Bennet, Udall, and Perlmutter Watch 5-20-13: Recent Votes

From MegaVote at Congress.org:

Recent Senate Votes

Water Resources Development Act – Passage – Vote Passed (83-14, 3 Not Voting) The Senate laid down its marker last week for a full reauthorization of Army Corps of Engineers water projects with a broad, bipartisan majority. S. 601, shepherded to passage by liberal Environment and Public Works chairman Barbara Boxer of California and conservative ranking Republican David Vitter of Louisiana, reauthorizes port and harbor dredging, levees, dams, and storm repair for periods ranging from five to ten years. It also makes numerous reforms to current permitting procedures in an attempt to reduce the amount of time needed to get projects approved and under way. Several of the latter provisions are controversial, particularly language that would impose financial penalties on laggard agency heads. For that reason a compromise was negotiated to sunset the streamlining reforms after 10 years. Another major change concerns the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund (HMTF), the primary funding vehicle for dredging coastal and Great Lakes ports. Though conceived as a dedicated fund for harbor maintenance, in practice congressional appropriators in recent years have diverted HMTF dollars to unrelated projects. S. 601 would slowly end that practice, increasing the amount of funding dedicated to harbor maintenance by $100 million annually for six years, after which time all HMTF revenue would be so directed. Action now moves to the House side, where Transportation and Infrastructure committee chairman Bill Shuster, R-Pa. has begun having hearings but appears in no rush. Sen. Mark Udall voted YES Sen. Michael Bennet voted YES CMS Nominee – Confirmation – Vote Confirmed (91-7, 2 Not Voting) The Senate confirmed Marilyn Tavenner to be the next administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Tavenner will play a prominent role in overseeing implementation of President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul. She is the first Senate-confirmed CMS administrator since 2004. Sen. Mark Udall voted YES Sen. Michael Bennet voted YES Energy Department Nominee – Confirmation – Vote Confirmed (97-0, 3 Not Voting) In its last action of the week, the Senate unanimously confirmed MIT physicist Ernest J. Moniz to be the next Energy secretary, replacing another physicist, Steven Chu. Sen. Mark Udall voted YES Sen. Michael Bennet voted YES

Recent House Votes

Obamacare Repeal – Passage – Vote Passed (229-195, 9 Not Voting) The House took its three dozenth or so vote last week on repealing the 2010 health care overhaul. We noted in this space last week that, as introduced, the bill appeared not to repeal the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB), a body created by the law to reduce supply-side Medicare expenditures. It is not clear whether this was a clerical error, or perhaps whether House Republicans had a separate bill dealing with IPAB – Phil Roe of Tennessee has introduced such a bill, and IPAB repeal did pass the House last Congress – but the version of H.R. 45 that passed leaves no such ambiguity. Democrats Mike McIntyre of North Carolina and Jim Matheson of Utah – both very conservative by their caucus’s standards and in very competitive districts – joined all Republicans in voting ‘yes.’ As with each previous attempt at wholesale repeal, this bill will go nowhere in the Senate. The president issued a perfunctory veto threat. Rep. Ed Perlmutter voted NO SEC Cost-Benefit Analysis – Passage – Vote Passed (235-161, 37 Not Voting) In its final action of the week, the House took aim at one of Wall Street’s main regulators, the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC). Republicans have long complained that federal regulations are impeding economic recovery. In that spirit, H.R. 1062 would require the SEC to change its rulemaking procedures by conducting cost-benefit analyses before issuing new rules and two years after a rule takes effect. The bill would also require the agency to review existing rules and alter or repeal them if they are not working. Democrats largely opposed the bill, though 17 did cross over to support the bill. Opponents largely framed the measure as a Trojan horse for dismantling the 2010 overhaul of financial regulations. The administration is opposed to the bill, and it is unlikely to be taken up in the Senate. Rep. Ed Perlmutter voted NO

