PEACEFUL TRANSFER OF PRESIDENTIAL POWER:
Voting 397 for and five against, the House on Sept. 29 adopted a measure (H Res 1155) affirming “the orderly and peaceful transfer of power called for by the Constitution” if President Trump is voted out of office this year. This was a response to Trump’s repeated refusal to commit to relinquishing power on Jan. 20, 2021, should he lose the November election. The five negative votes were cast by Republicans
Matt Gaetz of Florida, Louie Gohmert of Texas, Clay Higgins of Louisiana, Steve King of Iowa and Thomas Massie of Kentucky.
A yes vote was to adopt the resolution.
ARKANSAS
Voting yes: Bruce Westerman, R-4
TEXAS
Voting no: Louie Gohmert, R-1
CONDEMNING SURGICAL PROCEDURES ON IMMIGRANT WOMEN:
Voting 232 for and 157 against, the House on Oct. 2 adopted a non-binding condemnation (H Res 1153) of unwanted gynecological surgery allegedly performed in recent years on numerous women held for immigration offenses at the Irwin County Detention Center in Georgia. The Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility is managed by the private firm LaSalle Corrections, and the operations reportedly were performed at a nearby hospital. The Department of Homeland Security inspector general recently opened an investigation of the allegations, which were raised in a nurse’s whistleblower complaint. Mary Gay Scanlon, D-Pa., said it was necessary to condemn and investigate “some of the most repulsive and inhumane allegations ever directed at a U.S. federal agency.” Debbie Lesko., R-Ariz., said: “If the accusations are true, they’re obviously horrific….However, we don’t know anything for certain yet” while awaiting the outcome of the inspector general’s investigation. A yes vote was to adopt the resolution.
ARKANSAS
Voting no: Westerman TEXAS
Voting no: Gohmert
APPROVING $2.2 TRILLION FOR CORONAVIRUS RELIEF:
Voting 214 for and 207
against, the House on Oct. 1 approved a $2.2 trillion coronavirus relief package (HR 925) that would authorize $600 per week in added jobless benefits through January and a second round of stimulus payments of $1,200 to individuals and $2,400 to families up to certain income levels, plus expanded child tax credits. The bill also provides, in part, $436 billion for state, local, tribal and territorial governments; $182 billion for K-12 schools; $120 billion for restaurants; $75 billion for coronavirus testing, tracing and isolation; $57 billion for child-care centers; $50 billion for tenants’ rental assistance; $50 billion for hospitals serving poor communities; $50 billion in grants to small businesses; $39 billion for colleges and universities; $28.3 billion for airline payrolls; $28 billion for vaccine procurement, distribution and education; $21 billion in homeowner mortgage aid; $15 billion to sustain the Postal Service and $3.6 billion to boost ballot security and voter participation in this year’s elections.
A yes vote was to send the bill to the Senate.
ARKANSAS
Voting no: Westerman TEXAS
Voting no: Gohmert
SENATE
HEALTH LAW BEFORE SUPREME COURT:
Voting 51 for and 43 against, Senate on Oct. 1 turned back a Democratic attempt to end the Trump administration’s advocacy before the Supreme Court of litigation to strike
down the Affordable Care Act. The bill (S 4653) needed 60 votes to advance. The court is scheduled to hear oral arguments Nov. 10 in the lawsuit Texas v. United States that would kill the 2010 health law, and the Department of Justice has filed a brief in support of the suit.
A yes vote was to end administration involvement in the repeal lawsuit. ARKANSAS
Voting no: Tom Cotton, R,
John Boozman, R
TEXAS
Voting no: John Cornyn, R, Ted Cruz, R
APPROVING STOPGAP FEDERAL BUDGET:
Voting 84 for and 10 against, the Senate on Sept. 30 passed a bill (HR 8337) to fund the government on a stopgap basis in the opening weeks of fiscal 2021, which began Oct. 1. The bill, which became necessary when Congress failed to pass regular appropriations bills for the new budget year, will fund agencies at 2020 spending levels through Dec. 11.
A yes vote was to send the bill to President Trump. VOTE S-2 slugged STOPGAP ARKANSAS
Voting yes: Cotton, Boozman
TEXAS
Voting yes: Cornyn Voting no: Cruz
KEY VOTES AHEAD
Congress is in recess in the week of Oct. 5.