Recently in Congress / How our representatives voted
WASHINGTON — Here are the votes of Western New York’s four members of the House of Representatives on recent major legislation in Congress. A “Y” means the member voted for the measure; an “N” means the member voted against the measure; an “A” means the member did not vote.
HOUSE
Congressional Budget For Fiscal 2010— The House passed the 2010 Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, sponsored by Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., to establish a budget for fiscal 2010 for the legislative branch. The vote on June 19 was 232 yeas to 178 nays. Rep. Brian Higgins D-Buffalo, Y; Rep. Louise M. Slaughter D-Fairport, Y; Rep. Chris Lee R-Clarence, N; Rep. Eric J. J. Massa, D-Corning, N. Cost of living increase for disabled veterans— The House approved the Veterans’ Compensation Cost of Living Adjustment Act, sponsored by Sen. Daniel Akaka, D-Hawaii, to increase compensation rates for veterans suffering from disabilities from their time in the military as well as for their survivors. The vote on Tuesday was unanimous with 403 yeas. Lee, Y; Massa, Y; Slaughter, Y; Higgins, A. Expanding health care services for female veterans— The House approved the Women Veterans Health Care Improvement Act, sponsored by Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, D-S. D., to expand health care services provided by the Veterans Affairs Department to female veterans. The vote on Tuesday was unanimous with 408 yeas. Higgins, Y; Lee, Y; Massa, Y; Slaughter, Y. Expanding benefits for disabled veterans— The House approved the Disabled Military Retiree Relief Act, sponsored by Rep. Ike Skelton, D-Mo., to provide retirement compensation and benefits for disabled veterans. The vote on Wednesday was unanimous with 404 yeas. Higgins, Y; Lee, Y; Massa, Y; Slaughter, Y. Funding for Homeland Security programs— The House approved an amendment sponsored by Rep. David Price, D-N. C., to the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act to increase funding for the firefighter grant program, nonprofit security grants, the Metropolitan Medical Response System and the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative. The vote on Wednesday was 345 yeas to 85 nays. Higgins, Y; Lee, Y; Massa, Y; Slaughter, Y. Funding for border patrol agents — The House approved an amendment sponsored by Rep. Jerry Lewis, R-Calif., to the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act to add $34 million of funding for adding 200 Border Patrol agents. The vote on Wednesday was 375 yeas to 55 nays. Higgins, Y; Lee, Y; Massa, Y; Slaughter, N. Funding “Securing The Cities” Program— The House approved an amendment sponsored by Rep. Peter King, R-N. Y., to the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act to provide $40 million for the Securing the Cities Initiative in New York City and $10 million for radiation portal monitors. The vote on Wednesday was 282 yeas to 148 nays. Higgins, Y; Lee, Y; Massa, Y; Slaughter, N. Funding For Visa Security Program— The House approved an amendment sponsored by Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-Fla., to the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act to increase funding for the Visa Security Program by $1.7 million. The vote on Wednesday was 423 yeas to 6 nays. Higgins, Y; Lee, Y; Massa, Y; Slaughter, Y. Funding for predisaster mitigation— The House rejected an amendment sponsored by Rep. Ted Poe, R-Texas, to the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act that would have increased funding for the National Predisaster Mitigation Fund by $32 million. The vote on Wednesday was 202 yeas to 230 nays. Lee, Y; Massa, Y; Higgins, N; Slaughter, N. Illegal immigrants hiring restriction— The House approved an amendment sponsored by Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, to the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act to prohibit the use of funds in the Act to employ illegal immigrants. The vote on Wednesday was 349 yeas to 84 nays. Higgins, Y; Lee, Y; Massa, Y; Slaughter, N. Homeland Security funding for 2010— The House approved the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, sponsored by Rep. David Price, D-N. C., to provide funding for fiscal 2010. The vote on Wednesday was 389 yeas to 37 nays. Higgins, Y; Lee, Y; Massa, Y; Slaughter, Y. Defense Appropriations— The House passed the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal 2010, sponsored by Rep. Ike Skelton, D-Mo., to authorize $550.5 billion in appropriations for various Defense Department military activities and to address strengthening military personnel for fiscal 2010. The vote on Thursday was 389 yeas to 22 nays. Higgins, Y; Lee, Y; Massa, Y; Slaughter, Y.
Information for this column is supplied by Targeted News Service.
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