Good morning! Here’s how Cascadia’s Members of Congress voted on major issues during the legislative week ending Friday, March 18th, 2022.
In the United States House of Representatives
FAIRER INSULIN PRICING: The House on March 31st passed the Affordable Insulin Now Act (H.R. 6833), sponsored by Representative Angie Craig, D‑Minnesota, to cap an insured individual’s payments for insulin under Medicare or private insurance plans. Craig called a cap “an opportunity to save American families thousands of their hard-earned dollars.”
An opponent, Representative Virginia Foxx, R‑North Carolina, said: “This bill will lower out-of-pocket costs for insulin for a minority of Americans by bloating premiums and other healthcare costs for the majority of Americans and leave our healthcare system worse off.” The vote was 232 yeas to 193 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 (8): Democratic Representatives Suzan DelBene, Rick Larsen, Derek Kilmer, Pramila Jayapal, Kim Schrier, Adam Smith, and Marilyn Strickland; Republican Representative Jaime Herrera Beutler Voting Nay (2): Republican Representatives Dan Newhouse and Cathy McMorris Rodgers |
Cascadia total: 12 aye votes, 5 nay votes
REMOVING ACQUITTALS FROM BEING A FACTOR IN SENTENCING: The House on March 28th passed the Prohibiting Punishment of Acquitted Conduct Act (H.R. 1621), sponsored by Representative Steve Cohen, D‑Tennessee, to prevent federal courts from considering acquittals when sentencing criminals to prison sentences. Cohen said the bar “would ensure that no one spends time in jail for conduct prosecutors were not able to prove at trial.”
The vote was 405 yeas to 12 nays.
| Voting Aye (2): Republican Representatives Russ Fulcher and Mike Simpson |
| Voting Aye (4): Democratic Representatives Suzanne Bonamici, Earl Blumenauer, and Kurt Schrader; Republican Representative Cliff Bentz Not Voting (1): Democratic Representative Peter DeFazio |
| 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: 16 aye votes; 1 not voting
STATUES OF FEMALE JUSTICES: The House has passed a bill (S. 3294), sponsored by Senator Amy Klobuchar, D‑Minnesota, to place statues of Supreme Court justices Sandra Day O’Connor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg in the United States Capitol. A supporter, Representative Greg Stanton, D‑Arizona, said: “Both overcame formidable barriers and defied the odds, paving the way for future generations of women.” The vote was 349 yeas to 63 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
COAST GUARD APPROPRIATIONS: The House on March 29th passed the Don Young Coast Guard Authorization Act (H.R. 6865), sponsored by Rep. Peter A. DeFazio, D‑Oregon, to authorize fiscal 2022 and 2023 spending on the Coast Guard. DeFazio said bill measures would “begin to address several unfair shipping practices that have contributed to inflation across every sector of the American economy” by more aggressively regulating the shipping industry.
The vote was 378 yeas to 46 nays.
| Voting Aye (1): Republican Representative Mike Simpson Voting Nay (1): Republican Representative Russ Fulcher |
| 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: 16 aye votes, 1 nay vote
LEGAL FRAMEWORK FOR COLD CASES: The House on March 29th passed the Homicide Victims Families Rights Act (H.R. 3359), sponsored by Representative Eric Swalwell, D‑California, to create a legal framework for the immediate relatives of murder victims who were killed more than three years ago to request that a relevant federal agency review the case file for the killing.
Swalwell said changing circumstances since a murder case went cold can justify a new review and effort at “identifying new leads and witnesses to solve crimes and obtain justice that victims’ families and loved ones so rightfully deserve.”
The vote was 406 yeas to 20 nays.
| Voting Aye (2): Republican Representatives Russ Fulcher and Mike Simpson |
| Voting Aye (4): Democratic Representatives Suzanne Bonamici, Earl Blumenauer, and Kurt Schrader; Republican Representative Cliff Bentz Not Voting (1): Democratic Representative Peter DeFazio |
| 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: 16 aye votes, 1 not voting
COVID ORAL HISTORIES: The House has passed the COVID-19 American History Project Act (H.R. 4738), sponsored by Rep. Julia Letlow, R‑La., to fund an oral history project at the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress. The project would gather stories from people who contracted SARS-CoV‑2 and whose relatives died from COVID-19, and healthcare workers. Letlow said the project “will allow us to use our voices as citizens to write the history of this time. Personal stories are powerful and can promote healing while also helping others who are hurting.” The vote was 376 yeas to 47 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
PROTECTING PUBLIC TRANSIT PASSENGERS: The House has passed the Stop Sexual Assault and Harassment in Transportation Act (H.R. 5706), sponsored by Rep. Peter A. DeFazio, D‑Ore. The bill would require transportation providers to establish policies for handling sexual assault and sexual harassment, and establish reporting and disclosure requirements for such incidents.
