Area Votes in Congress

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

House

2014 Homeland Security budget. Voting 245-182, the House on Thursday approved a $45 billion fiscal 2014 appropriations bill for the Department of Homeland Security and its 230,000 employees in seven agencies. The bill (HR 2217) increases spending for border protection, customs, and immigration enforcement while sharply cutting the Transportation Security Administration and Coast Guard budgets.

A yes vote was to send the bill to the Senate.

Voting yes: Charles W. Dent (R., Pa.), Michael Fitzpatrick (R., Pa.), Jim Gerlach (R., Pa.), Frank A. LoBiondo (R., N.J.), Pat Meehan (R., Pa.), Joseph R. Pitts (R., Pa.), Jon Runyan (R., N.J.), and Christopher H. Smith (R., N.J.).

Voting no: Robert E. Andrews (D., N.J.), Robert A. Brady (D., Pa.), John Carney (D., Del.), Matt Cartwright (D., Pa.), Chaka Fattah (D., Pa.), and Allyson Y. Schwartz (D., Pa.).

"Dream Act" dispute. The House on Thursday voted, 224-201, to block a year-old administration policy that achieves the objectives of the so-called Dream Act, which Republicans have blocked in Congress. Under a June 2012 executive order, Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is not deporting illegal immigrants brought to America as children if they meet certain conditions. This amendment to HR 2217 (above) denied ICE authority to carry out the executive order.

A yes vote was to block an executive order in support of the Dream Act.

Voting yes: Dent, Fitzpatrick, Gerlach, LoBiondo, Meehan, Pitts, Runyan, and Smith.

Voting no: Andrews, Brady, Carney, Cartwright, Fattah, and Schwartz.

Flood-insurance premiums. Voting 281-146, the House on Wednesday amended HR 2217 (above) to delay for one year higher National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) premiums for many of America's most flood-prone properties. This would blunt a key reform in a 2012 law that renewed national flood insurance for five years while reducing taxpayer subsidies of premiums.

A yes vote backed the amendment.

Voting yes: Andrews, Brady, Carney, Cartwright, Dent, Fattah, Fitzpatrick, Gerlach, LoBiondo, Meehan, Pitts, Runyan, Schwartz, and Smith.

Guantanamo Bay detainees. Voting 170-254, the House on Tuesday refused to clear the way for closing the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, as President Obama has recommended. This occurred during debate on a bill (HR 2216) funding veterans programs and military construction in fiscal 2014 that was later sent to the Senate. Most of Guantanamo's 166 detainees have not been charged for lack of evidence, and about 100 are now on a hunger strike.

A yes vote backed the transfer of Guantanamo detainees.

Voting yes: Andrews, Brady, Carney, Cartwright, Fattah, and Schwartz.

Voting no: Dent, Fitzpatrick, Gerlach, LoBiondo, Meehan, Pitts, Runyan, and Smith.

Veterans' claims backlog. Voting 198-227, the House on Tuesday defeated a bid by Democrats to add $9.2 million to HR 2216 (above) to help to reduce the backlog of 900,000 veterans' disability claims at the Department of Veterans Affairs. The funds were to pay for hiring 94 claims processors in addition to the 94 new positions already funded in the underlying bill.

A yes vote was to increase funding for claims processors.

Voting yes: Andrews, Brady, Carney, Cartwright, Fattah, and Schwartz.

Voting no: Dent, Fitzpatrick, Gerlach, LoBiondo, Meehan, Pitts, Runyan, and Smith.

Senate

Democratic student-loan plan. Voting 51-46, the Senate on Thursday failed to reach 60 votes needed to end GOP blockage of a Democratic bill (S 953) extending for two years the 3.4 percent interest rate on newly issued Stafford student loans.

A yes vote backed the Democratic plan.

Voting yes: Thomas Carper (D., Del.), Bob Casey (D., Pa.), Chris Coons (D., Del.), and Robert Menendez (D., N.J.).

Voting no: Pat Toomey (R., Pa.).

Republican loan plan. Voting 40-57, the Senate on Thursday defeated a Republican bill (S 1003) to avert a doubling on July 1 of interest rates on newly issued Stafford student loans. Presented as a long-term solution, the bill would set the rate at the Treasury's 10-year borrowing cost (now just above 2 percent) plus 3 percentage points, with the starting rate locked in throughout the loan.

A yes vote backed the Republican plan.

Voting yes: Carper.

Voting no: Casey, Coons, Menendez, and Toomey.