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Congressional Votes
Here's a look at summary stories written about each key vote in the House and Senate
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Kansas Congressional Votes for the Week ending 2026-05-22
by Arne Christensen
WASHINGTON, May 23 -- Here's a look at how Kansas members of Congress voted over the previous week.HOUSE VOTES:
House Vote 1:
NATO FUNDING: The House has rejected an amendment sponsored by Rep. Gregory Steube, R-Fla., to the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (H.R. 8469), that would have shifted $482 million from a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) security program to military construction efforts. Steube said tax dollars should be devoted to "strengthening America readiness, improving our base infrastructure, supporting our servicemembers ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, May 23 -- Here's a look at how Kansas members of Congress voted over the previous week. HOUSE VOTES: House Vote 1: NATO FUNDING: The House has rejected an amendment sponsored by Rep. Gregory Steube, R-Fla., to the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (H.R. 8469), that would have shifted $482 million from a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) security program to military construction efforts. Steube said tax dollars should be devoted to "strengthening America readiness, improving our base infrastructure, supporting our servicemembersand their families, and advancing our national security." An amendment opponent, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., said the NATO spending was needed both "to deter aggression from our adversaries but also to directly support U.S. troops stationed in Europe." The vote, on May 15, was 80 yeas to 333 nays.
NAYS: Davids (KS) D-KS (3rd), Estes R-KS (4th), Mann R-KS (1st)
YEAS: Schmidt R-KS (2nd)
House Vote 2:
VA AND MILITARY CONSTRUCTION SPENDING: The House has passed the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (H.R. 8469), sponsored by Rep. John R. Carter, R-Texas. The bill would provide about $481 billion for fiscal 2027 spending at the Veterans Affairs Department (VA) and for construction programs at the various divisions of the military. Carter said it "honors those who sacrifice for our country and reaffirms our commitment to the well-being of both servicemembers and veterans." The vote, on May 15, was 400 yeas to 15 nays.
YEAS: Davids (KS) D-KS (3rd), Estes R-KS (4th), Schmidt R-KS (2nd), Mann R-KS (1st)
House Vote 3:
AFFORDABLE HOUSING: The House has passed the amended version of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act (H.R. 6644), sponsored by Rep. J. French Hill, R-Ark., to establish numerous federal housing mortgage, regulation, and other policies, with the general goal of increasing the supply of affordable housing. Hill said the bill "advances practical, bipartisan solutions to modernizing the federal housing programs, reducing regulatory burdens, streamlining the development process, and building more homes to meet growing demand." The vote, on May 20, was 396 yeas to 13 nays.
YEAS: Davids (KS) D-KS (3rd), Estes R-KS (4th), Schmidt R-KS (2nd), Mann R-KS (1st)
House Vote 4:
REVIEWING NEW BANKS: The House has passed the American Access to Banking Act (H.R. 4544), sponsored by Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., to change procedures for regulatory reviews of applications to form new banks and credit unions. Waters said streamlining the review process would encourage the creation of new community banks, helping entrepreneurs provide "access to affordable financial products and services to neighbors in their community." The vote, on May 20, was 405 yeas to 4 nays.
YEAS: Davids (KS) D-KS (3rd), Estes R-KS (4th), Schmidt R-KS (2nd), Mann R-KS (1st)
House Vote 5:
BANK DEPOSITS: The House has passed the Community Bank Deposit Access Act (H.R. 5317), sponsored by Rep. J. French Hill, R-Ark., to stop treating as brokered deposits funds placed at insured banks that have less than $10 billion of assets, so long as the bank meets federal financial soundness standards. Hill said the regulatory change "works to essentially give community banks greater flexibility to access stable and reliable funding sources so that they can continue to meet the financial needs of the communities they serve." The vote, on May 20, was 393 yeas to 16 nays.
YEAS: Davids (KS) D-KS (3rd), Estes R-KS (4th), Schmidt R-KS (2nd), Mann R-KS (1st)
House Vote 6:
ST. LOUIS VA FACILITY: The House has passed the Fiscal Year 2025 Veterans Affairs Major Medical Facility Authorization Act (S. 2393), sponsored by Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., to authorize up to $1.77 billion of spending on extensive changes to the St. Louis VA Medical Center, including adding a new bed tower and new clinical buildings. A supporter, Rep. Mike Bost, R-Ill., said: "These investments would expand capacity, support specialized care, and improve the overall experience for veterans, caregivers, providers, and staff." The vote, on May 20, was 405 yeas to 5 nays.
YEAS: Davids (KS) D-KS (3rd), Estes R-KS (4th), Schmidt R-KS (2nd), Mann R-KS (1st)
House Vote 7:
SHARK ALERTS: The House has passed Lulu's Law (S. 1003), sponsored by Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., to require a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) order permitting government agencies to send shark attack alerts to mobile phones. A supporter, Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-N.J., said: "Local authorities can and should use every tool at their disposal to keep the public informed of developments with clear actionable instructions for how to respond safely." The vote, on May 20, was 401 yeas to 6 nays.
YEAS: Davids (KS) D-KS (3rd), Estes R-KS (4th), Schmidt R-KS (2nd), Mann R-KS (1st)
House Vote 8:
SEPTEMBER 11 ATTACKS: The House has passed the 25th Anniversary of 9/11 Commemorative Coin Act (H.R. 1993), sponsored by Rep. Dan Goldman, D-N.Y., to have the Treasury Department mint and sell coins to commemorate the September 11 attacks, with part of the sale proceeds going to the National September 11 Memorial and Museum at the World Trade Center. Goldman cited the value of having the proceeds support the museum's "critical work educating future generations and remembering those we lost." The vote, on May 20, was unanimous with 415 yeas.
YEAS: Davids (KS) D-KS (3rd), Estes R-KS (4th), Schmidt R-KS (2nd), Mann R-KS (1st)
House Vote 9:
GENDER AND PUBLIC SCHOOLS: The House has passed the Parental Rights Over The Education and Care of Their Kids Act (H.R. 2616), sponsored by Rep. Tim Walberg, R-Mich., to condition federal funding for public elementary and middle schools on the schools obtaining parental consent in order to change sex-based accommodations or gender identifications for a given student. Walberg said the bill was needed because "many schools are engaged in systematic attempts to erode parental rights. Schools are facilitating gender transitions or encouraging students to change their names and pronouns without telling parents." An opponent, Rep. Bobby Scott, D-Va., claimed the bill "bars any discussion of transgender people or topics in the classroom, banning books with transgender characters or that even discuss the existence of transgender people." The vote, on May 20, was 217 yeas to 198 nays.
NAYS: Davids (KS) D-KS (3rd)
YEAS: Estes R-KS (4th), Schmidt R-KS (2nd), Mann R-KS (1st)
House Vote 10:
WOMEN'S HISTORY: The House has rejected the Smithsonian American Women's History Museum Act (H.R. 1329), sponsored by Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, R-N.Y., to authorize construction of a museum about women's history on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Malliotakis said: "It is long past time that the women of this country, who make up more than half of the population, deserve to have a museum that tells their stories and shares their contributions to our great country." A bill opponent, Rep. Joseph D. Morelle, D-N.Y., said it gave too much control over the museum siting and design process to the president, and "inserts an ideological poison pill intended to dictate what the museum can and cannot say about women's history." The vote, on May 21, was 204 yeas to 216 nays.
NAYS: Davids (KS) D-KS (3rd)
YEAS: Estes R-KS (4th), Schmidt R-KS (2nd), Mann R-KS (1st)
House Vote 11:
BACKGROUND CHECKS ON VETERANS: The House has passed the Veterans 2nd Amendment Protection Act (H.R. 1041), sponsored by Rep. Mike Bost, R-Ill., to bar the Veterans Affairs Department (VA) from sending information about a fiduciary for a given veteran to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System for firearms purchases. Bost said fiduciary reporting rested on "the false assumption that disabled veterans are dangerous and the harmful assumption that the capacity to manage your finances has any bearing on dangerousness or that you are dangerous." A bill opponent, Rep. Mark Takano, D-Calif., said reporting was appropriately "based on a diagnosis of severe mental illness or injury" in a veteran that puts the veteran at greater risk of suicide using a firearm. The vote, on May 21, was 216 yeas to 201 nays.
NAYS: Davids (KS) D-KS (3rd)
YEAS: Estes R-KS (4th), Schmidt R-KS (2nd), Mann R-KS (1st)
House Vote 12:
BENEFITS FOR DISABLED VETERANS: The House has passed the Sharri Briley and Eric Edmundson Veterans Benefits Expansion Act (H.R. 6047), sponsored by Rep. Tom Barrett, R-Mich., to increase various benefits for certain classes of veterans, including a supplemental monthly allowance for veterans with a disability connected to their time in the military. Barrett said: "My bill will deliver a long overdue, historic increase in benefits to care for veterans who were severely injured in the line of duty, and it will support the Gold Star families who lost a spouse, a parent, a child, or a loved one in service to our country." An opponent, Rep. Mark Takano, D-Calif., said the benefits increase would wrongly be paid for by cutting funding for mortgage subsidies for veterans buying a home. The vote, on May 21, was 235 yeas to 179 nays.
NAYS: Davids (KS) D-KS (3rd)
YEAS: Estes R-KS (4th), Schmidt R-KS (2nd), Mann R-KS (1st)
SENATE VOTES:
Senate Vote 1:
CONFIRMING NOMINEES: The Senate has passed a bill (S. Res. 690), sponsored by Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., to confirm, en bloc, the nomination of 49 different nominees to executive branch positions, including ambassadors and U.S. attorneys and marshals for state districts. Thune said the group consideration avoided petty partisan delays for nominees who have completed the Senate's nominee review process. An opponent, Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said the slate was a "rancid package of nominees," many of them lacking qualifications other than loyalty to President Trump. The vote, on May 18, was 46 yeas to 43 nays.
YEAS: Moran R-KS, Marshall R-KS
Senate Vote 2:
SOUTH CAROLINA JUDGE: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Sheria Akins Clarke to be a judge on the U.S. District Court for South Carolina. A lawyer and staffer for various House committees from 2009 to 2019, Clarke has since been an assistant U.S. attorney for the district and, currently, a lawyer at a private law firm. The vote, on May 19, was 52 yeas to 38 nays.
YEAS: Moran R-KS, Marshall R-KS
Senate Vote 3:
IRAN WAR AUTHORIZATION: The Senate has agreed to a motion to discharge from its Foreign Relations Committee a bill (S.J. Res. 185), sponsored by Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., that would require the cessation of military action against Iran absent Congressional authorization. Kaine cited a 60-day deadline under the War Powers Resolution, after combat action begins, for Congress to review the action, and said: "We are well past the statutory time that might give a president an argument that 'I don't need to come to Congress to get a war approved.' " The vote to discharge, on May 19, was 50 yeas to 47 nays.
NAYS: Moran R-KS, Marshall R-KS
Senate Vote 4:
VIRGIN ISLANDS JUDGE: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Evan Rikhye to be a judge for the District Court of the Virgin Islands for a 10-year term. Rikhye was an assistant U.S. attorney for the Virgin Islands for two different approximately three-year spans as part of a two-decade career as a Justice Department prosecutor; for the past year and a half, he has been a senior counsel for Walmart. The vote, on May 20, was 52 yeas to 47 nays.
YEAS: Moran R-KS, Marshall R-KS
For more information about Targeted News Service, please contact Myron Struck, editor, 703/304-1897, editor@targetednews.com; for technical questions about transmission or for retransmissions, please contact Kevin Meek, kevin@targetednews.com.
