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Sunday, September 17th, 2023
Last Week In Congress: How Cascadia’s U.S. lawmakers voted (September 11th-15th)
Good morning! Here’s how Cascadia’s Members of Congress voted on major issues during the legislative week ending September 15th, 2023.
The House chamber (U.S. Congress photo)
IRANIAN MISSILE PROGRAM: The House on September 12th passed the Fight and Combat Rampant Iranian Missile Exports Act (H.R. 3152), sponsored by Representative Michael T. McCaul, R‑Texas, to impose sanctions on foreign individuals and government entities that help Iran acquire missile or drone weapons. McCaul said that with existing United Nations-based restrictions on Iran’s missile activities about to expire, “we need to prevent these weapons sales now before these deadly missiles and drones are on the battlefield” in Ukraine.
The vote was 403 yeas to 8 nays.
Voting Yea (2): Republican Representatives Russ Fulcher and Mike Simpson
Voting Yea (6): Democratic Representatives Suzanne Bonamici, Val Hoyle, Earl Blumenauer, and Andrea Salinas; Republican Representatives Cliff Bentz and Lori Chavez-DeRemer
Voting Yea (10): Democratic Representatives Suzan DelBene, Rick Larsen, Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, Derek Kilmer, Pramila Jayapal, Kim Schrier, Adam Smith, and Marilyn Strickland; Republican Representatives Dan Newhouse and Cathy McMorris Rodgers
Cascadia total: 18 yea votes
CONDEMNING IRAN: The House has passed a resolution (H. Res. 492), sponsored by Representative Janice Schakowsky, D‑Illinois, to condemn Iran for violating human rights and persecuting the country’s Baha’i religious population, and call for sanctions on Iranians responsible for those violations.
A supporter, Representative Madeleine Dean, D‑Pennyslvania, said: “We stand in solidarity with the persecuted Baha’i minority in Iran and demand the Iranian government end its intolerable persecution of their people and religion.”
The vote was 413 yeas to 2 nays.
Voting Yea (1): Republican Representative Russ Fulcher
Voting Nay (1): Republican Representative Mike Simpson
Voting Yea (6): Democratic Representatives Suzanne Bonamici, Val Hoyle, Earl Blumenauer, and Andrea Salinas; Republican Representatives Cliff Bentz and Lori Chavez-DeRemer
Voting Yea (10): Democratic Representatives Suzan DelBene, Rick Larsen, Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, Derek Kilmer, Pramila Jayapal, Kim Schrier, Adam Smith, and Marilyn Strickland; Republican Representatives Dan Newhouse and Cathy McMorris Rodgers
Cascadia total: 17 yea votes, 1 nay vote
REPORTING ON WILDFIRE MITIGATION: The House on September 13th passed the Accurately Counting Risk Elimination Solutions Act (H.R. 1567), sponsored by Rep. Thomas P. Tiffany, R‑Wis. The bill would require reports from the Agriculture Department and Interior Department on their efforts to reduce the volume of hazardous wildfire fuels on government lands. Tiffany cited indications that agencies have not kept good track of fuel reduction efforts, and said “accurate reporting is necessary to broadly track the progress made on our larger wildfire mitigation targets, as well as individual projects.”
The vote was 406 yeas to 4 nays.
Voting Yea (2): Republican Representatives Russ Fulcher and Mike Simpson
Voting Yea (6): Democratic Representatives Suzanne Bonamici, Val Hoyle, Earl Blumenauer, and Andrea Salinas; Republican Representatives Cliff Bentz and Lori Chavez-DeRemer
Voting Yea (10): Democratic Representatives Suzan DelBene, Rick Larsen, Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, Derek Kilmer, Pramila Jayapal, Kim Schrier, Adam Smith, and Marilyn Strickland; Republican Representatives Dan Newhouse and Cathy McMorris Rodgers
Cascadia total: 18 yea votes
INTERFERING WITH CALIFORNIA’S CLEAN AIR REGULATIONS: The House on September 14th passed the Preserving Choice in Vehicle Purchases Act (H.R. 1435), sponsored by Representative John Joyce, R‑Pennsylvania.
The bill would stipulate that states proposing regulations under the Clean Air Act that effectively ban the sale of new automobiles that use internal combustion engines cannot receive waivers from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to adopt such regulations. Joyce said without the bill, a plan by California to ban non-electric vehicle sales by 2035 “would create a de facto ban on all gas-powered vehicles in the United States” at that time.