Upcoming Votes

Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act of 2013 – S.954 After congressional agriculture leaders were forced to swallow an extension last year, the Senate is taking another go at passing a five-year farm bill. One major difference between this year’s measure and the bill that passed the Senate last year is the reappearance of target prices, a win for producers of such crops as peanuts and cotton. The change is largely attributable to the ascension of Mississippi’s Thad Cochran to the ranking Republican slot on the Agriculture committee. The administration has issued a policy statement in support of S. 954. Smarter Solutions for Students Act – H.R.1911 The House is scheduled to vote on this bill, which would change the way student loan interest rates are calculated. Northern Route Approval Act – H.R.3 The House is also scheduled to vote on this bill to circumvent the presidential permitting process and approve the Keystone XL pipeline.

Video: “Press Conference: 54 Colorado Sheriffs File Suit Against Anti-Gun Bills”

Video:  “Press Conference: 54 Colorado Sheriffs File Suit Against Anti-Gun Bills“

Video: “[Mike Lee:] ‘We’re not safe until we restrict the power of government’”

Video:  “[Mike Lee:] ‘We’re not safe until we restrict the power of government’“

Bennet, Udall, and Perlmutter Watch 5-13-13: Recent Votes

From MegaVote at Congress.org:

Recent Senate Votes

Internet Sales Tax – Final Passage – Vote Passed (69-27, 4 Not Voting) Last week the Senate completed action on bipartisan but controversial Internet sales tax legislation. More than two-thirds of senators (all but five Democrats and about half of Republicans) agreed that states should be allowed to require online firms to collect the same sales taxes as their domiciled brick-and-mortar businesses. States would be required to provide free tax-calculation software to affected businesses. Firms with gross annual receipts of $1 million or less would be exempted from the new requirements. Prior to final passage the Senate adopted an amendment from Wyoming Republican Mike Enzi, one of the measure’s co-sponsors, which would extend the implementation timeline from three to six months and specify that requirements for filing returns and making tax payments must be the same for online and offline firms. President Obama supports S. 743, but House Speaker John Boehner and Judiciary Chairman Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., have both expressed skepticism toward the legislation. Sen. Mark Udall voted YES Sen. Michael Bennet voted YES Water Infrastructure Projects – Amendment Vote – Vote Rejected (56-43, 1 Not Voting) After passing the Internet sales tax bill, the Senate moved on to the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA), a catch-all piece of legislation usually passed every five years dealing with everything from dams and levees to port dredging. Traditionally one of the biggest magnets for pork barrel projects, this version of WRDA is the first since both chambers of Congress adopted earmark moratoria. Similar to last year’s highway bill, WRDA makes various changes to existing law in order to speed up project approval, including the imposition of financial penalties on tardy agencies. The bill also attempts to capture a larger share of the revenue that accrues to the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund each year for actual harbor maintenance – a seemingly novel concept, yet one that Senate appropriators initially objected to, as they have grown accustomed to diverting much of the trust fund’s receipts to unrelated accounts. Several amendments were voted on last week, including this one from Oklahoma Republican Tom Coburn that would enable individuals to bring guns on to Army Corps of Engineers-administered water projects. The amendment failed due to a 60-vote requirement. At week’s end the legislation had stalled over Louisiana Democrat Mary Landrieu’s insistence on a vote for her amendment that would prevent a rise in flood insurance premiums. Though a cloture vote is currently scheduled for May 14, it appears that there is some agreement on a vote for the Landrieu amendment. The White House leveled several criticisms of the bill in its policy statement , though a manager’s amendment from Barbara Boxer and David Vitter, the chair and ranking Republican on the Environment and Public Works Committee, may have addressed some of these issues. Sen. Mark Udall voted NO Sen. Michael Bennet voted NO

