Congressional votes Aug. 24

WASHINGTON, Aug. 24 -- Here's a look at how area members of Congress voted over the previous week.

The House was in recess this week. Along with roll call votes this week, the Senate also passed the American Fisheries Advisory Committee Act (S. 1322), to establish the American Fisheries Advisory Committee to assist in the awarding of fisheries research and development grants; the Veterans Treatment Court Improvement Act (H.R. 2147), to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to hire additional Veterans Justice Outreach Specialists to provide treatment court services to justice-involved veterans; and

a resolution (S. Res. 615), honoring the life and legacy of Aretha Franklin and the contributions of Aretha Franklin to music, civil rights, and the City of Detroit.

There were no key votes in the House this week.

SENATE VOTES

IDENTIFYING POWS AND MIAS: The Senate has passed an amendment sponsored by Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Neb., to the Department of Defense Appropriations Act (H.R. 6157). The amendment would increase by $10 million funding for the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA), which identifies U.S. prisoners of war and soldiers missing in action. The vote, on Aug. 20, was unanimous with 85 yeas.

YEAS: Blunt R-MO, McCaskill D-MO

SUICIDE PREVENTION: The Senate has passed an amendment sponsored by Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., to the Department of Defense Appropriations Act (H.R. 6157), to increase funding for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by $2.8 million, offset by cuts in funding for other programs. The vote, on Aug. 21, was unanimous with 95 yeas.

YEAS: Blunt R-MO, McCaskill D-MO

FUNDING PLANNED PARENTHOOD: The Senate has rejected an amendment sponsored by Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., to the Department of Defense Appropriations Act (H.R. 6157), that would have blocked federal funding of Planned Parenthood. The vote, on Aug. 23, was 45 yeas to 48 nays.

YEAS: Blunt R-MO

NAYS: McCaskill D-MO

MILITARY SPENDING: The Senate has passed the Department of Defense Appropriations Act (H.R. 6157), sponsored by Rep. Kay Granger, R-Texas, to authorize $675 billion of fiscal 2019 spending at the Defense Department and defense programs at the Energy Department, as well as $179 billion of spending at the Departments of Labor, Education and Health and Human Services. The vote, on Aug. 23, was 85 yeas to 7 nays.

YEAS: Blunt R-MO, McCaskill D-MO