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Idaho Congressional Votes for the Week ending 2026-05-22
by Arne Christensen
WASHINGTON, May 23 -- Here's a look at how Idaho members of Congress voted over the previous week.HOUSE VOTES:
House Vote 1:
NATO FUNDING: The House has rejected an amendment sponsored by Rep. Gregory Steube, R-Fla., to the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (H.R. 8469), that would have shifted $482 million from a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) security program to military construction efforts. Steube said tax dollars should be devoted to "strengthening America readiness, improving our base infrastructure, supporting our servicemembers ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, May 23 -- Here's a look at how Idaho members of Congress voted over the previous week. HOUSE VOTES: House Vote 1: NATO FUNDING: The House has rejected an amendment sponsored by Rep. Gregory Steube, R-Fla., to the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (H.R. 8469), that would have shifted $482 million from a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) security program to military construction efforts. Steube said tax dollars should be devoted to "strengthening America readiness, improving our base infrastructure, supporting our servicemembersand their families, and advancing our national security." An amendment opponent, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., said the NATO spending was needed both "to deter aggression from our adversaries but also to directly support U.S. troops stationed in Europe." The vote, on May 15, was 80 yeas to 333 nays.
YEAS: Fulcher R-ID (1st)
NAYS: Simpson R-ID (2nd)
House Vote 2:
VA AND MILITARY CONSTRUCTION SPENDING: The House has passed the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (H.R. 8469), sponsored by Rep. John R. Carter, R-Texas. The bill would provide about $481 billion for fiscal 2027 spending at the Veterans Affairs Department (VA) and for construction programs at the various divisions of the military. Carter said it "honors those who sacrifice for our country and reaffirms our commitment to the well-being of both servicemembers and veterans." The vote, on May 15, was 400 yeas to 15 nays.
YEAS: Fulcher R-ID (1st), Simpson R-ID (2nd)
House Vote 3:
AFFORDABLE HOUSING: The House has passed the amended version of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act (H.R. 6644), sponsored by Rep. J. French Hill, R-Ark., to establish numerous federal housing mortgage, regulation, and other policies, with the general goal of increasing the supply of affordable housing. Hill said the bill "advances practical, bipartisan solutions to modernizing the federal housing programs, reducing regulatory burdens, streamlining the development process, and building more homes to meet growing demand." The vote, on May 20, was 396 yeas to 13 nays.
YEAS: Fulcher R-ID (1st), Simpson R-ID (2nd)
House Vote 4:
REVIEWING NEW BANKS: The House has passed the American Access to Banking Act (H.R. 4544), sponsored by Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., to change procedures for regulatory reviews of applications to form new banks and credit unions. Waters said streamlining the review process would encourage the creation of new community banks, helping entrepreneurs provide "access to affordable financial products and services to neighbors in their community." The vote, on May 20, was 405 yeas to 4 nays.
YEAS: Fulcher R-ID (1st), Simpson R-ID (2nd)
House Vote 5:
BANK DEPOSITS: The House has passed the Community Bank Deposit Access Act (H.R. 5317), sponsored by Rep. J. French Hill, R-Ark., to stop treating as brokered deposits funds placed at insured banks that have less than $10 billion of assets, so long as the bank meets federal financial soundness standards. Hill said the regulatory change "works to essentially give community banks greater flexibility to access stable and reliable funding sources so that they can continue to meet the financial needs of the communities they serve." The vote, on May 20, was 393 yeas to 16 nays.
YEAS: Fulcher R-ID (1st), Simpson R-ID (2nd)
House Vote 6:
ST. LOUIS VA FACILITY: The House has passed the Fiscal Year 2025 Veterans Affairs Major Medical Facility Authorization Act (S. 2393), sponsored by Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., to authorize up to $1.77 billion of spending on extensive changes to the St. Louis VA Medical Center, including adding a new bed tower and new clinical buildings. A supporter, Rep. Mike Bost, R-Ill., said: "These investments would expand capacity, support specialized care, and improve the overall experience for veterans, caregivers, providers, and staff." The vote, on May 20, was 405 yeas to 5 nays.
YEAS: Fulcher R-ID (1st), Simpson R-ID (2nd)
House Vote 7:
SHARK ALERTS: The House has passed Lulu's Law (S. 1003), sponsored by Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., to require a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) order permitting government agencies to send shark attack alerts to mobile phones. A supporter, Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-N.J., said: "Local authorities can and should use every tool at their disposal to keep the public informed of developments with clear actionable instructions for how to respond safely." The vote, on May 20, was 401 yeas to 6 nays.
YEAS: Fulcher R-ID (1st), Simpson R-ID (2nd)
House Vote 8:
SEPTEMBER 11 ATTACKS: The House has passed the 25th Anniversary of 9/11 Commemorative Coin Act (H.R. 1993), sponsored by Rep. Dan Goldman, D-N.Y., to have the Treasury Department mint and sell coins to commemorate the September 11 attacks, with part of the sale proceeds going to the National September 11 Memorial and Museum at the World Trade Center. Goldman cited the value of having the proceeds support the museum's "critical work educating future generations and remembering those we lost." The vote, on May 20, was unanimous with 415 yeas.
YEAS: Fulcher R-ID (1st), Simpson R-ID (2nd)
House Vote 9:
GENDER AND PUBLIC SCHOOLS: The House has passed the Parental Rights Over The Education and Care of Their Kids Act (H.R. 2616), sponsored by Rep. Tim Walberg, R-Mich., to condition federal funding for public elementary and middle schools on the schools obtaining parental consent in order to change sex-based accommodations or gender identifications for a given student. Walberg said the bill was needed because "many schools are engaged in systematic attempts to erode parental rights. Schools are facilitating gender transitions or encouraging students to change their names and pronouns without telling parents." An opponent, Rep. Bobby Scott, D-Va., claimed the bill "bars any discussion of transgender people or topics in the classroom, banning books with transgender characters or that even discuss the existence of transgender people." The vote, on May 20, was 217 yeas to 198 nays.
YEAS: Fulcher R-ID (1st), Simpson R-ID (2nd)
House Vote 10:
WOMEN'S HISTORY: The House has rejected the Smithsonian American Women's History Museum Act (H.R. 1329), sponsored by Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, R-N.Y., to authorize construction of a museum about women's history on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Malliotakis said: "It is long past time that the women of this country, who make up more than half of the population, deserve to have a museum that tells their stories and shares their contributions to our great country." A bill opponent, Rep. Joseph D. Morelle, D-N.Y., said it gave too much control over the museum siting and design process to the president, and "inserts an ideological poison pill intended to dictate what the museum can and cannot say about women's history." The vote, on May 21, was 204 yeas to 216 nays.
YEAS: Fulcher R-ID (1st), Simpson R-ID (2nd)
House Vote 11:
BACKGROUND CHECKS ON VETERANS: The House has passed the Veterans 2nd Amendment Protection Act (H.R. 1041), sponsored by Rep. Mike Bost, R-Ill., to bar the Veterans Affairs Department (VA) from sending information about a fiduciary for a given veteran to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System for firearms purchases. Bost said fiduciary reporting rested on "the false assumption that disabled veterans are dangerous and the harmful assumption that the capacity to manage your finances has any bearing on dangerousness or that you are dangerous." A bill opponent, Rep. Mark Takano, D-Calif., said reporting was appropriately "based on a diagnosis of severe mental illness or injury" in a veteran that puts the veteran at greater risk of suicide using a firearm. The vote, on May 21, was 216 yeas to 201 nays.
YEAS: Fulcher R-ID (1st), Simpson R-ID (2nd)
House Vote 12:
BENEFITS FOR DISABLED VETERANS: The House has passed the Sharri Briley and Eric Edmundson Veterans Benefits Expansion Act (H.R. 6047), sponsored by Rep. Tom Barrett, R-Mich., to increase various benefits for certain classes of veterans, including a supplemental monthly allowance for veterans with a disability connected to their time in the military. Barrett said: "My bill will deliver a long overdue, historic increase in benefits to care for veterans who were severely injured in the line of duty, and it will support the Gold Star families who lost a spouse, a parent, a child, or a loved one in service to our country." An opponent, Rep. Mark Takano, D-Calif., said the benefits increase would wrongly be paid for by cutting funding for mortgage subsidies for veterans buying a home. The vote, on May 21, was 235 yeas to 179 nays.
YEAS: Fulcher R-ID (1st), Simpson R-ID (2nd)
SENATE VOTES:
Senate Vote 1:
CONFIRMING NOMINEES: The Senate has passed a bill (S. Res. 690), sponsored by Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., to confirm, en bloc, the nomination of 49 different nominees to executive branch positions, including ambassadors and U.S. attorneys and marshals for state districts. Thune said the group consideration avoided petty partisan delays for nominees who have completed the Senate's nominee review process. An opponent, Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said the slate was a "rancid package of nominees," many of them lacking qualifications other than loyalty to President Trump. The vote, on May 18, was 46 yeas to 43 nays.
NOT VOTING: Risch R-ID
YEAS: Crapo R-ID
Senate Vote 2:
SOUTH CAROLINA JUDGE: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Sheria Akins Clarke to be a judge on the U.S. District Court for South Carolina. A lawyer and staffer for various House committees from 2009 to 2019, Clarke has since been an assistant U.S. attorney for the district and, currently, a lawyer at a private law firm. The vote, on May 19, was 52 yeas to 38 nays.
YEAS: Risch R-ID, Crapo R-ID
Senate Vote 3:
IRAN WAR AUTHORIZATION: The Senate has agreed to a motion to discharge from its Foreign Relations Committee a bill (S.J. Res. 185), sponsored by Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., that would require the cessation of military action against Iran absent Congressional authorization. Kaine cited a 60-day deadline under the War Powers Resolution, after combat action begins, for Congress to review the action, and said: "We are well past the statutory time that might give a president an argument that 'I don't need to come to Congress to get a war approved.' " The vote to discharge, on May 19, was 50 yeas to 47 nays.
NAYS: Risch R-ID, Crapo R-ID
Senate Vote 4:
VIRGIN ISLANDS JUDGE: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Evan Rikhye to be a judge for the District Court of the Virgin Islands for a 10-year term. Rikhye was an assistant U.S. attorney for the Virgin Islands for two different approximately three-year spans as part of a two-decade career as a Justice Department prosecutor; for the past year and a half, he has been a senior counsel for Walmart. The vote, on May 20, was 52 yeas to 47 nays.
YEAS: Risch R-ID, Crapo R-ID
For more information about Targeted News Service, please contact Myron Struck, editor, 703/304-1897, editor@targetednews.com; for technical questions about transmission or for retransmissions, please contact Kevin Meek, kevin@targetednews.com.
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District of Columbia Congressional Votes for the Week ending 2026-05-22
by Arne Christensen
WASHINGTON, May 23 -- Here's a look at how District of Columbia members of Congress voted over the previous week.HOUSE VOTES:
House Vote 1:
NATO FUNDING: The House has rejected an amendment sponsored by Rep. Gregory Steube, R-Fla., to the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (H.R. 8469), that would have shifted $482 million from a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) security program to military construction efforts. Steube said tax dollars should be devoted to "strengthening America readiness, improving our base infrastructure, supporting our ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, May 23 -- Here's a look at how District of Columbia members of Congress voted over the previous week. HOUSE VOTES: House Vote 1: NATO FUNDING: The House has rejected an amendment sponsored by Rep. Gregory Steube, R-Fla., to the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (H.R. 8469), that would have shifted $482 million from a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) security program to military construction efforts. Steube said tax dollars should be devoted to "strengthening America readiness, improving our base infrastructure, supporting ourservicemembers and their families, and advancing our national security." An amendment opponent, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., said the NATO spending was needed both "to deter aggression from our adversaries but also to directly support U.S. troops stationed in Europe." The vote, on May 15, was 80 yeas to 333 nays.
