Washington D.C. Roll Call Report, July 27, 2024

WASHINGTON — Here’s a look at how area members of Congress voted over the week ending July 26.

Along with roll call votes this week, the House also passed these measures: the Royalty Resiliency Act (H.R. 7377), to improve the management of royalties from oil and gas leases; the Financial Technology Protection Act (H.R. 2969), to establish an independent financial technology working group to combat terrorism and illicit financing; the HUD Transparency Act (H.R. 7280), to require the inspector general of the Department of Housing and Urban Development to testify before Congress annually; the All-American Flag Act (S. 1973), to require the purchase of domestically made U.S. flags for use by the federal government; and the Billion Dollar Boondoggle Act (S. 1258), to require the director of the Office of Management and Budget to submit to Congress an annual report on projects that are overbudget and behind schedule.

The Senate also passed the Disrupt Explicit Forged Images and Non-Consensual Edits Act (S. 3696), to improve rights to relief for individuals affected by nonconsensual activities involving intimate digital forgeries; and the Preventing the Financing of Illegal Synthetic Drugs Act (H.R. 1076), to require the U.S. Comptroller General to carry out a study on the trafficking of synthetic drugs.

House

COPYRIGHT AND LEGAL TECHNICAL STANDARDS: The House has rejected the Protecting and Enhancing Public Access to Codes Act (H.R. 1631), sponsored by Darrell Issa, R-Calif. The bill would have established that technical standards developed by a private group or business and incorporated in legal codes, such as automotive regulations, retain copyright protections. Issa said it “maintains the balance that for more than 100 years has allowed people to have access to the right material necessary to understand the complex laws of the building code, the fire code, automotive standards, and the like.” An opponent, Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., said it “threatens public access to the law and undermines due process by keeping essential legal standards hidden behind restrictive barriers” that use copyright to limit access to the standards. The vote, on July 22, was 248 yeas to 127 nays, with a two-thirds majority required for approval.

NAYS:

Marie Gluesenkamp Perez D-3rd

MANAGING WATER RESOURCES: The House has passed the Water Resources Development Act (H.R. 8812), sponsored by Rep. Sam Graves, R-Mo., to authorize and make various changes to water infrastructure construction and management efforts at the Army Corps of Engineers. Graves said the bill “makes policy and programmatic reforms to streamline processes, reduce cumbersome red tape, and get projects done much faster.” The vote, on July 22, was 359 yeas to 13 nays.

YEAS:

Perez

CRIME RESTITUTION: The House has passed the Victims’ Voices Outside and Inside the Courtroom Effectiveness Act (S. 3706), sponsored by Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas. The bill would add several types of expenses to the list of costs that a court can order a convicted criminal to pay restitution to a victim, or a person who has assumed the rights of a victim. A supporter, Rep. Harriet Hageman, R-Wyo., said that without the bill, “parents, who lovingly cared for their child who was the victim of a crime, may not receive compensation for taking time off of work to help their child heal. Family members whose loved ones did not survive a brutal attack may not receive restitution.” The vote, on July 23, was 408 yeas to 2 nays.

YEAS:

Perez

CLIMATE CORPS: The House has passed an amendment sponsored by Rep. Andrew Ogles, R-Tenn., to the Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (H.R. 8997), that would bar funding for the American Climate Corps. Ogles said: “We have got to stop pushing the progressive Democrat agenda, which is pulling us away from the very thing that is part of our national security, which is fossil fuels.” An opponent, Rep. Marcy Kaptur, D-Ohio, said the Corps “will give a new generation of Americans the skills necessary to access good-paying jobs.” The vote, on July 23, was 199 yeas to 197 nays.

NAYS:

Perez

GRID TRANSFORMERS: The House has passed an amendment sponsored by Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-N.J., to the Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (H.R. 8997), that would transfer $10 million from renewable energy programs to programs for improving electrical transformer security against physical and cyberattacks. Van Drew cited an increase in attacks on transformers in recent years, and said “it is far past time our federal government got involved, ensuring that these critical pieces of infrastructure are secured from all types of threats.” An amendment opponent, Rep. Marcy Kaptur, D-Ohio, said: “I cannot support the source of the funds for the amendment, the energy and efficiency and renewable energy accounts, which have already been cut by 43 percent” in the underlying bill. The vote, on July 23, was 214 yeas to 203 nays.

