WASHINGTON, D.C. — Here’s a look at how area members of Congress voted over the week of April 4-10.
Along with roll call votes this week, the Senate also passed: the PRO Veterans Act (S. 423), to protect regular order for budgeting for the Department of Veterans Affairs; and the Aerial Firefighting Enhancement Act (S. 160), to reauthorize the sale by the Department of Defense of aircraft and parts for wildfire suppression purposes.
The House also passed the Fairness for Service members and their Families Act (H.R. 970), to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to periodically review the automatic maximum coverage under the Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance program and the Veterans’ Group Life Insurance program; and the Deliver for Veterans Act (H.R. 877), to expand the authority of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide or assist in providing a vehicle adapted for operation by a disabled individual to certain eligible persons, by paying expenses associated with the delivery of such vehicle.
HOUSE VOTES:
House Vote 1:
CANCER AND VIETNAM VETERANS: The House has passed the Vietnam Veterans Liver Fluke Cancer Study Act (H.R. 586), sponsored by Rep. Nick LaLota, R-N.Y., to have the Veterans Affairs Department study cases of cholangiocarcinoma (bile duct cancer) in Vietnam War veterans. LaLota said: “Multiple studies have confirmed what these veterans have suspected for decades. Those who served in Vietnam face a much higher risk of contracting, suffering from, and dying from this disease.” The vote, on April 7, was unanimous with 411 yeas.
YEAS: Davids (KS) D-KS (3rd), Estes R-KS (4th), Schmidt R-KS (2nd), Mann R-KS (1st)
House Vote 2:
IMPROVING VA BENEFITS LETTERS: The House has passed the Clear Communication for Veterans Claims Act (H.R. 1039), sponsored by Rep. Tom Barrett, R-Mich., to have the Veterans Affairs (VA) Department study ways to improve benefits notice letters that the agency sends to veterans and survivors of veterans. Barrett said: “Our veterans serve the United States military with honor. They shouldn’t need a lawyer or specially trained advocate to explain a claims letter to them.” The vote, on April 7, was unanimous with 412 yeas.
YEAS: Davids (KS) D-KS (3rd), Estes R-KS (4th), Schmidt R-KS (2nd), Mann R-KS (1st)
House Vote 3:
REGULATING DIGITAL PAYMENTS: The House has passed a resolution (S.J. Res. 28), sponsored by Sen. Pete Ricketts, R-Neb., to disapprove of and void a Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) rule issued last year that regulated digital payment systems offered by non-bank entities. The vote, on April 9, was 219 yeas to 211 nays.
NAYS: Davids (KS) D-KS (3rd)
YEAS: Estes R-KS (4th), Schmidt R-KS (2nd), Mann R-KS (1st)
House Vote 4:
BANK OVERDRAFT CHARGES: The House has passed a resolution (S.J. Res. 18), sponsored by Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., to disapprove of and void a Consumer Financial Protection Bureau rule issued last December that regulated account overdraft charges levied on customers by very large banks. The vote, on April 8, was 217 yeas to 211 nays.
NAYS: Davids (KS) D-KS (3rd)
YEAS: Estes R-KS (4th), Schmidt R-KS (2nd), Mann R-KS (1st)
House Vote 5:
DISTRICT COURT INJUNCTIONS: The House has passed the No Rogue Rulings Act (H.R. 1526), sponsored by Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., to bar federal district courts from issuing an injunction whose scope goes beyond the parties in the case giving rise to the injunction. Issa said the trend of district judges issuing nationwide injunctions “empowers individual, unelected judges to dictate national policy and to thwart the Constitution to take rights reserved to Congress and the president.” A bill opponent, Rep. Jaime Raskin, D-Md., called it “patently absurd” to not allow courts to generally strike down unconstitutional actions by the federal government. The vote, on April 9, was 219 yeas to 213 nays.
NAYS: Davids (KS) D-KS (3rd)
YEAS: Estes R-KS (4th), Schmidt R-KS (2nd), Mann R-KS (1st)
House Vote 6:
BUDGET RESOLUTION: The House has agreed to the Senate amendment to a resolution (H. Con. Res. 14), sponsored by Rep. Jodey C. Arrington, R-Texas, to set out a fiscal 2025 budget for the federal government and outline projected budgets for fiscal 2026 through 2034. Arrington called the resolution “a fiscal framework that was responsible, that put pro-growth policies in place to incent growth and job creation, move our country forward, strengthen our economic base.” An opponent, Rep. Brendan F. Boyle, D-Pa., said it “included trillions of dollars in big giveaways that mostly benefit the top 1 percent, paid for, in part, by the biggest Medicaid cuts in American history, combined with trillions of dollars in new debt.” The vote, on April 10, was 216 yeas to 214 nays.
