Congressional votes Nov.27-Dec. 3

HOUSE VOTES:GAS TURBINES EFFICIENCY: The House passed legislation (H.R. 3029), sponsored by Rep. Paul Tonko, D-N.Y., to establish a demonstration program on gas turbines used in power generation systems. Proponents said: "The goal of this bill is to develop systems that achieve up to 65 percent efficiency. The energy and fuel savings created by more efficient turbines will help ratepayers save more than a billion dollars per year in fuel costs alone." The vote, on Dec. 1, was 266 yeas to 118 nays.

YEAS: Rep. Russ Carnahan D-MO (3rd), Rep. Wm. Lacy Clay Jr. D-MO (1st), Rep. Emanuel Cleaver D-MO (5th), Rep. Ike Skelton D-MO (4th)

NAYS: Rep. W. Todd Akin R-MO (2nd), Rep. Jo Ann Emerson R-MO (8th), Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer R-MO (9th)

NOT VOTING: Rep. Roy Blunt R-MO (7th), Rep. Sam Graves R-MO (6th)

STUDENTS RECOGNIZING VETERANS EFFORTS: The House passed a resolution (H.R. 897), sponsored by Rep. Brett Guthrie, R-Ky., to recognize the importance of teaching school-aged children about the role that veterans have played in wars throughout the history of the United States. Proponents noted that in 2008 there were over 23 million veterans and many elementary and secondary school students were not aware of the role of veterans in relation to freedom. They pointed out that fewer than half of U.S. high school seniors have a basic knowledge of American history and the contributions veterans have made to U.S. security. The vote, on Dec. 2, was unanimous with 419 yeas.

YEAS: Rep. W. Todd Akin R-MO (2nd), Rep. Roy Blunt R-MO (7th), Rep. Russ Carnahan D-MO (3rd), Rep. Wm. Lacy Clay Jr. D-MO (1st), Rep. Emanuel Cleaver D-MO (5th), Rep. Jo Ann Emerson R-MO (8th), Rep. Sam Graves R-MO (6th), Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer R-MO (9th), Rep. Ike Skelton D-MO (4th)

RADIOACTIVE IMPORT DETERRENCE: The House passed the Radioactive Import Deterrence Act (H.R. 515), sponsored by Rep. Bart Gordon, D-Tenn., to prohibit certain types of low-level radioactive waste from being imported into the U.S. Proponents noted that the U.S. currently disposes 99 percent of its low-level radioactive waste in Utah, but finding a second and permanent location has been difficult and that importing low-level radioactive waste from other countries would put the U.S. in danger of becoming a "nuclear dumping ground". Opponents noted that the type of waste disposed of would be equal to that found in home smoke detectors and said the legislation would "prevent U.S. companies from competing in the global marketplace by restraining trade in very low-level waste." The vote, on Dec. 2, was 309 yeas to 112 nays.

YEAS: Rep. Russ Carnahan D-MO (3rd), Rep. Wm. Lacy Clay Jr. D-MO (1st), Rep. Emanuel Cleaver D-MO (5th), Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer R-MO (9th), Rep. Ike Skelton D-MO (4th)

NAYS: Rep. W. Todd Akin R-MO (2nd), Rep. Roy Blunt R-MO (7th), Rep. Jo Ann Emerson R-MO (8th), Rep. Sam Graves R-MO (6th)

FORBEARANCE FOR FAMILIES WITH CONTAMINATED DRYWALL: The House passed a resolution (H.Con.Res. 197), sponsored by Rep. Glenn C. Nye III, D-Va., to encourage banks and mortgage lenders to allow a penalty-free, temporary forbearance on mortgages for families living in homes with contaminated drywall. According to the resolution, "the dangers and health risks posed by contaminated drywall have forced thousands of families out of their homes and into temporary living situations and many such families are unable to afford an additional financial burden and are now suffering from both financial problems and health complications at no fault of their own." The vote, on Dec. 2, was 419 yeas to 1 nay.

YEAS: Rep. W. Todd Akin R-MO (2nd), Rep. Roy Blunt R-MO (7th), Rep. Russ Carnahan D-MO (3rd), Rep. Wm. Lacy Clay Jr. D-MO (1st), Rep. Emanuel Cleaver D-MO (5th), Rep. Jo Ann Emerson R-MO (8th), Rep. Sam Graves R-MO (6th), Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer R-MO (9th), Rep. Ike Skelton D-MO (4th)

ADDITIONAL TARP MONITORING: The House passed the TARP Accountability and Disclosure Act (H.R. 1242), sponsored by Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., to amend the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 to provide additional monitoring and accountability for the Troubled Asset Relief Program. Proponents said this legislation "requires all relevant TARP data, including regulatory filings and public records, to be collected by the Department of the Treasury and put in a consistent standardized format so that TARP funds will be transparent and traceable." The vote, on Dec. 2, was unanimous with 421 yeas.

YEAS: Rep. W. Todd Akin R-MO (2nd), Rep. Roy Blunt R-MO (7th), Rep. Russ Carnahan D-MO (3rd), Rep. Wm. Lacy Clay Jr. D-MO (1st), Rep. Emanuel Cleaver D-MO (5th), Rep. Jo Ann Emerson R-MO (8th), Rep. Sam Graves R-MO (6th), Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer R-MO (9th), Rep. Ike Skelton D-MO (4th)

ESTATE TAX RELIEF FOR FAMILIES, FARMERS, SMALL BUSINESS: The House passed the Permanent Estate Tax Relief for Families, Farmers and Small Businesses Act (H.R. 4154), sponsored by Rep. Earl Pomeroy, D-N.D., to prevent tax increases and provide permanent estate tax relief to taxpayers. Proponents said the purpose of the legislation was to "establish clarity and certainty in the Tax Code for the estate tax while exempting 99.7 percent of the estates in this country from this estate tax altogether." Opponents said the legislation "would resurrect the death tax and apply a 45 percent tax rate to estates above a $3.5 million exemption amount." The vote, on Dec. 3, was 225 yeas to 200 nays.

YEAS: Rep. Russ Carnahan D-MO (3rd), Rep. Wm. Lacy Clay Jr. D-MO (1st), Rep. Emanuel Cleaver D-MO (5th), Rep. Ike Skelton D-MO (4th)

NAYS: Rep. W. Todd Akin R-MO (2nd), Rep. Roy Blunt R-MO (7th), Rep. Jo Ann Emerson R-MO (8th), Rep. Sam Graves R-MO (6th), Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer R-MO (9th)

SENATE VOTES:

FEMALE FEDERAL PREVENTATIVE CARE: The Senate passed an amendment, sponsored by Sen. Lisa Mikulski, D-Md., to the Service Members Home Ownership Tax Act (H.R. 3590), to ensure provisions related to coverage of preventive services for women. Proponents said: "This amendment is strictly concerned with ensuring that women get the kind of preventive screenings and treatments they may need to prevent diseases particular to women such as breast cancer and cervical cancer." Concerns were raised that the amendment didn't require insurance companies to provide any prevention or screening services and said: "If we do not have a mandate, then the insurance companies are not going to provide health care prevention and screening services." The vote, on Dec. 3, was 61 yeas to 39 nays.

YEAS: Sen. Claire McCaskill D-MO

NAYS: Sen. Christopher S. Kit Bond R-MO

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