Isn't it interesting that Republicans can't pass anything resembling IMMIGRATION REFORM?
Although the GOP claims to favor 'states' rights,' the Keystone XL/TransCanada giveaway removes the rights of states and endorses the most environmentally destruction energy that is exempted from clean-up costs thanks to Bush/Cheney.
Americans will get stuck with cleanup costs and gain nothing in return. Such a Deal!
At a time of declining fossil fuel prices, the Party of Dinosaurs has it wrong!
Great article below:
Solar already employs more people than coal mining, which has 93,185 workers, and has added 50 percent more jobs in 2014 than the oil and gas pipeline construction industry (10,529) and the crude petroleum and natural gas extraction industry (8,688) did combined, according to the Solar Foundation.
One out of every 78 new jobs created in the U.S. over the past 12 months were created by the solar industry, representing nearly 1.3 percent of all jobs created in the country. Solar companies surveyed for the fifth annual census plan to add another 36,000 employees this year.
“That’s just insane,” Rive says. “The solar industry is literally contributing to the job growth of the U.S. economy—and it’s just so understated.”
http://readersupportednews.org/news-section2/318-66/28105-in-us-there-are-twice-as-many-solar-workers-as-coal-miners
How our Washington reps voted this week
Keating named the Ranking Member of the Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade Subcommittee ~ Thirteen key votes in the House, only one in the Senate
9th. District U.S. Congressman Bill Keating was elected by his peers on the House Foreign Affairs Committee to serve as Ranking Member of the Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade (TNT) Subcommittee.
Said Rep. Keating:“In a time of growing instability and violent threats against our country and our allies, I am honored that my colleagues elected me to serve as the lead Democrat on the Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade (TNT) Subcommittee. I believe this Subcommittee will greatly complement my ongoing work on the House Homeland Security Committee and my background as a District Attorney." Read more about this new responsibility here.
Here's a look at how Congress voted over the previous week.
13 Key Votes in the House,
There was one key vote and one roll call vote in the Senate this week. There were 13 key votes in the House, which held a total of 23 roll call votes. The most important House vote was to pass a bill funding the Department of Homeland Security in fiscal 2015. The Senate vote was to approve an end to debate on a bill to approve the Keystone XL oil pipeline.
KEYSTONE XL PIPELINE: The House has passed the Keystone XL Pipeline Act (H.R. 3), sponsored by Rep. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D. The bill would authorize TransCanada to construct its proposed Keystone XL pipeline to carry oil from Alberta into the U.S. and declare that environmental reviews for the pipeline are complete. Cramer said Keystone XL would be good for job creation, national security, and the environment, because a pipeline would be a safer, less energy-intensive way to transport oil from Alberta's tar sands deposits than rail and other transport options. A bill opponent, Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., said it would promote "the total destruction of the boreal forests of Canada," pre-empt presidential authority to review projects that cross the border with Canada, and subsidize the pipeline by exempting TransCanada from making payments into the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund to cover the cost of potential oil spills. The vote, on Jan. 9, was 266 yeas to 153 nays.
NAYS: Capuano D-MA (7th), Clark (MA) D-MA (5th), Keating D-MA (9th), Kennedy D-MA (4th), Lynch D-MA (8th), McGovern D-MA (2nd), Moulton D-MA (6th), Neal D-MA (1st), Tsongas D-MA (3rd)
House Vote 2:
MENTAL HEALTH CARE FOR VETERANS: The House has passed the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act (H.R. 203), sponsored by Rep. Timothy J. Walz, D-Minn. The bill would require annual third-party evaluations of the Department of Veterans Affairs' mental health care and suicide prevention programs, establish two three-year pilot program to improve mental health care at the VA, and extend eligibility for VA medical care by one year for illnesses for combat veterans released from active duty in 2009 or 2010. Walz said the bill would improve the ability of veterans to reintegrate with communities they left when going into combat deployment, improving their mental health care and reducing their incidence of suicide. The vote, on Jan. 12, was unanimous with 403 yeas.
