Area Votes in Congress
WASHINGTON - Here is how Philadelphia-area members of Congress were recorded on major roll-call votes last week: House Bush Iraq veto. Voting 222-203, the House on Wednesday failed to reach a two-thirds majority for overriding President Bush's veto of a bill (HR 1591) that required the withdrawal of most U.S. troops from Iraq starting by Oct. 1. The bill, which set no mandatory date for completing the pullout, would appropriate about $100 billion for combat operations and other military purposes and nearly $25 billion for nonwar programs.
WASHINGTON - Here is how Philadelphia-area members of Congress were recorded on major roll-call votes last week:
House
Bush Iraq veto.
Voting 222-203, the House on Wednesday failed to reach a two-thirds majority for overriding President Bush's veto of a bill (HR 1591) that required the withdrawal of most U.S. troops from Iraq starting by Oct. 1. The bill, which set no mandatory date for completing the pullout, would appropriate about $100 billion for combat operations and other military purposes and nearly $25 billion for nonwar programs.
A yes vote was to override the veto.
Voting yes: Robert E. Andrews (D., N.J.), Robert A. Brady (D., Pa.), Chaka Fattah (D., Pa.), Tim Holden (D., Pa.), Patrick Murphy (D., Pa.), Allyson Schwartz (D., Pa.), and Joe Sestak (D., Pa.)
Voting no: Michael N. Castle (R., Del.), Charles W. Dent (R., Pa.), Jim Gerlach (R., Pa.), Frank A. LoBiondo (R., N.J.), Joseph R. Pitts (R., Pa.), H. James Saxton (R., N.J.), and Christopher H. Smith (R., N.J.).
A yes vote was to expand the hate-crimes law.
Voting yes: Andrews, Brady, Castle, Dent, Gerlach, Holden, LoBiondo, Murphy, Saxton, Sestak and Schwartz.
Voting no: Pitts and Smith.
Not voting: Fattah
A yes vote was to pass the bill.
Voting yes: Andrews, Castle, Dent, Gerlach, Holden, LoBiondo, Murphy, Saxton, Schwartz, Sestak and Smith.
Voting no: Pitts.
Not voting: Brady and Fattah.
A yes vote backed religion-based Head Start hiring.
Voting yes: Castle, Dent, Gerlach, LoBiondo, Pitts, Saxton and Smith.
Voting no: Andrews, Holden, Murphy, Schwartz and Sestak.
Not voting: Brady and Fattah.
Senate
Prescription drug imports.
The Senate voted Thursday, 63-28, to advance a measure permitting U.S. citizens to import Food and Drug Administration- approved prescription drugs from countries such as Canada without interference from the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol. This occurred during debate on a pending bill expanding FDA authority (S 1082).
A yes vote backed the amendment.
Voting yes: Thomas Carper (D., Del.), Bob Casey (D., Pa.), Frank Lautenberg (D., N.J.), Robert Menendez (D., N.J.), and Arlen Specter (R., Pa.).
Not voting: Joseph R. Biden Jr. (D., Del.)
This week. The House will take up homeland security and intelligence budgets and a measure to fund local police hiring. The Senate will continue to debate expanded authority for the Food and Drug Administration.