NAYS: Norton D-DC ()
House Vote 2:
VA AND MILITARY CONSTRUCTION SPENDING: The House has passed the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (H.R. 8469), sponsored by Rep. John R. Carter, R-Texas. The bill would provide about $481 billion for fiscal 2027 spending at the Veterans Affairs Department (VA) and for construction programs at the various divisions of the military. Carter said it "honors those who sacrifice for our country and reaffirms our commitment to the well-being of both servicemembers and veterans." The vote, on May 15, was 400 yeas to 15 nays.
House Vote 3:
AFFORDABLE HOUSING: The House has passed the amended version of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act (H.R. 6644), sponsored by Rep. J. French Hill, R-Ark., to establish numerous federal housing mortgage, regulation, and other policies, with the general goal of increasing the supply of affordable housing. Hill said the bill "advances practical, bipartisan solutions to modernizing the federal housing programs, reducing regulatory burdens, streamlining the development process, and building more homes to meet growing demand." The vote, on May 20, was 396 yeas to 13 nays.
House Vote 4:
REVIEWING NEW BANKS: The House has passed the American Access to Banking Act (H.R. 4544), sponsored by Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., to change procedures for regulatory reviews of applications to form new banks and credit unions. Waters said streamlining the review process would encourage the creation of new community banks, helping entrepreneurs provide "access to affordable financial products and services to neighbors in their community." The vote, on May 20, was 405 yeas to 4 nays.
House Vote 5:
BANK DEPOSITS: The House has passed the Community Bank Deposit Access Act (H.R. 5317), sponsored by Rep. J. French Hill, R-Ark., to stop treating as brokered deposits funds placed at insured banks that have less than $10 billion of assets, so long as the bank meets federal financial soundness standards. Hill said the regulatory change "works to essentially give community banks greater flexibility to access stable and reliable funding sources so that they can continue to meet the financial needs of the communities they serve." The vote, on May 20, was 393 yeas to 16 nays.
House Vote 6:
ST. LOUIS VA FACILITY: The House has passed the Fiscal Year 2025 Veterans Affairs Major Medical Facility Authorization Act (S. 2393), sponsored by Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., to authorize up to $1.77 billion of spending on extensive changes to the St. Louis VA Medical Center, including adding a new bed tower and new clinical buildings. A supporter, Rep. Mike Bost, R-Ill., said: "These investments would expand capacity, support specialized care, and improve the overall experience for veterans, caregivers, providers, and staff." The vote, on May 20, was 405 yeas to 5 nays.
House Vote 7:
SHARK ALERTS: The House has passed Lulu's Law (S. 1003), sponsored by Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., to require a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) order permitting government agencies to send shark attack alerts to mobile phones. A supporter, Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-N.J., said: "Local authorities can and should use every tool at their disposal to keep the public informed of developments with clear actionable instructions for how to respond safely." The vote, on May 20, was 401 yeas to 6 nays.
House Vote 8:
SEPTEMBER 11 ATTACKS: The House has passed the 25th Anniversary of 9/11 Commemorative Coin Act (H.R. 1993), sponsored by Rep. Dan Goldman, D-N.Y., to have the Treasury Department mint and sell coins to commemorate the September 11 attacks, with part of the sale proceeds going to the National September 11 Memorial and Museum at the World Trade Center. Goldman cited the value of having the proceeds support the museum's "critical work educating future generations and remembering those we lost." The vote, on May 20, was unanimous with 415 yeas.
House Vote 9:
GENDER AND PUBLIC SCHOOLS: The House has passed the Parental Rights Over The Education and Care of Their Kids Act (H.R. 2616), sponsored by Rep. Tim Walberg, R-Mich., to condition federal funding for public elementary and middle schools on the schools obtaining parental consent in order to change sex-based accommodations or gender identifications for a given student. Walberg said the bill was needed because "many schools are engaged in systematic attempts to erode parental rights. Schools are facilitating gender transitions or encouraging students to change their names and pronouns without telling parents." An opponent, Rep. Bobby Scott, D-Va., claimed the bill "bars any discussion of transgender people or topics in the classroom, banning books with transgender characters or that even discuss the existence of transgender people." The vote, on May 20, was 217 yeas to 198 nays.
House Vote 10:
WOMEN'S HISTORY: The House has rejected the Smithsonian American Women's History Museum Act (H.R. 1329), sponsored by Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, R-N.Y., to authorize construction of a museum about women's history on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Malliotakis said: "It is long past time that the women of this country, who make up more than half of the population, deserve to have a museum that tells their stories and shares their contributions to our great country." A bill opponent, Rep. Joseph D. Morelle, D-N.Y., said it gave too much control over the museum siting and design process to the president, and "inserts an ideological poison pill intended to dictate what the museum can and cannot say about women's history." The vote, on May 21, was 204 yeas to 216 nays.
House Vote 11:
BACKGROUND CHECKS ON VETERANS: The House has passed the Veterans 2nd Amendment Protection Act (H.R. 1041), sponsored by Rep. Mike Bost, R-Ill., to bar the Veterans Affairs Department (VA) from sending information about a fiduciary for a given veteran to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System for firearms purchases. Bost said fiduciary reporting rested on "the false assumption that disabled veterans are dangerous and the harmful assumption that the capacity to manage your finances has any bearing on dangerousness or that you are dangerous." A bill opponent, Rep. Mark Takano, D-Calif., said reporting was appropriately "based on a diagnosis of severe mental illness or injury" in a veteran that puts the veteran at greater risk of suicide using a firearm. The vote, on May 21, was 216 yeas to 201 nays.
House Vote 12:
BENEFITS FOR DISABLED VETERANS: The House has passed the Sharri Briley and Eric Edmundson Veterans Benefits Expansion Act (H.R. 6047), sponsored by Rep. Tom Barrett, R-Mich., to increase various benefits for certain classes of veterans, including a supplemental monthly allowance for veterans with a disability connected to their time in the military. Barrett said: "My bill will deliver a long overdue, historic increase in benefits to care for veterans who were severely injured in the line of duty, and it will support the Gold Star families who lost a spouse, a parent, a child, or a loved one in service to our country." An opponent, Rep. Mark Takano, D-Calif., said the benefits increase would wrongly be paid for by cutting funding for mortgage subsidies for veterans buying a home. The vote, on May 21, was 235 yeas to 179 nays.
SENATE VOTES:
Senate Vote 1:
CONFIRMING NOMINEES: The Senate has passed a bill (S. Res. 690), sponsored by Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., to confirm, en bloc, the nomination of 49 different nominees to executive branch positions, including ambassadors and U.S. attorneys and marshals for state districts. Thune said the group consideration avoided petty partisan delays for nominees who have completed the Senate's nominee review process. An opponent, Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said the slate was a "rancid package of nominees," many of them lacking qualifications other than loyalty to President Trump. The vote, on May 18, was 46 yeas to 43 nays.
Senate Vote 2:
SOUTH CAROLINA JUDGE: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Sheria Akins Clarke to be a judge on the U.S. District Court for South Carolina. A lawyer and staffer for various House committees from 2009 to 2019, Clarke has since been an assistant U.S. attorney for the district and, currently, a lawyer at a private law firm. The vote, on May 19, was 52 yeas to 38 nays.
Senate Vote 3:
IRAN WAR AUTHORIZATION: The Senate has agreed to a motion to discharge from its Foreign Relations Committee a bill (S.J. Res. 185), sponsored by Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., that would require the cessation of military action against Iran absent Congressional authorization. Kaine cited a 60-day deadline under the War Powers Resolution, after combat action begins, for Congress to review the action, and said: "We are well past the statutory time that might give a president an argument that 'I don't need to come to Congress to get a war approved.' " The vote to discharge, on May 19, was 50 yeas to 47 nays.
Senate Vote 4:
VIRGIN ISLANDS JUDGE: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Evan Rikhye to be a judge for the District Court of the Virgin Islands for a 10-year term. Rikhye was an assistant U.S. attorney for the Virgin Islands for two different approximately three-year spans as part of a two-decade career as a Justice Department prosecutor; for the past year and a half, he has been a senior counsel for Walmart. The vote, on May 20, was 52 yeas to 47 nays.
For more information about Targeted News Service, please contact Myron Struck, editor, 703/304-1897, editor@targetednews.com; for technical questions about transmission or for retransmissions, please contact Kevin Meek, kevin@targetednews.com.
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Delaware Congressional Votes for the Week ending 2026-05-22
by Arne Christensen
WASHINGTON, May 23 -- Here's a look at how Delaware members of Congress voted over the previous week.HOUSE VOTES:
House Vote 1:
NATO FUNDING: The House has rejected an amendment sponsored by Rep. Gregory Steube, R-Fla., to the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (H.R. 8469), that would have shifted $482 million from a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) security program to military construction efforts. Steube said tax dollars should be devoted to "strengthening America readiness, improving our base infrastructure, supporting our servicemembers ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, May 23 -- Here's a look at how Delaware members of Congress voted over the previous week. HOUSE VOTES: House Vote 1: NATO FUNDING: The House has rejected an amendment sponsored by Rep. Gregory Steube, R-Fla., to the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (H.R. 8469), that would have shifted $482 million from a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) security program to military construction efforts. Steube said tax dollars should be devoted to "strengthening America readiness, improving our base infrastructure, supporting our servicemembersand their families, and advancing our national security." An amendment opponent, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., said the NATO spending was needed both "to deter aggression from our adversaries but also to directly support U.S. troops stationed in Europe." The vote, on May 15, was 80 yeas to 333 nays.
NAYS: McBride D-DE (AL)
House Vote 2:
VA AND MILITARY CONSTRUCTION SPENDING: The House has passed the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (H.R. 8469), sponsored by Rep. John R. Carter, R-Texas. The bill would provide about $481 billion for fiscal 2027 spending at the Veterans Affairs Department (VA) and for construction programs at the various divisions of the military. Carter said it "honors those who sacrifice for our country and reaffirms our commitment to the well-being of both servicemembers and veterans." The vote, on May 15, was 400 yeas to 15 nays.
YEAS: McBride D-DE (AL)
House Vote 3:
AFFORDABLE HOUSING: The House has passed the amended version of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act (H.R. 6644), sponsored by Rep. J. French Hill, R-Ark., to establish numerous federal housing mortgage, regulation, and other policies, with the general goal of increasing the supply of affordable housing. Hill said the bill "advances practical, bipartisan solutions to modernizing the federal housing programs, reducing regulatory burdens, streamlining the development process, and building more homes to meet growing demand." The vote, on May 20, was 396 yeas to 13 nays.
YEAS: McBride D-DE (AL)
House Vote 4:
REVIEWING NEW BANKS: The House has passed the American Access to Banking Act (H.R. 4544), sponsored by Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., to change procedures for regulatory reviews of applications to form new banks and credit unions. Waters said streamlining the review process would encourage the creation of new community banks, helping entrepreneurs provide "access to affordable financial products and services to neighbors in their community." The vote, on May 20, was 405 yeas to 4 nays.
YEAS: McBride D-DE (AL)
House Vote 5:
BANK DEPOSITS: The House has passed the Community Bank Deposit Access Act (H.R. 5317), sponsored by Rep. J. French Hill, R-Ark., to stop treating as brokered deposits funds placed at insured banks that have less than $10 billion of assets, so long as the bank meets federal financial soundness standards. Hill said the regulatory change "works to essentially give community banks greater flexibility to access stable and reliable funding sources so that they can continue to meet the financial needs of the communities they serve." The vote, on May 20, was 393 yeas to 16 nays.