YEAS: Capuano D-MA (7th), Clark (MA) D-MA (5th), Keating D-MA (9th), Kennedy D-MA (4th), McGovern D-MA (2nd), Moulton D-MA (6th), Neal D-MA (1st), Tsongas D-MA (3rd)NOT VOTING: Lynch D-MA (8th)
House Vote 3:
FIREFIGHTERS AND HEALTH INSURANCE MANDATE: The House has passed the Protecting Volunteer Firefighters and Emergency Responders Act (H.R. 33), sponsored by Rep. Lou Barletta, R-Pa. The bill would exempt volunteer firefighters and emergency medical providers at charities and state and local governments from the health care reform law's requirement that a large employer provide its employees with health insurance. Barletta said that if the exemption was not established, "some fire companies would be forced to pay for the volunteers' health insurance or pay a fine, driving many fire departments out of business," with resulting harm to public safety. The vote, on Jan. 12, was unanimous with 401 yeas.
YEAS: Capuano D-MA (7th), Clark (MA) D-MA (5th), Keating D-MA (9th), Kennedy D-MA (4th), McGovern D-MA (2nd), Moulton D-MA (6th), Neal D-MA (1st), Tsongas D-MA (3rd)NOT VOTING: Lynch D-MA (8th)
House Vote 4:
REGULATIONS AND LOW-INCOME GROUPS: The House has passed an amendment sponsored by Rep. David B. McKinley, R-W.Va., to the Regulatory Accountability Act (H.R. 185). The amendment would require government agencies to take potential impacts on low-income populations into account when proposing new rules. McKinley said the bill would ensure that agencies "take into account what would happen to a family that is living paycheck to paycheck or a senior on fixed income" if a given rule took effect. An amendment opponent, Rep. Hank C. Johnson Jr., D-Ga., said rather than help protect lower-income individuals, the amendment "would be a nightmare for vulnerable populations and endangered communities" because it would override existing legal protections for ensuring their health and safety. The vote, on Jan. 13, was 254 yeas to 168 nays.
NAYS: Capuano D-MA (7th), Clark (MA) D-MA (5th), Keating D-MA (9th), Kennedy D-MA (4th), Lynch D-MA (8th), McGovern D-MA (2nd), Moulton D-MA (6th), Neal D-MA (1st), Tsongas D-MA (3rd)
House Vote 5:
JOB CREATION AND GOVERNMENT RULES: The House has rejected an amendment sponsored by Rep. Hank C. Johnson Jr., D-Ga., to the Regulatory Accountability Act (H.R. 185). The amendment would have exempted from the bill's agency rulemaking review standards any rule or guidance that the Office of Management and Budget estimates would result in net job creation. Johnson said his amendment sought to help maintain a vigorous economy by making it easier for agencies to adopt rules that make society run more smoothly. An amendment opponent, Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., said it created a problem by giving the executive branch of government "a strong incentive to manipulate its jobs impact and cost-benefit analysis to avoid the requirements of the bill." The vote, on Jan. 13, was 178 yeas to 247 nays.
YEAS: Capuano D-MA (7th), Clark (MA) D-MA (5th), Keating D-MA (9th), Kennedy D-MA (4th), Lynch D-MA (8th), McGovern D-MA (2nd), Moulton D-MA (6th), Neal D-MA (1st), Tsongas D-MA (3rd)
House Vote 6:
HOMELAND SECURITY REGULATIONS: The House has rejected an amendment sponsored by Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, to the Regulatory Accountability Act (H.R. 185). The amendment would have exempted all rules issued by the Department of Homeland Security from the bill's regulation review standards. Jackson Lee said the urgency of Homeland Security's work to ensure national security made it vital for the agency to avoid the delays in the rulemaking process the bill would impose. An amendment opponent, Rep. Tom Marino, R-Pa., said Homeland Security was in need of reform and was working to illegitimately change the nation's immigration laws, so providing it with an exemption would disrupt the bill's attempt to improve the regulatory process throughout the government. The vote, on Jan. 13, was 176 yeas to 249 nays.