DeFazio said: “We can no longer allow sexual violence and abuse to persist on our roads, our waters, or in our skies. We must ensure our transportation system is safe for those who work in it and those who wish to use it.”
The vote was 339 yeas to 85 nays.
| Voting Aye (1): Republican Representative Mike Simpson Voting Nay (1): Republican Representative Russ Fulcher |
| 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: 16 aye votes, 1 nay vote
REQUIRING DETAILS IN GRANT APPLICATIONS: The House on March 30th passed the Care is an Economic Development Strategy Act (H.R. 5547), sponsored by Rep. Nikema Williams, D‑Ga., to require applicants for federal grants to explain how they plan to use the funding to increase their provision of affordable, quality, care-based services. Williams said: “Investing in care will help get people back to work, create good-paying jobs, and create a stronger economy for everyone.” The vote, on March 30, was 304 yeas to 122 nays.
| 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
NEGOTIATING ECONOMIC STRATEGY LEGISLATION: The House on March 31st passed a motion to instruct conferees with the Senate on negotiating the two chambers’ versions of the America COMPETES Act (H.R. 4521), which would increase spending on various U.S. economic strategy efforts.
A motion supporter, Representative Frank D. Lucas, R‑Oklahoma, said that accepting a Senate provision to block funding of entities of concern controlled by the Chinese government “ensures that we aren’t giving taxpayer dollars to the adversaries who are trying to steal U.S. technology and use it against us.”
The vote to instruct was 351 yeas to 74 nays.
| Voting Aye (2): Republican Representatives Russ Fulcher and Mike Simpson |
| Voting Aye (3): Democratic Representatives Peter DeFazio and Kurt Schrader; Republican Representative Cliff Bentz Voting Nay (2): Democratic Representatives Earl Blumenauer and Suzanne Bonamici |
| Voting Aye (9): Democratic Representatives Suzan DelBene, Rick Larsen, Derek Kilmer, Pramila Jayapal, Kim Schrier, and Marilyn Strickland; Republican Representatives Jaime Herrera Beutler, Dan Newhouse, and Cathy McMorris Rodgers Voting Nay (1): Democratic Representative Adam Smith |
Cascadia total: 14 aye votes, 3 nay votes
In the United States Senate
AMERICA COMPETES ACT: The Senate on March 28th passed the America COMPETES Act (H.R. 4521), sponsored by Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson, D‑Texas, to increase spending on various economic strategy efforts, including domestic manufacture of semiconductor chips, scientific research, and trade and security, especially as it relates to China. A supporter, Senator Maria Cantwell, D‑Washington, said the bill “is about growing the capacity for us to innovate in many different parts of the United States and across many different sectors of our economy.” The vote was 68 yeas to 28 nays.
| Voting Aye (2): |
| Voting Aye (2): |
| Voting Aye (2): |
Cascadia total: 6 aye votes
NANI COLORETTI, OMB DEPUTY DIRECTOR: The Senate on March 29th confirmed the nomination of Nani Coloretti to be the Office of Management and Budget’s deputy director. Coloretti has been a government staffer in San Francisco and in various federal agencies during the Obama administration; she has more recently been a senior vice president at the Urban Institute. A supporter, Senator Gary C. Peters, D‑Michigan, said Coloretti “has over 20 years of experience at the federal, state, and local level executing complex government programs, improving service delivery, and managing large organizations.”
