Good morning! Here’s how Cascadia’s Members of Congress voted on major issues during the legislative week ending Friday, February 4th, 2022.
In the United States House of Representatives
STRENGTHENING MARITIME REGULATIONS: The House on February 3rd passed an amendment sponsored by Representative John Garamendi, D‑California, to the Bioeconomy Research and Development Act (H.R. 4521).
The amendment inserted into the bill the Ocean Shipping Reform Act, which would change various federal policies regulating oceanic goods shipments with the intent of promoting U.S. exports. Garamendi said the amendment aimed at “ensuring reciprocal trade to help reduce the United States’ longstanding trade imbalance with export-driven countries,” including China and South Korea.
The vote was 367 yeas to 59 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
In the United States Senate
BRIDGET BRENNAN, U.S. DISTRICT COURT JUDGE: The Senate on February 1st confirmed the nomination of Bridget Brennan to serve as a judge on the U.S. District Court for northern Ohio. A federal prosecutor in the district since 2007, Brennan is currently its acting U.S. attorney. A supporter, Senator Sherrod Brown, D‑Ohio, called Brennan “someone whose commitment to justice is obvious to all of those who deal with her.” The vote was 61 yeas to 35 nays.
| Voting Nay (2): |
| Voting Aye (2): |
| Voting Aye (2): |
Cascadia total: 4 aye votes, 2 nay votes
CHARLES FLEMING, U.S. DISTRICT COURT JUDGE: The Senate on February 1st confirmed the nomination of Charles Fleming to serve as a judge on the U.S. district court for northern Ohio. Fleming has been a criminal public defender in the district since 1991. A supporter, Senator Sherrod Brown, D‑Ohio, said Fleming “has received uniformly enthusiastic reviews from judges he has appeared before and from attorneys he has tried cases against.”
The vote was 56 yeas to 42 nays.
| Voting Nay (2): |
| Voting Aye (2): |
| Voting Aye (2): |
Cascadia total: 4 aye votes, 2 nay votes
DAVID RUIZ, U.S. DISTRICT COURT JUDGE: The Senate on February 1st confirmed the nomination of David Ruiz to serve as a judge on the U.S. district court for northern Ohio. Ruiz, a federal prosecutor in the district from 2010 to 2016, has, since 2016, been a magistrate judge in the district.
The vote was 62 yeas to 35 nays.
| Voting Nay (2): |
| Voting Aye (2): |
| Voting Aye (2): |
Cascadia total: 4 aye votes, 2 nay votes
RUPA PUTTAGUNTA, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA SUPERIOR COURT JUDGE: The Senate on February 2nd confirmed the nomination of Rupa Puttagunta to serve as an associate judge on the superior court for Washington, D.C., for a fifteen year term. Puttagunta has been a law clerk, private practice lawyer, and, currently, administrative judge in the District. The vote was 57 yeas to 38 nays.
| Voting Nay (2): |
| Voting Aye (2): |
| Voting Aye (2): |
Cascadia total: 4 aye votes, 2 nay votes
SEOANE LOPEZ, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA SUPERIOR COURT JUDGE: The Senate on February 2nd confirmed the nomination of Seoane Lopez to serve as an associate judge on the superior court for Washington, D.C., for a fifteen year term. Lopez has been a magistrate judge on the superior court since 2013.
The vote was 59 yeas to 38 nays.
| Voting Nay (2): |
| Voting Aye (2): |
| Voting Aye (2): |
Cascadia total: 4 aye votes, 2 nay votes
SEAN STAPLES, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA SUPERIOR COURT JUDGE: The Senate on February 2nd confirmed the nomination of Sean C. Staples to serve as an associate judge on the superior court for Washington, D.C., for a fifteen year term. Staples, a magistrate judge on the court since 2013, was previously an assistant public defender and one of the court’s law clerks.
The vote was 59 yeas to 38 nays.
| Voting Nay (2): |
| Voting Aye (2): |
| Voting Aye (2): |
Cascadia total: 4 aye votes, 2 nay votes
Key votes ahead
The House will debate and vote on the Postal Service Reform Act of 2021 (H.R. 3076), as well as the Global Respect Act (H.R. 3485) and the Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act of 2021 (H.R. 4445).
The Senate will take up the nominations of Douglas R. Bush to be Assistant Secretary of the Army and Max Vekich of Washington State to be a Federal Maritime Commissioner, as well as nominations for Samuel R. Bagenstos to be General Counsel of the Department of Health and Human Services and for Neil Harvey MacBride to be General Counsel for the Department of the Treasury.
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