HOW TEXANS VOTED
WASHINGTON — How the Texas congressional delegation voted on major issues last week:
Senate
1. Rule on Planned Parenthood funding: Voted, 51-50 to nullify an Obama administration rule concerning Planned ParenthoodPresident Mike funding. Pence Vice cast the deciding vote. The rule affirms Planned Parenthood’s eligibility to receive Title X family planning funds despite efforts by some states to deny the funding because it provides abortions. A yes vote was to send the nullification measure (HJ Res 43) to President Trump. 2. Rule on retirement savings at work: Voted, 50-49, to nullify a rule designedand cities to in guide setting states up privately managed payroll-deduction plans for private-sector workers who do not have access to retirement plans through their employers. Nationwide, about half of private-sector employees are in this situation. In response, at least seven states and several cities are setting up voluntary workbased IRA-style plans that uncovered individuals can use to save for retirement. These mainly low-income employees are not a favored market for Wall Street retirement plans. Under a typical state program, workers at companies with at least five employees are automatically signed up but can opt out at any time. Participants contribute 3 percent of their pay or choose another rate. Employers are required to forward payroll deductions to the plan administrator but make no matching contributions and cannot be held liable for fund performances. A yes vote was to send the measure (HJ Res 67) to President Donald Trump. 3. Montenegro’s admittance to NATO: Voted, 97-2, to ratify treaty language allowing the Balkan country of Montenegro to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. A yes vote was to ratify Montenegro as NATO’s 29th member state.
House
1. Nullification of internet privacy rule: Voted, 215-205, to nullify a Federal Communications Commission rule that internet service providers including Comcast and Verizon must obtain customerthey share consent sensitive before user information such as location, financial and medical details and browsing and app activity with advertisers. The rule was published in October but has not yet taken effect. This measure (SJ Res 34) also would prohibit the FCC from restoring the nullified rule or publishing any similar internet privacy rule in the future. A yes vote was to send the nullification measure to President Trump for his expected signature. 2. Independent probe of Trump-Russia ties: Voted, 231-189, to block a Democratic bid to force floor debate on a bill (HR 356) now in committee that would establish a “National Commission on Foreign Interference in the 2016 Election” as a bipartisan, independent panel for investigating what the FBI says were contacts between Russian intelligence officials and associates of candidate Donald Trump starting months before election day. Had Democrats prevailed on this vote during debate on H.Res 229, they would have had an opportunity to bring the Trump-Russia measure to the floor. A yes vote opposed the bid for an independent Trump-Russia investigation. 3. Environmental studies, privacy rights: Passed, 228-194, a GOPdrafted bill (HR 1430) that would repeal specific Environmental Protection Agency rules unless all data from underlying research — including participants’ confidential health information — has been made public so that the studies could be independently replicated. At present, the EPA relies on scientific peer review to validate the research behind environmental measures. Republicans said the bill would promote transparency at the EPA, while Democrats said it would weaken clean air and water laws because studies are obligated to protect the privacy rights of participants. A yes vote was to send the bill to the Senate.
4. EPA response to Black
lung, asthma: Rejected, 189-232, a Democratic motion to HR 1430 (above) that sought to require the Environmental Protection Agency to always use the “best available science” — whether or not it is fully accessible to the public — in responding to “threats to public health, including black-lung disease and asthma” resulting from exposure to pollution and toxic chemicals. A yes vote was to adopt the motion.