Senate
Budget Hike for Wind Energy
A yes vote was to increase funding for wind-energy research.
The Senate on April 26 voted, 54 for and 42 against, to increase fiscal 2017 funding of wind-energy research by $15 million to $95.4 million. The funding was added to an energy-water appropriations bill (HR 2028) that remained in debate. A yes vote backed a nearly 20 percent hike in spending to develop technologies that would improve the storage and movement of wind energy in electrical grids.
McCain, Flake, NA
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Broad Update of Energy Policies
A yes vote was to send the bill to the House.
Voting 85 for and 12 against, the Senate on April 20 passed a wide-ranging energy bill (S 2012) that would spur exports of liquefied natural gas; promote grid expansions to accommodate renewable-energy storage and delivery; speed the permitting process for natural-gas pipelines; fund clean-energy research; give permanent status to the Land and Water Conservation Fund; promote hydropower projects and streamline the processing of permits for oil and gas drilling on federal land. The bill also would promote energy efficiency in government, commercial and residential buildings by encouraging the use of model building codes, funding educational campaigns and promoting technological advances such as smart meters and more efficient HVAC systems. The bill has a projected budget of $40 billion through fiscal 2020.
McCain, Flake, YEA
House
Fiduciary Standards for Financial Advisers
A yes vote was to kill the fiduciary rule.
Voting 234 for and 183 against, the House on April 28 passed a measure (HJ Res 88) that would kill a Department of Labor regulation imposing fiduciary standards on those who provide professional advice on pension and retirement plans. The standards legally obligate advisers to put their clients’ financial interests ahead of their own. Due to take effect in April 2017, the regulation stems from the 2010 Dodd-Frank financial law. At present, some but not all financial advisers and brokers are required by federal regulations to follow fiduciary standards in recommending retirement investments to clients.
Grijalva, Sinema, Gallegos, Kirkpatrick, NAY
Salmon, Franks, Schweikert, Gosar, McSally, YEA
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Change to Securities Rules
A yes vote was to send the bill to the Senate, where it stood a chance of advancing.
Voting 325 for and 89 against, the House on April 27 passed a bipartisan bill (HR 4498) that would ease Securities and Exchange Commission regulations in order to give start-up companies better access to investors at entrepreneurial events known as “demo days.” Start-ups already are permitted under certain circumstances to conduct public stock sales of up to $1 million per year without first registering the securities with the SEC. This bill would expand their ability to do so.
Grijalva, Gallegos, NAY
Salmon, Franks, Schweikert, Gosar, McSally, Sinema, Kirkpatrick, YEA
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Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity
A yes vote was to adopt the non-discrimination measure.
Voting 167 for and 228 against, the House on April 29 rejected a bid by Democrats to prohibit non-public schools participating in the D.C. tuition-voucher program (HR 4901, above) from discriminating against students on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. These private and church schools are not covered by federal civil-rights laws.
Grijalva, Sinema, Gallegos, Kirkpatrick, YEA
Salmon, Franks, Schweikert, Gosar, McSally, NAY
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Ban on IRS Staff Bonuses
A yes vote was to send the bill to the Senate, where it was dead on arrival.
Voting 260 for and 158 against, the House on April 21 passed a GOP-sponsored bill (HR 4890) that would prevent the Internal Revenue Service from awarding employee bonuses until after it has submitted a comprehensive customer-service strategy to Congress. The strategy would have to be approved in advance by the Department of the Treasury’s inspector general for tax administration.
Grijalva, Gallegos, NAY
Salmon, Kirkpatrick, Sinema, Franks, Schweikert, Gosar, McSally, YEA
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Senate
Budget Hike for Wind Energy
A yes vote was to increase funding for wind-energy research.
The Senate on April 26 voted, 54 for and 42 against, to increase fiscal 2017 funding of wind-energy research by $15 million to $95.4 million. The funding was added to an energy-water appropriations bill (HR 2028) that remained in debate. A yes vote backed a nearly 20 percent hike in spending to develop technologies that would improve the storage and movement of wind energy in electrical grids.
McCain, Flake, NA
*******
Broad Update of Energy Policies
A yes vote was to send the bill to the House.
Voting 85 for and 12 against, the Senate on April 20 passed a wide-ranging energy bill (S 2012) that would spur exports of liquefied natural gas; promote grid expansions to accommodate renewable-energy storage and delivery; speed the permitting process for natural-gas pipelines; fund clean-energy research; give permanent status to the Land and Water Conservation Fund; promote hydropower projects and streamline the processing of permits for oil and gas drilling on federal land. The bill also would promote energy efficiency in government, commercial and residential buildings by encouraging the use of model building codes, funding educational campaigns and promoting technological advances such as smart meters and more efficient HVAC systems. The bill has a projected budget of $40 billion through fiscal 2020.
McCain, Flake, YEA