YEAS: Capuano D-MA (7th), Clark (MA) D-MA (5th), Keating D-MA (9th), Kennedy D-MA (4th), Lynch D-MA (8th), McGovern D-MA (2nd), Moulton D-MA (6th), Neal D-MA (1st), Tsongas D-MA (3rd)
House Vote 7:
HEALTH AND SAFETY REGULATIONS: The House has rejected an amendment sponsored by Rep. Gerald E. Connolly, D-Va., to the Regulatory Accountability Act (H.R. 185). The amendment would have exempted proposed rules or guidance that involve public health and safety from having to meet the bill's standards for increasing review of rules and guidance issued by government agencies. Connolly said the exemption was needed to ensure that regulations needed to protect food and drug safety and air and water quality can move forward promptly. An amendment opponent, Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., said health and safety regulations were "the source of many of the most abusive, unnecessarily expensive, and job-and-wage destroying regulations," so an exemption would work against the bill's purpose of reducing the burdensome costs of regulation. The vote, on Jan. 13, was 178 yeas to 248 nays.
YEAS: Capuano D-MA (7th), Clark (MA) D-MA (5th), Keating D-MA (9th), Kennedy D-MA (4th), Lynch D-MA (8th), McGovern D-MA (2nd), Moulton D-MA (6th), Neal D-MA (1st), Tsongas D-MA (3rd)
House Vote 8:
CHANGES TO AGENCY RULEMAKING PROCESS: The House has passed the Regulatory Accountability Act (H.R. 185), sponsored by Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Va. The bill would increase judicial review of rules issued by federal government agencies, require agencies to publish advanced notices of their significant proposed rules in the Federal Register, and require agencies to use evidence-based factual determinations in the rulemaking process. Goodlatte said that by increasing the standards agencies must meet to justify developing new rules, the bill would improve the effectiveness of rules and decrease the threat that rules will stifle the economy. A bill opponent, Rep. John Conyers Jr., D-Mich., said the bill's changes could drag out the rulemaking process for years, and as a result "would seriously hamper the ability of government agencies to safeguard public health and safety, as well as environmental protections, workplace safety, and consumer financial protections." The vote, on Jan. 13, was 250 yeas to 175 nays.
NAYS: Capuano D-MA (7th), Clark (MA) D-MA (5th), Keating D-MA (9th), Kennedy D-MA (4th), Lynch D-MA (8th), McGovern D-MA (2nd), Moulton D-MA (6th), Neal D-MA (1st), Tsongas D-MA (3rd)
House Vote 9:
BLOCKING AMNESTY FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS: The House has passed an amendment sponsored by Rep. Robert Aderholt, R-Ala., to the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act (H.R. 240). The amendment would block funding to implement President Obama's recent executive actions deferring deportation proceedings for various groups of illegal immigrants. Aderholt said the funding ban sought "to ensure the president's unconstitutional and unilateral actions" on enforcing immigration laws will not go forward, retaining to Congress its authority over immigration policy. An amendment opponent, Rep David E. Price, D-N.C., said it would reverse Obama's legitimate and well-considered measures "to improve immigration and border security policy." The vote, on Jan. 14, was 237 yeas to 190 nays.
NAYS: Capuano D-MA (7th), Clark (MA) D-MA (5th), Keating D-MA (9th), Kennedy D-MA (4th), Lynch D-MA (8th), McGovern D-MA (2nd), Moulton D-MA (6th), Neal D-MA (1st), Tsongas D-MA (3rd)
House Vote 10:
PRIORITIES FOR DEPORTATION PROCEEDINGS: The House has passed an amendment sponsored by Rep. Ron DeSantis, R-Fla., to the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act (H.R. 240). The amendment would block funding for any Homeland Security policy that does not treat alien residents in the U.S. who have been convicted of domestic violence, sexual abuse, or child abuse as being subject to Homeland Security's highest priorities for enforcement of immigration law. DeSantis said the U.S. should have a "zero-tolerance policy against child molesters and sexual offenders" who are in the country illegally, but the Obama administration has not taken that stance, making the amendment necessary. An opponent, Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., said Homeland Security has already adopted the policy the amendment proposed, but with the well-advised mitigating provision, absent from the amendment, of considering whether an alien convicted of domestic violence was also a victim of domestic violence. The vote, on Jan. 14, was 278 yeas to 149 nays.