YEAS: McBride D-DE (AL)
House Vote 6:
ST. LOUIS VA FACILITY: The House has passed the Fiscal Year 2025 Veterans Affairs Major Medical Facility Authorization Act (S. 2393), sponsored by Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., to authorize up to $1.77 billion of spending on extensive changes to the St. Louis VA Medical Center, including adding a new bed tower and new clinical buildings. A supporter, Rep. Mike Bost, R-Ill., said: "These investments would expand capacity, support specialized care, and improve the overall experience for veterans, caregivers, providers, and staff." The vote, on May 20, was 405 yeas to 5 nays.
YEAS: McBride D-DE (AL)
House Vote 7:
SHARK ALERTS: The House has passed Lulu's Law (S. 1003), sponsored by Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., to require a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) order permitting government agencies to send shark attack alerts to mobile phones. A supporter, Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-N.J., said: "Local authorities can and should use every tool at their disposal to keep the public informed of developments with clear actionable instructions for how to respond safely." The vote, on May 20, was 401 yeas to 6 nays.
YEAS: McBride D-DE (AL)
House Vote 8:
SEPTEMBER 11 ATTACKS: The House has passed the 25th Anniversary of 9/11 Commemorative Coin Act (H.R. 1993), sponsored by Rep. Dan Goldman, D-N.Y., to have the Treasury Department mint and sell coins to commemorate the September 11 attacks, with part of the sale proceeds going to the National September 11 Memorial and Museum at the World Trade Center. Goldman cited the value of having the proceeds support the museum's "critical work educating future generations and remembering those we lost." The vote, on May 20, was unanimous with 415 yeas.
YEAS: McBride D-DE (AL)
House Vote 9:
GENDER AND PUBLIC SCHOOLS: The House has passed the Parental Rights Over The Education and Care of Their Kids Act (H.R. 2616), sponsored by Rep. Tim Walberg, R-Mich., to condition federal funding for public elementary and middle schools on the schools obtaining parental consent in order to change sex-based accommodations or gender identifications for a given student. Walberg said the bill was needed because "many schools are engaged in systematic attempts to erode parental rights. Schools are facilitating gender transitions or encouraging students to change their names and pronouns without telling parents." An opponent, Rep. Bobby Scott, D-Va., claimed the bill "bars any discussion of transgender people or topics in the classroom, banning books with transgender characters or that even discuss the existence of transgender people." The vote, on May 20, was 217 yeas to 198 nays.
NAYS: McBride D-DE (AL)
House Vote 10:
WOMEN'S HISTORY: The House has rejected the Smithsonian American Women's History Museum Act (H.R. 1329), sponsored by Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, R-N.Y., to authorize construction of a museum about women's history on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Malliotakis said: "It is long past time that the women of this country, who make up more than half of the population, deserve to have a museum that tells their stories and shares their contributions to our great country." A bill opponent, Rep. Joseph D. Morelle, D-N.Y., said it gave too much control over the museum siting and design process to the president, and "inserts an ideological poison pill intended to dictate what the museum can and cannot say about women's history." The vote, on May 21, was 204 yeas to 216 nays.
NAYS: McBride D-DE (AL)
House Vote 11:
BACKGROUND CHECKS ON VETERANS: The House has passed the Veterans 2nd Amendment Protection Act (H.R. 1041), sponsored by Rep. Mike Bost, R-Ill., to bar the Veterans Affairs Department (VA) from sending information about a fiduciary for a given veteran to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System for firearms purchases. Bost said fiduciary reporting rested on "the false assumption that disabled veterans are dangerous and the harmful assumption that the capacity to manage your finances has any bearing on dangerousness or that you are dangerous." A bill opponent, Rep. Mark Takano, D-Calif., said reporting was appropriately "based on a diagnosis of severe mental illness or injury" in a veteran that puts the veteran at greater risk of suicide using a firearm. The vote, on May 21, was 216 yeas to 201 nays.
NAYS: McBride D-DE (AL)
House Vote 12:
BENEFITS FOR DISABLED VETERANS: The House has passed the Sharri Briley and Eric Edmundson Veterans Benefits Expansion Act (H.R. 6047), sponsored by Rep. Tom Barrett, R-Mich., to increase various benefits for certain classes of veterans, including a supplemental monthly allowance for veterans with a disability connected to their time in the military. Barrett said: "My bill will deliver a long overdue, historic increase in benefits to care for veterans who were severely injured in the line of duty, and it will support the Gold Star families who lost a spouse, a parent, a child, or a loved one in service to our country." An opponent, Rep. Mark Takano, D-Calif., said the benefits increase would wrongly be paid for by cutting funding for mortgage subsidies for veterans buying a home. The vote, on May 21, was 235 yeas to 179 nays.
NAYS: McBride D-DE (AL)
SENATE VOTES:
Senate Vote 1:
CONFIRMING NOMINEES: The Senate has passed a bill (S. Res. 690), sponsored by Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., to confirm, en bloc, the nomination of 49 different nominees to executive branch positions, including ambassadors and U.S. attorneys and marshals for state districts. Thune said the group consideration avoided petty partisan delays for nominees who have completed the Senate's nominee review process. An opponent, Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said the slate was a "rancid package of nominees," many of them lacking qualifications other than loyalty to President Trump. The vote, on May 18, was 46 yeas to 43 nays.
NAYS: Coons D-DE, Blunt Rochester D-DE
Senate Vote 2:
SOUTH CAROLINA JUDGE: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Sheria Akins Clarke to be a judge on the U.S. District Court for South Carolina. A lawyer and staffer for various House committees from 2009 to 2019, Clarke has since been an assistant U.S. attorney for the district and, currently, a lawyer at a private law firm. The vote, on May 19, was 52 yeas to 38 nays.
NAYS: Coons D-DE, Blunt Rochester D-DE
Senate Vote 3:
IRAN WAR AUTHORIZATION: The Senate has agreed to a motion to discharge from its Foreign Relations Committee a bill (S.J. Res. 185), sponsored by Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., that would require the cessation of military action against Iran absent Congressional authorization. Kaine cited a 60-day deadline under the War Powers Resolution, after combat action begins, for Congress to review the action, and said: "We are well past the statutory time that might give a president an argument that 'I don't need to come to Congress to get a war approved.' " The vote to discharge, on May 19, was 50 yeas to 47 nays.
YEAS: Coons D-DE, Blunt Rochester D-DE
Senate Vote 4:
VIRGIN ISLANDS JUDGE: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Evan Rikhye to be a judge for the District Court of the Virgin Islands for a 10-year term. Rikhye was an assistant U.S. attorney for the Virgin Islands for two different approximately three-year spans as part of a two-decade career as a Justice Department prosecutor; for the past year and a half, he has been a senior counsel for Walmart. The vote, on May 20, was 52 yeas to 47 nays.
NAYS: Coons D-DE, Blunt Rochester D-DE
For more information about Targeted News Service, please contact Myron Struck, editor, 703/304-1897, editor@targetednews.com; for technical questions about transmission or for retransmissions, please contact Kevin Meek, kevin@targetednews.com.
-30-
Connecticut Congressional Votes for the Week ending 2026-05-22
by Arne Christensen
WASHINGTON, May 23 -- Here's a look at how Connecticut members of Congress voted over the previous week.HOUSE VOTES:
House Vote 1:
NATO FUNDING: The House has rejected an amendment sponsored by Rep. Gregory Steube, R-Fla., to the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (H.R. 8469), that would have shifted $482 million from a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) security program to military construction efforts. Steube said tax dollars should be devoted to "strengthening America readiness, improving our base infrastructure, supporting our servicemembers ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, May 23 -- Here's a look at how Connecticut members of Congress voted over the previous week. HOUSE VOTES: House Vote 1: NATO FUNDING: The House has rejected an amendment sponsored by Rep. Gregory Steube, R-Fla., to the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (H.R. 8469), that would have shifted $482 million from a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) security program to military construction efforts. Steube said tax dollars should be devoted to "strengthening America readiness, improving our base infrastructure, supporting our servicemembersand their families, and advancing our national security." An amendment opponent, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., said the NATO spending was needed both "to deter aggression from our adversaries but also to directly support U.S. troops stationed in Europe." The vote, on May 15, was 80 yeas to 333 nays.
NAYS: DeLauro D-CT (3rd), Hayes D-CT (5th), Larson (CT) D-CT (1st), Himes D-CT (4th), Courtney D-CT (2nd)
House Vote 2:
VA AND MILITARY CONSTRUCTION SPENDING: The House has passed the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (H.R. 8469), sponsored by Rep. John R. Carter, R-Texas. The bill would provide about $481 billion for fiscal 2027 spending at the Veterans Affairs Department (VA) and for construction programs at the various divisions of the military. Carter said it "honors those who sacrifice for our country and reaffirms our commitment to the well-being of both servicemembers and veterans." The vote, on May 15, was 400 yeas to 15 nays.
YEAS: DeLauro D-CT (3rd), Hayes D-CT (5th), Larson (CT) D-CT (1st), Himes D-CT (4th), Courtney D-CT (2nd)
House Vote 3:
AFFORDABLE HOUSING: The House has passed the amended version of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act (H.R. 6644), sponsored by Rep. J. French Hill, R-Ark., to establish numerous federal housing mortgage, regulation, and other policies, with the general goal of increasing the supply of affordable housing. Hill said the bill "advances practical, bipartisan solutions to modernizing the federal housing programs, reducing regulatory burdens, streamlining the development process, and building more homes to meet growing demand." The vote, on May 20, was 396 yeas to 13 nays.
YEAS: DeLauro D-CT (3rd), Hayes D-CT (5th), Larson (CT) D-CT (1st), Himes D-CT (4th), Courtney D-CT (2nd)
House Vote 4:
REVIEWING NEW BANKS: The House has passed the American Access to Banking Act (H.R. 4544), sponsored by Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., to change procedures for regulatory reviews of applications to form new banks and credit unions. Waters said streamlining the review process would encourage the creation of new community banks, helping entrepreneurs provide "access to affordable financial products and services to neighbors in their community." The vote, on May 20, was 405 yeas to 4 nays.
YEAS: DeLauro D-CT (3rd), Hayes D-CT (5th), Larson (CT) D-CT (1st), Himes D-CT (4th), Courtney D-CT (2nd)
House Vote 5:
BANK DEPOSITS: The House has passed the Community Bank Deposit Access Act (H.R. 5317), sponsored by Rep. J. French Hill, R-Ark., to stop treating as brokered deposits funds placed at insured banks that have less than $10 billion of assets, so long as the bank meets federal financial soundness standards. Hill said the regulatory change "works to essentially give community banks greater flexibility to access stable and reliable funding sources so that they can continue to meet the financial needs of the communities they serve." The vote, on May 20, was 393 yeas to 16 nays.
YEAS: DeLauro D-CT (3rd), Hayes D-CT (5th), Larson (CT) D-CT (1st), Himes D-CT (4th), Courtney D-CT (2nd)
House Vote 6:
ST. LOUIS VA FACILITY: The House has passed the Fiscal Year 2025 Veterans Affairs Major Medical Facility Authorization Act (S. 2393), sponsored by Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., to authorize up to $1.77 billion of spending on extensive changes to the St. Louis VA Medical Center, including adding a new bed tower and new clinical buildings. A supporter, Rep. Mike Bost, R-Ill., said: "These investments would expand capacity, support specialized care, and improve the overall experience for veterans, caregivers, providers, and staff." The vote, on May 20, was 405 yeas to 5 nays.