Recent House Votes

Private Sector Comp Time – Final Passage – Vote Passed (223-204, 5 Not Voting) The House passed a measure last week to allow private sector employers to provide comp time to their workers in lieu of overtime pay. Under current law, such an arrangement exists for most workers in the public sector and a few in the private sector. Republicans classified the measure as providing flexibility to both employers and employees, while Democrats and their allies in the labor movement suspect an attempt to weaken workers’ rights. In particular, they claim that there is no guarantee an individual will receive time off when he desires it and that employers could put pressure on workers to accept comp time instead of overtime. The White House seems to agree with these critiques, as it has threatened to veto the bill. Rep. Ed Perlmutter voted NO Debt Payment Prioritization – Final Passage – Vote Passed (221-207, 4 Not Voting) In its final action of the week, the House took another foray into debt limit politics. The “Full Faith and Credit Act” would mandate that in the event of the government hitting the debt limit, the Treasury Secretary would prioritize payment to holders of government debt and to Social Security recipients above all other obligations. These payments would in fact be exempt from the debt limit, such that the government could theoretically continue functioning, if only in order to issue Social Security checks and service the debt. No Democrats backed the measure, and the administration has threatened a veto. Rep. Ed Perlmutter voted NO

Upcoming Votes

Water Resources Development Act of 2013 – S.601 The Senate will continue debating the water infrastructure bill this week. If no agreement on amendments is reached beforehand, a cloture vote on the measure will take place May 14. Nominations - The Senate may vote on the nominations of Ernest Moniz for Energy secretary and Marilyn Tavenner to oversee the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which manages the two health care programs. To repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and health care-related provisions in the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 – H.R.45 The House is scheduled to vote on a bill to repeal “Obamacare.” Curiously the bill as currently written appears not to repeal the Independent Payment Advisory Board, a body created by the law to make binding recommendations on Medicare cuts, which congressional Republicans have previously targeted individually for repeal. SEC Regulatory Accountability Act – H.R.1062 The House is also scheduled to take up a measure that would amend the charter of the SEC to force the agency to conduct cost-benefit analyses before issuing new regulations.

Bennet, Udall, and Perlmutter Watch 4-29-13: Recent Votes

From MegaVote at Congress.org:

Recent Senate Votes

OMB Director – Confirmation – Vote Confirmed (96-0, 4 Not Voting) Last week, the Senate unanimously confirmed Sylvia Matthews Burwell to be the next director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). The office oversees development of the president’s annual budget proposals and oversees the performance of federal agencies. Sen. Mark Udall voted YES Sen. Michael Bennet voted YES Internet Sales Tax – Cloture Motion – Vote Agreed to (63-30, 7 Not Voting) Before leaving for a week-long recess, the Senate also approved a motion to invoke cloture on S. 743, the Marketplace Fairness Act of 2013. S. 743 would allow states to require online retailers to collect sales and use taxes on purchases made by their residents. President Obama supports the measure, saying it would “level the playing field” for brick-and-mortar retailers. The bill is expected to pass when the Senate returns; House action is uncertain. Sen. Mark Udall voted YES Sen. Michael Bennet voted YES

Recent House Votes

High-Risk Insurance Pools – Rule Vote – Vote Passed (225-189, 18 Not Voting) The House was expected to pass a bill to transfer funds from one Obamacare-created program to another last week, but after agreeing to a framework for debating the measure with this vote, Republican leaders concluded they did not have enough votes and pulled it from the floor. H.R. 1549 would transfer approximately $3.6 billion from the Prevention and Public Health Fund, which was created to fund various eponymous initiatives, to the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan, which was created to provide health insurance coverage to individuals who could not obtain such insurance until 2014, when another Obamacare program, the health insurance exchanges, are scheduled to begin operation. President Obama has threatened to veto the bill if and when it does come up again. Rep. Ed Perlmutter voted NO FAA Furloughs – Suspension Vote – Vote Passed (361-41, 30 Not Voting) Responding to rising anger with flight delays around the country, Congress acted with rare celerity to avert further furloughs at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The FAA had been forced to reduce the hours of its air traffic controllers as a result of the sequester. After several days of thousands of passengers experiencing delays (and presumably well aware that they would hear about it from constituents during the recess), the Senate passed a bill (S. 853) by unanimous consent allowing FAA to transfer up to $253 million to “prevent reduced operations and staffing.” Because the bill could be seen as a spending measure (though it spends no new funds), Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. secured unanimous consent that a House-passed bill with identical text to S. 853 would automatically pass the Senate as well. The House passed such a bill last Friday; it is expected to clear the Senate when that body meets in pro forma session on Tuesday, April 30. The White House stated last week that the President will sign the bill when it reaches his desk. Rep. Ed Perlmutter voted YES Federal Helium Sales – Suspension Vote – Vote Passed (394-1, 37 Not Voting) In its final action of the week, the House passed a bill creating a framework for winding down operation of the Federal Helium Reserve. Under current law, the Reserve is mandated to cease commercial helium sales once it pays off its debt, which is expected to occur by October 2013. According to the House Natural Resources committee, the scheduled closure would cut domestic helium supplies in half. H.R. 527 would keep the reserve open with new operating instructions until its capacity is 3 billion cubic feet (down from 10 billion cubic feet at present), at which time commercial sales will no longer be authorized and remaining supplies will only be available for national security and scientific needs. Neither the administration nor Senate leaders have staked out positions on the measure. Rep. Ed Perlmutter voted YES

