WASHINGTON — Here’s how area members of Congress — U.S. Reps. Jeff Miller, R-Chumuckla, and Steve Southerland, R-Panama City, and Sens. Bill Nelson and Marco Rubio — voted on major issues during the week ending Sept. 19. Congress is in recess until Nov. 12.
HOUSE
U.S.SUPPORT OF SYRIAN REBELS: The House on Sept. 17 voted, 273 for and 156 against, to authorize the U.S. government to train and arm moderate Syrian rebels in their battle against the militant group known as the Islamic State. The amendment was added to a measure (HJ Res 124, below) that would fund the federal government on a stopgap basis between the start of fiscal 2015 on Oct. 1 and Dec. 11.
A yes vote was to authorize U.S. support for Syrian rebel forces against Islamic militants.
Voting yes: Steve Southerland
Voting no: Jeff Miller
STOPGAP SPENDING, MIDDLE EAST WAR: Voting 319 for and 108 against, the House on Sept. 17 passed a stopgap measure (HJ Res 124, above) to fund government operations between Oct. 1 and Dec. 11 at an annual rate of $1.012 trillion in discretionary spending while authorizing U.S. training and arming of moderate Syrian rebels.
A yes vote was to send the spending bill to President Obama for his signature.
Voting yes: Miller, Southerland,
DEMOCRATIC POLICY GOALS: Voting 199 for and 228 against, the House on Sept. 17 turned back a bid by Democrats to add five of their policy goals to HJ Res 124 (above). The motion called for raising the minimum wage, requiring that women receive equal pay for equal work, allowing most student loans to be refinanced, denying government contracts to companies that move headquarters overseas and reauthorizing the Export-Import Bank for the long term.
Voting no: Miller, Southerland
AUDIT OF FEDERAL RESERVE: Voting 333 for and 92 against, the House on Sept. 17 passed a bill (HR 24) authorizing the Government Accountability Office, the investigative arm of Congress, to conduct a top-to-bottom audit of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors and the 12 regional Federal Reserve banks, with authority to inspect internal communications among Fed governors and staff. Established in 1913 as both an independent agency and central bank, the Fed is charged with setting U.S. monetary policy, with fiscal policy left to the legislative and executive branches. This bill would inject politicians directly into internal Fed deliberations over matters such as setting interest rates and regulating the currency supply.
A yes vote was to send the bill to the Senate, where it was dead on arrival.
Voting yes: Miller, Southerland
REPUBLICAN ENERGY PACKAGE: Voting 226 for and 191 against, members on Sept. 18 approved a package (HR 2) of 19 GOP-drafted energy bills that previously cleared the House as strand-alone measures before faltering in the Democratic-controlled Senate in the face of environmental concerns and other objections. In part, the bills would expand offshore drilling for oil and natural gas, require speedy administration approval of the Keystone XL pipeline, expedite Department of Energy approvals of applications for exporting liquefied natural gas and prohibit federal regulation on federal and tribal lands of hydraulic fracturing, or fracking.
A yes vote was to send the bill to the Senate, where it was dead on arrival.
Voting yes: Miller, Southerland
OIL EXPORTS TO TERRORISM-ENABLERS: Voting 193 for and 222 against, the House on Sept. 18 defeated a Democratic motion that sought to amend HR 2 (above) so that it would “prohibit U.S. oil exports to any country, company or individual that supports or harbors terrorist organizations, including ISIS or al Qaeda.”
A yes vote was to adopt the Democratic motion.
Voting no: Miller
Not voting: Southerland
REPUBLICAN JOBS PACKAGE: Voting 253 for and 163 against, members on Sept. 18 approved a package (HR 4) of 15 jobs bills that previously passed the House as individual measures, and then died in the Democratic-led Senate. In part, the bills would expedite logging in national forests, scale back the 2010 Dodd-Frank financial-regulation law, make bonus depreciation and certain charitable contributions by businesses a permanent part of the U.S. tax code, ease certain environmental rules to promote job creation and give Congress veto power over federal regulations having at least a $100 million annual impact on the economy.
A yes vote was to send the bill to the Senate, where it appeared certain to die.
Voting yes: Miller, Southerland
DEMOCRATS’ TAX CHANGES: Voting 191 for and 218 against, the House on Sept. 18 defeated a motion by Democrats to amend HR 4 (above) in a way that would deny federal tax breaks to companies that shift U.S. jobs overseas or which reincorporate abroad to avoid U.S. taxation, a process known as “inversion.” The motion also sought to require the Republican leadership to put Democratic issues such as a minimum-wage increase, pay equity for women and student-loan refinancing to House votes.
A yes vote was to adopt the Democratic motion.
Voting no: Miller
Not voting: Southerland
SENATE
STOPGAP SPENDING, MIDDLE EAST WAR: Voting 73 for and 22 against, the Senate on Sept. 18 passed a measure (HJ Res 124, above) to fund U.S. government operations for the first 10 weeks of fiscal 2015 at an annual rate of $1.012 trillion in discretionary spending. Although the measure authorizes U.S. training and arming of moderate Syrian rebels, there was no separate Senate vote on that issue. The bill extends the Export-Import Bank through June 30, 2015, increases funding for veterans’ health care and provides new funds for aiding Ukraine and countering the spread of the Ebola virus in West Africa.
Voting yes: Rubio, Nelson
FEMALE-MALE PAY EQUITY: Voting 52 for and 40 against, the Senate on Sept. 15 failed to reach 60 votes for ending GOP blockage of a Democratic-sponsored bill (S 2199) closing loopholes 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.
A yes vote was to advance the bill to a final vote.
Voting yes: Nelson
Voting no: Rubio