How members of Congress voted on key bills and amendments in the last week.

How members of Congress voted on key bills and amendments in the last week.
HOUSE
Class action act
The House approved legislation that would revamp class-action lawsuit procedures with the goal of assuring fairness for both the members of the class and the defendants.
The legislation would terminate practices that result in inequitable settlements or in attorneys' earning a disproportionate amount of the settlement vs. the expenses of the class members.
The House approved the measure 253-170.
YES
Ohio: Steven C. LaTourette, R-14th.
Pa.: Melissa Hart, R-4th.
NO
Ohio: Tim Ryan, D-17th, and Ted Strickland, D-6th.
Pa.: Phil English, R-3rd.
SENATE
Energy policy act
The Senate approved an amendment that would require that the hydrogen commercialization plans managed by the U.S. Department of Energy support specific hydrogen deployment goals. The vote was 67-32.
YES
Ohio: Sen. Mike DeWine, R.
Pa.: Rick Santorum, R, and Arlen Specter, R.
NO
Ohio: George V. Voinovich, R.
Energy policy II
The Senate rejected an amendment that would have tightened federal oversight of the energy markets by strengthening the role played by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and adding a role for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
Proponents said the Enron Corp. scandal showed a need to more closely monitor energy-trading activities.
Opponents said that FERC did not have the expertise, and the CFTC, along with other federal entities, had enough authority to use already.
The vote was 55-44 nays to table, and thus kill, the proposal.
YES
All Ohio and Pennsylvania senators.
Energy policy III
The Senate rejected an amendment that would have set up an environmental review process that would come into play when an energy project was located on Indian lands. The vote was 52-47 to table, and thus kill, the amendment.
YES
All Ohio and Pennsylvania senators.
Energy policy IV
The Senate rejected an amendment that would have blocked the Secretary of the Interior from conducting an inventory and analysis of gas and oil resources off the U.S. coasts.
Proponents said the inventory -- if conducted -- was just a step toward exploration and then drilling, which is currently banned in many areas. Amendment opponents said there was nothing wrong with finding out what the resources were and making a decision on exploration and drilling later. The amendment failed with 54 no votes to 44 yes.
NO
All Ohio and Pennsylvania senators.
Source: States News Service