Bennet, Udall, and Perlmutter Watch 4-23-13: Recent Votes

From MegaVote at Congress.org:

Recent Senate Votes

Firearms Legislation – Concealed-Carry Reciprocity Amendment – Vote Rejected (57-43) This proposal from Minority Whip John Cornyn of Texas would allow someone with a permit to carry a concealed weapon the right to carry it in any state which has a concealed-carry law. The amendment states that permit holders from other states must abide by the laws of states in which they are located, though it would prohibit states from placing restrictions on individuals with out-of-state permits, treating such individuals as if they carried an “unrestricted” permit. The remainder of the failed amendments included proposals to reinstate and expand a ban on so-called assault weapons; to ban ammunition magazines holding more than ten rounds; and to prevent veterans from being deemed “mental defectives” – thus losing their ability to own firearms – without a court decision. Two amendments did pass muster. The first, offered by Wyoming Republican John Barrasso, would penalize states and localities for publicizing gun ownership data. The second, from HELP committee leaders Tom Harkin, D-Iowa and Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., would overhaul the nation’s mental health system. (Roll Calls 100-105) Sen. Mark Udall voted YES Sen. Michael Bennet voted NO Firearms Legislation – Background Checks Amendment – Vote Rejected (54-46) The Senate voted on a flurry of amendments to the first major legislative response to last December’s massacre in Newtown, CT. In a sign of the difficulty facing proponents of stronger gun laws, most of the amendments were defeated, beginning with a proposal by pro-gun senators Joe Manchin, D-W.Va. and Pat Toomey, R-Pa. to strengthen background checks. The Toomey-Manchin amendment would have expanded the current system to include all sales at gun shows and on the Internet. Though initially hailed as a critical breakthrough, the amendment’s prospects died a slow death in the days leading up to the actual vote, as fence-sitting senators from both parties declared their opposition one by one. Ultimately five Democrats opposed the amendment – Max Baucus of Montana, Mark Begich of Alaska, Mark Pryor of Arkansas, Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota, and Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada. (Reid voted “no” for procedural reasons which would allow him to call up the amendment for a vote at a later date.) Baucus, Begich and Pryor all face difficult re-elections next year in states that favored Mitt Romney in the 2012 presidential contest. Four Republicans supported the amendment – Susan Collins of Maine, Mark Kirk of Illinois, John McCain of Arizona, and co-sponsor Toomey. Sen. Mark Udall voted YES Sen. Michael Bennet voted YES Firearms Legislation – Republican Substitute Amendment – Vote Rejected (52-48) The second failed amendment was a Republican substitute offered by Judiciary committee ranking member Chuck Grassley of Iowa. Most Republicans have decried Democratic proposals for reducing gun violence as threatening to Americans’ Second Amendment rights and have emphasized in their own proposals a “law and order” approach. This is reflected in the Republican alternative, which would make it a federal crime to purchase guns on behalf of those legally barred from owning them; expand the scope of mental illnesses barring some individuals from owning firearms; and create a special task force focused on attempted firearms purchases by felons and fugitives. Nine Democrats supported the Republican proposal, while two Republicans opposed it. Sen. Mark Udall voted NO Sen. Michael Bennet voted NO Firearms Legislation – Straw Purchases Amendment – Vote Rejected (58-42) Judiciary Chairman Pat Leahy, D-Vt. co-sponsored an amendment that would make it a federal crime to buy guns on behalf of someone legally barred from possessing them, a practice called straw purchasing. The amendment fell just two votes short of adoption. (In a concession to the reality of a likely Republican filibuster, Majority Leader Reid agreed to raise the threshold for adoption of all amendments to 60 votes instead of the usual 51.) Sen. Mark Udall voted YES Sen. Michael Bennet voted YES

