Ohio in Congress

Thomas Voting Reports

Here are area lawmakers’ decisions on major roll-call votes in

Washington for the week ending Dec. 10.

U.S. House
Mine Safety: Voting 214-193, the House failed to reach a two-thirds
majority needed to pass a bill cracking down on underground mines with
poor safety records. A yes vote was to pass a bill that, in part, increases
penalties on errant owners and protects those who report violations. (HR
6495)
LaTourette: No Fudge: Yes

Stopgap 2011 Budget: Voting 212-206, members sent the Senate a

$1.1 trillion discretionary-spending bill to fund the government at fiscal
2010 levels for the remainder of fiscal 2011. A yes vote backed a bill that
implements President Obama’s freeze on federal workers’ pay levels. (HR
3082)
LaTourette: No Fudge: Yes

Medicare Doctor Payments: The House sent President Obama, 409-2, a

bill to avert a 25 percent cut in Medicare payments to doctors next year.
The $15 billion cost is to be offset by cutting certain subsidies for insur-
ance purchases in the new health law. A yes vote was to pass HR 4994.
LaTourette: Yes Fudge: Yes

U.S. Senate
“Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”: The Senate failed, 57-40, to reach 60 votes
needed to end Republicans’ blockage of the fiscal 2011 defense budget.
Their opposition centered on the bill’s repeal of the 17-year-old “Don’t Ask,
Don’t Tell” law that bars gays from serving openly in the military. (S 3454)
Brown: Yes Voinovich: No

9/11 Responders: Senators failed, 57-42, to reach 60 votes needed to

end GOP blockage of a bill establishing a fund to benefit thousands of indi-
viduals who developed ailments after working at the World Trade Center
site after 9/11. A yes vote was to establish the deficit-neutral fund. (HR
847)
Brown: Yes Voinovich: No
Judicial Impeachment: Senators approved, 90-6, an article of impeach-
ment against federal Judge G. Thomas Porteous of the Eastern District of
Louisiana. Overall, the Senate approved four articles adding up to a pattern
of corrupt judicial conduct and removed him from office.
Brown: Yes Voinovich: Yes

Key votes ahead

In the week of Dec. 13, both chambers will take up the economic-stimu-
lus and tax-cut package drafted by President Obama and congressional
Republicans.