YEAS: DeLauro D-CT (3rd), Hayes D-CT (5th), Larson (CT) D-CT (1st), Himes D-CT (4th), Courtney D-CT (2nd)
House Vote 7:
SHARK ALERTS: The House has passed Lulu's Law (S. 1003), sponsored by Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., to require a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) order permitting government agencies to send shark attack alerts to mobile phones. A supporter, Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-N.J., said: "Local authorities can and should use every tool at their disposal to keep the public informed of developments with clear actionable instructions for how to respond safely." The vote, on May 20, was 401 yeas to 6 nays.
YEAS: DeLauro D-CT (3rd), Hayes D-CT (5th), Larson (CT) D-CT (1st), Himes D-CT (4th), Courtney D-CT (2nd)
House Vote 8:
SEPTEMBER 11 ATTACKS: The House has passed the 25th Anniversary of 9/11 Commemorative Coin Act (H.R. 1993), sponsored by Rep. Dan Goldman, D-N.Y., to have the Treasury Department mint and sell coins to commemorate the September 11 attacks, with part of the sale proceeds going to the National September 11 Memorial and Museum at the World Trade Center. Goldman cited the value of having the proceeds support the museum's "critical work educating future generations and remembering those we lost." The vote, on May 20, was unanimous with 415 yeas.
YEAS: DeLauro D-CT (3rd), Hayes D-CT (5th), Larson (CT) D-CT (1st), Himes D-CT (4th), Courtney D-CT (2nd)
House Vote 9:
GENDER AND PUBLIC SCHOOLS: The House has passed the Parental Rights Over The Education and Care of Their Kids Act (H.R. 2616), sponsored by Rep. Tim Walberg, R-Mich., to condition federal funding for public elementary and middle schools on the schools obtaining parental consent in order to change sex-based accommodations or gender identifications for a given student. Walberg said the bill was needed because "many schools are engaged in systematic attempts to erode parental rights. Schools are facilitating gender transitions or encouraging students to change their names and pronouns without telling parents." An opponent, Rep. Bobby Scott, D-Va., claimed the bill "bars any discussion of transgender people or topics in the classroom, banning books with transgender characters or that even discuss the existence of transgender people." The vote, on May 20, was 217 yeas to 198 nays.
NAYS: DeLauro D-CT (3rd), Hayes D-CT (5th), Larson (CT) D-CT (1st), Himes D-CT (4th), Courtney D-CT (2nd)
House Vote 10:
WOMEN'S HISTORY: The House has rejected the Smithsonian American Women's History Museum Act (H.R. 1329), sponsored by Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, R-N.Y., to authorize construction of a museum about women's history on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Malliotakis said: "It is long past time that the women of this country, who make up more than half of the population, deserve to have a museum that tells their stories and shares their contributions to our great country." A bill opponent, Rep. Joseph D. Morelle, D-N.Y., said it gave too much control over the museum siting and design process to the president, and "inserts an ideological poison pill intended to dictate what the museum can and cannot say about women's history." The vote, on May 21, was 204 yeas to 216 nays.
NAYS: DeLauro D-CT (3rd), Hayes D-CT (5th), Larson (CT) D-CT (1st), Himes D-CT (4th), Courtney D-CT (2nd)
House Vote 11:
BACKGROUND CHECKS ON VETERANS: The House has passed the Veterans 2nd Amendment Protection Act (H.R. 1041), sponsored by Rep. Mike Bost, R-Ill., to bar the Veterans Affairs Department (VA) from sending information about a fiduciary for a given veteran to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System for firearms purchases. Bost said fiduciary reporting rested on "the false assumption that disabled veterans are dangerous and the harmful assumption that the capacity to manage your finances has any bearing on dangerousness or that you are dangerous." A bill opponent, Rep. Mark Takano, D-Calif., said reporting was appropriately "based on a diagnosis of severe mental illness or injury" in a veteran that puts the veteran at greater risk of suicide using a firearm. The vote, on May 21, was 216 yeas to 201 nays.
NAYS: DeLauro D-CT (3rd), Hayes D-CT (5th), Larson (CT) D-CT (1st), Himes D-CT (4th), Courtney D-CT (2nd)
House Vote 12:
BENEFITS FOR DISABLED VETERANS: The House has passed the Sharri Briley and Eric Edmundson Veterans Benefits Expansion Act (H.R. 6047), sponsored by Rep. Tom Barrett, R-Mich., to increase various benefits for certain classes of veterans, including a supplemental monthly allowance for veterans with a disability connected to their time in the military. Barrett said: "My bill will deliver a long overdue, historic increase in benefits to care for veterans who were severely injured in the line of duty, and it will support the Gold Star families who lost a spouse, a parent, a child, or a loved one in service to our country." An opponent, Rep. Mark Takano, D-Calif., said the benefits increase would wrongly be paid for by cutting funding for mortgage subsidies for veterans buying a home. The vote, on May 21, was 235 yeas to 179 nays.
NAYS: DeLauro D-CT (3rd), Hayes D-CT (5th), Larson (CT) D-CT (1st), Himes D-CT (4th), Courtney D-CT (2nd)
SENATE VOTES:
Senate Vote 1:
CONFIRMING NOMINEES: The Senate has passed a bill (S. Res. 690), sponsored by Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., to confirm, en bloc, the nomination of 49 different nominees to executive branch positions, including ambassadors and U.S. attorneys and marshals for state districts. Thune said the group consideration avoided petty partisan delays for nominees who have completed the Senate's nominee review process. An opponent, Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said the slate was a "rancid package of nominees," many of them lacking qualifications other than loyalty to President Trump. The vote, on May 18, was 46 yeas to 43 nays.
NAYS: Murphy D-CT, Blumenthal D-CT
Senate Vote 2:
SOUTH CAROLINA JUDGE: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Sheria Akins Clarke to be a judge on the U.S. District Court for South Carolina. A lawyer and staffer for various House committees from 2009 to 2019, Clarke has since been an assistant U.S. attorney for the district and, currently, a lawyer at a private law firm. The vote, on May 19, was 52 yeas to 38 nays.
NAYS: Murphy D-CT, Blumenthal D-CT
Senate Vote 3:
IRAN WAR AUTHORIZATION: The Senate has agreed to a motion to discharge from its Foreign Relations Committee a bill (S.J. Res. 185), sponsored by Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., that would require the cessation of military action against Iran absent Congressional authorization. Kaine cited a 60-day deadline under the War Powers Resolution, after combat action begins, for Congress to review the action, and said: "We are well past the statutory time that might give a president an argument that 'I don't need to come to Congress to get a war approved.' " The vote to discharge, on May 19, was 50 yeas to 47 nays.
YEAS: Murphy D-CT, Blumenthal D-CT
Senate Vote 4:
VIRGIN ISLANDS JUDGE: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Evan Rikhye to be a judge for the District Court of the Virgin Islands for a 10-year term. Rikhye was an assistant U.S. attorney for the Virgin Islands for two different approximately three-year spans as part of a two-decade career as a Justice Department prosecutor; for the past year and a half, he has been a senior counsel for Walmart. The vote, on May 20, was 52 yeas to 47 nays.
NAYS: Murphy D-CT, Blumenthal D-CT
For more information about Targeted News Service, please contact Myron Struck, editor, 703/304-1897, editor@targetednews.com; for technical questions about transmission or for retransmissions, please contact Kevin Meek, kevin@targetednews.com.
-30-
Mississippi Congressional Votes for the Week ending 2026-05-22
by Arne Christensen
WASHINGTON, May 23 -- Here's a look at how Mississippi members of Congress voted over the previous week.HOUSE VOTES:
House Vote 1:
NATO FUNDING: The House has rejected an amendment sponsored by Rep. Gregory Steube, R-Fla., to the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (H.R. 8469), that would have shifted $482 million from a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) security program to military construction efforts. Steube said tax dollars should be devoted to "strengthening America readiness, improving our base infrastructure, supporting our servicemembers ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, May 23 -- Here's a look at how Mississippi members of Congress voted over the previous week. HOUSE VOTES: House Vote 1: NATO FUNDING: The House has rejected an amendment sponsored by Rep. Gregory Steube, R-Fla., to the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (H.R. 8469), that would have shifted $482 million from a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) security program to military construction efforts. Steube said tax dollars should be devoted to "strengthening America readiness, improving our base infrastructure, supporting our servicemembersand their families, and advancing our national security." An amendment opponent, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., said the NATO spending was needed both "to deter aggression from our adversaries but also to directly support U.S. troops stationed in Europe." The vote, on May 15, was 80 yeas to 333 nays.
NOT VOTING: Guest R-MS (3rd)
NAYS: Thompson (MS) D-MS (2nd), Kelly (MS) R-MS (1st)
YEAS: Ezell R-MS (4th)
House Vote 2:
VA AND MILITARY CONSTRUCTION SPENDING: The House has passed the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (H.R. 8469), sponsored by Rep. John R. Carter, R-Texas. The bill would provide about $481 billion for fiscal 2027 spending at the Veterans Affairs Department (VA) and for construction programs at the various divisions of the military. Carter said it "honors those who sacrifice for our country and reaffirms our commitment to the well-being of both servicemembers and veterans." The vote, on May 15, was 400 yeas to 15 nays.
NOT VOTING: Guest R-MS (3rd)
YEAS: Thompson (MS) D-MS (2nd), Kelly (MS) R-MS (1st), Ezell R-MS (4th)
House Vote 3:
AFFORDABLE HOUSING: The House has passed the amended version of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act (H.R. 6644), sponsored by Rep. J. French Hill, R-Ark., to establish numerous federal housing mortgage, regulation, and other policies, with the general goal of increasing the supply of affordable housing. Hill said the bill "advances practical, bipartisan solutions to modernizing the federal housing programs, reducing regulatory burdens, streamlining the development process, and building more homes to meet growing demand." The vote, on May 20, was 396 yeas to 13 nays.
YEAS: Guest R-MS (3rd), Kelly (MS) R-MS (1st)
NOT VOTING: Thompson (MS) D-MS (2nd), Ezell R-MS (4th)
House Vote 4:
REVIEWING NEW BANKS: The House has passed the American Access to Banking Act (H.R. 4544), sponsored by Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., to change procedures for regulatory reviews of applications to form new banks and credit unions. Waters said streamlining the review process would encourage the creation of new community banks, helping entrepreneurs provide "access to affordable financial products and services to neighbors in their community." The vote, on May 20, was 405 yeas to 4 nays.
YEAS: Guest R-MS (3rd), Kelly (MS) R-MS (1st)
NOT VOTING: Thompson (MS) D-MS (2nd), Ezell R-MS (4th)
House Vote 5:
BANK DEPOSITS: The House has passed the Community Bank Deposit Access Act (H.R. 5317), sponsored by Rep. J. French Hill, R-Ark., to stop treating as brokered deposits funds placed at insured banks that have less than $10 billion of assets, so long as the bank meets federal financial soundness standards. Hill said the regulatory change "works to essentially give community banks greater flexibility to access stable and reliable funding sources so that they can continue to meet the financial needs of the communities they serve." The vote, on May 20, was 393 yeas to 16 nays.
YEAS: Guest R-MS (3rd), Kelly (MS) R-MS (1st)
NOT VOTING: Thompson (MS) D-MS (2nd), Ezell R-MS (4th)
House Vote 6:
ST. LOUIS VA FACILITY: The House has passed the Fiscal Year 2025 Veterans Affairs Major Medical Facility Authorization Act (S. 2393), sponsored by Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., to authorize up to $1.77 billion of spending on extensive changes to the St. Louis VA Medical Center, including adding a new bed tower and new clinical buildings. A supporter, Rep. Mike Bost, R-Ill., said: "These investments would expand capacity, support specialized care, and improve the overall experience for veterans, caregivers, providers, and staff." The vote, on May 20, was 405 yeas to 5 nays.