Recent House Votes

Cybersecurity Intelligence Sharing – Vote Passed (288-127, 17 Not Voting) The House last week passed a bill to boost intelligence-sharing between federal agencies and private firms. Entities within the departments of Homeland Security and Justice would be designated for receipt of threat information and reporting of crimes from the private sector. It would outline procedures for sharing such information within the federal government and between the federal government, other levels of government and the private sector. Various concessions were made to assuage concerned advocates for privacy rights and civil liberties, including restrictions on the use of information, a sunset clause, and a mandatory report on the legislation’s impact on privacy and civil liberties. Ultimately these groups were not persuaded; neither was the president, who has issued a veto threat. Rep. Ed Perlmutter voted YES

Upcoming Votes

Marketplace Fairness Act of 2013 – S.743 The Senate is scheduled to vote Monday on the question of invoking cloture on the motion to proceed to the Marketplace Fairness Act, which would allow states and localities to require Internet companies to charge sales tax. Helping Sick Americans Now Act – H.R.1549 The House is scheduled to vote this week on a suspension bill that would transfer funds from re-open high-risk insurance pools created by the 2010 health care law. The pools had been closed by the Obama administration due to their unexpectedly high cost. Responsible Helium Administration and Stewardship Act – H.R.527 The House will also vote on a bill setting up a series of auctions to sell of the surplus helium in the Federal Helium Reserve.

Bennet, Udall, and Perlmutter Watch 4-16-13: Recent Votes

From MegaVote at Congress.org:

Recent Senate Votes

Interior Secretary Confirmation – Vote Confirmed (87-11, 2 Not Voting) Last week the Senate confirmed Sally Jewell, former CEO of outdoor retailer REI, to be the next secretary of the Department of Interior. Sen. Mark Udall voted YES Sen. Michael Bennet voted YES Gun Control – Cloture Vote – Vote Agreed to (68-31, 1 Not Voting) The Senate also agreed to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to comprehensive firearms–related legislation that has been in the works since the horrific shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut last December. Sixteen Republicans agreed to move forward with the bill, while two Democrats facing tough re-election battles next year – Mark Begich of Alaska and Mark Pryor of Arkansas – voted against ending debate. Though it is unclear what shape a final bill will take – or even whether any substantive measure can garner enough support to pass – supporters are hoping to include a strengthened background checks measure sponsored by Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania; language strengthening penalties for straw purchasers; and expanded funding for school safety. If a bill does make it out of the Senate, its fate would be even more uncertain in the Republican-controlled House. President Obama issued a statement in support of S. 649. Sen. Mark Udall voted YES Sen. Michael Bennet voted YES