NAYS: Capuano D-MA (7th), Clark (MA) D-MA (5th), Keating D-MA (9th), Kennedy D-MA (4th), McGovern D-MA (2nd), Moulton D-MA (6th), Neal D-MA (1st), Tsongas D-MA (3rd)YEAS: Lynch D-MA (8th)
House Vote 11:
ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS AND HEALTH INSURANCE: The House has passed an amendment sponsored by Rep. Matt Salmon, R-Ariz., to the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act (H.R. 240). The amendment would express the sense of Congress that the president should not adopt policies, such as applying the employee health insurance coverage mandate to legal residents but not to illegal immigrants, that put U.S. citizens seeking jobs at a disadvantage to illegal immigrants. Salmon said President Obama's recent executive order deferring enforcement action against illegal immigrants who arrived in the U.S. as children created such a disadvantage in favor of "those who have cheated the system." An amendment opponent, Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr., D-N.J., said the executive order did not incentivize employers to hire illegal immigrants over American citizens, and the amendment was merely a deceitful effort by Republicans "to play into fears that, by allowing immigrants to come out of the shadows and work legally and pay taxes, you are undermining American workers." The vote, on Jan. 14, was 253 yeas to 171 nays.
NAYS: Capuano D-MA (7th), Clark (MA) D-MA (5th), Keating D-MA (9th), Kennedy D-MA (4th), McGovern D-MA (2nd), Moulton D-MA (6th), Neal D-MA (1st), Tsongas D-MA (3rd)YEAS: Lynch D-MA (8th)
House Vote 12:
FUNDING HOMELAND SECURITY: The House has passed the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act (H.R. 240), sponsored by Rep. Harold Rogers, R-Ky. The bill would provide $39.7 billion of funding for Homeland Security in fiscal 2015, including $2.5 billion for grants to first responders at the state and local government levels, $7 billion for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, $10.7 billion for Customs and Border Protection, $5.96 billion for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, $10 billion for the Coast Guard, and $4.8 billion for the Transportation Security Administration. Rogers said the bill increased funding for many agencies above President Obama's requests, thereby promoting better border security and better defenses against terrorist threats, while also working "to ensure the responsible, transparent use of taxpayer dollars, including streamlining DHS operations, reducing overhead costs, and trimming funds for lower priority programs." A bill opponent, Rep. Nita M. Lowey, D-N.Y., said that by seeking to block Obama's executive order granting amnesty to illegal immigrants, House Republicans were disrupting Congress's work on a clean bill to fund Homeland Security and its vital work. The vote, on Jan. 14, was 236 yeas to 191 nays.
NAYS: Capuano D-MA (7th), Clark (MA) D-MA (5th), Keating D-MA (9th), Kennedy D-MA (4th), Lynch D-MA (8th), McGovern D-MA (2nd), Moulton D-MA (6th), Neal D-MA (1st), Tsongas D-MA (3rd)
House Vote 13:
EASING FINANCIAL REGULATION: The House has passed the Promoting Job Creation and Reducing Small Business Burdens Act (H.R. 37), sponsored by Rep. Michael G. Fitzpatrick, R-Pa. The bill would amend a variety of financial regulation laws, with the intent of easing regulation of small public and private companies and cutting hurdles for them to raise capital. Fitzpatrick said the bill's smart, technical reforms of regulations would improve the ability of businesses to grow and create jobs while lowering their costs for regulatory compliance. A bill opponent, Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., said rather than merely instituting technical reforms, the bill sought to significantly weaken measures that responded to the 2008-2009 financial crisis by discouraging reckless risk-taking by banks and other financial firms. The vote, on Jan. 14, was 271 yeas to 154 nays.
NAYS: Capuano D-MA (7th), Clark (MA) D-MA (5th), Keating D-MA (9th), Kennedy D-MA (4th), Lynch D-MA (8th), McGovern D-MA (2nd), Moulton D-MA (6th), Neal D-MA (1st), Tsongas D-MA (3rd)
DEBATE ON KEYSTONE XL PIPELINE: The Senate has passed a cloture motion to end debate on the Keystone XL Pipeline Act (S. 1), sponsored by Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D. The bill would authorize TransCanada to construct its proposed Keystone XL pipeline to carry oil from Alberta into the U.S. and declare that environmental reviews for the pipeline are complete. Hoeven said building Keystone XL would improve energy security by increasing energy ties with Canada, lessening dependence on imports from OPEC members and other countries, and also boost the economy by spending close to $8 billion, with associate tax revenue benefits for all levels of government. A bill opponent, Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., said it would circumvent important environmental reviews of the proposed pipeline and violate the private property rights of landowners whose land would be used for Keystone XL. The vote, on Jan 12, was 63 yeas to 32 nays.
