HOW YOUR CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATES VOTED
For the week ending June 16
ELIGIBILITY FOR HEALTH CARE TAX CREDITS:
Voting 238 for and 184 against, the House on June 13 passed a bill (HR 2581) that would require immigrants applying for premium tax credits under the Affordable Care Act to submit their Social Security number to document their citizenship or legal status. However, the bill rules out as verification the IRS-issued Individual Taxpayer Identification Number that aliens who lack Social Security numbers use to file federal tax returns. The bill would replace a two-step ACA verification process that allows a 90-day grace period so that when a person’s documentation is uncertain, their coverage can begin immediately, with any erroneous tax credits to be recouped later. The bill also would apply to the GOP’s proposed American Health Care Act if that measure becomes law.
A yes vote was to send the bill to the Senate.
YES: PEARCE NO: LUJAN GRISHAM, LUJÁN
IMMEDIATE HEALTH INSURANCE FOR INFANTS:
Voting 193 for and 231 against, the House on June 13 defeated a Democratic bid to ensure immediate health care coverage under HR 2581 (above) for newborns and infants up to 1 year old whose legal status cannot be promptly established because of the time it takes to obtain a Social Security number for meeting the bill’s verification requirement.
A yes vote was to adopt the Democratic motion.
YES: LUJAN GRISHAM, LUJAN NO: PEARCE
ECONOMIC SANCTIONS ON IRAN:
Voting 98 for and two against, the Senate on June 15 passed a bill (S 722) that would impose U.S. economic sanctions on foreign individuals and entities that provide support to Iran’s ballistic-missile program, which is separate from its now-dormant nuclear-arms program. The bill also would sanction Iran’s Revolutionary Guard over its terrorist activities and the Mahan Air commercial airline that is thought to transport terrorists and weapons in the Middle East. The sanctions would consist of steps such as denying certain individuals’ entry to the U.S. and freezing violators’ assets in U.S.-based financial institutions.
A yes vote was to send the bill to the House.
YES: UDALL, HEINRICH
ECONOMIC SANCTIONS ON RUSSIA:
Voting 97 for and two against, the Senate on June 14 amended S 722 (above) to require congressional review of attempts by any president to ease or remove U.S. economic sanctions on Russia. In addition, the amendment would place a range of new sanctions on the Russian economy while putting into law several Obama-era executive orders that penalize the Kremlin for its interventions in the U.S. and other countries. Both the new and existing penalties are responses, in part, to Russia’s cyber-warfare against U.S. elections, aggression in Ukraine and support of the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
The measure would apply to Russian economic sectors such as mining, metals, shipping and railways; address corruption and human rights abuses in Russia; impose financial penalties on non-Russian entities and individuals that provide the Kremlin with certain types of commercial support and penalize entities that supply weapons to the Syrian regime.
A yes vote was to expand U.S. economic sanctions on Russia.
YES: UDALL, HEINRICH
ARMS TO SAUDI ARABIA:
Voting 47 for and 53 against, the Senate on June 13 defeated a measure (SJ Res 42) that would block the administration’s plan to sell Saudi Arabia $500 million in laser-guided bombs and related weaponry for its war against Iranian-backed forces in Yemen. The package is part of a proposed $110 billion U.S. weapons sale to the Saudis. Backers argue the transaction will help contain Iran’s expansion in the Middle East, while critics say it would further entangle America in Yemen’s civil war and humanitarian crisis.
A yes vote was to block the $500 million arms sale.
YES: UDALL, HEINRICH