congressional roll call
HOUSE
ELIGIBILITY FOR HEALTHCARE TAX CREDITS:
Voting 238 for and 184 against, the House on June 13 passed a bill (HR 2581) that would require persons applying for premium tax credits under the Affordable Care Act to submit their Social Security number to document their citizenship or legal status. However, the bill rules out as verification the IRS-issued Individual Taxpayer Identification Number that aliens who lack Social Security numbers use to file federal tax returns. The bill would replace a two-step ACA verification process that allows a 90-day grace period so that when a person’s documentation is uncertain, their coverage can begin immediately, with any erroneous tax credits to be recouped. Directed mainly at immigrants, the bill also would apply to the GOP’s proposed American Health Care Act if that measure becomes law.
Kevin Brady, R-Texas, said the bill ”simply says that we are not going to pay first and chase later, which always is a losing approach for taxpayers. Not a dollar of taxpayer money should go out the door until citizenship or legal status is verified, period.”
Judy Chu, D-Calif., said the bill would ”create barriers for immigrants who are here legally” and for ”U.S. citizens who have complications with their Social Security numbers. This includes people who recently change their name after marriage, have an error in their records, were born abroad or were victims of human trafficking.”
A yes vote was to send the bill to the Senate. ARKANSAS
Voting yes: Bruce Westerman, R-4 TEXAS
Voting yes: Louie Gohmert, R-1, John Ratcliffe, R-4
IMMEDIATE HEALTH INSURANCE FOR INFANTS:
Voting 193 for and 231 against, the House on June 13 defeated a Democratic bid to ensure immediate healthcare coverage under HR 2581 (above) for newborns and infants up to 1 year old whose legal status cannot be promptly established because of the time it takes to obtain a Social Security number for meeting the bill’s verification requirement.
Linda Sanchez, D-Calif., said the GOP bill ”an unnecessary barrier for newborns to receive the care they need. God forbid if your child needs extra care after they are born but doesn’t have coverage because your plan is waiting to verify your child’s status. A child’s life should not hang in the balance because of paperwork and red tape.”
Kevin Brady, R-Texas, said: ”Ninety-six percent of children receive their Social Security numbers within two weeks after they are born in a hospital, and many of them have parents who are eligible for these (tax) credits as well, so it is immediate care. (And) they can achieve and receive healthcare immediately” while paperwork is being processed.
A yes vote was to adopt the Democratic motion. ARKANSAS
Voting no: Westerman TEXAS Voting no: Gohmert, Ratcliffe SENATE
ECONOMIC SANCTIONS ON IRAN:
Voting 98 for and two against, the Senate on June 15 passed a bill (S 722) that would impose U.S. economic sanctions on foreign individuals and entities that provide support to Iran’s ballistic-missile program, which is separate from its now-dormant nuclear-arms program. The bill also would sanction Iran’s Revolutionary Guard over its terrorist activities and the Mahan Air commercial airline that is thought to transport terrorists and weapons in the Middle East. The sanctions would consist of steps such as denying certain individuals’ entry to the U.S. and freezing violators’ assets in U.S.-based financial institutions.
Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., said that when the U.S. signed the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, ”We made it clear that we will continue to hold Iran accountable for its nefarious activities outside of the four corners of the agreement. We must hold Iran accountable for missile tests, for financing terrorism and human rights violations.”
No senator spoke against the bill.
A yes vote was to send the bill to the House. ARKANSAS
Voting yes: Tom Cotton, R, John Boozman, R TEXAS
Voting yes: John Cornyn, R, Ted Cruz, R
ECONOMIC SANCTIONS ON RUSSIA:
Voting 97 for and two against, the Senate on June 14 amended S 722 (above) to require congressional review of attempts by any president to ease or remove U.S. economic sanctions on Russia. In addition, the amendment would place a range of new sanctions on the Russian economy while putting into law several Obamaera executive orders that penalize the Kremlin for its interventions in the U.S. and other countries. Both the new and existing penalties are responses, in part, to Russia’s cyber-warfare against U.S. elections, aggression in Ukraine and support of the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
The measure would apply to Russian economic sectors such as mining, metals, shipping and railways; address corruption and human rights abuses in Russia; impose financial penalties on non-Russian entities and individuals that provide the Kremlin with certain types of commercial support and penalize entities that supply weapons to the Syrian regime.
Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, said the measure ”sends an unambiguous message that the United States will not accept Russia’s continued aggression, will adopt tough measures to both punish its past actions and deter future aggression against our country and our allies.”
No senator spoke against the amendment.
A yes vote was to expand U.S. economic sanctions on Russia. ARKANSAS
Voting yes: Cotton, Boozman TEXAS Voting yes: Cornyn, Cruz
ARMS TO SAUDI ARABIA
Voting 47 for and 53 against, the Senate on June 13 defeated a measure (SJ Res 42) that would block the administration’s plan to sell Saudi Arabia $500 million in laser-guided bombs and related weaponry for its war against Iranian-backed forces in Yemen. The package is part of a proposed $110 billion U.S. weapons sale to the Saudis. Backers argue the transaction will help contain Iran’s expansion in the Middle East, while critics say it would further entangle America in Yemen’s civil war and humanitarian crisis.
Rand Paul. R-Ky., said: ”What has Saudi Arabia done over the last 30 years? They have been the No. 1 exporter of jihadist philosophy … of let’s hate America, let’s hate the Judeo-Christian ethic…. They teach it in the schools in Indonesia. They corrupt the religion of Islam throughout the world, and we are going to give them weapons? I think it is a huge, huge mistake.”
John McCain, R-Ariz., said: ”If we vote down this arms sale to Saudi Arabia, it would have a devastating effect on our standing in the Middle East and a long-term impact on our ability to counter what is clearly Iranian aggressive behavior.”
A yes vote was to block the $500 million arms sale. ARKANSAS
Voting no: Cotton, Boozman TEXAS Voting no: Cornyn, Cruz KEY VOTES AHEAD
In the week of June 19, the House will debate bills on water storage, forest-fire prevention and workplace issues, while the Senate will conduct votes on high-ranking Trump administration nominees.