HOW THEY VOTED
How Virginia and North Carolina House and Senate members voted in major roll call votes last week
House
Condemning racism against Asian Americans: Voting 243 for and 164 against, the House on Sept. 17 adopted a nonbinding Democratic-sponsored measure (H Res 908) to condemn expressions of racism, discrimination or religious intolerance against Asian-Americans related to the COVID-19 pandemic, including the use of such terms as “Chinese Virus,” “Wuhan Virus,” and “Kung-flu.”
A yes vote was in support of the resolution.
Voting yes: Elaine Luria, D-Va.; Bobby ScottD-Va.; Donald McEachin, D-Va.; G.K. Butterfield, D-N.C.
Voting no: Rob Wittman, R-Va.; Greg Murphy, R-N.C.
Filing private lawsuits against school bias:
Voting 232 for and 188 against, the House on Sept. 16 passed a bill (HR 2574) that would authorize private individuals to file “disparate impact” lawsuits under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This legal doctrine comes into play when government policies that appear neutral on the surface have the effect of discriminating against protected groups.
A yes vote was to send the bill to the Senate.
Voting yes: Luria, Scott, McEachin, Butterfield.
Voting no: Wittman, Murphy.
Addressing anti-Semitism under Title VI:
Voting 255 for and 164 against, the House on Sept. 16 broadened the duties of officials empowered by HR 2574 (above) to monitor compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Under the GOPsponsored motion, these overseers would have to treat anti-Semitism as prohibited discrimination under Title VI, even though the Department of Education and Department of Justice started doing that as early as 2010, according to the AntiDefamation League. Title VII is the part of the Civil Rights Act focused on religious discrimination. Title VI prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color or national origin in programs receiving federal assistance.
A yes vote was to adopt the motion.
Voting yes: Luria, Wittman, Butterfield, Murphy.
Voting no: Scott, McEachin.
Accommodating pregnancy in the workplace:
Voting 329 for and 73 against, the House on Sept. 17 passed a bill (HR 2694) that would require private-sector firms and government agencies with at least 15 employees to provide reasonable accommodations for workers and job applicants who are pregnant or have recently given birth. The bill would not require employers to make accommodations that impose undue hardship on their operations.
A yes vote was to send the bill to the Senate.
Voting yes: Luria, Scott, Wittman, McEachin, Butterfield.
Voting no: Murphy.
Granting exemption based on religion:
Voting 177 for and 226 against, the House on Sept. 17 defeated a Republican bid to exempt employers from having to make reasonable accommodations under HR 2694 (above) in cases where to do so would deprive them of religious freedom protected under the Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
A yes vote was to adopt the GOP motion.
Voting yes: Wittman, Murphy.
Voting no: Luria, Scott, McEachin, Butterfield.
Promoting integration in public schools:
Voting 248 for and 167 against, the House on Sept. 15 established a grant program to promote integration in school districts where opportunity is sharply divided along racial and economic lines. The bill (HR 2639) would provide a limited number of districts with funding to develop strategies for increasing the diversity of student populations shaped by de facto segregation.
A yes vote was to send the bill to the Senate.
Voting yes: Luria, Scott, McEachin, Butterfield.
Voting no: Wittman, Murphy.
Defeating Republican diversity plan:
Voting 171 for and 243 against, the House on Sept. 15 defeated a Republican alternative to HR 2639 (above) that proposed open-ended funding in the form of block grants rather than narrowly defined categorical grants to increase diversity in K-12 classrooms.
A yes vote was to adopt the amendment.
Voting yes: Wittman, Murphy.
Voting no: Luria, Scott, McEachin, Butterfield.
Senate
Confirming Judge Valderrama: Voting 68 for and 26 against, the Senate on Sept. 17 confirmed Franklin U. Valderrama, a Circuit Court judge in Cook County, Ill., as a United States District Judge for the Northern District of Illinois.
A yes vote was to confirm the nominee.
Voting yes: Mark Warner, D-Va.; Tim Kaine, D-Va.; Thom Tillis, R-N.C.
Not voting: Richard Burr, R-N.C.
Key votes ahead
The House in the week of Sept. 21 will take up a clean energy bill and join the Senate in debating stopgap government funding for the fiscal year starting Oct. 1.