HOW LEHIGH VALLEY-AREA LAWMAKERS VOTED LAST WEEK Votes in the US House
HR 1226: Wounded Warrior
Access Act
Voting 422 for and 0 against, the House on Tuesday passed a bill that requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to establish and maintain a secure online tool or website to enable a claimant or their representative to make records requests related to VA claims and benefits. Requests for records must specify in which format the copy is desired. The VA must notify a requester within 10 days that their request has been received and must fulfill the request within 120 days.
The bill also requires the VA to ensure that each time a claimant logs in to a website or online tool of the VA, the website or online tool displays in plain language a warning regarding violations of laws related to agents and attorneys, a link to an online tool to report violations, a link to an online tool to search for a VA-recognized agent or attorney, and a link to a website or online tool providing final decisions on discipline of agents and attorneys for violations.
Yes: Brian Fitzpatrick, R-1st (Bucks, parts of Montgomery); Dan Meuser, R-9th (Schuylkill, parts of Berks); Madeleine Dean, D-4th (Montgomery, parts of Berks); Matt Cartwright, D-8th (most of Monroe); Susan Wild, D-7th (Lehigh, Northampton, parts of Monroe and Carbon).
HR 1123: Understanding Cybersecurity of Mobile Networks Act Voting 393 for and 22 against,
the House on Tuesday passed a bill that requires the National Telecommunications and Information Administration to examine and report on the cybersecurity of mobile service networks and the vulnerability of these networks and mobile devices to cyberattacks and surveillance conducted by adversaries.
The report shall include (1) an assessment of the degree to which providers of mobile service have addressed certain cybersecurity vulnerabilities; (2) a discussion of the degree to which these providers have implemented cybersecurity best practices and risk assessment frameworks; and (3) an estimate of the prevalence and efficacy of encryption and authentication algorithms and techniques used in mobile service and communications equipment, mobile devices, and mobile operating systems and software.
Yes: Fitzpatrick, Meuser, Cartwright, Dean, Wild
HR.753: VA COST SAVINGS Enhancements Act Voting 426 for and 0 against,
the House on Wednesday passed a bill that requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to install and operate an on-site regulated medical waste treatment system at each VA facility that would benefit from such a system’s cost savings. In order to identify which VA facilities would benefit, the VA must develop a uniform regulated medical waste cost analysis model to determine the cost savings associated with the use of an on-site regulated medical waste treatment system.
Yes: Fitzpatrick, Meuser, Cartwright, Dean, Wild
Votes in the US Senate
Robert Stewart Ballou, The Judiciary
Voting 59 for and 37 against, the Senate on Tuesday confirmed Robert Stewart Ballou, of Virginia, to be United States District Judge for the Western District of Virginia, vice James P. Jones, retired.
Yes: Bob Casey (D)
Not voting: John Fetterman (D)
Andrew G. Schopler, The Judiciary Voting 56 for and 39 against,
the Senate on Tuesday confirmed Andrew G. Schopler, of California, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of California, vice Larry Alan Burns, retired.
Yes: Casey
Not voting: Fetterman
Arun Subramanian, The Judiciary Voting 59 for and 37 against,
the Senate on Tuesday confirmed Arun Subramanian, of New York, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of New York, vice Alison J. Nathan, elevated.
Yes: Casey
Not voting: Fetterman
Patrice H. Kunesh, Department of Health and Human Services Voting 57 for and 35 against,
the Senate on Wednesday confirmed Patrice H. Kunesh, of Minnesota, to be Commissioner of the Administration for Native Americans, Department of Health and Human Services, vice Jean Carol Hovland.
Yes: Casey
Not voting:
Fetterman HJRes.26: Disapproving the action of the District of Columbia Council in approving the Revised Criminal Code Act of 2022. Voting 81 for and 14 against,
the Senate on Wednesday passed a joint resolution that nullifies the Revised Criminal Code Act of 2022, enacted by the council of the District of Columbia (DC). The act makes a variety of changes to DC criminal laws, including by providing statutory definitions for various elements of criminal offenses, modifying sentencing guidelines and penalties, and expanding the right to a jury trial for certain misdemeanor crimes.
Yes: Casey
Not voting: Fetterman