene, Rick Larsen, Derek Kilmer, Pramila Jayapal, Kim Schrier, Adam Smith, and Marilyn Strickland; Republican Representatives Jaime Herrera Beutler, Dan Newhouse, and Cathy McMorris Rodgers |
Cascadia total: 17 aye votes
TWO-THIRDS THRESHOLD NOT MET FOR D.C. AUTONOMY LEGISLATION: The House on September 29th rejected the District of Columbia Chief Financial Officer Salary Home Rule Act (H.R. 1204), sponsored by Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton, D‑D.C., to allow the government of Washington, D.C., to set the level of pay for its chief financial officer.
Norton said the District’s chief financial officer has unusually broad powers but also unusually low compensation, and establishing competitive compensation for the position would help attract better candidates.
The vote was 259 yeas to 170 nays.
A two-thirds threshold was required for approval.
| Voting Nay (2): Republican Representatives Russ Fulcher and Mike Simpson |
| Voting Aye (5): Democratic Representatives Suzanne Bonamici, Earl Blumenauer, Peter DeFazio, and Kurt Schrader; Republican Representative Cliff Bentz |
| Voting Aye (7): Democratic Representatives Suzan DelBene, Rick Larsen, Derek Kilmer, Pramila Jayapal, Kim Schrier, Adam Smith, and Marilyn Strickland Voting Nay (3): Republican Representatives Jaime Herrera Beutler, Dan Newhouse, and Cathy McMorris Rodgers |
Cascadia total: 12 aye votes, 5 nay votes
ADDITIONAL HOUSE VOTES ON LEGISLATION: Along with the week’s roll call votes, the House also passed these measures by voice vote:
- the Kâ“12 Cybersecurity Act (S. 1917), to establish a Kâ“12 education cybersecurity initiative;
- the Homeland Security for Children Act (H.R. 4426), to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to ensure that the needs of children are considered in homeland security planning;
- and the Unmanned Aerial Security Act (H.R. 4682), to prohibit the Secretary of Homeland Security from operating or procuring certain foreign-made unmanned aircraft systems.
When a voice vote is taken, there is no record of how individual members voted.
In the United States Senate
CONTINUING RESOLUTION TO KEEP FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OPEN: The Senate on Thursday, September 30th passed the Extending Government Funding and Delivering Emergency Assistance Act (H.R. 5305, above), sponsored by Rep. Rosa L. DeLauro, D‑Connecticut. The bill would fund the federal government through December 3rd and add emergency supplemental funding to deal with the withdrawal from Afghanistan and recent weather events.
Top Senate Republican Mitch McConnell, R‑Kentucky, praised the withdrawal of “the poison pill of a debt limit increase” from the version of the bill that had previously passed the House. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said: “We have more work to do: just as our Republican colleagues realize that a government shutdown would be catastrophic, they should realize that a default on the national debt would be even worse. I will have more to say on this later.”
The vote was 65 yeas to 35 nays.
| Voting Nay (2): |
| Voting Aye (2): |
| Voting Aye (2): |
Cascadia total: 4 aye votes, 2 nay votes
REJECTING REPUBLICAN AMENDMENT TO BLOCK COVID-19 VACCINE MANDATES: The Senate on September 30th rejected an amendment sponsored by Senator Roger Marshall, R‑Kansas, to the Extending Government Funding and Delivering Emergency Assistance Act (H.R. 5305, above).
The amendment would have barred funding for the adoption of governmental COVID-19 vaccination requirements for private employers.
Marshall said: “No precedent exists in American history for punishing private employers that don’t enforce government vaccination edicts.”
An opponent, Senator Patrick J. Leahy, D‑Vermont, said: “We need to end this pandemic, and getting people vaccinated is one of the most important things we can do to accomplish that.” The vote was 50 yeas to 50 nays, with a three-fifths threshold (sixty votes) required for approval.
| Voting Aye (2): |
| Voting Nay (2): |
| Voting Nay (2): |
Cascadia total: 2 aye votes, 4 nay votes
KAREN DONFRIED, ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE: The Senate on September 28th confirmed the nomination of Karen Erika Donfried to serve as the Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs and Eurasian Affairs. Donfried has been president of the German Marshall Fund of the United States for seven years. A supporter, Senator Robert Menendez, D‑New Jersey, called Donfried’s nomination “a testament to the Biden administration’s effort to rebuild the transatlantic relationship” with Europe.
The vote was 73 yeas to 26 nays.
| Voting Aye (2): |
| Voting Aye (2): |
| Voting Aye (2): |
Cascadia total: 6 aye votes
JESSICA LEWIS, ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE: The Senate on September 29th confirmed the nomination of Jessica Lewis to serve as Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs. Lewis has been a staffer on Senate and House foreign policy committees and to individual senators since 2002.
A supporter, Senator Robert Menendez, D‑New Jersey., said Lewis “is recognized across party lines as one of the most effective and trusted leaders on Capitol Hill.”
