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2006 TOP VOTES In congress

By dmc-admin

Published: November 3, 2006 at 1:00 am

HOUSE
1. GOP ETHICS BILL
Members on May 3 passed, 217-213, a GOP bill to tighten ethics and lobbying rules. The bill required lobbyists to post Internet reports on campaign donations and gifts to members, and members to get pre-approval of privately financed travel. A yes vote was to pass HR 4975.
2. DEMOCRATS’ ETHICS BILL
Members on May 3 defeated, 213-216, a Democratic bid for stricter ethics and lobbying rules than offered by Republicans in HR 4975. A yes vote backed a plan that, in part, banned member flights on corporate jets and shed light on conference committee secrecy.
3. $70 BILLION TAX CUTS
Members on May 10 passed, 244-185, a bill (HR 4297) cutting taxes by nearly $70 billion over five years. A yes vote was to extend the 15 percent dividends and capital gains rate through 2010 and exempt 15 million of middle-income filers from the Alternative Minimum Tax.
4. DEMOCRATS’ TAX PLAN
Members on May 10 defeated, 190-239, a Democratic proposal to strip HR 4297 of tax cuts on dividends and capital gains but retain and expand Alternative Minimum Tax relief for middle-income filers. A yes vote backed the Democratic plan.
5. ARCTIC DRILLING AUTHORITY
Members on May 25 voted, 225-201, to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil and gas drilling. The bill set aside 1.5 million of the refuge’s 19 million pristine acres for energy extraction, with 2,000 acres directly affected. A yes vote was to send HR 5429 to the Senate, where it stalled.
6. OFFSHORE DRILLING AUTHORITY
Members on June 29 voted, 232-187, to end a policy that for a quarter century has banned oil and gas drilling in U.S. coastal waters except the western Gulf of Mexico. A yes vote was to permit drilling to within 50 miles of shore unless a state extends the line to 100 miles. (HR 4761)
7. NETWORK NEUTRALITY
Members on June 8 rejected, 152-269, an amendment to HR 5252 to prevent telecom firms from setting varying service levels that would result in a two-tiered Internet. A yes vote backed an amendment to preserve the egalitarian nature of the Internet.
8. IRAQ POLICY
Members on June 16 passed, 256-153, a non-binding GOP measure ruling out any deadline for removing U.S. troops from Iraq and pledging U.S. staying power to help Iraq stabilize itself. A yes vote was to adopt H Res 861.
9. VOTING RIGHTS RENEWAL
Members on July 13 voted, 390-33, to renew the 1965 Voting Rights Act. The law bans discriminatory polling practices, mandates multi-lingual voting materials in some areas and requires some jurisdictions to get federal approval of changes in voting rules and procedures. A yes vote was to pass HR 9.
10. SAME-SEX MARRIAGE
Members on July 18 failed, 236-187, to reach a 2/3 majority for advancing a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage. A yes vote backed a measure, stating in part “Marriage in the United States shall consist only of the union of a man and a woman.” (HJR 88)
11. EMBRYONIC STEM CELLS
Members on July 19 failed, 235-193, to reach the 2/3 majority needed to override President Bush’s veto of a bill (HR 810) to expand U.S. financing of embryonic stem-cell research beyond limits he set in 2001. A yes vote was to expand federal funding of research involving human embryos.
12. GOP MINIMUM WAGE-ESTATE TAX
Members on July 29 passed, 230-180, a Republican bill raising the hourly minimum wage from $5.15 to $7.25 over three years, exempting all but the super-rich from federal estate taxes and providing an array of targeted tax breaks. A yes vote was to send HR 5970 to the Senate.
13. DEMOCRATS’ MINIMUM WAGE
Members on July 29 defeated, 190-220, a Democratic bid for a direct up-or-down vote on whether to raise the U.S. minimum wage for the first time since 1997. A yes vote backed this approach over a GOP bill (HR 5980, above) to link the wage increase to an estate-tax rollback.
14. MEXICAN BORDER FENCE
Members on Sept. 14 passed, 283-138, a bill to authorize construction of 700 miles of two-layered fencing along the nearly 2,000-mile U.S.-Mexico border. The bill did not fund the project, which is expected to cost at least $6 billion over several years. A yes vote was to send HR 6061 to the Senate.
