Congressional roll call

Voterama in Congress

Here’s how senators voted on major issues in the week ending Aug. 24. (The House was in recess.) SENATE PLANNED PARENTHOOD: Voting 45 in favor and 48 opposed, the Senate on Aug. 23 failed to advance an amendment that would have deleted $400 million in Planned Parenthood funding from a bill (HR 6157, below) providing fiscal 2019 appropriations for the departments of Defense, Education, Labor and Health and Human Services. Abortions account for about 3 percent of the reproductive-care services delivered by Planned Parenthood at its 600 nationwide clinics. They are not federally funded, in keeping with a 1976 law — the Hyde Amendment — that prohibits the use of taxpayer money to pay for abortions except in cases of rape or incest or to save the life of the mother. A yes vote was to remove Planned Parenthood funding from the bill.

Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y.:

No Charles Schumer, D-N.Y.: No

2019 SPENDING BILL: Voting 85-7, the Senate on Aug. 23 approved an $854 billion catchall appropriations bill (HR 6157) that would provide $675 billion for the Department of Defense, $90.1 billion for the Department of Health and Human Services, $71.4 billion for the Department of Education, $12.1 billion for the Department of Labor and nearly $6 billion for other agencies and programs in fiscal 2019. The military outlay, accounting for nearly 70 percent of the government’s discretionary spending, would fund a 2.6 percent pay raise for those in uniform while providing $68.1 billion for combat operations abroad and $57 billion-plus for active-duty, family and retiree health care. The bill also would appropriate $3.7 billion for the prevention and treatment of opioid addiction; $445 million for charter schools; another $445 million for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting; and $95 million in grants to help K-12

schools prevent and recover from classroom shootings. A yes vote was to send the bill to conference with the House.

Gillibrand, D-N.Y.: Yes Schumer, D-N.Y.: Yes SUICIDE PREVENTION:

Voting 95-0, the Senate on Aug. 21 adopted an amendment to HR 6157 (above) that would increase the 2019 budget for the National Suicide Prevention Hotline by $2.8 million, or about 4 percent. Funded by all levels of government and other sources, the hotline is a nationwide network of crisis centers that provides 24⁄7 confidential support to persons in emotional distress. A yes vote backed the spending increase.

Gillibrand, D-N.Y.: Yes Schumer, D-N.Y.: Yes

COMING UP

The Senate this week will vote on executive branch nominations. The House will remain in recess.

© 2018, Thomas Voting Reports Inc.