HOUSE VOTES

HOUSE VOTES
Logging review process
The House approved a bill Tuesday, sponsored by Rep. Scott McInnis, R-Colo., to streamline the environmental and public-review process that is required before land sales and logging are permitted in national forests. Proponents said it would reduce forest fires. Opponents argued the bill would help the logging and development industries and hurt the forests. The vote was 256 yes to 170 no.
YES: Pennsylvania Reps. Phil English, R-3rd, and Melissa A. Hart, R-4th; Ohio Rep. Ted Strickland, D-6th.
NO: Ohio Rep. Timothy J. Ryan, D-17th.
Endangered-species laws
The House approved an amendment Wednesday to the defense authorization bill, sponsored by Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., to loosen restrictions on military activities in areas where endangered species live. Proponents said it would provide the military with greater flexibility in their training and testing programs. Opponents argued it would allow the military to evade laws protecting endangered species and their habitats. The vote was 252 yes to 175 no.
YES: English, Hart.
NO: Ryan, Strickland.
Abortion limitation
The House rejected an amendment Thursday to the defense authorization bill, sponsored by Rep. Loretta Sanchez, D-Calif., to allow American women to have abortions at overseas military facilities. Proponents said the current ban on abortions unconstitutionally restricted women's abortion rights. Opponents argued that removing the ban would mean that taxpayers were financing abortions. The vote was 201 yes to 227 no.
YES: Strickland.
NO: English, Hart, Ryan.
More defense
The House approved a bill Thursday, sponsored by Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., to authorize Defense Department programs and policies. The vote was 361 yes to 68 no.
YES:English, Hart, Ryan, Strickland.
Unemployment
The House rejected an amendment Thursday to the unemployment bill, sponsored by Rep. Benjamin Cardin, D-Md., to double the length of time people can receive federal unemployment benefits from 13 weeks to 26 weeks. Proponents said the longer eligibility was necessary because people are struggling to find new jobs. Opponents argued that it was too expensive and would make people dependent on federal assistance. The vote was 205 yes to 222 no.
YES: Ryan, Strickland.
NO: English, Hart.
Benefits extension
The House approved a bill Thursday, sponsored by Rep. Jennifer Dunn, R-Wash., to extend last year's temporary federal unemployment benefits bill. The vote was 409 yes to 19 no.
YES: English, Hart, Ryan, Strickland.
Tax cuts, state funding
The House approved the conference report Thursday of a bill to cut taxes on dividends and capital gains and to provide fiscal relief to the states. Proponents said the bill would help jump-start the economy and would help states avoid cutting essential services. Opponents argued that the tax cuts were tilted too heavily toward the wealthy and would lead to ballooning federal deficits. The vote was 231 yes to 200 no.
YES: English, Hart.
NO: Ryan, Strickland.
SENATE VOTES
Low-yield nukes
The Senate voted Tuesday to table, or reject, an amendment to the Defense Department authorization bill. The amendment, sponsored by Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., was to strike a provision that would repeal the prohibition on development of low-yield nuclear weapons. Proponents of tabling the amendment said the prohibition on such weapons was confining American military superiority. Opponents of tabling the amendment argued that the weapon prohibition discourages other countries from developing nuclear weapons. The vote was 51 yes to 43 no to table the amendment.
YES: Sen. Mike DeWine, R-Ohio; Sens. Rick Santorum and Arlen Specter, both R-Pa.
NOT VOTING: Sen. George V. Voinovich, R-Ohio.
Endangered species
The Senate approved an amendment Wednesday to the Defense Department authorization bill, sponsored by Sen. Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J., to require the military to protect endangered species in areas where it has activities. Proponents said it would force the military to take reasonable steps to avoid activities that are likely to harm endangered species or their habitats. Opponents argued that it would impede military training and flexibility. The vote was 51 yes to 48 no.
YES: Specter.
NO: DeWine, Santorum, Voinovich.
Abortion and military
The Senate rejected an amendment Thursday to the Defense Department authorization bill, sponsored by Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., to allow American women to have abortions at overseas military facilities. Proponents said the ban on abortions at overseas military facilities unconstitutionally restricted women's abortion rights. Opponents argued that removing the ban would mean that taxpayers were financing abortions. The vote was 48 yes to 51 no.
YES: Specter.
NO: DeWine, Santorum, Voinovich.
Contract competition
The Senate approved an amendment Thursday to the Defense Department authorization bill, sponsored by Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., to require that the Pentagon fully comply with federal contract-competition laws as it awards contracts for rebuilding Iraq. The vote was 99 yes to 0 no.
YES: DeWine, Santorum, Specter, Voinovich.
Defense program bill
The Senate approved a bill Thursday, sponsored by Sen. John Warner, R-Va., to authorize Defense Department programs and policies. The vote was 98 yes to 1 no.
YES: DeWine, Santorum, Specter, Voinovich.
States News Service