YEAS: Guest R-MS (3rd), Kelly (MS) R-MS (1st)
NOT VOTING: Thompson (MS) D-MS (2nd), Ezell R-MS (4th)
House Vote 7:
SHARK ALERTS: The House has passed Lulu's Law (S. 1003), sponsored by Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., to require a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) order permitting government agencies to send shark attack alerts to mobile phones. A supporter, Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-N.J., said: "Local authorities can and should use every tool at their disposal to keep the public informed of developments with clear actionable instructions for how to respond safely." The vote, on May 20, was 401 yeas to 6 nays.
YEAS: Guest R-MS (3rd), Kelly (MS) R-MS (1st)
NOT VOTING: Thompson (MS) D-MS (2nd), Ezell R-MS (4th)
House Vote 8:
SEPTEMBER 11 ATTACKS: The House has passed the 25th Anniversary of 9/11 Commemorative Coin Act (H.R. 1993), sponsored by Rep. Dan Goldman, D-N.Y., to have the Treasury Department mint and sell coins to commemorate the September 11 attacks, with part of the sale proceeds going to the National September 11 Memorial and Museum at the World Trade Center. Goldman cited the value of having the proceeds support the museum's "critical work educating future generations and remembering those we lost." The vote, on May 20, was unanimous with 415 yeas.
YEAS: Guest R-MS (3rd), Kelly (MS) R-MS (1st)
NOT VOTING: Thompson (MS) D-MS (2nd), Ezell R-MS (4th)
House Vote 9:
GENDER AND PUBLIC SCHOOLS: The House has passed the Parental Rights Over The Education and Care of Their Kids Act (H.R. 2616), sponsored by Rep. Tim Walberg, R-Mich., to condition federal funding for public elementary and middle schools on the schools obtaining parental consent in order to change sex-based accommodations or gender identifications for a given student. Walberg said the bill was needed because "many schools are engaged in systematic attempts to erode parental rights. Schools are facilitating gender transitions or encouraging students to change their names and pronouns without telling parents." An opponent, Rep. Bobby Scott, D-Va., claimed the bill "bars any discussion of transgender people or topics in the classroom, banning books with transgender characters or that even discuss the existence of transgender people." The vote, on May 20, was 217 yeas to 198 nays.
YEAS: Guest R-MS (3rd), Kelly (MS) R-MS (1st)
NOT VOTING: Thompson (MS) D-MS (2nd), Ezell R-MS (4th)
House Vote 10:
WOMEN'S HISTORY: The House has rejected the Smithsonian American Women's History Museum Act (H.R. 1329), sponsored by Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, R-N.Y., to authorize construction of a museum about women's history on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Malliotakis said: "It is long past time that the women of this country, who make up more than half of the population, deserve to have a museum that tells their stories and shares their contributions to our great country." A bill opponent, Rep. Joseph D. Morelle, D-N.Y., said it gave too much control over the museum siting and design process to the president, and "inserts an ideological poison pill intended to dictate what the museum can and cannot say about women's history." The vote, on May 21, was 204 yeas to 216 nays.
YEAS: Guest R-MS (3rd), Kelly (MS) R-MS (1st), Ezell R-MS (4th)
NAYS: Thompson (MS) D-MS (2nd)
House Vote 11:
BACKGROUND CHECKS ON VETERANS: The House has passed the Veterans 2nd Amendment Protection Act (H.R. 1041), sponsored by Rep. Mike Bost, R-Ill., to bar the Veterans Affairs Department (VA) from sending information about a fiduciary for a given veteran to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System for firearms purchases. Bost said fiduciary reporting rested on "the false assumption that disabled veterans are dangerous and the harmful assumption that the capacity to manage your finances has any bearing on dangerousness or that you are dangerous." A bill opponent, Rep. Mark Takano, D-Calif., said reporting was appropriately "based on a diagnosis of severe mental illness or injury" in a veteran that puts the veteran at greater risk of suicide using a firearm. The vote, on May 21, was 216 yeas to 201 nays.
YEAS: Guest R-MS (3rd), Kelly (MS) R-MS (1st), Ezell R-MS (4th)
NAYS: Thompson (MS) D-MS (2nd)
House Vote 12:
BENEFITS FOR DISABLED VETERANS: The House has passed the Sharri Briley and Eric Edmundson Veterans Benefits Expansion Act (H.R. 6047), sponsored by Rep. Tom Barrett, R-Mich., to increase various benefits for certain classes of veterans, including a supplemental monthly allowance for veterans with a disability connected to their time in the military. Barrett said: "My bill will deliver a long overdue, historic increase in benefits to care for veterans who were severely injured in the line of duty, and it will support the Gold Star families who lost a spouse, a parent, a child, or a loved one in service to our country." An opponent, Rep. Mark Takano, D-Calif., said the benefits increase would wrongly be paid for by cutting funding for mortgage subsidies for veterans buying a home. The vote, on May 21, was 235 yeas to 179 nays.
YEAS: Guest R-MS (3rd), Kelly (MS) R-MS (1st), Ezell R-MS (4th)
NAYS: Thompson (MS) D-MS (2nd)
SENATE VOTES:
Senate Vote 1:
CONFIRMING NOMINEES: The Senate has passed a bill (S. Res. 690), sponsored by Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., to confirm, en bloc, the nomination of 49 different nominees to executive branch positions, including ambassadors and U.S. attorneys and marshals for state districts. Thune said the group consideration avoided petty partisan delays for nominees who have completed the Senate's nominee review process. An opponent, Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said the slate was a "rancid package of nominees," many of them lacking qualifications other than loyalty to President Trump. The vote, on May 18, was 46 yeas to 43 nays.
YEAS: Wicker R-MS, Hyde-Smith R-MS
Senate Vote 2:
SOUTH CAROLINA JUDGE: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Sheria Akins Clarke to be a judge on the U.S. District Court for South Carolina. A lawyer and staffer for various House committees from 2009 to 2019, Clarke has since been an assistant U.S. attorney for the district and, currently, a lawyer at a private law firm. The vote, on May 19, was 52 yeas to 38 nays.
NOT VOTING: Wicker R-MS, Hyde-Smith R-MS
Senate Vote 3:
IRAN WAR AUTHORIZATION: The Senate has agreed to a motion to discharge from its Foreign Relations Committee a bill (S.J. Res. 185), sponsored by Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., that would require the cessation of military action against Iran absent Congressional authorization. Kaine cited a 60-day deadline under the War Powers Resolution, after combat action begins, for Congress to review the action, and said: "We are well past the statutory time that might give a president an argument that 'I don't need to come to Congress to get a war approved.' " The vote to discharge, on May 19, was 50 yeas to 47 nays.
NAYS: Wicker R-MS, Hyde-Smith R-MS
Senate Vote 4:
VIRGIN ISLANDS JUDGE: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Evan Rikhye to be a judge for the District Court of the Virgin Islands for a 10-year term. Rikhye was an assistant U.S. attorney for the Virgin Islands for two different approximately three-year spans as part of a two-decade career as a Justice Department prosecutor; for the past year and a half, he has been a senior counsel for Walmart. The vote, on May 20, was 52 yeas to 47 nays.
YEAS: Wicker R-MS, Hyde-Smith R-MS
For more information about Targeted News Service, please contact Myron Struck, editor, 703/304-1897, editor@targetednews.com; for technical questions about transmission or for retransmissions, please contact Kevin Meek, kevin@targetednews.com.
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Colorado Congressional Votes for the Week ending 2026-05-22
by Arne Christensen
WASHINGTON, May 23 -- Here's a look at how Colorado members of Congress voted over the previous week.HOUSE VOTES:
House Vote 1:
NATO FUNDING: The House has rejected an amendment sponsored by Rep. Gregory Steube, R-Fla., to the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (H.R. 8469), that would have shifted $482 million from a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) security program to military construction efforts. Steube said tax dollars should be devoted to "strengthening America readiness, improving our base infrastructure, supporting our servicemembers ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, May 23 -- Here's a look at how Colorado members of Congress voted over the previous week. HOUSE VOTES: House Vote 1: NATO FUNDING: The House has rejected an amendment sponsored by Rep. Gregory Steube, R-Fla., to the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (H.R. 8469), that would have shifted $482 million from a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) security program to military construction efforts. Steube said tax dollars should be devoted to "strengthening America readiness, improving our base infrastructure, supporting our servicemembersand their families, and advancing our national security." An amendment opponent, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., said the NATO spending was needed both "to deter aggression from our adversaries but also to directly support U.S. troops stationed in Europe." The vote, on May 15, was 80 yeas to 333 nays.
NAYS: DeGette D-CO (1st), Crank R-CO (5th), Crow D-CO (6th), Neguse D-CO (2nd), Pettersen D-CO (7th), Evans (CO) R-CO (8th), Hurd (CO) R-CO (3rd)
YEAS: Boebert R-CO (4th)
House Vote 2:
VA AND MILITARY CONSTRUCTION SPENDING: The House has passed the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (H.R. 8469), sponsored by Rep. John R. Carter, R-Texas. The bill would provide about $481 billion for fiscal 2027 spending at the Veterans Affairs Department (VA) and for construction programs at the various divisions of the military. Carter said it "honors those who sacrifice for our country and reaffirms our commitment to the well-being of both servicemembers and veterans." The vote, on May 15, was 400 yeas to 15 nays.
YEAS: DeGette D-CO (1st), Crank R-CO (5th), Boebert R-CO (4th), Crow D-CO (6th), Neguse D-CO (2nd), Pettersen D-CO (7th), Evans (CO) R-CO (8th), Hurd (CO) R-CO (3rd)
House Vote 3:
AFFORDABLE HOUSING: The House has passed the amended version of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act (H.R. 6644), sponsored by Rep. J. French Hill, R-Ark., to establish numerous federal housing mortgage, regulation, and other policies, with the general goal of increasing the supply of affordable housing. Hill said the bill "advances practical, bipartisan solutions to modernizing the federal housing programs, reducing regulatory burdens, streamlining the development process, and building more homes to meet growing demand." The vote, on May 20, was 396 yeas to 13 nays.
YEAS: DeGette D-CO (1st), Crank R-CO (5th), Crow D-CO (6th), Neguse D-CO (2nd), Pettersen D-CO (7th), Evans (CO) R-CO (8th), Hurd (CO) R-CO (3rd)
NAYS: Boebert R-CO (4th)
House Vote 4:
REVIEWING NEW BANKS: The House has passed the American Access to Banking Act (H.R. 4544), sponsored by Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., to change procedures for regulatory reviews of applications to form new banks and credit unions. Waters said streamlining the review process would encourage the creation of new community banks, helping entrepreneurs provide "access to affordable financial products and services to neighbors in their community." The vote, on May 20, was 405 yeas to 4 nays.
YEAS: DeGette D-CO (1st), Crank R-CO (5th), Boebert R-CO (4th), Crow D-CO (6th), Neguse D-CO (2nd), Pettersen D-CO (7th), Evans (CO) R-CO (8th), Hurd (CO) R-CO (3rd)
House Vote 5:
BANK DEPOSITS: The House has passed the Community Bank Deposit Access Act (H.R. 5317), sponsored by Rep. J. French Hill, R-Ark., to stop treating as brokered deposits funds placed at insured banks that have less than $10 billion of assets, so long as the bank meets federal financial soundness standards. Hill said the regulatory change "works to essentially give community banks greater flexibility to access stable and reliable funding sources so that they can continue to meet the financial needs of the communities they serve." The vote, on May 20, was 393 yeas to 16 nays.