15. DEMOCRATS’ BORDER PLAN
Voting 193-224, members on Sept. 14 rejected a Democratic alternative to HR 6061 that authorized $5.3 billion in fiscal 2007 for programs to assert U.S. control of America’s borders. A yes vote was to fund an expanded Border Patrol and hundreds of miles of fencing.
16. VOTER ID REQUIREMENTS
Members on Sept. 20 voted, 228-196, to require photo identification as a condition of voting in federal elections starting in 2008. The bill also requires that by 2010 voters must show proof of citizenship along with their photos. A yes vote was to send HR 4844 to the Senate. 17. MINORS’ ABORTION NOTICE
Members on Sept. 26 voted, 264-153, to make it a U.S. crime to transport a minor across state lines for an abortion to evade a parental notification law in her home state, except when the abortion is necessary to save her life. A yes vote was to send the bill (S 403) to the Senate.
18. WAR TRIBUNALS, INTERROGATIONS
Members on Sept. 27 voted, 253-168, to set rules for interrogating terror suspects and trying them before military panels. A yes vote backed a bill (HR 6166) that affirms the Geneva Conventions but allows broad presidential leeway to approve harsh interrogation techniques.
19. DOMESTIC SPYING AUTHORITY
Members on Sept. 28 voted, 232-191, to codify the administration’s program of domestic eavesdropping without Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act warrants. A yes vote was to permit spying on terrorist suspects in the U.S. for 90 days without FISA warrants. (HR 5825)
20. DOMESTIC SPYING CURBS
Members on April 26 defeated, 195-230, a Democratic bid to curb the administration’s program of domestic electronic surveillance. A yes vote was to stipulate that Congress’s post-9/11 force authorization did not authorize such warrantless spying on Americans. (HR 5020)
SENATE
21. JUSTICE ALITO
Senators on Jan. 30 confirmed, 72-25, the nomination of Samuel A. Alito, Jr., 55, a federal appeals judge, as the 110th justice on the Supreme Court. A yes vote was to confirm Alito.
22. PATRIOT ACT RENEWAL
Senators on March 2 approved, 89-10, the conference report on a bill giving permanency to most parts of the USA Patriot Act. But sections dealing with roving wiretaps and library, bookstore and business searches were made temporary for four years. A yes vote was to approve HR 3199.
23. PAY AS YOU GO
On a 50-50 tie vote, senators on March 14 refused to reinstate the “pay as you go” rule that requires tax cuts or entitlement spending hikes to be offset elsewhere in the budget or receive a supermajority (60 votes) for approval. A yes vote was to revive the pay-go rule. (S Con Res 83)
24. DEBT CEILING INCREASE
Senators on March 16 voted, 52-48, to raise the national debt ceiling by $781 billion, to $8.965 trillion. U.S. debt has risen by $3 trillion since 2001, senators from both parties noted in debate. A yes vote was to raise federal borrowing authority. (HJ Res 47)
25. ETHICS, LOBBYING RULES
Voting 90-8, senators on March 29 passed a GOP-drafted bill (S 2349) to tighten Senate ethics rules. The bill relied on new reporting requirements and disclosure on the Internet, rather than tougher enforcement, to curb abuses in dealings between lobbyists and legislators. The bill also banned registered lobbyists from providing gifts and meals to senators and their staffs. A yes vote was to pass the bill.
26. DEMOCRATS’ ETHICS PLAN
On a party-line vote of 44-55, Republicans on March 8 defeated a Democratic alternative to S 2349. The measure differed, in part, by barring senators and their staffs from accepting privately financed travel from lobbyists. A yes vote backed the Democratic alternative.
27. $70 BILLION TAX CUTS
Voting 54-44, senators on May 11 sent President Bush the final version of a bill cutting taxes by $70 billion over five years (HR 4297). The bill extended the 15 percent rate for dividends and capital gains, provided temporary Alternative Minimum Tax relief to middle-income taxpayers and reduced taxes on the overseas profits of certain financial-services corporations. A yes vote was to adopt the conference report.