YEAS:

Perez

JOB REQUIREMENTS FOR GOVERNMENT CONTRACTORS: The House has rejected the Allowing Contractors to Choose Employees for Select Skills Act (H.R. 7887), sponsored by Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C. The bill would have barred federal government agencies from including minimum work experience or educational qualification requirements in solicitations for contractor awards unless the requirements have a specific justification. Mace said: “The federal government cannot afford to erect unnecessary hurdles that prohibit those with the necessary technical skills and desire from doing such work simply because they lack a traditional degree.” The vote, on July 23, was 178 yeas to 234 nays.

NAYS:

Perez

DEI OFFICES: The House has approved an amendment sponsored by Rep. Josh Brecheen, R-Okla., to the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (H.R. 8998), that would bar funding for any diversity, equity, and inclusion measure. Brecheen said: “Diversity, equity, and inclusion is anti-merit. It is designed to exclude people from opportunities they might otherwise receive through merit.” An opponent, Rep. Chellie Pingree, D-Maine, said “having a diverse and inclusive culture in the workplace is critical to performance.” The vote, on July 24, was 211 yeas to 202 nays.

NAYS:

Perez

TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT PROBE: The House has passed a resolution (H. Res. 1367), sponsored by Rep. Mike Kelly, R-Pa., to establish a House task force to investigate the attempted assassination of Donald Trump. Kelly said the task force will seek “to thoroughly analyze the circumstances surrounding the assassination attempt and ensure that these failures that occurred that day never happen again.” The vote, on July 24, was unanimous with 416 yeas.

YEAS:

Perez

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE SPENDING: The House has approved an amendment sponsored by Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa., to the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (H.R. 8998), that would bar funding for environmental justice actions. Perry said: “Environmental justice is nothing more than the synthesis of divisive racial ideology and radical environmentalism in the same package.” An amendment opponent, Rep. Chellie Pingree, D-Maine, said: “Environmental justice ensures that all Americans receive the same degree of protection from environmental and health hazards.” The vote, on July 24, was 210 yeas to 204 nays.

NAYS:

Perez

2025 INTERIOR, EPA SPENDING: The House has passed the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (H.R. 8998), sponsored by Rep. Michael K. Simpson, R-Idaho. The bill would provide $38.4 billion of fiscal 2025 funding for the Interior Department, Environmental Protection Agency, and other federal environmental and natural resources, and cultural, agencies. Simpson said: “This bill permanently fixes wildland firefighter pay, helps manage our public lands wisely, upholds our commitments to Indian Country, and restores the fiscal responsibility necessary to get our country back on track.” An opponent, Rep. Chellie Pingree, D-Maine, said it “debilitates America’s ability to address the climate crisis, and it hobbles the agencies within its jurisdiction.” The vote, on July 24, was 210 yeas to 205 nays.

NAYS:

Perez

VP HARRIS AND BORDER SECURITY: The House has passed a resolution (H. Res. 1371), sponsored by Rep. Elise M. Stefanik, R-N.Y., to condemn the Biden administration, and Vice President Kamala Harris as its “border czar,” for failing to secure the border with Mexico. The vote, on July 25, was 220 yeas to 196 nays.

YEAS:

Perez

Senate

GOVERNMENT LABOR RELATIONS: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Colleen Duffy Kiko to be a member of the Federal Labor Relations Authority for a five-year term ending in mid-2027. Kiko, an agency member since late 2017, including three years as its chair, has also been its general counsel and a staff attorney in various federal roles. The vote, on July 23, was 82 yeas to 6 nays.

YEAS:

Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., Patty Murray, D-Wash.

TAX COURT JUDGE: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Kashi Way to be a judge on the U.S. Tax Court for a 15-year term. Way has been a lawyer on Congress’ Joint Committee on Taxation since 2005; he was a clerk on the Tax Court, and a private practice lawyer, before joining the taxation committee. The vote, on July 25, was 79 yeas to 16 nays.

YEAS:

Cantwell, Murray