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Published: June 28, 2009
Updated: 06/27/2009 11:45 pm
Here's how area members of Congress voted in the last week:
HOUSE
□ 2010 Military Budget: Voting 389 for and 22 against, the House on Thursday authorized a $680 billion military budget for fiscal 2010, including $130 billion for war in Iraq and Afghanistan and $9.3 billion for the National Missile Defense. The bill (HR 2647) sets a 3.4 percent military pay raise, increases active-duty personnel by 40,200 troops to 1.4 million troops and bars permanent U.S. military bases in Iraq.
Now awaiting Senate action, the bill authorizes $369 million for F-22 stealth fighter jets that was opposed by the administration on grounds that the money would be better spent on conflicts such as the war in Afghanistan.
Additionally, the bill prohibits U.S. control of Iraqi oil revenues; orders Pentagon countermeasures against Somalian piracy; authorizes award of the Purple Heart for traumatic brain injuries; suspends the A-76 program under which private employers compete for work traditionally done by civil servants and authorizes the Pentagon to share space-surveillance data with foreign governments in order to reduce the threat of satellite collisions.
Voting yes: G.K. Butterfield, D-1, Bob Etheridge, D-2, Walter Jones, R-3, David Price, D-4, Virginia Foxx, R-5, Howard Coble, R-6, Mike McIntyre, D-7, Larry Kissell, D-8, Sue Myrick, R-9, Patrick McHenry, R-10, Heath Shuler, D-11, Melvin Watt, D-12, Brad Miller, D-13.
Voting no: None.
Not voting: None.
□ Withdrawal from Afghanistan: Voting 138 for and 278 against, the House on Thursday defeated an amendment to HR 2647 (above) requiring the Department of Defense to report to Congress by the end of the year on any plans to withdraw U.S. troops from Afghanistan.
Voting yes: Jones, Price, Coble, Watt.
Voting no: Butterfield, Etheridge, Foxx, McIntyre, Kissell, Myrick, McHenry, Shuler, Miller.
Not voting: None.
□ Interrogation Videotapes: The House on Thursday required, 224 for and 193 against, the government to videotape all military interrogations, except during combat, and retain the tapes in a secured and classified repository. The amendment was added to HR 2647 (above).
Voting yes: Butterfield, Etheridge, Jones, Price, McIntyre, Kissell, Watt, Miller.
Voting no: Foxx, Coble, Myrick, McHenry, Shuler.
Not voting: None.
□ Homeland Security Budget: Voting 398 for and 37 against, the House on Wednesday approved a $44 billion Department of Homeland Security budget for fiscal 2010, up 6.5 percent from 2009. The bill (HR 2892) finances agencies such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Customs and Border Patrol, Transportation Security Administration, Coast Guard and Secret Service. The bill bars development of a national ID card, requires threat assessments of Guantanamo Bay prisoners and prohibits spending to block individuals from importing FDA-approved drugs from Canada.
In part, the bill provides $804 million for developing systems to screen cargo entering the U.S. by land and sea; $800 million for installing explosive-detection units at airports, $382 million for cyber security; $241.5 million for Coast Guard operations in the Persian Gulf and off the Somalia coast and $122.8 million for air- cargo screening.
Voting yes: Butterfield, Etheridge, Jones, Price, Coble, McIntyre, Kissell, Myrick, McHenry, Shuler, Watt, Miller.
Voting no: Foxx.
Not voting: None.
□ Air Marshals Budget: Voting 134 for and 294 against, the House on Wednesday refused to cut spending in HR 2892 (above) for the Federal Air Marshal Service from $860 million to $819 million. The agency's mission is to station armed marshals on an undisclosed number of passenger flights.
Voting yes: Jones, Foxx, Coble, Myrick, McHenry.
Voting no: Etheridge, Price, McIntyre, Kissell, Shuler, Watt, Miller.
Not voting: Butterfield.
□ Economic Stimulus: Voting 113 for and 318 against, the House on Wednesday refused to cut Department of Homeland Security spending in HR 2892 (above) by $2.7 billion, which is the amount of stimulus funds Congress added earlier this year to the department's budget.
Voting yes: Jones, Foxx, Coble, Myrick.
Voting no: Butterfield, Etheridge, Price, McIntyre, Kissell, McHenry, Shuler, Watt, Miller.
Not voting: None.
SENATE
□ Tourism in America: Voting 53 for and 34 against, the Senate on Monday failed to get 60 votes for ending a filibuster on a bill (S 1023) that would establish a federal corporation to increase foreign travel to the U.S. and expand Department of Commerce tourism programs. The Corporation for Travel Promotion would be financed by assessments of about $20 million annually on the U.S. hospitality industry and $160 million annually in fees received by the Department of Homeland Security for granting visa waivers.
Voting yes: Kay Hagan, D.
Voting no: Richard Burr, R.
Not voting: None.
□ Harold Koh Nomination: The Senate on Thursday confirmed, 62 for and 35 against, the nomination of Yale Law School Dean Harold Hongju Koh as the Department of State's top lawyer. As the department's legal adviser, Koh, 54, would help to set American foreign policy. Backers hailed Koh's expertise in international law, while critics questioned his commitment to U.S. sovereignty.
Voting yes: Hagan.
Voting no: Burr.
Not voting: None.
□ Legislative Branch Budget: The Senate on Thursday killed, 65 for and 21 against, a motion to reduce the $3.12 billion legislative branch budget (HR 2918) for fiscal 2010 to its 2009 level. Backers said this would save $76 million. The bill remained in debate.
Voting yes: Hagan.
Voting no: Burr.
Not voting: None.
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