Congressional roll call

Here’s how area members of Congress voted on major issues during the week ending Feb. 6. law’s ban on coverage denials based on preexisting conditions or allow insurance companies and group health plans to discriminate on the basis of gender. A yes vote was to adopt the motion, which, had it prevailed, would have immediately amended the bill. Gibson: No Maloney: Yes RULES BY INDEPENDENT AGENCIES: Voting 250-173, the House on Feb. 4passed a GOPsponsored bill (HR 50) that would expand a 1995 law designed to prevent U.S. departments and agencies from putting “unfunded mandates” on state, local and tribal governments or the private sector. At present, if a new regulation is projected to impose a total cost of at least $100 million on those it covers, the government must either fund compliance costs, draft an alternative or slash the cost. This bill would expand the law to cover independent agencies such as the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and Securities and Exchange Commission, subjecting their proposed rules to executive branch oversight. In addition, the bill would allow courts to intervene while proposed rules are still in the drafting stage and require agencies to retroactively justify certain regulations already in force. A yes vote was to send the bill to the Senate, where it may face a 60-vote hurdle. Gibson: Yes Maloney: No RAPE, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, BACKGROUND CHECKS: Voting 184 in favor and 239 opposed, the House on Feb. 4 defeated a Democratic motion to prevent HR 50 (above) from interfering with federal regulations designed to prevent sex offenses against minors, domestic violence, rape and sexual assault or that enable schools to conduct criminal background checks on prospective employees. A yes vote was to adopt the motion, which, had it prevailed, would have immediately amended the bill. Gibson: No Maloney: Yes