HOW THEY VOTED

How Virginia and North Carolina House and Senate members voted in major roll call votes last week

House

Expanding Federally Funded Apprenticeships: Voting 246-140, the House on Nov. 20 passed a bill (HR 8294) that would authorize $3.5 billion over five years to expand federally funded apprenticeship programs. While the bill would prepare workers for jobs in traditional industries such as manufacturing, transportation and construction, it also would fund training for specialized fields such as early childhood education and green energy. In addition, the bill would promote work opportunities for persons with diverse backgrounds and criminal records traditionally left out of apprenticeship programs. A yes vote was to send the bill to the

Senate.

Voting yes: Elaine Luria, D-Va.; Bobby Scott, D-Va.; Donald McEachin, D-Va.; G.K. Butterfield, D-N.C.

Voting no: Rob Wittman, R-Va.; Greg Murphy, R-N.C.

Defeating GOP Alternative:

Voting 142-243, the House on Nov. 20 defeated a Republican alternative to HR 8294 (above). The amendment sought to shift the focus of federally sponsored apprenticeships from Department of Labor-registered programs, which issue nationally recognized work credentials and allow extensive union involvement, toward business-run programs, which receive taxpayer funding but operate with few federal rules and diminished union participation. A yes vote backed the amendment.

Voting yes: Wittman, Murphy

Voting no: Luria, Scott, McEachin, Butterfield

Senate

Blocking Judy Shelton as Fed Governor: Voting 47-50, the Senate on Nov. 17 failed to advance the nomination of libertarian economist Judy L. Shelton, 66, to the Federal Reserve System Board of Governors. But Republicans left open the possibility of a revote this year on her appointment to the seven-member board that sets U.S. monetary policy. Shelton served under President Trump as U.S. envoy to the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. She has been affiliated with conservative organizations including the Hoover Institution and the Atlas Network and numerous “sound money” and free-market causes. A yes vote backed the nomination.

Voting yes: Richard Burr, R-N.C., Thom Tillis, R-N.C.

Voting no: Mark Warner, D-Va.; Tim Kaine, D-Va.

Confirming Stephen Vaden U.S. Trade Judge: Voting 49-43, the Senate on Nov. 18 confirmed Stephen A. Vaden, 38, the Department of Agriculture general counsel, for a lifetime appointment to the United States Court of International Trade. A specialized unit of the federal judiciary, the nine-judge panel adjudicates trade and customslaw disputes involving federal agencies, corporations, labor unions, private citizens, foreign governments and other litigants. A yes vote was to confirm the nominee.

Voting yes: Burr, Tillis Voting no: Warner

Key votes ahead

Congress is in Thanksgiving recess until the week of Nov. 30.