Area Votes in Congress

WASHINGTON - Here is how Philadelphia-area members of Congress voted on major issues last week:

House

9/11 responders' benefits. Voting 268-160, the House passed a deficit-neutral bill (HR 847) establishing a fund to benefit thousands of individuals who developed health problems as a result of working at or near the World Trade Center site after 9/11. The bill would provide $3.2 billion in medical benefits and $4.2 billion for death and physical-injury claims through 2020.

A yes vote was to pass the bill.

Voting yes: John Adler (D., N.J.), 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.).

Trade penalties on China. Voting 348-79, the House sent the Senate a bill (HR 2378) authorizing U.S. trade officials to impose punitive tariffs and duties on imports from China in response to China's undervaluing its currency against the dollar. By reducing the cost of Chinese goods in U.S. markets, the currency devaluation has given China a competitive edge against U.S. agricultural producers and manufacturers, costing U.S. jobs and increasing the U.S. trade deficit with China.

A yes vote was to pass the bill.

Voting yes: Adler, Andrews, Brady, Castle, Dent, Fattah, Gerlach, Holden, LoBiondo, Murphy, Pitts, Schwartz, Sestak, and Smith.

U.S. space budget. Voting 304-118, the House sent President Obama a bill (S 3729) authorizing $58 billion over three years for NASA. The bill includes $11 billion for building a heavy-lift rocket and module for reaching destinations such as the International Space Station, and it abandons the Constellation rocket once envisioned for a Mars mission. The bill authorizes one additional space-shuttle mission, extending that program until mid-2011, and supports the International Space Station until 2020. But its budget limits are forcing deep reductions in the NASA workforce.

A yes vote was to approve the space budget.

Voting yes: Brady, Dent, Fattah, Gerlach, Holden, LoBiondo, Murphy, Pitts, Sestak, Schwartz, and Smith.

Voting no: Adler, Andrews, and Castle.

Stopgap 2011 budget. Voting 228-194, the House sent Obama a $219 billion stopgap spending bill (HR 3081) to fund government operations from Oct. 1 - the start of fiscal 2011 - until Dec. 3. The lame-duck session of Congress then will attempt to approve regular appropriations for the new fiscal year, with its decisions influenced by the Nov. 2 election results. The "continuing resolution" is needed because Congress has failed to enact any of the 12 appropriations bills that fund the $3.7 trillion federal budget.

A yes vote was to pass the bill.

Voting yes: Andrews, Brady, Fattah, Holden, Murphy, Sestak, and Schwartz.

Voting no: Adler, Castle, Dent, Gerlach, LoBiondo, Pitts, and Smith.

2010 spy budget. Voting 244-181, the House sent Obama a classified 2011 U.S. intelligence budget unofficially estimated at $50 billion or higher. The bill (HR 2701) funds operations of the CIA, the National Security Agency, and more than a dozen other spy agencies.

A yes vote was to pass the bill.

Voting yes: Adler, Andrews, Brady, Fattah, Holden, Murphy, Schwartz, and Sestak.

Voting no: Castle, Dent, Gerlach, LoBiondo, Pitts, and Smith.

Plain government writing. Voting 341-82, the House sent Obama a bill (HR 946) requiring federal agencies to use plain language in their forms, letters, and other documents. The bill requires each agency to establish an Internet site to publicize its push for clarity and receive public comments on documents that are poorly written. The bill lacks a mechanism to ensure compliance. The bill is projected to cost $5 million annually.

A yes vote was to pass the bill.

Voting yes: Adler, Andrews, Brady, Castle, Dent, Fattah, Gerlach, Holden, LoBiondo, Murphy, Schwartz, Sestak, and Smith.

Voting no: Pitts.

Senate

Repatriating U.S. jobs. Voting 53-45, the Senate failed to reach 60 votes needed to advance a bill (S 3816) awarding tax breaks to multinational corporations as an incentive for them to bring jobs back to the United States.

A yes vote was to advance the bill.

Voting yes: Thomas Carper (D., Del.), Bob Casey (D., Pa.), Ted Kaufman (D., Del.), Frank Lautenberg (D., N.J.), Robert Menendez (D., N.J.), and Arlen Specter (D., Pa.).

Stopgap 2011 budget. Voting 69-30, the Senate approved $219 billion in stopgap spending bill (HR 3081, above) for fiscal 2011, which will fund government operations until Dec. 3, at which time the postelection Congress will take up regular appropriations for the new budget year.

A yes vote was to pass the bill.

Voting yes: Carper, Casey, Kaufman, Lautenberg, Menendez, and Specter.

Across-the-board cut. Voting 48-51, the Senate defeated an amendment to cut spending in HR 3081 (above) by 5 percent across the board in all accounts except those funding veterans and national security programs.

A yes vote backed the spending cut.

Voting no: Carper, Casey, Kaufman, Lautenberg, Menendez, and Specter.

This week. Congress adjourned for the midterm elections with plans to return in mid-November for a lame-duck session.