Area Votes in Congress

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

House

Civil-service job protections. Voting 256-170, the House on Wednesday passed a bill (HR 1994) reducing certain civil-service protections to make it easier for supervisors to fire or demote poorly performing employees at the Department of Veterans Affairs. The bill denies those receiving notices the opportunity to appeal their dismissal to the full Merit Systems Protection Board. Instead, targeted employees would appeal to an administrative law judge, with a decision required within 45 days.

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

Voting yes: Ryan Costello (R., Pa.), Charles W. Dent (R., Pa.), Michael Fitzpatrick (R., Pa.), Frank A. LoBiondo (R., N.J.), Tom MacArthur (R., N.J.), Joseph R. Pitts (R., Pa.), and Christopher H. Smith (R., N.J.).

Voting no: Brendan Boyle (D., Pa.), Robert A. Brady (D., Pa.), Matt Cartwright (D., Pa.), Chaka Fattah (D., Pa.), Patrick Meehan (R., Pa.), and Donald Norcross (D., N.J.).

Not voting: John Carney (D., Del.).

Congressional blockage of regulations. Voting 243-165, the House on Tuesday passed a GOP-drafted bill (HR 427) that would allow major rules issued by the executive branch to take effect only if they receive in advance - votes of approval from both chambers of Congress. This would reverse present law, under which Congress can disapprove of (kill) new regulations only after they are in place.

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

Voting yes: Costello, Dent, Fitzpatrick, LoBiondo, MacArthur, Meehan, Pitts, and Smith.

Voting no: Boyle, Brady, Carney, Cartwright, Fattah, and Norcross.

Changes to Social Security, Medicare. Voting 167-241, the House on Tuesday defeated a motion by Democrats to prevent regulatory actions under HR 427 (above) that would restructure Medicare or Social Security. The motion stated opposition to changes such as converting Medicare to a voucher program or raising the Social Security retirement age.

A yes vote was to protect Medicare and Social Security as now structured.

Voting yes: Boyle, Brady, Carney, Cartwright, Fattah, and Norcross.

Voting no: Costello, Dent, Fitzpatrick, LoBiondo, MacArthur, Meehan, Pitts, and Smith.

Three-month patch of highway fund. Voting 385-34, the House on Wednesday passed a bill (HR 3236) that would authorize funding for road, bridge, tunnel, and mass-transit construction projects through Oct. 29 while adding $8 billion to the Highway Trust Fund to keep it solvent through Dec. 18. The bill would pay for itself by making accounting changes in several federal programs.

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

Voting yes: Boyle, Brady, Cartwright, Costello, Dent, Fattah, Fitzpatrick, LoBiondo, MacArthur, Meehan, Norcross, Pitts, and Smith.

Not voting: Carney.

Senate

Six-year transportation bill. Voting 65-34, the Senate on Thursday passed a bill (HR 22) that would authorize $350 billion over six years for highway and mass-transit construction, auto and road safety, and other transportation programs. The first three years would be financed by Highway Trust Fund receipts, the sale of Strategic Petroleum Reserve oil and miscellaneous revenue measures, with the final three years not yet paid for. House GOP leaders declined to take up the bill because it reauthorizes the Export-Import Bank, among other objections. The Senate then passed a three-month transportation bill (below).

A yes vote backed a long-term transportation bill and a reauthorization of the Export-Import Bank.

Voting yes: Chris Coons (D., Del.).

Voting no: Cory Booker (D., N.J.), Thomas Carper (D., Del.), Bob Casey (D., Pa.), Robert Menendez (D., N.J.), and Pat Toomey (R., Pa.).

Revival of Export-Import Bank. Voting 64-29, the Senate on Monday advanced an amendment to HR 22 (above) that would renew the Export-Import Bank's charter, which expired on June 30. Supporters defend the bank as a job-creator that returned $675 million to the Treasury last year, while critics see it as corporate welfare.

A yes vote was to keep the Export-Import Bank in business.

Voting yes: Booker, Carper, Casey, and Menendez.

Voting no: Toomey.

Not voting: Coons.

Three-month transportation bill. Voting 91-4, the Senate on Thursday joined the House (above) in passing a bill (HR 3236) to fund surface-transportation construction projects through Oct. 29. The bill gives Congress more time to seek accord on long-term funding for transportation projects in addition to the federal gasoline and diesel taxes that supply the Highway Trust Fund.

A yes vote was to send President Obama a short-term funding bill for road, bridge, tunnel, and mass-transit construction.

Voting yes: Booker, Carper, Casey, Coons, Menendez, and Toomey.

This week. The Senate debates a bill to end federal funding of Planned Parenthood, then joins the House in summer recess. Congress reconvenes Sept. 8.