Recent House Votes

Limit on NLRB Activity – Vote Passed (219-209, 4 Not Voting) In January, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia ruled in Noel Canning v. NLRB that three recess appointments made by President Obama to the National Labor Relations Board were invalid because they did not take place during the court’s definition of a recess. Republican leaders of the House Education and the Workforce Committee called on the Board to “cease all activity” until new nominees could be appointed and confirmed. Last week the full House approved a bill that would mandate such an approach. H.R. 1120 would prevent NLRB from engaging in any activity requiring a quorum of its members – the threshold necessary for issuing legally binding rulings – until such time as the Canning decision is overturned by the Supreme Court or sufficient new members are confirmed to constitute a quorum. The White House condemned the measure and threatened a veto. It is unlikely to see Senate action. Rep. Ed Perlmutter voted NO Hydropower Facility Development – Suspension Vote – Vote Passed (416-7, 8 Not Voting) The House passed a bill last week under suspension of the rules that would streamline the permitting process for small hydropower facilities. The House passed a similar bill last year that was not taken up by the Senate. Rep. Ed Perlmutter voted YES

Upcoming Votes

Safe Communities, Safe Schools Act of 2013 – S.649 The Senate will continue consideration of the gun bill this week. The Manchin-Toomey background check amendment is the next pending action. Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act (CISPA) – H.R.624 The House will attempt to re-pass legislation originally sent to the Senate last year that would allow private companies to share information with federal intelligence authorities regarding cybersecurity threats.

Video: “[Mike Lee:] Constitution Wasn’t Written to Maximize the Convenience of the Federal Government”

Video:  “[Mike Lee:]  Constitution Wasn’t Written to Maximize the Convenience of the Federal Government“

Bookmarks 03/30/2013

• Freedom in the 50 States 2013

  The overall freedom ranking is a combination of personal and economic freedoms.

  tags: freedom states United States

• The Waste List

  Total Value of Government Waste: $42,642,699,097 as of 3/29/13

  tags: government spending government waste

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Bennet, Udall, and Perlmutter Watch 3-25-13: Recent Votes

From MegaVote at Congress.org:

Recent Senate Votes

Fiscal 2013 Continuing Appropriations – Passage – Vote Passed (73-26, 1 Not Voting) With a week left to avert a government shutdown, Senators passed a stopgap measure to keep federal funds flowing for the remainder of fiscal 2013. The Senate slightly expanded the spending package included in the original bill the House of Representatives passed on March 6, which only included full appropriations for Defense, Military Construction, and Veterans’ Affairs. Through a last-minute amendment put forth by Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Barbara Mikulski, D-Md., senators added additional spending provisions from three other related bills. The Senate approved Mikulski’s amendment 70-29 (roll call 42), less than an hour before the bill’s final passage roll call vote. All told, the bill appropriated $517.7 billion for the Defense Department, $71.9 billion for veterans programs and military construction projects, $39.6 billion for the Department of Homeland Security, $20.5 billion for the Department of Agriculture and $50.2 billion for commerce, law enforcement and science programs. Spending on all other government programs will remain flat from fiscal 2012 rates. The bill made slight spending cuts from the earlier stopgap spending bill set to expire on March 27 to get federal outlays under the discretionary spending caps of the 2011 debt limit law (PL 112-25). The senate rejected several floor amendments that cut funds from Homeland Security and defense biofuel programs. Senator Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H., relented on consideration for the single-largest spending cut amendment, which would have redirected nearly $381 million in spending for the Army’s Medium Extended Air Defense System. Ayotte’s opposition to the program had held up final consideration of the bill for a week. The bill returned to the House the next day and received a motion to concur to its amended status, passing it to the president’s desk for signing. Sen. Mark Udall voted YES……send e-mail or see bio Sen. Michael Bennet voted YES……send e-mail or see bio Fiscal 2014 Senate Budget Resolution – Adoption – Vote Agreed to (50-49, 1 Not Voting) Just before 5:00 in the morning on Saturday, the Senate passed its first budget resolution in four years by a single vote. Four Democrats – Max Baucus of Montana, Mark Begich of Alaska, Kay Hagan of North Carolina, and Mark Pryor of Arkansas – voted with Senate Republicans against the measure. Final passage arrived after senators spent 13 hours considering dozens of floor amendments on a huge swath of policy areas. Without any force of law, the nonbinding resolution laid out Senate Democrats’ alternative to the House budget, which passed two days before on a largely party-line vote (roll call 88). The Senate blueprint laid out $975 in new revenue and $975 in spending cuts over 10 years that promised to reduce the budget deficit $1.8 trillion in all. It also included additional economic stimulus and infrastructure investment funds supported by the White House. During floor debate, the Senate rejected a substitute budget put forth by Rand Paul of Kentucky that slashed spending by $9.6 trillion and cut taxes by $2.3 trillion over 10 years (roll call 69). Another Senate conservative firebrand, Texan Ted Cruz, offered unsuccessful amendments to repeal the Affordable Care Act (roll call 51), cut foreign aid to Egypt and build missile defense batteries on the East Coast (roll call 85), and withhold American funds to the United Nations until China rescinded its one-child population control policy (roll call 86). Republicans received Democratic support to pass amendments endorsing the Keystone XL pipeline (roll call 61), eliminating subsidies to the largest banks (roll call 70), and initiating a biennial budget process (roll call 65.) Senate Democrats played amendment tug-of-war, too. New Hampshire’s Jeanne Shaheen successfully introduced an amendment backing women’s family planning and birth control access provided under the Affordable Care Act (roll call 54). Rhode Islander Sheldon Whitehouse’s amendment to create a carbon tax to combat global warming, however, failed (roll call 58). Sen. Mark Udall voted YES……send e-mail or see bio Sen. Michael Bennet voted YES……send e-mail or see bio