NAYS: Warren D-MA, Markey D-MA
http://www.capecodtoday.com/article/2015/01/17/28560-how-our-washington-reps-voted-week
Said Rep. Keating:“In a time of growing instability and violent threats against our country and our allies, I am honored that my colleagues elected me to serve as the lead Democrat on the Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade (TNT) Subcommittee. I believe this Subcommittee will greatly complement my ongoing work on the House Homeland Security Committee and my background as a District Attorney." Read more about this new responsibility here.
Here's a look at how Congress voted over the previous week.
13 Key Votes in the House,
only 1 Key Votes in the Senate
There was one key vote and one roll call vote in the Senate this week. There were 13 key votes in the House, which held a total of 23 roll call votes. The most important House vote was to pass a bill funding the Department of Homeland Security in fiscal 2015. The Senate vote was to approve an end to debate on a bill to approve the Keystone XL oil pipeline.HOUSE VOTES:
House Vote 1:KEYSTONE XL PIPELINE: The House has passed the Keystone XL Pipeline Act (H.R. 3), sponsored by Rep. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D. The bill would authorize TransCanada to construct its proposed Keystone XL pipeline to carry oil from Alberta into the U.S. and declare that environmental reviews for the pipeline are complete. Cramer said Keystone XL would be good for job creation, national security, and the environment, because a pipeline would be a safer, less energy-intensive way to transport oil from Alberta's tar sands deposits than rail and other transport options. A bill opponent, Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., said it would promote "the total destruction of the boreal forests of Canada," pre-empt presidential authority to review projects that cross the border with Canada, and subsidize the pipeline by exempting TransCanada from making payments into the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund to cover the cost of potential oil spills. The vote, on Jan. 9, was 266 yeas to 153 nays.
NAYS: Capuano D-MA (7th), Clark (MA) D-MA (5th), Keating D-MA (9th), Kennedy D-MA (4th), Lynch D-MA (8th), McGovern D-MA (2nd), Moulton D-MA (6th), Neal D-MA (1st), Tsongas D-MA (3rd)
House Vote 2:
MENTAL HEALTH CARE FOR VETERANS: The House has passed the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act (H.R. 203), sponsored by Rep. Timothy J. Walz, D-Minn. The bill would require annual third-party evaluations of the Department of Veterans Affairs' mental health care and suicide prevention programs, establish two three-year pilot program to improve mental health care at the VA, and extend eligibility for VA medical care by one year for illnesses for combat veterans released from active duty in 2009 or 2010. Walz said the bill would improve the ability of veterans to reintegrate with communities they left when going into combat deployment, improving their mental health care and reducing their incidence of suicide. The vote, on Jan. 12, was unanimous with 403 yeas.
YEAS: Capuano D-MA (7th), Clark (MA) D-MA (5th), Keating D-MA (9th), Kennedy D-MA (4th), McGovern D-MA (2nd), Moulton D-MA (6th), Neal D-MA (1st), Tsongas D-MA (3rd)NOT VOTING: Lynch D-MA (8th)
House Vote 3:
FIREFIGHTERS AND HEALTH INSURANCE MANDATE: The House has passed the Protecting Volunteer Firefighters and Emergency Responders Act (H.R. 33), sponsored by Rep. Lou Barletta, R-Pa. The bill would exempt volunteer firefighters and emergency medical providers at charities and state and local governments from the health care reform law's requirement that a large employer provide its employees with health insurance. Barletta said that if the exemption was not established, "some fire companies would be forced to pay for the volunteers' health insurance or pay a fine, driving many fire departments out of business," with resulting harm to public safety. The vote, on Jan. 12, was unanimous with 401 yeas.