28. IMMIGRATION CONTROL
Senators on May 25 voted, 62-36, to tighten U.S. borders, establish English as the national language, begin a new guest-worker program and provide 90 percent of the 12 million undocumented U.S. residents with legal status and a chance at citizenship. A yes vote was to pass S 2611.
29. SAME-SEX MARRIAGE
Senators on June 7 failed, 49-48, to reach 60 votes for ending a filibuster against a constitutional amendment outlawing same-sex marriage. A yes vote backed a measure stating in part “Marriage in the United States shall consist only of the union of a man and a woman.” (SJ Res 1)
30. IRAQ TROOP WITHDRAWALS
Senators on June 22 defeated, 39-60, a non-binding Democratic amendment to S 2766 urging major troop withdrawals from Iraq to begin in 2006 but leaving it up to the administration to set a timetable. A yes vote backed the redeployment measure. (S 2766)
31. TROOP WITHDRAWAL DEADLINE
Senators on June 22 defeated, 13-86, a binding Democratic amendment to S 2766 requiring the pullout of most U.S. troops from Iraq by July 2007. Some were to be redeployed “over the horizon.” A yes vote was to set a deadline for U.S. troops to leave Iraq.
32. EMBRYONIC STEM CELLS
Senators on July 18 voted, 63-37, to send President Bush a bill (HR 810) extending U.S. support of embryonic stem-cell research beyond limits he set in 2001. A yes vote was to pass a bill allowing scientists to utilize thousands of embryos that fertility clinics plan to discard.
33. VOTING RIGHTS RENEWAL
Senators on July 20 voted, 98-0, to renew the 1965 Voting Rights Act, which bans discrimination at the polls, mandates multi-lingual voting materials and requires some jurisdictions to get federal approval of voting changes. A yes vote was to send HR 9 to President Bush.
34. GULF OF MEXICO DRILLING
Senators on Aug. 1 passed, 71-25, a bill to open about 8.34 million acres in the eastern Gulf of Mexico to oil and gas extraction while setting a 125-mile buffer zone between Florida and the drilling area. A yes vote was to send S 3711 to a House-Senate conference.
35. GOP MINIMUM WAGE-ESTATE TAX
Senators on Aug. 3 failed, 56-42, to get 60 votes needed to advance a GOP bill raising the hourly minimum wage from $5.15 to $7.25 over 3 years, exempting all but the wealthiest estates from taxation and providing targeted tax cuts. A yes vote backed HR 5970.
36. DEMOCRATS’ MINIMUM WAGE
Senators on June 21 failed, 52-46, to reach 60 votes needed to advance a bid by Democrats to raise the minimum hourly wage from $5.15 to $7.25 over 26 months. Congress last raised the minimum wage in 1997. A yes vote backed a 41% minimum-wage hike. (S 2766)
37. WORKERS’ PENSION PLANS
Senators on Aug. 3 sent President Bush, 93-5, a bill requiring some 30,000 companies to fully fund traditional defined-benefit pension plans over seven years. A yes vote backed a bill (HR 4) that also changes the rules for 401(k)-style defined-contribution plans.
38. WAR TRIBUNALS, INTERROGATIONS
Senators on Sept. 28 passed, 65-34, a bill setting rules for the imprisonment and trial of individuals regarded as U.S. enemies in the fight against terrorism. A yes vote was to pass a bill later signed into law.
39. MINORS’ ABORTION NOTICE
Senators on Sept. 29 failed, 57-42, to reach 60 votes needed to advance a parental-notification bill. The House-passed bill made it a federal crime to transport a minor across state lines for an abortion in order to evade a home-state law requiring parental notification in advance of the procedure. A yes vote supported S 403.
40. MEXICAN BORDER FENCE
Voting 80 for and 19 against, the Senate on Sept. 29 sent President Bush a bill to build 700 miles of two-layered fencing along the nearly 2,000-mile U.S.-Mexico border. But this bill and companion measures gave the Department of Homeland Security leeway to shorten the fencing by hundreds of miles. A yes vote was to pass HR 6061, which the president has signed into law.

ARIZONA LEGISLATIVE REPORT

2006 TOP VOTES In congress

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