Washington D.C. Roll Call report

WASHINGTON — Here’s a look at how area members of Congress voted over the week ending July 3.

Congress is scheduled to be in session next week.

House

ELECTIONS AND VOTER REGISTRATION: The House has passed an amendment sponsored by Rep. Claudia Tenney, R-N.Y., to the Department of Defense Appropriations Act (H.R. 8774), that would bar funding for implementation of most of an executive order issued by President Joe Biden that directed various federal government agencies to work with private groups on voter registration and elections. Tenney called the order “a blatant attempt to transform the federal government into a partisan, get-out-the-vote machine for Democrats.” An amendment opponent, Rep. Betty McCollum, D-Minn., said the order was only “making sure that every American has the opportunity and the acknowledgment of when and how to vote.” The vote, on June 28, was 201 yeas to 187 nays.

NAYS:

Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-3rd

CLIMATE CHANGE AND CONTRACTORS: The House has passed an amendment sponsored by Rep. Claudia Tenney, R-N.Y., to the Department of Defense Appropriations Act (H.R. 8774). The amendment would bar funding for implementation of a multi-agency greenhouse gas emissions regulation requiring large contractors with the federal government to disclose their emissions, as well as comply with the Paris Climate Accords. Tenney said the rule would mean using a partisan, London-based company, Science Based Targets Initiative, to audit the emissions disclosures, with resulting national security concerns. An amendment opponent, Rep. Ed Case, D-Hawaii, said it was “grounded in the incorrect assumption that a strong defense industrial base is fundamentally incompatible with cleaner, sustainable energy and climate resiliency.” The vote, on June 28, was 211 yeas to 199 nays.

YEAS:

Perez

CLUSTER MUNITIONS: The House has rejected an amendment sponsored by Rep. Dina Titus, D-Nev., to the Department of Defense Appropriations Act (H.R. 8774), that would have barred funding for the use or sale of cluster munitions. Titus said the broad, indiscriminate dispersion of cluster bombs resulted in long-term hazards to civilians over large areas due to their lengthy presence, and the difficulty of safely removing the bombs. An amendment opponent, Rep. Ken Calvert, R-Calif., said the funding ban “would tie our hands in future conflicts, prohibiting the option to use these munitions in contingencies where the only other option are larger munitions that cause even more casualties.” The vote, on June 28, was 129 yeas to 284 nays.

NAYS:

Perez

2025 MILITARY SPENDING: The House has passed the Department of Defense Appropriations Act (H.R. 8774), sponsored by Rep. Ken Calvert, R-Calif., to provide $833 billion of fiscal 2025 funding for the military. Provisions include a 19.5 percent pay increase for junior enlisted military members; several measures supporting Israeli military programs, including a ban on withholding delivery of equipment and services to Israel; several measures to oppose China and support Taiwan; and $41.2 billion for military medical and health care programs. Calvert said: “This bill procures where we can, trains where we must, and invests in capability that will make our adversaries wake up every day and say: Today is not the day to provoke the United States of America.” An opponent, Rep. Betty McCollum, D-Minn., said: “We need to foster a climate in our military that appreciates and supports all Americans who choose to take the oath to serve. Unfortunately, at this time, this bill does not reflect that sentiment.” The vote, on June 28, was 217 yeas to 198 nays.

YEAS:

Perez

FUNDING HOMELAND SECURITY: The House has passed the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act (H.R. 8752), sponsored by Rep. Mark Amodei, R-Nev., to provide $64.8 billion of fiscal 2025 funding for Homeland Security. Bill provisions include $600 million for further construction of the wall on the border with Mexico; $4.9 billion for detaining and deporting criminal illegal aliens; and decreased funding for migrant support programs. Amodei said: “The bill funds the core responsibilities of the department and protects the homeland. What it doesn’t do is fund the failed policies that further contribute to chaos at our southern border.” An opponent, Rep. Lauren Underwood, D-Ill., said it “not only increases funding for inhumane, costly, and ineffective responses to the humanitarian crisis at our border, but it also cuts $2.1 billion to border security operations.” The vote, on June 28, was 212 yeas to 203 nays.

YEAS:

Perez

2025 STATE DEPARTMENT BUDGET: The House has passed the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act (H.R. 8771), sponsored by Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, R-Fla., to provide $51.7 billion of fiscal 2025 funding for the State Department. Provisions include $3 billion for counter-China activities; increased emphasis on efforts against drug trafficking; prohibitions on funding the International Criminal Court and several other international agencies deemed anti-Israel; and $9.86 billion for various international security assistance programs. Diaz-Balart said it “fully funds our ally Israel and increases funding over the president’s request to counter Communist China and to combat the flow of fentanyl into our country, again while spending less money overall” than in fiscal 2024. A bill opponent, Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Calif., said it paired less funding for diplomatic and development programs with more funding for foreign militaries, continuing “a dangerous trend that puts the Pentagon on steroids while leaving diplomacy and development on life support.” The vote, on June 28, was 212 yeas to 200 nays.

YEAS:

Perez

Senate

There were no key votes in the Senate this week.