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.

D F KEY: h ✔ FOR h ✖ AGAINST h NOT VOTING PASSED DEFEATED

HOUSE

Health insurance for expatriates. Failed 257-159, to reach a two-thirds majority needed to pass a bipartisan bill (HR4414) that would exempt Americans abroad and foreigners working in the U.S. from the requirements of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Backers said the bill would protect jobs at U.S. insurance companies that sell policies to expatriates, while opponents said it would undermine the Affordable Care Act and result in expatriates receiving inferior health coverage. John Carney, D-Del., said the bill “ensures that American expatriate insurance carriers are on a level playing field with their foreign competitors, so that American jobs stay here in America.” Jim McDermott, D-Wash., called the bill “special treatment for certain insurance companies who would like nothing more than to avoid the responsibilities under the [Affordable Care Act] and sell inferior insurance policies.” A yes vote was to pass the bill. Rick Crawford (R) Tim Griffin (R) Steve Womack (R) Tom Cotton (R)

Accounting for credit programs. Adopted 230- 165, GOP-sponsored accounting rules (HR1872) that would raise the stated cost of direct-loan and loan-guarantee programs in the U.S. budget by giving more weight to risk. The bill would partially base the cost of credit programs on the fair-market value of the assets to which they are linked. This would replace the existing method of counting funds actually spent and revenue actually received to value specific programs. Democrats said that to define credit programs, such as student loans, as more costly would make them a more inviting target for spending cuts. The bill also would include Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac balance sheets in the federal budget. These giant home-mortgage firms, known as Government Sponsored Enterprises, are privately owned but federally protected. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., said: “When Washington makes or guarantees a loan, it is putting taxpayers at risk. Our budget rules don’t account for all of that risk. This bill is about recognizing the actual costs of what this government does.” John Yarmuth, D-Ky., said: “There are far more important things that this body ought to be dealing with, including raising the minimum wage, extending unemployment benefits, developing infrastructure that would help stimulate the economy and create jobs.” A yes vote was to send the bill to the Senate, where it is likely to die. Crawford (R) Griffin (R) Womack (R) Cotton (R)

Equal pay for women. Defeated 179-217, a Democratic motion to delay enactment of HR1872 (above) until the Census Bureau finds that women have achieved equal pay with men for full-time, year-round employment. In 2011, according to the bureau’s most recent figures, women earned 77 percent of what men earned for full-time, yearlong work, with a median income of $37,118 compared with $48,202 for men. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., said: “Let us make sure that employers cannot pay women less for the same job. This makes all the difference in their lives and the lives of their families.” Scott Garrett, R-N.J., called the motion “totally extraneous to the underlying message and purpose” of the pending bill. A yes vote was to adopt the Democratic motion. Crawford (R) Griffin (R) Womack (R) Cotton (R)

GOP rules to measure spending. Passed 230-185, a Republican-sponsored bill (HR1871) that would redefine the all-important “baseline” in budgeting rules to make it easier for Congress to cut discretionary spending. When Congress drafts annual and multiyear spending plans, its starting point, or baseline, is the previous fiscal year’s nonentitlement spending level plus adjustments for inflation and population growth. This bill removes inflation from the calculation, which would automatically lower the baseline and lock in across-the-board spending cuts of at least a few percentage points. The bill does not address the taxation side of the budget ledger. Tom McClintock, R-Calif., said: “Right now, we start our budget by assuming that we are hostages to our spending. This measure makes us the masters of that spending. That is a harder job, but that is our job.” Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., said: “The price of a Big Mac is not the same today as it was 10 years ago. It would be misleading to pretend, as we put together our 10-year budgets, that the price of aircraft carriers, education and providing health care to our veterans will be the same.” A yes vote was to send the bill to the Senate, where it is likely to die. Crawford (R) Griffin (R) Womack (R) Cotton (R)