An opponent, Representative Doris O. Matsui, D‑California, said: “This bill would keep dirty gas and diesel cars on the road forever, dooming our children to face the worst impacts of climate change.” The vote was 222 yeas to 190 nays.
Voting Yea (2): Republican Representatives Russ Fulcher and Mike Simpson
Voting Yea (2): Republican Representatives Cliff Bentz and Lori Chavez-DeRemer
Voting Nay (4): Democratic Representatives Suzanne Bonamici, Earl Blumenauer, Val Hoyle, and Andrea Salinas
Voting Yea (3): Democratic Representative Marie Gluesenkamp Perez; Republican Representatives Dan Newhouse and Cathy McMorris Rodgers
Voting Nay (7): Democratic Representatives Suzan DelBene, Rick Larsen, Derek Kilmer, Pramila Jayapal, Kim Schrier, Adam Smith, and Marilyn Strickland
Cascadia total: 7 yea votes, 11 nay votes
In the United States Senate
The Senate chamber (U.S. Congress photo)
APPROPRIATIONS: The Senate on September 14th passed a motion to proceed to consideration of the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (H.R. 4366), sponsored by Representative John R. Carter, R‑Texas. The bill would provide fiscal 2024 funding for military construction programs, as well as the Veterans Affairs, Agriculture, Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development Departments.
A supporter, Senator Susan M. Collins, R‑Maine, said the bill “keeps our commitment to our veterans by funding VA medical care and veterans’ benefits, including disability compensation programs, education benefits and vocational rehabilitation, and employment training.”
The vote was 91 yeas to 7 nays.
Voting Yea (2):
Republican Senators Jim Risch and Mike Crapo
Voting Yea (2):
Democratic Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley
Voting Yea (2):
Democratic Senators Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray
Cascadia total: 6 yea votes
TANYA BRADSHER, DEPUTY VA SECRETARY: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Tanya J. Bradsher to be deputy secretary at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Bradsher is currently the VA’s chief of staff; she has been on the National Security Council and was in the Army for twenty years.
A supporter, Senator Jon Tester, D‑Montana, said Bradsher’s impressive record in the military and in government showed she could “ensure that the VA is upholding its mission to the veterans and their families.” An opponent, Senator Chuck Grassley, R‑Iowa, cited “her failure to protect sensitive veteran information, and her penchant for providing misleading information to the Senate.”
The vote was 50 yeas to 46 nays.
Voting Nay (2):
Republican Senators Jim Risch and Mike Crapo
Voting Yea (2):
Democratic Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley
Voting Yea (2):
Democratic Senators Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray
Cascadia total: 4 yea votes, 2 nay votes
JEFFREY CUMMINGS, U.S. DISTRICT COURT JUDGE: The Senate on Sepmber 12th confirmed the nomination of Jeffrey Cummings to be a judge on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. Cummings was a lawyer at a Chicago civil rights law firm until 2019, when he became a magistrate judge on the Northern District. A supporter, Sen. Dick Durbin, D‑Illinois, said: “Given his vast litigation background and experience on the bench, he will be a tremendous addition to the court.” The vote was 50 yeas to 45 nays.
Voting Nay (2):
Republican Senators Jim Risch and Mike Crapo
Voting Yea (2):
Democratic Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley
Voting Yea (2):
Democratic Senators Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray
Cascadia total: 4 yea votes, 2 nay votes
Key votes ahead
The House will take up several bills unless its schedule is once again disrupted. These include Ruben Gallego’s Native American Child Protection Act and a bill sponsored by Washington State’s Cathy McMorris Rodgers pertaining to healthcare dubbed the Lower Costs, More Transparency Act. The “Unlocking our Domestic LNG Potential Act of 2023” is supposed to be considered later in the week.
The Senate will resume consideration of H.R.4366, the legislative vehicle for MilCon VA, Agriculture, and THUD appropriations.
The Senate is also expected to vote on the nominations of Vernon D. Oliver to be a United States District Judge for the District of Connecticut and Rita F. Lin to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of California.
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Categories: Legislative Advocacy, Series & Special Reports
Tags: Last Week In Congress, U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes
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