YEAS: DeGette D-CO (1st), Crank R-CO (5th), Boebert R-CO (4th), Crow D-CO (6th), Neguse D-CO (2nd), Pettersen D-CO (7th), Evans (CO) R-CO (8th), Hurd (CO) R-CO (3rd)
House Vote 6:
ST. LOUIS VA FACILITY: The House has passed the Fiscal Year 2025 Veterans Affairs Major Medical Facility Authorization Act (S. 2393), sponsored by Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., to authorize up to $1.77 billion of spending on extensive changes to the St. Louis VA Medical Center, including adding a new bed tower and new clinical buildings. A supporter, Rep. Mike Bost, R-Ill., said: "These investments would expand capacity, support specialized care, and improve the overall experience for veterans, caregivers, providers, and staff." The vote, on May 20, was 405 yeas to 5 nays.
YEAS: DeGette D-CO (1st), Crank R-CO (5th), Boebert R-CO (4th), Crow D-CO (6th), Neguse D-CO (2nd), Pettersen D-CO (7th), Evans (CO) R-CO (8th), Hurd (CO) R-CO (3rd)
House Vote 7:
SHARK ALERTS: The House has passed Lulu's Law (S. 1003), sponsored by Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., to require a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) order permitting government agencies to send shark attack alerts to mobile phones. A supporter, Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-N.J., said: "Local authorities can and should use every tool at their disposal to keep the public informed of developments with clear actionable instructions for how to respond safely." The vote, on May 20, was 401 yeas to 6 nays.
YEAS: DeGette D-CO (1st), Crank R-CO (5th), Boebert R-CO (4th), Crow D-CO (6th), Neguse D-CO (2nd), Pettersen D-CO (7th), Evans (CO) R-CO (8th), Hurd (CO) R-CO (3rd)
House Vote 8:
SEPTEMBER 11 ATTACKS: The House has passed the 25th Anniversary of 9/11 Commemorative Coin Act (H.R. 1993), sponsored by Rep. Dan Goldman, D-N.Y., to have the Treasury Department mint and sell coins to commemorate the September 11 attacks, with part of the sale proceeds going to the National September 11 Memorial and Museum at the World Trade Center. Goldman cited the value of having the proceeds support the museum's "critical work educating future generations and remembering those we lost." The vote, on May 20, was unanimous with 415 yeas.
YEAS: DeGette D-CO (1st), Crank R-CO (5th), Boebert R-CO (4th), Crow D-CO (6th), Neguse D-CO (2nd), Pettersen D-CO (7th), Evans (CO) R-CO (8th), Hurd (CO) R-CO (3rd)
House Vote 9:
GENDER AND PUBLIC SCHOOLS: The House has passed the Parental Rights Over The Education and Care of Their Kids Act (H.R. 2616), sponsored by Rep. Tim Walberg, R-Mich., to condition federal funding for public elementary and middle schools on the schools obtaining parental consent in order to change sex-based accommodations or gender identifications for a given student. Walberg said the bill was needed because "many schools are engaged in systematic attempts to erode parental rights. Schools are facilitating gender transitions or encouraging students to change their names and pronouns without telling parents." An opponent, Rep. Bobby Scott, D-Va., claimed the bill "bars any discussion of transgender people or topics in the classroom, banning books with transgender characters or that even discuss the existence of transgender people." The vote, on May 20, was 217 yeas to 198 nays.
NAYS: DeGette D-CO (1st), Crow D-CO (6th), Neguse D-CO (2nd), Pettersen D-CO (7th)
YEAS: Crank R-CO (5th), Boebert R-CO (4th), Evans (CO) R-CO (8th), Hurd (CO) R-CO (3rd)
House Vote 10:
WOMEN'S HISTORY: The House has rejected the Smithsonian American Women's History Museum Act (H.R. 1329), sponsored by Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, R-N.Y., to authorize construction of a museum about women's history on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Malliotakis said: "It is long past time that the women of this country, who make up more than half of the population, deserve to have a museum that tells their stories and shares their contributions to our great country." A bill opponent, Rep. Joseph D. Morelle, D-N.Y., said it gave too much control over the museum siting and design process to the president, and "inserts an ideological poison pill intended to dictate what the museum can and cannot say about women's history." The vote, on May 21, was 204 yeas to 216 nays.
NAYS: DeGette D-CO (1st), Crow D-CO (6th), Neguse D-CO (2nd), Pettersen D-CO (7th)
YEAS: Crank R-CO (5th), Boebert R-CO (4th), Evans (CO) R-CO (8th), Hurd (CO) R-CO (3rd)
House Vote 11:
BACKGROUND CHECKS ON VETERANS: The House has passed the Veterans 2nd Amendment Protection Act (H.R. 1041), sponsored by Rep. Mike Bost, R-Ill., to bar the Veterans Affairs Department (VA) from sending information about a fiduciary for a given veteran to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System for firearms purchases. Bost said fiduciary reporting rested on "the false assumption that disabled veterans are dangerous and the harmful assumption that the capacity to manage your finances has any bearing on dangerousness or that you are dangerous." A bill opponent, Rep. Mark Takano, D-Calif., said reporting was appropriately "based on a diagnosis of severe mental illness or injury" in a veteran that puts the veteran at greater risk of suicide using a firearm. The vote, on May 21, was 216 yeas to 201 nays.
NAYS: DeGette D-CO (1st), Crow D-CO (6th), Neguse D-CO (2nd), Pettersen D-CO (7th)
YEAS: Crank R-CO (5th), Boebert R-CO (4th), Evans (CO) R-CO (8th), Hurd (CO) R-CO (3rd)
House Vote 12:
BENEFITS FOR DISABLED VETERANS: The House has passed the Sharri Briley and Eric Edmundson Veterans Benefits Expansion Act (H.R. 6047), sponsored by Rep. Tom Barrett, R-Mich., to increase various benefits for certain classes of veterans, including a supplemental monthly allowance for veterans with a disability connected to their time in the military. Barrett said: "My bill will deliver a long overdue, historic increase in benefits to care for veterans who were severely injured in the line of duty, and it will support the Gold Star families who lost a spouse, a parent, a child, or a loved one in service to our country." An opponent, Rep. Mark Takano, D-Calif., said the benefits increase would wrongly be paid for by cutting funding for mortgage subsidies for veterans buying a home. The vote, on May 21, was 235 yeas to 179 nays.
NAYS: DeGette D-CO (1st), Crow D-CO (6th), Neguse D-CO (2nd), Pettersen D-CO (7th)
YEAS: Crank R-CO (5th), Boebert R-CO (4th), Evans (CO) R-CO (8th), Hurd (CO) R-CO (3rd)
SENATE VOTES:
Senate Vote 1:
CONFIRMING NOMINEES: The Senate has passed a bill (S. Res. 690), sponsored by Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., to confirm, en bloc, the nomination of 49 different nominees to executive branch positions, including ambassadors and U.S. attorneys and marshals for state districts. Thune said the group consideration avoided petty partisan delays for nominees who have completed the Senate's nominee review process. An opponent, Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said the slate was a "rancid package of nominees," many of them lacking qualifications other than loyalty to President Trump. The vote, on May 18, was 46 yeas to 43 nays.
NOT VOTING: Bennet D-CO
NAYS: Hickenlooper D-CO
Senate Vote 2:
SOUTH CAROLINA JUDGE: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Sheria Akins Clarke to be a judge on the U.S. District Court for South Carolina. A lawyer and staffer for various House committees from 2009 to 2019, Clarke has since been an assistant U.S. attorney for the district and, currently, a lawyer at a private law firm. The vote, on May 19, was 52 yeas to 38 nays.
NOT VOTING: Bennet D-CO
NAYS: Hickenlooper D-CO
Senate Vote 3:
IRAN WAR AUTHORIZATION: The Senate has agreed to a motion to discharge from its Foreign Relations Committee a bill (S.J. Res. 185), sponsored by Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., that would require the cessation of military action against Iran absent Congressional authorization. Kaine cited a 60-day deadline under the War Powers Resolution, after combat action begins, for Congress to review the action, and said: "We are well past the statutory time that might give a president an argument that 'I don't need to come to Congress to get a war approved.' " The vote to discharge, on May 19, was 50 yeas to 47 nays.
YEAS: Bennet D-CO, Hickenlooper D-CO
Senate Vote 4:
VIRGIN ISLANDS JUDGE: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Evan Rikhye to be a judge for the District Court of the Virgin Islands for a 10-year term. Rikhye was an assistant U.S. attorney for the Virgin Islands for two different approximately three-year spans as part of a two-decade career as a Justice Department prosecutor; for the past year and a half, he has been a senior counsel for Walmart. The vote, on May 20, was 52 yeas to 47 nays.
NAYS: Bennet D-CO, Hickenlooper D-CO
For more information about Targeted News Service, please contact Myron Struck, editor, 703/304-1897, editor@targetednews.com; for technical questions about transmission or for retransmissions, please contact Kevin Meek, kevin@targetednews.com.
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California Congressional Votes for the Week ending 2026-05-22
by Arne Christensen
WASHINGTON, May 23 -- Here's a look at how California members of Congress voted over the previous week.HOUSE VOTES:
House Vote 1:
NATO FUNDING: The House has rejected an amendment sponsored by Rep. Gregory Steube, R-Fla., to the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (H.R. 8469), that would have shifted $482 million from a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) security program to military construction efforts. Steube said tax dollars should be devoted to "strengthening America readiness, improving our base infrastructure, supporting our servicemembers ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, May 23 -- Here's a look at how California members of Congress voted over the previous week. HOUSE VOTES: House Vote 1: NATO FUNDING: The House has rejected an amendment sponsored by Rep. Gregory Steube, R-Fla., to the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (H.R. 8469), that would have shifted $482 million from a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) security program to military construction efforts. Steube said tax dollars should be devoted to "strengthening America readiness, improving our base infrastructure, supporting our servicemembersand their families, and advancing our national security." An amendment opponent, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., said the NATO spending was needed both "to deter aggression from our adversaries but also to directly support U.S. troops stationed in Europe." The vote, on May 15, was 80 yeas to 333 nays.
NAYS: Gomez D-CA (34th), Sanchez D-CA (38th), Torres (CA) D-CA (35th), Calvert R-CA (41st), Carbajal D-CA (24th), Min D-CA (47th), Costa D-CA (21st), Brownley D-CA (26th), Liccardo D-CA (16th), Panetta D-CA (19th), Vargas D-CA (52nd), Barragan D-CA (44th), Huffman D-CA (2nd), Khanna D-CA (17th), Levin D-CA (49th), Simon D-CA (12th), Takano D-CA (39th), Lofgren D-CA (18th), Thompson (CA) D-CA (4th), Aguilar D-CA (33rd), DeSaulnier D-CA (10th), Cisneros D-CA (31st), Pelosi D-CA (11th), Ruiz D-CA (25th), Harder (CA) D-CA (9th), Rivas D-CA (29th), Correa D-CA (46th), Friedman D-CA (30th), Sherman D-CA (32nd), Chu D-CA (28th), Garamendi D-CA (8th), Bera D-CA (6th), Waters D-CA (43rd), Lieu D-CA (36th), Peters D-CA (50th), Matsui D-CA (7th), Whitesides D-CA (27th), Issa R-CA (48th), Kim R-CA (40th), Obernolte R-CA (23rd), Tran D-CA (45th), Valadao R-CA (22nd), Jacobs D-CA (51st), Gray D-CA (13th), Mullin D-CA (15th), Kiley (CA) I-CA (3rd), Garcia (CA) D-CA (42nd), Fong R-CA (20th)
YEAS: McClintock R-CA (5th)
NOT VOTING: Kamlager-Dove D-CA (37th)
House Vote 2:
VA AND MILITARY CONSTRUCTION SPENDING: The House has passed the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (H.R. 8469), sponsored by Rep. John R. Carter, R-Texas. The bill would provide about $481 billion for fiscal 2027 spending at the Veterans Affairs Department (VA) and for construction programs at the various divisions of the military. Carter said it "honors those who sacrifice for our country and reaffirms our commitment to the well-being of both servicemembers and veterans." The vote, on May 15, was 400 yeas to 15 nays.
