How Arkansas’ congressional delegation voted

Here is how Arkansas’ U.S. senators and U.S. representatives voted on major roll call votes during the week that ended Friday.

KEY: ✔ FOR ✖ AGAINST NOT VOTING PASSED DEFEATED

HOUSE

Repeal of Affordable

Care Act. Passed 239-186, a GOP-sponsored bill (HR596) to repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. This marked the fourth time since 2011 that House Republicans have passed bills to abolish the Affordable Care Act, while conducting more than 50 votes in that time to weaken or cancel parts of it. They have not taken a GOP alternative to the House floor. By early February, the Affordable Care Act had enrolled 9.9 million policyholders in its state and federal insurance exchanges while adding more than 8 million individuals to state-run Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance programs. The goal of the law is to eventually provide at least 30 million uninsured, legal U.S. residents with first-time health coverage. The Supreme Court in 2012 declared most parts of the Affordable Care Act constitutional, but is now weighing another challenge to the law, with a ruling expected by June. Joseph Pitts, R-Pa., said: “The American people continue to oppose the president’s health care law, and today House Republicans will stand with them again.” Frank Pallone, D-N.J., said: “Americans like the Affordable Care Act. It is working. … This isn’t something we can just throw away.” A yes vote was to send the bill to the Senate. ✔ Rick Crawford (R) ✔ French Hill (R) ✔ Steve Womack (R) ✔ Bruce Westerman (R)

Drug costs, gender bias,

pre-existing conditions. Defeated 179-241, a Democratic motion to prevent HR596 (above) from taking effect if it would cause senior citizens to pay more for prescription drugs under Medicare Part D; repeal the health law’s ban on coverage denials based on pre-existing conditions; allow insurance companies and group health plans to discriminate on the basis of gender, or effectively raise personal income taxes by eliminating federal subsidies of policies bought in insurance exchanges. Mark DeSaulnier, D-Calif., said the Republican bill “would eliminate critical benefits, increase the deficit, make health care more expensive and degrade the quality of care that patients are now receiving.” Mia Love, R-Utah, said: “Imagine a health care system that is measured by outcomes, not by Washington dictates. I see an American exceptionalism at work, where families and innovation and compassion drive the highest quality of care.” A yes vote was to adopt the motion, which, had it prevailed, would have immediately amended the bill. ✖ Crawford (R) ✖ Hill (R) ✖ Womack (R) ✖ Westerman (R) Rules by independent

agencies. Passed 250-173, a GOP-sponsored bill (HR50) that would expand a 1995 law designed to prevent U.S. departments and agencies from putting “unfunded mandates” on state, local and tribal governments or the private sector. At present, if a new regulation is projected to impose a total cost of at least $100 million on those it covers, the government must either fund compliance costs, draft an alternative or slash the cost. This bill would expand the law to cover independent agencies such as the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and Securities and Exchange Commission, subjecting their proposed rules to executive-branch oversight. In addition, the bill would allow courts to intervene while proposed rules are still in the drafting stage and require agencies to retroactively justify certain regulations already in force. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, said: “By updating this law, we can help ensure that all parties, from government entities to small businesses, understand the true cost of prospective mandates.” Elijah Cummings, D-Md., said the bill would “revamp an anti-regulatory law from the Newt Gingrich era to paralyze new financial, environmental and labor rules with a never-ending string of court challenges.” A yes vote was to send the bill to the Senate. ✔ Crawford (R) ✔ Hill (R) ✔ Womack (R) ✔ Westerman (R)

Rape, domestic violence, background checks. Defeated 184-239, a Democratic motion to prevent HR50 (above) from interfering with federal regulations designed to prevent sex offenses against minors, domestic violence, rape and sexual assault or that enable schools to conduct criminal background checks on prospective employees. A yes vote was to adopt the motion, which, had it prevailed, would have immediately amended the bill. ✖ Crawford (R) ✖ Hill (R) ✖ Womack (R) ✖ Westerman (R)

SENATE

Homeland Security, immigration dispute. Failed 53-47, to reach 60 votes needed to end Democratic blockage of a bill (HR240) that would appropriate $39.7 billion for the Department of Homeland Security in fiscal 2015 while negating certain immigration policies established by President Barack Obama’s executive orders. The bill would defund his Deferred Action for Child Arrivals program to benefit “dreamers,” and it would kill his order to temporarily shield from deportation 4 million-plus illegal aliens who are the parents of legal residents or U.S. citizens born before Nov. 20, 2014. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said the filibuster “needs to end now. Democratic senators who say they are serious about keeping our nation safe and addressing [the executive orders] need to prove it.” Richard Durbin, D-Ill., said: “At a time when we are facing threats of ghastly terrorism in this world why would the Republicans insist on making the appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security the forum for their debate” over immigration policies? A yes vote was to advance the bill to full debate. ✔ John Boozman (R) ✔ Tom Cotton (R)