congressional roll call
HOUSE DISCLOSURE OF PERSONAL INTERNET ACTIVITY
Voting 215 for and 205 against, the House on March 28 nullified a Federal Communications Commission rule that Internet service providers including Comcast and Verizon must obtain customer consent before they share sensitive 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) would also prohibit the FCC from restoring the nullified rule or publishing any similar Internetprivacy rule in the future.
A yes vote was to send the nullification measure to President Trump and his expected signature.
ARKANSAS
Voting yes: Bruce Westerman, R-4
TEXAS
Voting yes: Louie Gohmert, R-1, John Ratcliffe, R-4
INDEPENDENT PROBE OF TRUMP-RUSSIA TIES
Voting 231 for and 189 against, the House on March 28 blocked 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.
ARKANSAS
Voting yes: Westerman
TEXAS
Voting yes: Gohmert, Ratcliffe
ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES, PRIVACY RIGHTS
Voting 228 for and 194 against, the House on March 29 passed a GOP-drafted bill (HR 1430) that would nullify specific Environmental Protection Agency rules unless all data from underlying research—including confidential health information about participants—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 much-needed 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.
ARKANSAS
Voting yes: Westerman
TEXAS
Voting yes: Gohmert, Ratcliffe
EPA RESPONSE TO BLACK LUNG, ASTHMA
Voting 189 for and 232 against, the House on March 29 rejected 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 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.
ARKANSAS
Voting no: Westerman
TEXAS
Voting no: Gohmert, Ratcliffe
SENATE
CLAMPDOWN ON PLANNED PARENTHOOD
Voting 51 for and 50 against, with Vice President Mike Pence casting the deciding vote, the Senate on March 30 nullified an Obama administration rule concerning Planned Parenthood funding. 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. Critics call these denials illegal because Planned Parenthood does not use federal funds for its abortion services. Title X of the Public Health Service Act is the only federal program devoted exclusively to providing family planning and related preventive care for women.
A yes vote was to send the nullification measure (HJ Res 43) to President Trump.
ARKANSAS
Voting yes: Tom Cotton, R, John Boozman, R
TEXAS
Voting yes: John Cornyn, R, Ted Cruz, R
OPPORTUNITY FOR RETIREMENT SAVINGS
Voting 50 for and 49 against, the Senate on March 30 nullified a rule designed to guide states and cities in setting 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 privatesector employees are in this situation. In response, at least seven states and several cities are setting up voluntary work-based IRA-style plans that uncovered individuals can use to save for retirement. These mainly low-income employees have not been a favored market for Wall Street retirement plans.
Under a typical state program, workers at firms 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.
Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, said the rule would “purposefully take us down the path toward government-mandated and government-run retirement plans.”
Ron Wyden, D-Ore., said the rule is needed because “55 million Americans don’t have access to a retirement plan at work. More often than not, it is the employees of small- and medium-sized businesses who don’t have that job benefit (through) no fault of their own.”
A yes vote was to send the nullification measure (HJ Res 67) to President Trump.
ARKANSAS
Voting yes: Cotton, Boozman TEXAS
Voting yes: Cornyn, Cruz
MONTENEGRO’S ADMITTANCE TO NATO
Voting 97 for and two against, the Senate on March 28 ratified treaty language allowing the Balkan country of Montenegro to join 26 European nations, the United States and Canada in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. NATO, a mutual-defense alliance in which an armed attack on one member is regarded as an attack on all, was established in 1949 as a bulwark against Soviet aggression, and it has resumed that stance today against Russia.
Calling NATO “the most successful security alliance in history,” Jean Shaheen, D-N.H., said the addition of Montenegro “will help (it) become more resilient, and it will deter Russian aggression on Europe’s eastern flank.”
Mike Lee, R-Utah, said “I don’t see how the accession of Montenegro—a country with a population smaller than most congressional districts and a military smaller than the police force of the District of Columbia—is beneficial enough that we should share an agreement for collective defense.”
A yes vote was to ratify Montenegro as NATO’s 29th member state.
ARKANSAS
Voting yes: Cotton, Boozman TEXAS
Voting yes: Cornyn, Cruz
KEY VOTES AHEAD
In the week of April 3, the House will debate bills on financial deregulation, while the Senate will conduct confirmation votes on Trump administration cabinet nominees and possibly also on Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch.