Along with roll call votes this week, the Senate also passed the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Victim Assistance Act (S. 2152), to provide assistance for victims of child pornography; and the Veteran PEER Act (S. 1873), to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a program to establish peer specialists in patient aligned care teams at VA medical centers.

HOUSE VOTES

IMPEACHMENT RESOLUTION: The House has tabled a resolution (H. Res. 705), sponsored by Rep. Al Green, D-Texas, that would have impeached President Trump for allegedly committing high misdemeanors by bringing shame and dishonor to the presidency by making discriminatory statements against various groups. The resolution was not debated on the House floor. The vote, on Jan. 19, was 355 yeas to 66 nays.

NAYS: Chellie Pingree, D-1st District

YEAS: Bruce Poliquin, R-2nd District

FETUSES AND ABORTION: The House has passed the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act (H.R. 4712), sponsored by Rep. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., which would require health care practitioners be present at an attempted abortion to provide the same level of care for the fetus that would be provided after a normal childbirth, under threat of criminal penalties if the requirement is not met. Blackburn said the bill protected fetuses who survive abortions by giving them civil rights to the same level of care that other newborns receive. A bill opponent, Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., said that by “demanding the immediate transportation of the newborn to a hospital, regardless of the medical or other circumstances, it would place the lives and health of some newborn infants at risk.” The vote, on Jan. 19, was 241 yeas to 183 nays.

NAYS: Pingree

YEAS: Poliquin

RESOLVING GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN: The House has passed a resolution (H. Res. 708), sponsored by Rep. Pete Sessions, R-Texas, to waive a House procedural rule through January 29 in order to allow the House to consider potential legislation to end the government shutdown. Sessions claimed the waiver was needed “to provide the House with the flexibility necessary to address Senate Democrat’s inaction while they continue to impede funding the United States Government and the important instruments of government.” A resolution opponent, Rep. James P. McGovern, D-Mass., blamed the shutdown on Republican leadership being “so pathetically terrified by the most hateful, xenophobic, and bigoted elements of their base that they would rather shut down the government than” let Congress vote on a bill granting citizenship to DREAMers without citizenship who arrived in the U.S. as children. The vote, on Jan. 20, was 235 yeas to 170 nays.

NAYS: Pingree

YEAS: Poliquin

ENDING GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN: The House has agreed to the Senate amendment to the Extension of Continuing Appropriations Act (H.R. 195), to extend temporary funding for the federal government through February 8 and authorize the Children’s Health Insurance Program through fiscal 2023. A supporter, House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., said that while the temporary funding was necessary, Congress needed to now work on appropriations bills that provide full funding throughout fiscal 2018 “for every service our government owes to its people.” An opponent, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said: “I refuse to be an enabler to the Republicans’ failures any longer.” The vote, on Jan. 22, was 266 yeas to 150 nays.

NAYS: Pingree

YEAS: Poliquin

SENATE VOTES

GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN: The Senate has rejected a cloture motion to end debate on the House amendment to the Extension of Continuing Appropriations Act (H.R. 195), sponsored by Rep. Steve Russell, R-Okla., which would extend temporary funding for the federal government through February 16 and authorize the Children’s Health Insurance Program through fiscal 2023. A supporter, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., called the extension necessary to keep providing vital government services and obligations, including paying government workers. An opponent, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said Republicans were refusing to negotiate constructively with Democrats on immigration policy, and called for work on a longer-term spending plan to replace the current lack of a budget. The vote, on Jan. 19, was 50 yeas to 49 nays, with a three-fifths majority needed to end debate.

YEAS: Susan Collins, R-Maine

NAYS: Angus King, I-Maine

END OF GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN: The Senate has passed an amendment to the House amendment to the Extension of Continuing Appropriations Act (H.R. 195), to extend temporary funding for the federal government through February 8 and authorize the Children’s Health Insurance Program through fiscal 2023. A supporter, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said that along with re-establishing funding for vital government services, the bill would give Democrats and Republicans time to reach agreement on legislation covering military spending, immigration and border security policy, and disaster relief. No opponents spoke on the Senate floor. The vote, on Jan. 22, was 81 yeas to 18 nays.

YEAS: Collins, King

FEDERAL RESERVE CHAIR: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Jerome H. Powell to serve as chairman of the Federal Reserve for a four-year term. A supporter, Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, said Powell, in his six years at the Federal Reserve, had proven to be a “thoughtful policymaker” who supported the goals of both maximum employment and price stability to sustain a healthy U.S. economy. An opponent, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., voiced her concern that if named chairman, Powell “will roll back critical rules that help guard against another financial crisis, and that is simply a risk we cannot afford.” The vote, on Jan. 23, was 84 yeas to 13 nays.

YEAS: Collins, King

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Alex Azar to serve as secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. Azar is a former general counsel and deputy secretary of the department, and president of the Eli Lilly drug company. A supporter, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., highlighted Azar’s stated intent to halt the opioid crisis, and said Azar “will work to expand access to high-quality, affordable healthcare options” for all Americans. An opponent, Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., said: “I am alarmed he might not stand up for women and families, I am alarmed he might not stand up to the pharmaceutical industry, and I am alarmed he might not stand up to President Trump’s agenda, driven by sabotage and ideology.” The vote, on Jan. 24, was 55 yeas to 43 nays.

YEAS: Collins, King

RELIGIOUS FREEDOM: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Sam Brownback to serve as U.S. ambassador at large for international religious freedom. Brownback is the current governor of Kansas and a former senator for that state. No supporters of his nomination spoke on the Senate floor. An opponent, Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., said: “During his time as governor and here in the Senate, Mr. Brownback often used religion to push policies that undermine the rights of women to access healthcare, control their own bodies, and determine their own destinies.” The vote, on Jan. 24, was 50 yeas to 49 nays, with Vice President Mike Pence providing the 50th yea.

YEAS: Collins

NAYS: King

ARMY ASSISTANT SECRETARY: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of R. D. James to serve as the assistant secretary of the Army for Civil Works, in which role he will head the Army Corps of Engineers. James, a cotton farmer and grain elevator and cotton gin manager in southern Missouri, had served for 36 years on the Mississippi River Commission. The vote, on Jan. 25, was 89 yeas to 1 nay.

YEAS: Collins, King

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