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.

HOUSE

Drilling ban in Arctic Wildlife Refuge. Passed 225-193, a bill (HR1146) that would prohibit oil and gas drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge on Alaska’s North Slope. This would repeal a mandate in the Republicans’ 2017 tax-cut law that would open the refuge’s pristine coastal plain to energy development. The plain accounts for 1.5 million of the refuge’s 19.3 million acres. The area where drilling would be centered consists of a 2,000-acre footprint plus thousands of adjacent acres to accommodate roads, gravel pits, housing and other support facilities. A Department of the Interior plan to start offering leases this year faces court challenges. Raul Grijalva, D-Ariz., said opening the refuge to drilling “has nothing to do with gas prices and has nothing to do with energy independence. It has to do with greed, plain and simple. This administration simply can’t stand the idea that there are some places that the oil and gas industry shouldn’t be allowed to destroy. ” Bruce Westerman, R-Ark., said the bill “lacks common sense. I have been to the North Slope of Alaska. We can develop clean, safe, low-cost energy in the world and conserve our public lands and the environment.”

A yes vote was to send the bill to the Senate.

Arctic drilling, Russian energy. Defeated 189-229, a Republican motion that sought to prevent HR1146 (above) from taking effect unless President Donald Trump certifies that it would not result in a net increase of American oil and natural gas imports from Russia. John Curtis, R-Utah, said: “When the other side is ready to fight climate change, Republicans stand ready. This is not one of those times. … The answer to climate change is not making the U.S. more reliant on foreign fossil fuels.” Jared Huffman, D-Calif., called presidential certification a delaying tactic “so that this administration can rush a lease plan forward. Frankly, by that time, it is too late. You can’t go backward once you open a place like this up to drilling.” A yes vote was to adopt the motion. Drilling ban in eastern Gulf of Mexico. Passed 248-180, a bill (HR205) that would permanently prohibit the federal government from awarding leases for oil and gas drilling in the eastern Gulf of Mexico. This would replace a temporary moratorium set to expire June 30, 2022. The protected waters extend at least 125 miles from the Florida coastline and include a 122,000-square-mile military testing range stretching from the Florida Panhandle to the Florida Keys. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., said: “If drilling off Florida is the only thing that is going to keep us from having high energy prices and a reliance on foreign energy, I don’t know why that hasn’t happened yet. Right now, we are not drilling off the coast of Florida, and we are energy dominant in the world. … and we continue to see energy prices dropping.” Tom McClintock, R-Calif., said: “Procedures have been long established to ensure that offshore [energy] production can occur alongside commercial fishing, recreation and, yes, military testing and training. They have proven themselves to be entirely compatible during many decades of practical experience.”

A yes vote was to send the bill to the Senate. Drilling ban off Atlantic, Pacific coasts. Passed 238-189, a bill (HR1941) that would prohibit the federal government from awarding leases for oil and gas development at least through 2024 in the Outer Continental Shelf off the Atlantic and Pacific coasts. The Outer Continental Shelf typically begins threeto-nine nautical miles from the U.S. shoreline and reaches outward for at least 200 nautical miles. The bill would thwart Trump administration plans to open certain Outer Continental Shelf areas along both coasts to oil and gas exploration as part of a five-year federal energy plan now in the works.

A yes vote was to send the bill to the Senate. Offshore drilling, gasoline prices. Defeated 194-233, a Republican motion to prevent a ban on offshore oil and gas drilling (HR1941, above) from taking effect without presidential certification that it would not contribute to an increase in the national average price of gasoline.

Garret Graves, R-La., said: “A runup in world oil prices effectively attacks every American family’s discretionary budget, except that the money goes to the OPEC cartel rather than the U.S. Treasury. … This amendment ensures that [the bill] does not result in a disproportionate impact on the poor by raising gasoline prices.”

Joe Cunningham, D-S.C., said the motion would “cede more power to our president, but I believe in the Constitution, and I believe in separate but equal branches of government like our Founding Fathers intended.”

A yes vote was to adopt the motion.

SENATE

Michelle Bowman, Federal Reserve governor. Confirmed 6031, Michelle Bowman to a 14-year term on the Federal Reserve System board of governors starting Feb. 1, 2020. Until then, she will continue to fill an unexpired term on the board. Bowman was the top banking regulator in Kansas and a community bank executive before joining the Fed in November 2018. She held posts at the Federal Emergency Management Agency and Department of Homeland Security in the George W. Bush administration.

A yes vote was to confirm the nominee.