The vote was 70 yeas to 27 nays.
| Voting Aye (1): Republican Senator Jim Risch Not Voting (1): Republican Senator Mike Crapo |
| Voting Aye (2): |
| Voting Aye (2): |
Cascadia total: 5 aye votes, 1 not voting
ROBERT ANDERSON, INTERIOR DEPARTMENT SOLICITOR: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Robert Anderson to serve as the Interior Department’s solicitor. Anderson has been Interior’s principal deputy solicitor since the start of the Biden administration. An opponent, Senator John Barrasso, R‑Wyo., criticized Anderson for indicating that he might move to end existing programs for leasing federal lands for oil and natural gas production, which Barrasso said “simply and unfortunately but truly ignores the law of the land.”
The vote was 53 yeas to 44 nays.
| Voting Nay (1): Republican Senator Jim Risch Not Voting (1): Republican Senator Mike Crapo |
| Voting Aye (2): |
| Voting Aye (2): |
Cascadia total: 4 aye votes, 1 nay vote, 1 not voting
TODD ROBINSON, ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE: The Senate on September 28th confirmed the nomination of Todd D. Robinson to serve as the Assistant Secretary of State for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs. Robinson has served as a diplomat in numerous Latin American and European countries, including, from 2014 to 2017, ambassador to Guatemala.
A supporter, Senator Robert Menendez, D‑New Jersey, said confirming Robinson “is critical to our international efforts to combat narcotics, to deal with fentanyl, and to deal with the trafficking routes that extend through Mexico and all the way back to China.” The vote was 53 yeas to 41 nays.
| Voting Nay (2): |
| Voting Aye (2): |
| Voting Aye (2): |
Cascadia total: 4 aye votes, 2 nay votes
MARY PHEE, ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE: The Senate on September 28th confirmed the nomination of Mary Phee to serve as Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs. Phee was ambassador to South Sudan from 2015 to 2017; her other diplomatic postings include positions in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Ethiopia. A supporter, Senator Robert Menendez, D‑New Jersey, said Phee would “be promoting the views of America’s democracy, human rights, rule of law, investment, trade, and opportunity” at a vital time for Africa.
The vote was 67 yeas to 31 nays.
| Voting Aye (2): |
| Voting Aye (2): |
| Voting Aye (2): |
Cascadia total: 6 aye votes
MONICA MEDINA, ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Monica Medina to serve as Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs.
Medina has been a senior official at the Commerce Department, Defense Department, and other governmental and private groups.
A supporter, Senator Robert Menendez, D‑New Jersey, cited Medina’s experience “in a broad variety of leadership roles focused on ocean conservation, environmental policy, and science.” The vote was 61 yeas to 36 nays.
| Voting Aye (2): |
| Voting Aye (2): |
| Voting Aye (2): |
Cascadia total: 6 aye votes
ROHIT CHOPRA, CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU: The Senate on September 30th confirmed the nomination of Rohit Chopra to serve as director of the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection for a five-year term.
The CFPB, the brainchild of Senator Elizabeth Warren (D‑Massachusetts), has saved Americans billions of dollars since its formation in 2010.
Chopra has served on the Federal Trade Commission since May 2018; previously, he was an assistant director at the Bureau. A supporter, Senator Sherrod Brown, D‑Ohio, said Chopra “has a deep understanding of financial markets, a strong record of protecting consumers and workers and small businesses, promoting competitive markets, and holding bad actors accountable.”
An opponent, Sen. Pat Toomey, R‑Pennsylvania, said that as director, “Chopra would very likely return the CFPB to the rogue, unaccountable, anti-business agency it was during the Obama administration. We have every reason to believe he would continue to disregard legitimate congressional oversight requests.”
The vote was 50 yeas to 48 nays.
| Voting Nay (2): |
| Voting Aye (2): |
| Voting Aye (2): |
Cascadia total: 4 aye votes, 2 nay votes
TRACY STONE-MANNING, BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT: The Senate on September 30th confirmed the nomination of Tracy Stone-Manning to serve as director of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), a DOI agency.
Stone-Manning was a senior aide to Senator Jon Tester, D‑Montana, from 2007 to 2012; since then, she has been a senior official in Montana’s state government and at the National Wildlife Federation.
Tester said Stone-Manning “can get the job done. She can bring people together of all political ilks, and she can do what is necessary for the American people.”
An opponent, Senator John Barrasso, R‑Wyoming, said Stone-Manning had “collaborated with ecoterrorists, lied to the U.S. Senate, wrote in favor of population control as a problem related to the climate, and promoted the idea that homes built in the forest should be left to burn.”
The vote was 50 yeas to 45 nays.
| Voting Nay (2): |
| Voting Aye (2): |
| Voting Aye (2): |
Cascadia total: 4 aye votes, 2 nay votes
Key votes ahead
The Senate will hold confirmation votes on several Biden nominees, including Lauren J. King, who has been nominated to join the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington. If confirmed, King would be only the third currently serving Native American federal district court judge and the fifth Native American judge in the history of the federal judiciary.
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