How Lehigh Valley-area lawmakers voted
Votes in the US House
HR 4521: Bioeconomy Research and Development Act
Voting 222 for and 210 against, the House in Friday passed a bill that directs the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) to implement a National Engineering Biology Research and Development Initiative to advance societal well-being, national security, sustainability, and economic productivity and competitiveness. Among other activities, the initiative must include sustained support for research centers, individual investigators, technologies, and training.
The initiative shall include outreach to primarily undergraduate and minority-serving institutions about initiative opportunities, and shall encourage the development of research collaborations between research-intensive universities and such institutions.
The OSTP shall designate an interagency committee to coordinate initiative activities as appropriate.
The interagency committee shall submit triennial reports to Congress through FY2028 in support of the initiative.
The National Science Foundation (NSF) shall seek to enter into an agreement with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to conduct a review of, and make recommendations with respect to, the ethical, legal, environmental, safety, security, and other appropriate societal issues related to engineering biology research and development.
The NSF, National Institute of Standards and Technology, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Energy, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Department of Agriculture, Environmental Protection Agency, and Department of Health and Human Services shall carry out related activities as part of the initiative.
Yes: Madeleine Dean, D-4th (Montgomery, parts of Berks); Susan Wild, D-7th (Lehigh, Northampton, parts of Monroe); Matt Cartwright, D-8th (most of Monroe)
No: Dan Meuser, R-9th (Schuylkill, parts of Carbon and Berks); Brian Fitzpatrick, R-1st (Bucks, parts of Montgomery and Philadelphia)
Votes in the US Senate
Sean C. Staples, The Judiciary Voting 59 for and 38 against, the Senate Wednesday confirmed Sean C. Staples, of the District of Columbia, to be an Associate Judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia for the term of 15 years, vice Lee F. Satterfield, term expired. Yes: Bob Casey, D; Pat Toomey, R Kenia Seoane Lopez,
The Judiciary
Voting 59 for and 38 against, the Senate on Feb. 2 confirmed Kenia Seoane Lopez, of the District of Columbia, to be an Associate Judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia for the term of fifteen years, vice Ronna Lee Beck, retired.
Casey; Toomey
Yes: Rupa Ranga Puttagunta, The Judiciary Voting 57 for and 38 against,
the Senate on Wednesday confirmed Rupa Ranga Puttagunta, of the District of Columbia, to be Associate Judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia for the term of fifteen years, vice Patricia A. Broderick,
retired.
Casey; Toomey
Yes: David Augustin Ruiz, The Judiciary Voting 62 for and 35 against,
the Senate on Tuesday confirmed David Augustin Ruiz, of Ohio, to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of Ohio, vice Solomon Oliver, Jr., retired.
Casey; Toomey
Yes: Charles Esque Fleming, The Judiciary Voting 56 for and 42 against,
the Senate on Tuesday confirmed Charles Esque Fleming, of Ohio, to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of Ohio, vice James S. Gwin, retired.
Casey
Toomey
Yes: No: Bridget Meehan Brennan, The Judiciary Voting 61 for and 35 against,
the Senate on Tuesday, confirmed Bridget Meehan Brennan, of Ohio, to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of Ohio, vice Dan A. Polster, retired.
Yes: Casey
No: Toomey