NAYS: Davids (KS) D-KS (3rd)
YEAS: Estes R-KS (4th), Schmidt R-KS (2nd), Mann R-KS (1st)
House Vote 7:
REGULATING ELECTIONS: The House has passed the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act (H.R. 22), sponsored by Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, to require voters registering for federal elections to show proof of U.S. citizenship, and establish penalties for government officials who do not carry out the citizenship requirement. Roy said the citizenship checks provided for by the bill would restore faith in the integrity of federal elections. A bill opponent, Rep. Joseph D. Morelle, D-N.Y., said it “would create enormous burdens for every American citizen who seeks to register to vote,” including by making it harder for married women who have changed their last names to prove their citizenship and imposing in-person registration requirements. The vote, on April 10, was 220 yeas to 208 nays.
NAYS: Davids (KS) D-KS (3rd)
YEAS: Estes R-KS (4th), Schmidt R-KS (2nd), Mann R-KS (1st)
SENATE VOTES:
Senate Vote 1:
MEDICARE AND MEDICAID: The Senate has passed an amendment sponsored by Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, to a budget resolution bill (H. Con. Res. 14), to instruct the Budget Committee to enhance Medicaid and extend the life of the Federal Hospital Insurance Trust Fund, which is part of Medicare. Sullivan said: “We should all want to weed out waste, fraud, and abuse in Medicaid and Medicare, and we must keep these programs going.” An amendment opponent, Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., said it “basically says that if somebody thinks you are not poor enough, you are not sick enough, or you are not disabled enough, we are not going to be there for you.” The vote, on April 4, was 51 yeas to 48 nays.
YEAS: Moran R-KS, Marshall R-KS
Senate Vote 2:
FUNDING UKRAINE WAR EFFORT: The Senate has rejected an amendment sponsored by Sen. Michael F. Bennet, D-Colo., to a budget resolution bill (H. Con. Res. 14) that would have barred a reduction in U.S. support for Ukraine in its war with Russia. Bennet said senators “have a duty to the American people to demand moral and strategic clarity by making clear that any steps by this administration to cut off military and security assistance to Ukraine is unacceptable.” An opponent, Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., said “passage of this amendment will make it harder to pass the budget, and for that reason, I hope we will reject the amendment.” The vote, on April 4, was 48 yeas to 51 nays.
NAYS: Moran R-KS, Marshall R-KS
Senate Vote 3:
PROCEEDS FROM SELLING FEDERAL LAND: The Senate has rejected an amendment sponsored by Sen. John Hickenlooper, D-Colo., to a budget resolution bill (H. Con. Res. 14) that would have barred the use of proceeds from selling federal government land to reduce the federal deficit. Hickenlooper said the amendment was needed because “some Republicans are adding fuel to the fire by pushing to sell off public lands to pay for these tax cuts for the ultrawealthy.” An opponent, Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, said it “doesn’t stop land sales. In fact, just last year, the author of this amendment passed a law to dispose of federal land in Colorado.” The vote, on April 5, was 48 yeas to 51 nays.
NAYS: Moran R-KS, Marshall R-KS
Senate Vote 4:
RURAL MEDICAID SPENDING: The Senate has rejected an amendment sponsored by Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., to a budget resolution bill (H. Con. Res. 14), that would have required the Senate Budget Committee to avoid cuts in Medicaid funding that could close rural hospitals or increase costs for individuals. Baldwin said without the amendment, “drastic cuts to Medicaid will force rural hospitals and clinics to close. That means no regular checkups for children, no prenatal care for expectant mothers, no timely emergency care after stroke or heart attack.” An opponent, Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, said the budget resolution already had a commitment to preserve Medicaid patient benefits, so the amendment was unnecessary. The vote, on April 5, was 49 yeas to 50 nays.
NAYS: Moran R-KS, Marshall R-KS
Senate Vote 5:
MEDICAID AND THE BUDGET: The Senate has rejected an amendment sponsored by Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., to a budget resolution bill (H. Con. Res. 14) that would have eliminated a provision to reduce Medicaid spending by $880 billion. Wyden said the amendment was needed to protect disabled children, seniors who use Medicaid to fund nursing home care, and “working Americans who are walking an economic tightrope.” An opponent, Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, said the amendment claimed to address a “long list of fearful, dire consequences that aren’t in the bill,” because the bill was actually reaffirming a commitment to preserve Medicare and Medicaid patient benefits. The vote, on April 5, was 49 yeas to 50 nays.
NAYS: Moran R-KS, Marshall R-KS
Senate Vote 6:
BUDGET RESOLUTION: The Senate has passed a bill (H. Con. Res. 14), sponsored by Rep. Jodey C. Arrington, R-Texas, to set out a fiscal 2025 budget for the federal government and outline projected budgets for fiscal 2026 through 2034. A supporter, Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., called the budget resolution a blueprint to “secure the borders, lower taxes, affordable energy, peace through strength, and, of course, efficient, effective government.” An opponent, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., cited “the many injustices that the Republicans will inflict on people’s health, on their financial security, on their children’s future, and, in fact, on their very dream, the very future of the American dream itself.” The vote, on April 5, was 51 yeas to 48 nays.
YEAS: Moran R-KS, Marshall R-KS
Senate Vote 7:
MILITARY POLICY OFFICIAL: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Elbridge Colby to be Under Secretary of Defense for Policy. A senior military strategy official in the first Trump administration, Colby was both afterwards and previously a think tank analyst, and a George W. Bush administration staffer at various government agencies. The vote, on April 8, was 54 yeas to 45 nays.
YEAS: Moran R-KS, Marshall R-KS
Senate Vote 8:
AMBASSADOR TO JAPAN: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of George Glass to be U.S. Ambassador to Japan. Ambassador to Portugal for the first Trump administration, Glass has been a businessman and investor, including as founder of Pacific Crest Securities, with a focus on technology. The vote, on April 8, was 66 yeas to 32 nays.
YEAS: Moran R-KS, Marshall R-KS
Senate Vote 9:
ISRAEL AMBASSADOR: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Mike Huckabee to be Ambassador to Israel. The governor of Arkansas from 1996 to early 2007, Huckabee has since been a radio and TV host; he ran for president in 2008 and 2016. A supporter, Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., said: “Mike’s exemplary character, steadfast faith, and lifetime of servant leadership make him the right choice to represent the president in Israel, particularly at this critical moment.” The vote, on April 9, was 53 yeas to 46 nays.
YEAS: Moran R-KS, Marshall R-KS
Senate Vote 10:
MEXICO AMBASSADOR: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Ronald Johnson to be Ambassador to Mexico. Johnson retired from the Army in 1998, then joined the Central Intelligence Agency. He was Ambassador to El Salvador from September 2019 to January 2021. The vote, on April 9, was 49 yeas to 46 nays.
YEAS: Moran R-KS, Marshall R-KS
Senate Vote 11:
PANAMA AMBASSADOR: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Kevin Cabrera to be Ambassador to Panama. Cabrera has been a county commissioner in Miami for several years, and has been an official on two trade and diplomacy groups there. The vote, on April 9, was 51 yeas to 45 nays.
YEAS: Moran R-KS, Marshall R-KS
Senate Vote 12:
SEC CHAIRMAN: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Paul Atkins to chair and be one of five commissioners on the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), for a term ending in June 2026. Atkins was a commissioner from mid-2002 to mid-2008, a corporate lawyer and SEC staffer before 2002, and, since 2008, has been a financial services consultant as founder and CEO of Patomak Global Partners. An opponent, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., said that in 2008 “Atkins took votes while he was on the SEC that directly contributed to the crash,” and he still supported deregulating the financial sector despite the resulting hazards. The vote, on April 9, was 52 yeas to 44 nays.
YEAS: Moran R-KS, Marshall R-KS
Senate Vote 13:
REGULATING WATER HEATERS: The Senate has passed a resolution (H.J. Res. 20), sponsored by Rep. Gary J. Palmer, R-Ala., to disapprove of and void a December 2024 Energy Department rule setting out energy efficiency standards for natural gas-fired water heaters. A resolution supporter, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said: “Left in place, this regulation would force American consumers to either pay more for these heaters or, if they can’t afford to pay more, to shift to less efficient models.” The vote, on April 10, was 53 yeas to 44 nays.
YEAS: Moran R-KS, Marshall R-KS
Senate Vote 14:
FTC COMMISSIONER: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Mark Meador to be a member of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for a term ending in September 2031. Meador had been a founding partner at the Kressin Meador Powers law firm, and was a lawyer at the Justice Department, the FTC, and was an attorney for the Senate Judiciary Committee’s Antitrust Subcommittee. An opponent, Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., said that at his confirmation hearing, Meador “declined to defend the FTC’s need to remain independent” from political interference, and would not adequately protect consumers from unfair business practices and fraud. The vote, on April 10, was 50 yeas to 46 nays.
NOT VOTING: Moran R-KS
YEAS: Marshall R-KS
Senate Vote 15:
JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of John D. Caine to chair the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Caine was an Air Force officer and command pilot for three decades starting in 1990. Most recently, he was a military affairs official at the Central Intelligence Agency. A supporter, Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., said of Caine: “I have found him to be an honest, smart, and principled military officer. He understands the momentous national security challenges we face and has pledged to represent our servicemembers with professionalism and discipline.” The vote, on April 11, was 60 yeas to 25 nays. In a separate vote, the Senate also confirmed Caine as a major general in the Air Force.
NOT VOTING: Moran R-KS
YEAS: Marshall R-KS
