How Arkansas’ congressional delegation voted

HOUSE

DCall for impeachment of President Donald Trump. Approved 364-58, killing a resolution (HRes646) calling for the impeachment of Trump based on “high misdemeanors” primarily involving the president’s inflammatory and defamatory public statements and Twitter postings. Sponsored by Al Green, D-Texas, the measure offered two articles of impeachment that would be presented directly to the Senate for trial. Green was operating under a House rule that entitles any member, on two days’ notice, to offer a “privileged resolution” from the floor within broad limits on subject matter. There was no debate on the resolution. A yes vote was in opposition to consideration of the impeachment measure. h✔ Rick Crawford (R) h✔ French Hill (R) h✔ Steve Womack (R) h✔ Bruce Westerman (R) D Concealed-carry handguns. Passed 231-198, a bill (HR38) making it easier for travelers to carry concealed, loaded handguns from state to state. The bill would federalize the patchwork of state laws on concealed handguns. It does so by requiring every state to recognize every other state’s concealed-carry permit or authority. In part, this would allow residents of the 12 states that do not require permits to legally carry concealed handguns in the many states that deny permits to domestic-abusers, stalkers and convicted felons. The bill also would tighten reporting requirements for the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System. John Rutherford, R-Fla., said the bill ensures that “law-abiding citizens can retain the constitutional right to bear arms legally across state lines and hopefully be able to stop a violent incident. None of our other constitutional rights stop at a state line. Our Second Amendment rights should not stop at that line either.” Jamie Raskin, D-Md., said the bill “brings us down to the level of the lowest, most permissive laws in the country. My state doesn’t give concealed carry permits to domestic abusers, to violent offenders and to dangerously unstable people. Don’t drag us down to the lowest level. Protect states’ rights.” A yes vote was to send the bill to the Senate. h✔ Crawford (R) h✔ Hill (R) h✔ Womack (R) h✔ Westerman (R) F Exemption for violent criminals. Refused 190-236, to amend HR38 (above) so that it excludes protections for concealed-carry permit holders who have been convicted of violent crimes within the preceding three years. Under the amendment, these individuals would be prevented from carrying concealed, loaded handguns in any state other than their own whose laws would deny a permit based on a conviction for the same crime. Sponsor Mike Thompson, D-Calif., said a vote for his amendment “is a pro-states’ rights, pro-Second Amendment and anti-criminal vote.” Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., called the amendment a Democratic attempt “to hamper the passage of this important legislation.” A yes vote was to add an exemption for violent criminals to the bill. h✖ Crawford (R) h✖ Hill (R) h✖ Womack (R) h✖ Westerman (R) D Two weeks’ stopgap funding. Adopted 235-193, a continuing resolution (HJRes123) that would fund the government for two weeks starting Dec. 9, giving lawmakers more time to negotiate issues such as renewal of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, hurricane and wildfire disaster aid, the future of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program for “dreamers” and the lifting of domestic, as well as military spending caps on fiscal 2018 appropriations. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho, said supporting the stopgap measure “is the only responsible vote for national security, for our economy and for the general welfare of the American people.” Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, said the bill “doesn’t have health care in it. It doesn’t have the hurricane funding in it. It doesn’t have the funding we need for projects to stop the major catastrophic flooding in Houston.” A yes vote was to send the measure to the Senate. h✔ Crawford (R) h✔ Hill (R) h✔ Womack (R) h✔ Westerman (R)

SENATE

Kirstjen Nielsen, Homeland Security secretary. Confirmed 6237, deputy White House Chief of Staff Kirstjen M. Nielsen, 45, to head the Department of Homeland Security. Nielsen drew Democratic criticism for wavering when asked at her confirmation hearing whether she believes human activity causes global warming. Comprised of 22 agencies, 240,000 employees and a $66 billion budget, Department of Homeland Security is the third-largest federal department after Defense and Veterans Affairs. A yes vote was to confirm Nielsen as secretary of homeland security. h✔ John Boozman (R) h✔ Tom Cotton (R) D Two weeks’ stopgap funding. Adopted 81-14, a budget measure (HJRes123) that would fund the government from Dec. 9-22. In addition to provisions noted above, the measure would fund the Children’s Health Insurance Program and the nation’s 2,800 community health centers to avert closures and service cutbacks; both programs lost their regular budget authority on Oct. 1. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., said Democrats “will work with the Republican leadership to secure the funding agreements we need to complete our appropriations work for this fiscal year. This two-week continuing resolution will give us that chance.” No senator spoke against the measure. A yes vote was to adopt the continuing resolution. h✔ Boozman (R) h✔ Tom Cotton (R)