YEAS: Capuano D-MA (7th), Clark (MA) D-MA (5th), Keating D-MA (9th), Kennedy D-MA (4th), McGovern D-MA (2nd), Moulton D-MA (6th), Neal D-MA (1st), Tsongas D-MA (3rd)NOT VOTING: Lynch D-MA (8th)
House Vote 4:
REGULATIONS AND LOW-INCOME GROUPS: The House has passed an amendment sponsored by Rep. David B. McKinley, R-W.Va., to the Regulatory Accountability Act (H.R. 185). The amendment would require government agencies to take potential impacts on low-income populations into account when proposing new rules. McKinley said the bill would ensure that agencies "take into account what would happen to a family that is living paycheck to paycheck or a senior on fixed income" if a given rule took effect. An amendment opponent, Rep. Hank C. Johnson Jr., D-Ga., said rather than help protect lower-income individuals, the amendment "would be a nightmare for vulnerable populations and endangered communities" because it would override existing legal protections for ensuring their health and safety. The vote, on Jan. 13, was 254 yeas to 168 nays.
NAYS: Capuano D-MA (7th), Clark (MA) D-MA (5th), Keating D-MA (9th), Kennedy D-MA (4th), Lynch D-MA (8th), McGovern D-MA (2nd), Moulton D-MA (6th), Neal D-MA (1st), Tsongas D-MA (3rd)
House Vote 5:
JOB CREATION AND GOVERNMENT RULES: The House has rejected an amendment sponsored by Rep. Hank C. Johnson Jr., D-Ga., to the Regulatory Accountability Act (H.R. 185). The amendment would have exempted from the bill's agency rulemaking review standards any rule or guidance that the Office of Management and Budget estimates would result in net job creation. Johnson said his amendment sought to help maintain a vigorous economy by making it easier for agencies to adopt rules that make society run more smoothly. An amendment opponent, Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., said it created a problem by giving the executive branch of government "a strong incentive to manipulate its jobs impact and cost-benefit analysis to avoid the requirements of the bill." The vote, on Jan. 13, was 178 yeas to 247 nays.
YEAS: Capuano D-MA (7th), Clark (MA) D-MA (5th), Keating D-MA (9th), Kennedy D-MA (4th), Lynch D-MA (8th), McGovern D-MA (2nd), Moulton D-MA (6th), Neal D-MA (1st), Tsongas D-MA (3rd)
House Vote 6:
HOMELAND SECURITY REGULATIONS: The House has rejected an amendment sponsored by Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, to the Regulatory Accountability Act (H.R. 185). The amendment would have exempted all rules issued by the Department of Homeland Security from the bill's regulation review standards. Jackson Lee said the urgency of Homeland Security's work to ensure national security made it vital for the agency to avoid the delays in the rulemaking process the bill would impose. An amendment opponent, Rep. Tom Marino, R-Pa., said Homeland Security was in need of reform and was working to illegitimately change the nation's immigration laws, so providing it with an exemption would disrupt the bill's attempt to improve the regulatory process throughout the government. The vote, on Jan. 13, was 176 yeas to 249 nays.
YEAS: Capuano D-MA (7th), Clark (MA) D-MA (5th), Keating D-MA (9th), Kennedy D-MA (4th), Lynch D-MA (8th), McGovern D-MA (2nd), Moulton D-MA (6th), Neal D-MA (1st), Tsongas D-MA (3rd)
House Vote 7:
HEALTH AND SAFETY REGULATIONS: The House has rejected an amendment sponsored by Rep. Gerald E. Connolly, D-Va., to the Regulatory Accountability Act (H.R. 185). The amendment would have exempted proposed rules or guidance that involve public health and safety from having to meet the bill's standards for increasing review of rules and guidance issued by government agencies. Connolly said the exemption was needed to ensure that regulations needed to protect food and drug safety and air and water quality can move forward promptly. An amendment opponent, Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., said health and safety regulations were "the source of many of the most abusive, unnecessarily expensive, and job-and-wage destroying regulations," so an exemption would work against the bill's purpose of reducing the burdensome costs of regulation. The vote, on Jan. 13, was 178 yeas to 248 nays.
