Here’s how some major bills fared recently in Congress and how Colorado’s congressional members voted, as provided by Thomas’ Roll Call Report Syndicate.
HOUSE
The Colorado delegation District 1: Diana DeGette (D) District 2: Mark Udall (D) District 3: John Salazar (D) District 4: Marilyn Musgrave (R) District 5: Doug Lamborn (R) District 6: Tom Tancredo (R) District 7: Ed Perlmutter (D)
CREDIT-CARD RULES
For: 312/Against: 112 Members voted to impose an array of pro-consumer rules on credit-card firms. A yes vote was to pass a bill that requires ample notice of rate hikes, bans contract changes until a card is up for renewal, prohibits cards for youths under 18 and voids certain fees. (HR 5244)
Voting yes: DeGette, Udall, Sala zar, Perlmutter
Voting no: Musgrave, Lamborn, Tancredo
GOP CREDIT-CARD PLAN
For: 198/Against: 219 Members rejected a a GOP bid to delay the rules in HR 5244 (above) until after the Federal Reserve studies the legislation and certifies that it would not shrink the availability of credit and damage the economy. A yes vote was to adopt the Republican motion.
Voting yes: Lamborn, Tancredo
Voting no: DeGette, Udall, Salazar, Perlmutter
Not voting: Musgrave
MENTAL-HEALTH PARITY
For: 376/Against: 47 Members approved a bill to require insurers to cover mental illness and chemical addiction at the same level and cost that they cover physical illness in the same policy. The bill must be reconciled with a similar Senate- passed measure. A yes vote was to pass HR 6983.
Voting yes: DeGette, Udall, Sala zar, Musgrave, Tancredo, Perl mutter
Voting no: Lamborn
STOPGAP BUDGET, OFFSHORE DRILLING
For: 370/Against: 58 Members approved $630 billion to fund 2009 budgets for veterans’ health care and the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security along with stopgap budgets for other agencies. A yes vote backed a bill that also allows more offshore drilling. (HR 2638)
Voting yes: DeGette, Udall, Sala zar, Musgrave, Perlmutter
Voting no: Lamborn, Tancredo
2009 MILITARY BUDGET
For: 392/Against: 39 Members approved $612.5 billion in military spending for 2009, including $70 billion to fund war in Afghanistan and Iraq for part of the fiscal year. A yes vote was to pass a bill (S 3001) that sets a 3.9 percent military pay raise and freezes premiums for health care. Voting yes: DeGette, Udall, Sala zar, Musgrave, Lamborn, Tancredo, Perlmutter
Voting no: None
FILIPINO VETERANS
For: 392/Against: 23 Members approved a measure to award one-time payments of $9,000 or $15,000 to about 13,000 Filipino veterans who fought under American command in World War II but were denied benefits by a 1946 act of Congress. A yes vote was to pass HR 6897.
Voting yes: DeGette, Udall, Sala zar, Musgrave, Tancredo, Perl mutter
Voting no: Lamborn
TEMPORARY TAX RELIEF
For: 393/Against: 30 Members approved a bill enabling 22 million middle-income households to avoid the Alternative Minimum Tax in 2008, with the $64 billion-plus cost added to the national debt. This reversed a House vote in June to offset the cost. A yes vote was to pass HR 7005.
Voting yes: DeGette, Udall, Musgrave, Lamborn, Perlmutter
Voting no: Salazar
Not voting: Tancredo
SENATE
The Colorado delegation Wayne Allard (R); Ken Salazar (D)
TAX-BREAK EXTENSIONS
For: 93/Against: 2 Senators approved a bill to extend tens of billions of dollars in tax breaks for businesses, families, renewable energy and education that are due to expire at year’s end. Most of the multi-year breaks are paid for by offsets in the budget. A yes vote backed HR 6049.
Voting yes: Salazar, Allard
Voting no: None
PAY AS YOU GO
For: 53/Against: 42 Senators failed to reach 60 votes for applying pay-as-you-go rules to the $64 billion-plus cost of fixing the Alternative Minimum Tax in 2008. A yes vote backed the bid over GOP arguments the fix should be paid for by spending cuts rather than tax increases. (HR 6049)
Voting yes: Salazar
Voting no: Allard
KEY VOTES AHEAD Legislative schedules were unannounced as Congress drafted a bailout of financial institutions and sought to establish an adjournment date.