The vote was 57 yeas to 41 nays.
| Voting Nay (2): |
| Voting Aye (2): |
| Voting Aye (2): |
Cascadia total: 4 aye votes, 2 nay votes
C.S. ELIOT KANG, ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE: The Senate on March 29th confirmed the nomination of C.S. Eliot Kang to be the assistant secretary of state for international security and non-proliferation (ISN). Kang has been in the role on an acting basis since the start of the Biden administration. A supporter, Senator Robert Menendez, D‑New Jersey, said of Kang: “He has the substantive expertise to lead ISN and advance U.S. national security interests. During his 18-year career at the State Department, Dr. Kang has worked on a wide variety of nonproliferation issues.” The vote was 52 yeas to 46 nays.
| Voting Nay (2): |
| Voting Aye (2): |
| Voting Aye (2): |
Cascadia total: 4 aye votes, 2 nay votes
JUDITH PRYOR, EXPORT-IMPORT BANK: The Senate on March 30th confirmed the nomination of Judith Pryor to be first vice president of the U.S. Export-Import Bank. Pryor, currently a member of the Bank’s board of directors, was an international finance official during the Obama administration, and before that was an executive in the satellite industry.
A supporter, Senator Sherrod Brown, D‑Ohio, said: “It is essential that our manufacturers have every tool at their disposal so they can compete globally. That is why we need Judith Pryor at Ex-Im.” An opponent, Senator Pat Toomey, R‑Pennsylvania, said Pryor’s confirmation would advance the “badly flawed agenda” of having the Bank subsidize loans to domestic manufacturing businesses and infrastructure projects. The vote was 69 yeas to 30 nays.
| Voting Aye (2): |
| Voting Aye (2): |
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Cascadia total: 6 aye votes
JANUARY CONTRERAS, ASSISTANT HEALTH SECRETARY: The Senate on March 30th confirmed the nomination of January Contreras to be assistant secretary for family support at the Department of Health and Human Services. Contreras was a citizenship and immigration official in the Obama administration, and previously was head of the Arizona Department of Health Services. A supporter, Senator Ron Wyden, D‑Oregon, said Contreras would use her experience to help implement the Family First program, which provides addiction treatment services to a family without assigning its children to foster care.
The vote was 54 yeas to 44 nays.
| Voting Nay (2): |
| Voting Aye (2): |
| Voting Aye (2): |
Cascadia total: 4 aye votes, 2 nay votes
SARAH GERAGHTY, U.S. DISTRICT COURT JUDGE: The Senate on March 31st confirmed the nomination of Sarah Geraghty to be a judge on the U.S. district court for the northern district of Georgia. Geraghty has been a lawyer at the Southern Center for Human Rights since 2003. A supporter, Senator Dick Durbin, D‑Illinois, said Geraghty “has received numerous letters of support, including from law enforcement officials and attorneys who have opposed her in litigation.” The vote was 52 yeas to 48 nays.
| Voting Nay (2): |
| Voting Aye (2): |
| Voting Aye (2): |
Cascadia total: 4 aye votes, 2 nay votes
GEORGETTE CASTNER, U.S. DISTRICT COURT JUDGE: The Senate on March 31st confirmed the nomination of Georgette Castner to be a judge on the U.S. District Court for New Jersey. Castner has been a lawyer at a private practice law firm in New Jersey since 2007, specializing in civil litigation and white collar crime. A supporter, Senator Dick Durbin, D‑Illinois, called Castner “an experienced litigator with a deep knowledge of the District of New Jersey.”
The vote was 52 yeas to 47 nays.
| Voting Nay (2): |
| Voting Aye (2): |
| Voting Aye (2): |
Cascadia total: 4 aye votes, 2 nay votes
ADDITIONAL SENATE VOTES: Along with this week’s roll call votes, the Senate also passed (by voice) the Chiricahua National Park Act (S. 1320), to establish the Chiricahua National Park in Arizona as a unit of the National Park System; and the Ocean Shipping Reform Act (S. 3580), to amend United States Code with respect to prohibited acts by ocean common carriers or marine terminal operators.
Key votes ahead
The House will debate a resolution recommending that the body find Trump aides Peter K. Navarro and Daniel Scavino, Jr. in contempt of Congress for refusing to comply with subpoenas duly issued by the Select Committee To Investigate The January 6th Attack On The United States Capitol.
The House is also expected to take up the Relief for Restaurants and other Hard Hit Small Businesses Act of 2022. Depending on discussions with the Senate, the House might vote on legislation related to COVID-19 supplemental funding.
The Senate is expected to consider a motion to discharge from the Judiciary Committee Ketanji Brown Jackson’s nomination to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. If Senator Susan Collins supports the motion, Vice President Kamala Harris’ tie-breaking vote will not be required.
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