HOUSE
UPHOLDING VETO OF HEALTH-LAW REPEAL
Voting 241 for and 186 against, the House on Feb. 2 failed to reach a two-thirds majority needed to override President Obama’s veto of a Republican bill (HR 3762) to repeal key parts of the Affordable Care Act while defunding the Planned Parenthood Federation of America for one year. The bill sought to effectively kill the 2010 health law by eliminating tax penalties necessary to enforce its individual and employer mandates and repealing taxes on medical-device manufacturers and high-priced health plans that yield revenue to fund the law.
A yes vote was to overturn the presidential veto.
Voting yes: Martha McSally, R-2, Paul Gosar, R-4, Matt Salmon, R-5, David Schweikert, R-6, Trent Franks, R-8
Voting no: Ann Kirkpatrick, D-1, Raul Grijalva, D-3, Ruben Gallego, D-7, Kyrsten Sinema, D-9
ROLLBACK OF IRAN NUCLEAR DEAL
Voting 246 for and 181 against, the House on Feb. 2 passed a bill (HR 3662) that would require President Obama to receive detailed congressional approval of his steps to lift U.S. economic and trade sanctions on Iran as part of a six-nation nuclear deal with Iran now in effect.
A yes vote was to send the bill to the Senate, where it is likely to die.
Yes: McSally, Gosar, Salmon, Schweikert, Franks
No: Kirkpatrick, Grijalva, Gallego, Sinema
UPDATE OF HOUSING PROGRAMS
By a unanimous vote of 427-0, the House on Feb. 2 passed a bipartisan bill (HR 3700) that is the first broad update of federal housing programs in at least 10 years. The bill is designed to improve dozens of programs in areas such as public and rural housing, rental assistance and housing for the homeless, while extending Federal Housing Administration (FHA) mortgage insurance to condominiums and allowing public housing authorities to reallocate some capital funds to operating expenses. The bill’s streamlining of Department of Housing and Urban Development programs would reduce federal spending by $311 million through fiscal 2021. HUD’s overall budget is about $50 billion annually.
A yes vote was to send the bill to the Senate, where it is likely to advance.
Yes: Kirkpatrick, McSally, Grijalva, Gosar, Salmon, Schweikert, Gallego, Franks, Sinema
FEDERAL PROSECUTION OF BANK FRAUD
Voting 250 for and 169 against, the House on Feb. 4 passed a bill (HR 766) curbing federal authority to police suspicious banking activity under the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery and Enforcement Act (FIRREA). Backers said the bill is a narrowly targeted measure that would protect legitimate businesses from prosecutorial and regulatory abuse, including due-process violations.
Foes called it a broad assault on the Department of Justice’s main statute for combating financial fraud, including money laundering and terrorist financing.
A yes vote was to send the bill to the Senate.
Yes: McSally, Gosar, Salmon, Schweikert, Franks, Sinema
No: Kirkpatrick, Grijalva, Gallego
FINANCIAL DEREGULATION
Voting 265 for and 159 against, the House on Feb. 3 passed a financial-deregulation bill (HR 1675) that would raise from $5 million to $10 million
the threshold value of stock that companies can issue to employees without having to make certain public disclosures.
These disclosures, showing the company’s worth, would enable employees to independently judge the value of the stock they are receiving, often in lieu of pay raises.
A yes vote was to send the bill to the Senate.
Yes: McSally, Gosar, Salmon, Schweikert, Franks, Sinema
No: Kirkpatrick, Grijalva, Gallego
SENATE
DISCLOSURE OF POLITICAL SPENDING
Voting 43 for and 52 against, the Senate on Feb. 2 defeated a Democratic-sponsored amendment that sought to require public disclosure of federal political spending over $10,000 that oil and gas firms and their top executives have made secretly since January 2014 in keeping with the Supreme Court’s Citizens United ruling on campaign finance. The amendment was offered to an energy bill (S 2012) that remained in debate. Under Citizens United, it is legal for businesses, unions and interest groups to make anonymous donations of unlimited sums to advocate the election or defeat of federal candidates.
A yes vote was to adopt the disclosure amendment.
Voting no: John McCain, R, Jeff Flake, R
WEAKENING OF ANTIQUITIES ACT
Voting 47 for and 48 against, the Senate on Feb. 2 defeated a GOP-sponsored amendment to S 2012 that sought to make it difficult or impossible for presidents to use the Antiquities Act of 1906 for preserving certain fragile federal lands in the West. The law was enacted to give presidents a quick means of preventing the looting of archeological and historical resources. This amendment would give Congress and state governments power to roll back presidential designations under the act.
A yes vote was to weaken presidential power under the Antiquities Act of 1906.
Yes: McCain, Flake
In the week of Feb. 8, the House will take up bills on nutritional labeling and National Science Foundation research, while the Senate will debate economic sanctions on North Korea and resume work on broad energy legislation.
