Skip to content
News
Link copied to clipboard

Area Votes in Congress

WASHINGTON - Here is how Philadelphia-area members of Congress were recorded on major roll-call votes last week. House Health-Coverage Veto. Members failed, 260-152, to reach a two-thirds majority for overriding President Bush's veto of a bill that would renew the State Children's Health Insurance Program through 2012 at a cost of $60 billion, up $35 billion over current levels.

WASHINGTON - Here is how Philadelphia-area members of Congress were recorded on major roll-call votes last week.

House

Health-Coverage Veto.

Members failed, 260-152, to reach a two-thirds majority for overriding President Bush's veto of a bill that would renew the State Children's Health Insurance Program through 2012 at a cost of $60 billion, up $35 billion over current levels.

A yes vote was to enact HR 3963.

Voting yes: Robert E. Andrews (D., N.J.), Robert A. Brady (D., Pa.), Michael N. Castle (R., Del.), Charles W. Dent (R., Pa.) Chaka Fattah (D., Pa.), Jim Gerlach (R., Pa.), Tim Holden (D., Pa.), Frank A. LoBiondo (R., N.J.), Patrick Murphy (D., Pa.), Allyson Y. Schwartz (D., Pa.), Joe Sestak (D., Pa.), and Christopher H. Smith (R., N.J.).

Voting no: Joseph R. Pitts (R., Pa.) and H. James Saxton (R., N.J.).

Senate

Government Surveillance

. Senators killed, 60-36, a bill to tighten court oversight of the government's warrantless surveillance program and allow lawsuits to proceed against telecommunication companies that allegedly cooperated with the secret program for years after 9/11.

A yes vote was to kill S 2248.

Voting yes: Thomas Carper (D., Del.) and Arlen Specter, (R., Pa.).

Voting no: Joseph R. Biden Jr. (D., Del.), Bob Casey Jr. (D, Pa.), Frank Lautenberg (D., N.J.), and Robert Menendez (D., N.J.).

Defense Budget.

The Senate voted, 91-3, to send President Bush a $649 billion fiscal 2008 defense budget. The bill replaces a measure Bush vetoed over language exposing today's Iraqi government to lawsuits based on acts by Saddam Hussein.

A yes vote was to pass HR 4986.

Voting yes: Biden, Carper, Casey, Lautenberg, and Specter.

Not voting: Menendez.

Next week.

The House is expected to take up a $150 billion economic stimulus package, while the Senate will continue to debate changes to the 1978 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.