YEAS: Capuano D-MA (7th), Clark (MA) D-MA (5th), Keating D-MA (9th), Kennedy D-MA (4th), Lynch D-MA (8th), McGovern D-MA (2nd), Moulton D-MA (6th), Neal D-MA (1st), Tsongas D-MA (3rd)
House Vote 8:
CHANGES TO AGENCY RULEMAKING PROCESS: The House has passed the Regulatory Accountability Act (H.R. 185), sponsored by Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Va. The bill would increase judicial review of rules issued by federal government agencies, require agencies to publish advanced notices of their significant proposed rules in the Federal Register, and require agencies to use evidence-based factual determinations in the rulemaking process. Goodlatte said that by increasing the standards agencies must meet to justify developing new rules, the bill would improve the effectiveness of rules and decrease the threat that rules will stifle the economy. A bill opponent, Rep. John Conyers Jr., D-Mich., said the bill's changes could drag out the rulemaking process for years, and as a result "would seriously hamper the ability of government agencies to safeguard public health and safety, as well as environmental protections, workplace safety, and consumer financial protections." The vote, on Jan. 13, was 250 yeas to 175 nays.
NAYS: Capuano D-MA (7th), Clark (MA) D-MA (5th), Keating D-MA (9th), Kennedy D-MA (4th), Lynch D-MA (8th), McGovern D-MA (2nd), Moulton D-MA (6th), Neal D-MA (1st), Tsongas D-MA (3rd)
House Vote 9:
BLOCKING AMNESTY FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS: The House has passed an amendment sponsored by Rep. Robert Aderholt, R-Ala., to the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act (H.R. 240). The amendment would block funding to implement President Obama's recent executive actions deferring deportation proceedings for various groups of illegal immigrants. Aderholt said the funding ban sought "to ensure the president's unconstitutional and unilateral actions" on enforcing immigration laws will not go forward, retaining to Congress its authority over immigration policy. An amendment opponent, Rep David E. Price, D-N.C., said it would reverse Obama's legitimate and well-considered measures "to improve immigration and border security policy." The vote, on Jan. 14, was 237 yeas to 190 nays.
NAYS: Capuano D-MA (7th), Clark (MA) D-MA (5th), Keating D-MA (9th), Kennedy D-MA (4th), Lynch D-MA (8th), McGovern D-MA (2nd), Moulton D-MA (6th), Neal D-MA (1st), Tsongas D-MA (3rd)
House Vote 10:
PRIORITIES FOR DEPORTATION PROCEEDINGS: The House has passed an amendment sponsored by Rep. Ron DeSantis, R-Fla., to the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act (H.R. 240). The amendment would block funding for any Homeland Security policy that does not treat alien residents in the U.S. who have been convicted of domestic violence, sexual abuse, or child abuse as being subject to Homeland Security's highest priorities for enforcement of immigration law. DeSantis said the U.S. should have a "zero-tolerance policy against child molesters and sexual offenders" who are in the country illegally, but the Obama administration has not taken that stance, making the amendment necessary. An opponent, Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., said Homeland Security has already adopted the policy the amendment proposed, but with the well-advised mitigating provision, absent from the amendment, of considering whether an alien convicted of domestic violence was also a victim of domestic violence. The vote, on Jan. 14, was 278 yeas to 149 nays.
NAYS: Capuano D-MA (7th), Clark (MA) D-MA (5th), Keating D-MA (9th), Kennedy D-MA (4th), McGovern D-MA (2nd), Moulton D-MA (6th), Neal D-MA (1st), Tsongas D-MA (3rd)YEAS: Lynch D-MA (8th)
House Vote 11:
ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS AND HEALTH INSURANCE: The House has passed an amendment sponsored by Rep. Matt Salmon, R-Ariz., to the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act (H.R. 240). The amendment would express the sense of Congress that the president should not adopt policies, such as applying the employee health insurance coverage mandate to legal residents but not to illegal immigrants, that put U.S. citizens seeking jobs at a disadvantage to illegal immigrants. Salmon said President Obama's recent executive order deferring enforcement action against illegal immigrants who arrived in the U.S. as children created such a disadvantage in favor of "those who have cheated the system." An amendment opponent, Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr., D-N.J., said the executive order did not incentivize employers to hire illegal immigrants over American citizens, and the amendment was merely a deceitful effort by Republicans "to play into fears that, by allowing immigrants to come out of the shadows and work legally and pay taxes, you are undermining American workers." The vote, on Jan. 14, was 253 yeas to 171 nays.
