Summary of votes last week:

Summary of votes last week:
HOUSE
Defense spending
The House, by a vote of 57-358, rejected an amendment to the defense-spending bill to eliminate funding that would pay for the round of military base closures scheduled for 2005.
YES Ohio: Tim Ryan, D-17th, and Ted Strickland, D-6th.
NO Ohio: Steven C. LaTourette, R-14th.
Pa.: Phil English, R-3rd and Melissa A. Hart, R-4th.
Department bill
The House approved a bill, sponsored to set 2004 federal spending levels for the Department of Defense. The vote was 399-19.
YES All local Congress members.
Education bill
The House approved a bill to reauthorize several educational and teacher grant programs. The vote was 404-17.
YES All local Congress members.
Teacher recruitment
The House approved a bill to forgive student loans for math, science and special-education teachers. The vote was 417-7.
YES All local Congress members.
Labor-spending bill
The House rejected an amendment to the labor-spending bill to eliminate funding for a provision that would change the qualifications for federal overtime-pay laws.
Amendment proponents said it would ensure that police and fire officials and hospital workers would receive overtime pay. Opponents argued that the changes in the overtime-pay requirements were needed to streamline federal labor laws. The vote was 210-213.
YES Ohio: Ryan, LaTourette and Strickland.
NO Pa.: Hart and English.
Bill amendment
The House rejected an amendment to the labor-spending bill to prohibit the National Institutes of Health from funding five research projects.
Proponents said the projects dealt with obscure sexual issues and weren't worthy of taxpayer funding. Opponents argued that the NIH should have discretion over which projects it funds. The vote was 210-212.
YES Pa.: Hart.
NO Ohio: Ryan and Strickland.
Pa.: English.
Federal spending levels
The House approved a bill, sponsored by Rep. Ralph Regula, R-Ohio, to set federal spending levels for the departments of labor, health and human services and education, as well as related agencies.
Proponents said it set appropriate funding levels for the departments and agencies. Opponents said it shortchanged education and health programs. The vote was 215-208.
YES Ohio: LaTourette.
Pa.: English and Hart.
NO Ohio: Ryan and Strickland.
SENATE
Patients First Act
The Senate failed to overcome procedural objections to a bill to limit the amount of money that juries can award to victims of medical malpractice. Bill proponents said that it would rein in excessive jury awards, which they said cause skyrocketing malpractice-insurance premiums for doctors.
Opponents argued that the bill would deprive victims of just compensation for the pain and suffering caused by malpractice. The vote was 49-48 nays, falling short of the 60 votes needed to overcome the procedural objections and consider the bill.
YES Ohio: Mike DeWine, R, and George V. Voinovich, R.
Pa.: Rick Santorum, R, and Arlen Specter R.
Victor Wolski
The Senate approved the nomination of Victor J. Wolski of Virginia to a 15-year term as a judge on the U.S. Court of Federal Claims.
Proponents said he was well-qualified for the post. Opponents argued that he had a bad environmental record. The vote was 54-43.
YES All Ohio and Pennsylvania senators.
Fairness Restoration Act
The Senate voted to table, or not consider, a bill that would accelerate an increase in the federal child tax credit. Proponents of tabling the bill said it was too expensive and that opposition from House Republican leaders made it irrelevant.
Opponents of tabling the bill said it was important for senators to go on the record in support of the bigger tax credit. The vote was 51-45 to table the bill.
YES All Ohio and Pennsylvania senators.
State Department
The Senate failed to overcome procedural objections to an amendment to the State Department authorization bill to extend the availability of federal unemployment assistance.
Proponents said many unemployed workers have exhausted their federal and state benefits. Opponents argued it was too expensive and wasn't related to the State Department bill. The vote was 48-48 nays, falling short of the 60 votes needed to overcome the procedural objections and consider the bill.
YES Pa.: Specter.
NO Ohio: DeWine and Voinovich.
Pa.: Santorum.
State amendment
The Senate approved an amendment to the State Department authorization bill expressing the sense of Congress that funding to combat AIDS worldwide should be increased. The vote was 78-18.
YES All Ohio and Pennsylvania senators.
Source: States News Service