Recent House Votes

FY 2014 Budget Resolution – Adoption – Vote Passed (220-207, 4 Not Voting) On Thursday of last week, the House agreed to adopt the concurrent resolution introduced a week earlier by sponsor Paul D. Ryan, R-Wis., that would provide $2.769 trillion in new budget authority for FY2014, not including off-budget accounts. It assumed that the spending levels set by the sequester would stay in place and the discretionary savings from the sequester will come from nondefense programs. It also included the repeal of the 2010 health care overhaul and changed Medicare to a “premium support” system starting in 2024. In addition, the resolution called for changes to the tax code, including the consolation of the individual income tax brackets from six to two and the reduction or elimination of some tax credits and deductions. In addition to mapping out government spending levels for FY 2014, the resolution included “appropriate budgetary levels for FY2015-FY2023” that would assume $5.7 trillion in reductions over the next ten years in discretionary and mandatory spending. Prior to adopting H. Con. Res. 25, on Wednesday the House rejected five amendments that would have provided alternative budget plans: the Senate’s Concurrent Resolution from Mick Mulvaney, R-S.C. (Roll Call 83); the Congressional Black Caucus’ preparation from Robert C. Scott, D-Va. (Roll Call 84); the Congressional Progressive Caucus’ substitute from Raul M. Grijalva, D-Ariz. (Roll Call 85); the Republican Study Committee’s idea from Rob Woodall, R-Ga. (Roll Call 86); and the Democratic alternative from Budget Committee Ranking Member Chris Van Hollen, D-Md. (Roll Call 87). 171 Democrats attempted to force Republicans to pass or reject the conservative Woodall plan by voting present. That vote was the closest of any of the five to being approved. Rep. Ed Perlmutter voted NO……send e-mail or see bio FY 2013 Continuing Appropriations – Final Passage – Vote Passed (318-109, 4 Not Voting) At the end of the legislative week, the House agreed to the Senate’s amendments to the bill that would approve the continuing appropriations through FY 2013 including $1.043 trillion in discretionary funds before the sequester. It funds departments and agencies at their FY2012 enacted levels, with adjustments for certain programs. The legislation provides $517.7 billion in base discretionary funding for the Defense Department, $71.9 billion for veterans programs and military construction, $20.5 billion for agriculture programs, $39.6 billion for the Department of Homeland Security and $50.2 billion for commerce, law enforcement and science programs. The legislation is now cleared for the president to sign into law, thus ending the lengthy process of funding government operations for FY2013. Rep. Ed Perlmutter voted NO……send e-mail or see bio