NAYS: Capuano D-MA (7th), Clark (MA) D-MA (5th), Keating D-MA (9th), Kennedy D-MA (4th), McGovern D-MA (2nd), Moulton D-MA (6th), Neal D-MA (1st), Tsongas D-MA (3rd)YEAS: Lynch D-MA (8th)
House Vote 12:
FUNDING HOMELAND SECURITY: The House has passed the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act (H.R. 240), sponsored by Rep. Harold Rogers, R-Ky. The bill would provide $39.7 billion of funding for Homeland Security in fiscal 2015, including $2.5 billion for grants to first responders at the state and local government levels, $7 billion for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, $10.7 billion for Customs and Border Protection, $5.96 billion for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, $10 billion for the Coast Guard, and $4.8 billion for the Transportation Security Administration. Rogers said the bill increased funding for many agencies above President Obama's requests, thereby promoting better border security and better defenses against terrorist threats, while also working "to ensure the responsible, transparent use of taxpayer dollars, including streamlining DHS operations, reducing overhead costs, and trimming funds for lower priority programs." A bill opponent, Rep. Nita M. Lowey, D-N.Y., said that by seeking to block Obama's executive order granting amnesty to illegal immigrants, House Republicans were disrupting Congress's work on a clean bill to fund Homeland Security and its vital work. The vote, on Jan. 14, was 236 yeas to 191 nays.
NAYS: Capuano D-MA (7th), Clark (MA) D-MA (5th), Keating D-MA (9th), Kennedy D-MA (4th), Lynch D-MA (8th), McGovern D-MA (2nd), Moulton D-MA (6th), Neal D-MA (1st), Tsongas D-MA (3rd)
House Vote 13:
EASING FINANCIAL REGULATION: The House has passed the Promoting Job Creation and Reducing Small Business Burdens Act (H.R. 37), sponsored by Rep. Michael G. Fitzpatrick, R-Pa. The bill would amend a variety of financial regulation laws, with the intent of easing regulation of small public and private companies and cutting hurdles for them to raise capital. Fitzpatrick said the bill's smart, technical reforms of regulations would improve the ability of businesses to grow and create jobs while lowering their costs for regulatory compliance. A bill opponent, Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., said rather than merely instituting technical reforms, the bill sought to significantly weaken measures that responded to the 2008-2009 financial crisis by discouraging reckless risk-taking by banks and other financial firms. The vote, on Jan. 14, was 271 yeas to 154 nays.
NAYS: Capuano D-MA (7th), Clark (MA) D-MA (5th), Keating D-MA (9th), Kennedy D-MA (4th), Lynch D-MA (8th), McGovern D-MA (2nd), Moulton D-MA (6th), Neal D-MA (1st), Tsongas D-MA (3rd)
SENATE VOTES:
Senate Vote 1:DEBATE ON KEYSTONE XL PIPELINE: The Senate has passed a cloture motion to end debate on the Keystone XL Pipeline Act (S. 1), sponsored by Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D. The bill would authorize TransCanada to construct its proposed Keystone XL pipeline to carry oil from Alberta into the U.S. and declare that environmental reviews for the pipeline are complete. Hoeven said building Keystone XL would improve energy security by increasing energy ties with Canada, lessening dependence on imports from OPEC members and other countries, and also boost the economy by spending close to $8 billion, with associate tax revenue benefits for all levels of government. A bill opponent, Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., said it would circumvent important environmental reviews of the proposed pipeline and violate the private property rights of landowners whose land would be used for Keystone XL. The vote, on Jan 12, was 63 yeas to 32 nays.
NAYS: Warren D-MA, Markey D-MA
http://www.capecodtoday.com/article/2015/01/17/28560-how-our-washington-reps-voted-week
No comments:
Post a Comment