Washington, D.C., Roll Call report

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

Along with this week’s roll call votes, the Senate also passed a resolution (S. Res. 19), honoring the life and legacy of President Jimmy Carter and commending Carter for his life-long career of public service, humanitarian leadership, diplomacy, and courageous advocacy.

House

RULES FOR 119TH CONGRESS: The House has passed a resolution (H. Res. 5), sponsored by Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La., to adopt its rules for the 119th Congress. Measures included making it harder to remove the current speaker, the use of artificial intelligence by House staffers, having House members pay the cost of settling their discrimination lawsuits, and speeding consideration of a dozen different bills on immigration and other matters. A supporter, Rep. Michelle Fischbach, R-Minn., said the rules promoted a House “that is modernized and efficient yet accountable and transparent.” An opponent, Rep. James McGovern, D-Mass., called the rules a move by Republicans “to double down on the dysfunction” of the 118th Congress. The vote, on Jan. 3, was 215 yeas to 209 nays.

NAYS:

Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Skamania

ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS AND CRIME: The House has passed the Laken Riley Act (H.R. 29), sponsored by Rep. Mike Collins, R-Ga. The bill would require the Homeland Security Department to detain illegal aliens in the U.S. who have been arrested on theft charges, and authorize state governments to sue for legal remedies from the federal government for damages resulting from its failure to enforce immigration laws. Collins called the bill a way to give federal and local law enforcement “the tools to get these criminals out of our country and make our communities safer.” An opponent, Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., said the bill “does nothing to address the real problems in our broken immigration system, all while ignoring basic due process and constitutional principles” for the immigrants who would be deported. The vote, on Jan. 7, was 264 yeas to 159 nays.

YEAS: Perez

INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT: The House has passed the Illegitimate Court Counteraction Act (H.R. 23), sponsored by Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas. The bill would require sanctions against foreigners who have helped the International Criminal Court arrest or prosecute U.S. residents or citizens of U.S. allies that have not consented to ICC jurisdiction over them. Roy said that without the bill, the U.S. would remain vulnerable to having its soldiers and other government workers targeted by the ICC. An opponent, Rep. Al Green, D-Texas, said it showed an “intent on protecting Israeli politicians from scrutiny at the expense of maintaining the international order at large that we helped establish.” The vote, on Jan. 9, was 243 yeas to 140 nays, with 1 voting present.

YEAS:

Perez

Senate

ILLEGAL ALIENS AND CRIME: The Senate has passed a cloture motion to proceed to consideration of the Laken Riley Act (S. 5), sponsored by Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala. The bill would require the Homeland Security Department to detain illegal aliens in the U.S. who have been arrested on theft charges, and authorize state governments to sue for legal remedies from the federal government for damages resulting from its failure to enforce immigration laws. Britt said it “will help us save American lives” by removing criminal illegal aliens from the country. The vote, on Jan. 9, was 84 yeas to 9 nays.

YEAS:

Maria Cantwell, D-Wash.

NOT VOTING:

Patty Murray, D-Wash.