$147 BILLION APPROPRIATIONS BILL

Voting 377 for and 20 against, the House on Sept. 13 gave final congressional approval to a $147 billion appropriations bill for several departments and agencies in fiscal 2019, which starts Oct. 1. In part, the bill (HR 5895) would provide $86.5 billion for veterans programs, including health care, for seven million individuals; $44.6 billion for energy and water programs; $10.3 billion for construction at military bases; $7 billion for Army Corps of Engineers public-works projects; and $4.8 billion for operating the legislative branch, including a boost in funding to defend Capitol Hill against cyberattacks.

A yes vote was to send the bill to President Trump.

ARKANSAS

Voting yes: Bruce Westerman, R-4

TEXAS

Voting yes: John Ratcliffe, R-4 Not voting: Louie Gohmert, R-1 would support the nominee “because the IRS deserves to have dedicated leadership at the top,” after having been led for the past 10 months by a political appointee, David J. Kautter, who also serves as assistant secretary of the Treasury for tax policy.

Ron Wyden, D-Ore., said, “The Trump dark money rule is anti-law enforcement, anti-democratic and anti-disclosure. It puts a blindfold on law enforcement at the exact moment Congress ought to be coming up with new approaches to shed more sunlight on political spending and defend American democracy from foreign influence.”

A yes vote was to put Rettig in charge of administering and enforcing the federal tax code.

ARKANSAS

Voting yes: Tom Cotton, R, John Boozman, R

TEXAS

Voting yes: John Cornyn, R, Ted Cruz, R