HOW YOUR CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATES VOTED

For the week ending October 20

Contact your legislators at the U.S. Capitol Zip codes: House 20515, Senate 20510 Capitol operator: (202) 224-3121

10-YEAR REPUBLICAN BUDGET: Voting 51 for and 49 against, the Senate on Oct. 19 adopted a 10-year budget blueprint (H Con Res 71) that would pave the way for later action on corporate and individual tax cuts increasing budget deficits by up to $1.5 trillion. The Senate version of the fiscal 2018 budget resolution also calls for cutting entitlement and discretionary spending by $5.8 trillion and sets ground rules that would allow the Senate to pass a tax-overhaul bill by a simple-majority vote. The measure also expedites action to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil and gas drilling and end the deduction for state and local income taxes.

The largely non-binding fiscal plan calls upon committees to cut $800 billion from non-defense discretionary outlays, and would achieve $850 billion in further savings by phasing out the Overseas Contingency Operations emergency accounts that fund combat operations. The plan would slow the growth of entitlement spending by $4.1 trillion. Health programs would absorb $1.8 trillion of those cuts, including $1 trillion from Medicaid and $473 billion from Medicare.

A yes vote was to adopt the Republican budget blueprint for 2018-2027.

NO: UDALL, HEINRICH

RESTORING $473 BILLION FOR MEDICARE: Voting 47 for and 51 against, the Senate on Oct. 18 defeated a Democratic attempt to delete from the Republican budget plan for fiscal 2018-2027 (H Con Res 71, above) language endorsing $473 billion in Medicare spending reductions. The cost of the amendment would be offset with increased revenue from changes in unspecified tax provisions. Republicans say Medicare cuts would help control entitlement spending that is the major cause of expanding federal debt. But Democrats contend the GOP is targeting entitlement programs including Medicare and Medicaid mainly to finance tax cuts for the wealthy.

A yes vote was in opposition to cutting Medicare. YES: UDALL, HEINRICH ENDING STATE AND LOCAL TAX DEDUCTION: Voting 52 for and 47 against, the Senate on Oct. 19 adopted a GOP amendment to H Con Res 71 (above) intended to clear the way for later legislative action to end or limit the federal income tax deduction for taxes paid at the state and local level. Federal taxpayers who itemize deductions subtract state and local taxes from their gross income. Republicans say they intend to repeal or narrow the deduction and use the resulting additional revenue to help offset the cost of tax cuts. Some 43 million taxpayers claim the deduction, which is most beneficial to high-income residents of high-tax states, according to the non-partisan Tax Foundation.

A yes vote was to advance repeal of the state and local tax deduction.

NO: UDALL, HEINRICH

RESTORING $1 TRILLION FOR MEDICAID: Voting 47 for and 51 against, the Senate on Oct. 18 defeated a Democratic amendment that sought to restore approximately $1 trillion in Medicaid spending reductions proposed by the Republican-drafted budget plan (H Con Res 71, above) over 10 years. The cost of the amendment would be offset by an equal amount of additional taxes paid by the top 1 percent of U.S. taxpayers.

A yes vote was in opposition to Medicaid cuts in the 10-year budget plan.

YES: UDALL, HEINRICH

28-HOUR NOTICE OF BUDGET IMPACTS: Voting 48 for and 51 against, the Senate on Oct. 19 refused to strip H Con Res 71 (above) of its waiver of a rule designed to provide lawmakers and constituents with advance information on the content of bills — such as tax-code overhaul — considered under so-called ”reconciliation” procedures. The rule requires such bills to be publicly scored by the Congressional Budget Office at least 28 hours before they are called up for debate.

A yes vote was to retain the budget transparency rule. YES: UDALL, HEINRICH

CALLISTA GINGRICH, AMBASSADOR TO THE

HOLY SEE: Voting 70 for and 23 against, the Senate on Oct. 16 confirmed Callista L. Gingrich, 51, as U.S. ambassador to the Holy See, a sovereign entity in Rome that is the world’s smallest country. The wife of former House speaker and GOP presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich, she is an author of children’s books and former president of both The Gingrich Foundation and a media production company.

A yes vote was to confirm Gingrich as American envoy to the Vatican City.

NO: UDALL, HEINRICH