June 17, 2017
How your U.S. lawmaker voted
WASHINGTON — Here’s how area members of Congress voted on major issues in the week ending June 16.
House
Eligibility for health-care tax credits: The House on June 13 passed, 238-184, a bill that would require persons applying for premium tax credits under the Affordable Care Act to submit a Social Security number to verify they have citizenship or legal status. This would replace a two-step ACA verification process that has a grace period. Directed mainly at immigrants, the bill also would apply to the GOP’s proposed American Health Care Act if that measure becomes law. A yes vote was to send HR 2581 to the Senate.
Voting yes: Jaime Herrera Beutler, R-Camas, Dan Newhouse, R-Sunnyside, Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Spokane, Dave Reichert, R-Auburn
Voting no: Suzan DelBene, D-Medina, Rick Larsen, D-Lake Stevens, Derek Kilmer, D-Gig Harbor, Pramila Jayapal, D-Seattle, Adam Smith, D-Bellevue, Denny Heck, D-Olympia.
Immediate health insurance for infants: Voting 193-231, the House on June 13 defeated a Democratic bid to ensure immediate health-care coverage under HR 2581 (above) for newborns and infants up to 1 year old whose legal status cannot be promptly established because of the time it takes to obtain a Social Security number for meeting the bill’s verification requirement. A yes vote was to adopt the motion.
Voting yes: DelBene, Larsen, Kilmer, Jayapal, Smith, Heck
Voting no: Herrera Beutler, Newhouse, McMorris Rodgers, Reichert
Senate
Economic sanctions on Iran: The Senate on June 15 approved, 98-2, U.S. economic sanctions on foreign entitles that provide support to Iran’s ballistic-missile program, which is separate from its now-dormant nuclear program. A yes vote was to pass S 722, which also seeks to penalize Iran’s Revolutionary Guard for terrorist activities in the Middle East.
Voting yes: Maria Cantwell, D, Patty Murray, D
Economic sanctions on Russia: Voting 97-2, the Senate on June 14 added language to S 722 (above) that would impose numerous U.S. economic sanctions on the Russian government and Russian entities and industrial sectors in response to provocations such as the Kremlin’s U.S. election hacking. A yes vote was to place sanctions on Russia that no American president would have power to unilaterally revoke.
Voting yes: Cantwell, Murray
Arms sales to Saudi Arabia: The Senate on June 13 defeated, 47-53, a measure (SJ Res 42) that sought to block an administration plan to sell Saudi Arabia $500 million worth of laser-guided bombs and related weaponry, which would be used against Iran- backed forces in Yemen’s civil war. The package is part of a proposed $110 billion U.S. weapons sale to the Saudis. A yes vote was to block the $500 million transaction.
Voting yes: Cantwell, Murray
Key votes ahead: In the week of June 19, the House will debate bills on water storage, forest-fire prevent and workplace issues, while the Senate will conduct votes on high-ranking Trump administration nominees.
Source:
The Seattle Times
