HOW TEXAS VOTED
WASHINGTON — How the Texas congressional delegation voted on major issues last week:
Senate
1. $4.5 billion for Southwest border: Passed, 84-8, a bill (HR 3401) that would appropriate $4.5 billion in emergency money to help U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the departments of Health and Human Services and Defense cope with an influx this year of hundreds of thousands of migrants on the southwest border.
A yes vote was to pass the bill.
2. $750 billion for military: Voted, 86-8, to authorize a $750 billion military budget (S 1790) for fiscal 2020, including $75.9 billion for war-fighting overseas and more than $57 billion for active-duty and retiree health care.
A yes vote was to pass the bill.
3. Authorization of force against Iran: Failed, 50-40, to reach 60 votes needed to advance an amendment to S 1790 (above) that sought to require the administration to receive congressional authorization in advance of any military action President Trump orders against Iran.
A yes vote was to require a congressional authorization for use of military force against Iran.
House
1. Protecting U.S. election security: Passed, 225-184, a Democratic bill (HR 2722) that would authorize a $600 million, multiyear program to bolster state and local voting systems against attacks by adversaries, including Russia.
A yes vote was to send the bill to the Senate.
2. Dispute over ballot drop-off laws: Defeated, 189-220, a Republican motion to HR 2722 (above) targeting state ballot dropoff laws, which allow homebound voters to designate a helper to personally deliver their absentee ballot to election officials. The motion required a state’s chief election officer to inform the Federal Election Commission whenever a foreign national is chosen as the helper.
A yes vote was to adopt the motion.
3. $4.5 billion for southwest border: Approved, 305-102, a bipartisan $4.5 billion emergency package to address a humanitarian crisis on the southwest border centered on hundreds of thousands of migrants from Central America who have entered the United States in recent months to apply for asylum protections under federal and international law.
A yes vote was to send the bill to President
Trump.
4. $383 billion spending package: Approved, 227-194, a $383.3 billion package that will fund government operations in fiscal 2020, which starts Oct. 1. In part, the bill (HR 3055) provides $80.4 billion for veterans health care; $50.1 billion for the Department of Housing and Urban Development; $32 billion for the Department of Justice including $9.46 billion for FBI salaries and expenses; $22.3 billion for NASA; $17.7 billion for the Federal Aviation Administration; $16.4 billion for the Department of Commerce including $8.45 billion for the Census Bureau and $9.5 billion for the Environmental Protection Agency.
A yes vote was to pass the bill.
5. Hiring more immigration judges: Defeated, 201-220, a Republican motion to add $75 million to HR 3055 (above) for hiring more immigration judges and expanding courtroom capacity.
A yes vote was to transfer $75 million from census to immigration accounts.