Area Votes in Congress

WASHINGTON - Here's how area members of Congress voted on major roll calls in the week ending Dec. 7.

House

New Energy Policies:

Members voted, 235-181, to raise vehicle mileage standards 40 percent over 12 years and require utilities to generate 15 percent of their electricity from renewable sources.

A yes vote backed a bill raising taxes on oil firms to finance an array of new energy policies. (HR 6)

Voting yes: Robert E. Andrews (D., N.J.), Robert A. Brady (D., Pa.), Michael N. Castle (R., Del.), 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: Charles W. Dent (R., Pa.), Joseph R. Pitts (R., Pa.), H. James Saxton (R., N.J.).

Senate

Temporary Tax Relief:

Senators passed, 88-5, a bill to exempt about 20 million middle-income filers from the Alternative Minimum Tax in 2007. The $50 billion cost would swell the 2008 deficit because the Senate failed to offset it with tax hikes.

A yes vote was to pass HR 3996.

Voting yes: Bob Casey Jr. (D., Pa.), Frank Lautenberg (D., N.J.), Robert Menendez (D., N.J.) and Arlen Specter (R., Pa.).

Voting no: Thomas Carper (D., Del.).

Not Voting: Joseph R. Biden Jr. (D., Del.).

Trade With Peru:

Senators voted, 77-18, to implement a U.S.-Peru free-trade pact that requires Peru to meet labor and environmental standards while locking in Peru's duty-free access to U.S. markets and lifting Peruvian duties on 80 percent of U.S. farm and consumer exports. A yes vote backed HR 3688.

Voting yes: Carper, Lautenberg, Menedez and Specter.

Voting no: Casey.

Not voting: Biden.

This week,

the House will take up conference reports on 2008 defense and intelligence budgets and a bill on terrorism-risk insurance. The Senate will debate farm programs and 2008 appropriations bills.