Disabled children, veterans, police. Defeated 191-221, a Democratic motion to prevent HR1871 (above) from triggering spending cuts in programs for student loans, nursing-home safety, the education of disabled children, aviation and food safety, veterans’ benefits or local police. Sponsor Cheri Bustos, D-Ill., said her motion “would help protect the smart investment we have made in the future of our country — in our seniors, in our veterans and in those who fight to protect us and keep us safe.” Rob Woodall, R-Ga., said the bill “has nothing to do with cuts” and “does one thing and one thing only, and that is to say, let’s spend next year what we spent this year, unless someone makes the case to do more.” A yes vote was to adopt the Democratic motion. Crawford (R) Griffin (R) Womack (R) Cotton (R) 10-year Republican budget. Approved 219-205, a Republican budget (HConRes96) that would reach balance by fiscal 2024 through steps such as cutting spending by $5 trillion over 10 years; repealing the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; scaling back the higher-education aid known as Pell Grants; partially privatizing Medicare for individuals now 55 and younger; and converting Medicaid and food stamps to state-run block-grant programs. Under the bill’s “premium support” plan for Medicare, starting in 2024 senior citizens would receive government vouchers for purchasing either a strictly private policy or one offered through what is left of traditional Medicare. Written by Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., this budget sets federal spending next year at $3.66 trillion while projecting a $328 billion deficit; increases military spending by $483 billion over 10 years; bars tax increases; cuts the top individual tax rate from 39.6 percent to 25 percent; reduces the corporate rate from 35 percent to 25 percent; and cuts taxes on corporate profits earned overseas. Ryan said he would change the tax code to pay the cost of tax cuts but left it up to the Ways and Means Committee to come up with specifics. Ryan said the GOP budget is “one that actually grows the economy, balances the budget and pays off the debt that secures retirement not with empty promises but real reforms that goes after waste and cronyism.” Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., called the GOP budget “a trickle-down approach” that has “worked for the rich. It has worked for the special interests and their supporters, but it has not worked for the great middle class.” A yes vote was to adopt the Republican budget. Crawford (R) Griffin (R) Womack (R) Cotton (R) Democratic budget plan. Defeated 163-261, a Democratic budget that differed from the Republican plan (HConRes96, above) by raising the minimum wage; funding extended unemployment benefits; launching immigration changes that would generate $400 billion over 10 years in revenue; increasing spending on programs such as education, transportation and scientific research; continuing traditional feefor-service Medicare, Medicaid, food stamps and other safety-net programs as presently structured; levying $1.8 trillion in tax increases over 10 years on corporations and the wealthy; and repealing the remaining years of the sequester. This budget would not reach balance. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., said Democrats would invest “in America’s future — in infrastructure, education, innovation — while the Republicans would sentence this rich, great country to perpetual decline.” Mick Mulvaney, R-S.C., said: “If you borrow money from me and intend to pay it back, that is debt. If you borrow money from me and never intend to pay it back, that is theft. That is what the Democrats are offering here today.” A yes vote was to adopt the Democratic budget. Crawford (R) Griffin (R) Womack (R) Cotton (R) Conservative budget plan. Defeated 133-291, a fiscal 201524 budget (HConRes96) offered by the conservative Republican Study Committee. In contrast to the mainstream Republican budget (above), this plan reaches balance in four years through steps such as removing special-interest loopholes from the tax code; freezing discretionary spending at $950 billion annually; converting Medicare to a voucher program; gradually raising the Social Security retirement age to 70; and tightening the formula for Social Security cost-of-living increases. This budget would raise defense spending by one-third to $696 billion per year and retain tax revenue from the Affordable Care Act while repealing the remainder of the health law. Luke Messer, R-Ind., said the conservatives’ plan “will balance the budget and create a healthy economy sooner than any other budget alternative.” Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., said: “Despite all the talk about fiscal discipline from our Republican colleagues, it is hands-off [in] imposing any fiscal discipline on powerful special interests who have succeeded in getting themselves special deals in the Tax Code.” A yes vote was to adopt the Republican Study Committee budget. Crawford (R) Griffin (R) Womack (R) Cotton Black caucus budget. Defeated 116-300, a Congressional Black Caucus budget (HConRes96) that would expand an array of domestic programs while reducing projected deficits by $2.8 trillion over 10 years, largely by raising taxes on corporations and wealthy individuals and closing tax provisions. This budget repeals the sequester; fully funds the Affordable Care Act; increases job-training and infrastructure outlays; helps localities fund teacher, police and first-responder payrolls; increases spending for housing and community-development; and bolsters safety-net programs such as Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, food stamps and welfare. The budget would raise marginal income-tax rates on millionaires, end mortgage deductions for yachts and second homes; and save $1 trillion over 10 years by ending tax breaks for special interests. Marcia Fudge, D-Ohio, said this budget is focused on “eradicating poverty in America by increasing economic opportunities through robust investments in education and infrastructure, affordable housing, domestic manufacturing, small businesses and job training.” Tom McClintock, R-Calif., said: “No one doubts the sincerity of the Congressional Black Caucus in bringing this budget substitute to the floor, but there is an old saying: You can’t fix a broken bucket by pouring more water in it; at some point, you have to fix the bucket.” A yes vote was to adopt the Congressional Black Caucus budget. Crawford (R) Griffin (R) Womack (R) Cotton (R)

SENATE

Extended unemployment benefits. Passed 59-38, a bipartisan bill (HR3979) to provide extended jobless benefits to about 3 million individuals out of work for 27 weeks or longer. Benefits funded by the bill would be retroactive to Dec. 28 and end on May 31, with their projected $10 billion cost paid for by extending customs user fees and temporarily changing rules by which companies fund their pension plans. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, said the House “has shrugged these workers off. It is wrong. It is important that this Congress — the House and the Senate — pass the extension.” Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, said the bill “is not fiscally responsible and would do nothing to address the causes of weak job creation.” A yes vote was to send the bill to the House, where it is likely to be shelved. Mark Pryor (D) John Boozman (R)

Female-male pay equity. Failed 53-44, to reach 60 votes for ending GOP blockage of a Democratic-sponsored bill (S2199) closing provisions in the 1963 Equal Pay Act and giving women more legal tools for gaining pay equity with male co-workers. The so-called Paycheck Fairness Act would require equal pay for comparable work except when differences can be justified by narrowly defined business necessities or factors such as education, training or experience. The bill would prevent employer retaliation against those who inquire about co-workers’ wages or disclose their own pay in the course of investigations. Additionally, the bill would make it easier for plaintiffs to file class-action suits and enable them to seek punitive and compensatory damages. Barbara Mikulski, D-Md., said: “Today is a day of reckoning: Do you want equal pay for equal work?” Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, said existing laws “already say it is illegal to discriminate. If we are still seeing instances of discrimination then let’s honestly try to address that rather than through messaging efforts” such as this bill. A yes vote was to advance the bill. Pryor (D) Boozman (R)