NAYS: Gomez D-CA (34th), Takano D-CA (39th), Matsui D-CA (7th)
YEAS: Sanchez D-CA (38th), Torres (CA) D-CA (35th), Calvert R-CA (41st), Carbajal D-CA (24th), Min D-CA (47th), Costa D-CA (21st), McClintock R-CA (5th), Brownley D-CA (26th), Liccardo D-CA (16th), Panetta D-CA (19th), Vargas D-CA (52nd), Barragan D-CA (44th), Huffman D-CA (2nd), Khanna D-CA (17th), Levin D-CA (49th), Simon D-CA (12th), Lofgren D-CA (18th), Thompson (CA) D-CA (4th), Aguilar D-CA (33rd), DeSaulnier D-CA (10th), Cisneros D-CA (31st), Pelosi D-CA (11th), Ruiz D-CA (25th), Harder (CA) D-CA (9th), Rivas D-CA (29th), Correa D-CA (46th), Friedman D-CA (30th), Sherman D-CA (32nd), Chu D-CA (28th), Garamendi D-CA (8th), Bera D-CA (6th), Waters D-CA (43rd), Lieu D-CA (36th), Peters D-CA (50th), Whitesides D-CA (27th), Issa R-CA (48th), Kim R-CA (40th), Obernolte R-CA (23rd), Tran D-CA (45th), Valadao R-CA (22nd), Jacobs D-CA (51st), Gray D-CA (13th), Mullin D-CA (15th), Kiley (CA) I-CA (3rd), Garcia (CA) D-CA (42nd), Fong R-CA (20th)
NOT VOTING: Kamlager-Dove D-CA (37th)
House Vote 3:
AFFORDABLE HOUSING: The House has passed the amended version of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act (H.R. 6644), sponsored by Rep. J. French Hill, R-Ark., to establish numerous federal housing mortgage, regulation, and other policies, with the general goal of increasing the supply of affordable housing. Hill said the bill "advances practical, bipartisan solutions to modernizing the federal housing programs, reducing regulatory burdens, streamlining the development process, and building more homes to meet growing demand." The vote, on May 20, was 396 yeas to 13 nays.
YEAS: Gomez D-CA (34th), Sanchez D-CA (38th), Torres (CA) D-CA (35th), Calvert R-CA (41st), Carbajal D-CA (24th), Min D-CA (47th), Costa D-CA (21st), Brownley D-CA (26th), Liccardo D-CA (16th), Panetta D-CA (19th), Vargas D-CA (52nd), Barragan D-CA (44th), Huffman D-CA (2nd), Khanna D-CA (17th), Levin D-CA (49th), Simon D-CA (12th), Takano D-CA (39th), Lofgren D-CA (18th), Thompson (CA) D-CA (4th), Aguilar D-CA (33rd), DeSaulnier D-CA (10th), Cisneros D-CA (31st), Pelosi D-CA (11th), Ruiz D-CA (25th), Harder (CA) D-CA (9th), Rivas D-CA (29th), Correa D-CA (46th), Friedman D-CA (30th), Sherman D-CA (32nd), Chu D-CA (28th), Garamendi D-CA (8th), Bera D-CA (6th), Waters D-CA (43rd), Lieu D-CA (36th), Peters D-CA (50th), Matsui D-CA (7th), Whitesides D-CA (27th), Issa R-CA (48th), Kim R-CA (40th), Obernolte R-CA (23rd), Tran D-CA (45th), Valadao R-CA (22nd), Jacobs D-CA (51st), Gray D-CA (13th), Mullin D-CA (15th), Kiley (CA) I-CA (3rd), Kamlager-Dove D-CA (37th), Garcia (CA) D-CA (42nd), Fong R-CA (20th)
NAYS: McClintock R-CA (5th)
House Vote 4:
REVIEWING NEW BANKS: The House has passed the American Access to Banking Act (H.R. 4544), sponsored by Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., to change procedures for regulatory reviews of applications to form new banks and credit unions. Waters said streamlining the review process would encourage the creation of new community banks, helping entrepreneurs provide "access to affordable financial products and services to neighbors in their community." The vote, on May 20, was 405 yeas to 4 nays.
YEAS: Gomez D-CA (34th), Sanchez D-CA (38th), Torres (CA) D-CA (35th), Calvert R-CA (41st), Carbajal D-CA (24th), Min D-CA (47th), Costa D-CA (21st), McClintock R-CA (5th), Brownley D-CA (26th), Liccardo D-CA (16th), Panetta D-CA (19th), Vargas D-CA (52nd), Barragan D-CA (44th), Huffman D-CA (2nd), Khanna D-CA (17th), Levin D-CA (49th), Simon D-CA (12th), Takano D-CA (39th), Lofgren D-CA (18th), Thompson (CA) D-CA (4th), Aguilar D-CA (33rd), DeSaulnier D-CA (10th), Cisneros D-CA (31st), Pelosi D-CA (11th), Ruiz D-CA (25th), Harder (CA) D-CA (9th), Rivas D-CA (29th), Correa D-CA (46th), Friedman D-CA (30th), Sherman D-CA (32nd), Chu D-CA (28th), Garamendi D-CA (8th), Bera D-CA (6th), Waters D-CA (43rd), Lieu D-CA (36th), Peters D-CA (50th), Matsui D-CA (7th), Whitesides D-CA (27th), Issa R-CA (48th), Kim R-CA (40th), Obernolte R-CA (23rd), Tran D-CA (45th), Valadao R-CA (22nd), Jacobs D-CA (51st), Gray D-CA (13th), Mullin D-CA (15th), Kiley (CA) I-CA (3rd), Kamlager-Dove D-CA (37th), Garcia (CA) D-CA (42nd), Fong R-CA (20th)
House Vote 5:
BANK DEPOSITS: The House has passed the Community Bank Deposit Access Act (H.R. 5317), sponsored by Rep. J. French Hill, R-Ark., to stop treating as brokered deposits funds placed at insured banks that have less than $10 billion of assets, so long as the bank meets federal financial soundness standards. Hill said the regulatory change "works to essentially give community banks greater flexibility to access stable and reliable funding sources so that they can continue to meet the financial needs of the communities they serve." The vote, on May 20, was 393 yeas to 16 nays.
NAYS: Gomez D-CA (34th), DeSaulnier D-CA (10th)
YEAS: Sanchez D-CA (38th), Torres (CA) D-CA (35th), Calvert R-CA (41st), Carbajal D-CA (24th), Min D-CA (47th), Costa D-CA (21st), McClintock R-CA (5th), Brownley D-CA (26th), Liccardo D-CA (16th), Panetta D-CA (19th), Vargas D-CA (52nd), Barragan D-CA (44th), Huffman D-CA (2nd), Khanna D-CA (17th), Levin D-CA (49th), Simon D-CA (12th), Takano D-CA (39th), Lofgren D-CA (18th), Thompson (CA) D-CA (4th), Aguilar D-CA (33rd), Cisneros D-CA (31st), Pelosi D-CA (11th), Ruiz D-CA (25th), Harder (CA) D-CA (9th), Rivas D-CA (29th), Correa D-CA (46th), Friedman D-CA (30th), Sherman D-CA (32nd), Chu D-CA (28th), Garamendi D-CA (8th), Bera D-CA (6th), Waters D-CA (43rd), Lieu D-CA (36th), Peters D-CA (50th), Matsui D-CA (7th), Whitesides D-CA (27th), Issa R-CA (48th), Kim R-CA (40th), Obernolte R-CA (23rd), Tran D-CA (45th), Valadao R-CA (22nd), Jacobs D-CA (51st), Gray D-CA (13th), Mullin D-CA (15th), Kiley (CA) I-CA (3rd), Kamlager-Dove D-CA (37th), Garcia (CA) D-CA (42nd), Fong R-CA (20th)
House Vote 6:
ST. LOUIS VA FACILITY: The House has passed the Fiscal Year 2025 Veterans Affairs Major Medical Facility Authorization Act (S. 2393), sponsored by Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., to authorize up to $1.77 billion of spending on extensive changes to the St. Louis VA Medical Center, including adding a new bed tower and new clinical buildings. A supporter, Rep. Mike Bost, R-Ill., said: "These investments would expand capacity, support specialized care, and improve the overall experience for veterans, caregivers, providers, and staff." The vote, on May 20, was 405 yeas to 5 nays.
YEAS: Gomez D-CA (34th), Sanchez D-CA (38th), Torres (CA) D-CA (35th), Calvert R-CA (41st), Carbajal D-CA (24th), Min D-CA (47th), Costa D-CA (21st), McClintock R-CA (5th), Brownley D-CA (26th), Liccardo D-CA (16th), Panetta D-CA (19th), Vargas D-CA (52nd), Barragan D-CA (44th), Huffman D-CA (2nd), Khanna D-CA (17th), Levin D-CA (49th), Simon D-CA (12th), Takano D-CA (39th), Lofgren D-CA (18th), Thompson (CA) D-CA (4th), Aguilar D-CA (33rd), DeSaulnier D-CA (10th), Cisneros D-CA (31st), Pelosi D-CA (11th), Ruiz D-CA (25th), Harder (CA) D-CA (9th), Rivas D-CA (29th), Correa D-CA (46th), Friedman D-CA (30th), Sherman D-CA (32nd), Chu D-CA (28th), Garamendi D-CA (8th), Bera D-CA (6th), Waters D-CA (43rd), Lieu D-CA (36th), Peters D-CA (50th), Matsui D-CA (7th), Whitesides D-CA (27th), Issa R-CA (48th), Kim R-CA (40th), Obernolte R-CA (23rd), Tran D-CA (45th), Valadao R-CA (22nd), Jacobs D-CA (51st), Gray D-CA (13th), Mullin D-CA (15th), Kiley (CA) I-CA (3rd), Kamlager-Dove D-CA (37th), Garcia (CA) D-CA (42nd), Fong R-CA (20th)
House Vote 7:
SHARK ALERTS: The House has passed Lulu's Law (S. 1003), sponsored by Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., to require a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) order permitting government agencies to send shark attack alerts to mobile phones. A supporter, Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-N.J., said: "Local authorities can and should use every tool at their disposal to keep the public informed of developments with clear actionable instructions for how to respond safely." The vote, on May 20, was 401 yeas to 6 nays.
YEAS: Gomez D-CA (34th), Sanchez D-CA (38th), Torres (CA) D-CA (35th), Calvert R-CA (41st), Carbajal D-CA (24th), Min D-CA (47th), Costa D-CA (21st), McClintock R-CA (5th), Brownley D-CA (26th), Liccardo D-CA (16th), Panetta D-CA (19th), Vargas D-CA (52nd), Barragan D-CA (44th), Khanna D-CA (17th), Levin D-CA (49th), Simon D-CA (12th), Takano D-CA (39th), Lofgren D-CA (18th), Thompson (CA) D-CA (4th), Aguilar D-CA (33rd), DeSaulnier D-CA (10th), Cisneros D-CA (31st), Pelosi D-CA (11th), Ruiz D-CA (25th), Harder (CA) D-CA (9th), Rivas D-CA (29th), Correa D-CA (46th), Friedman D-CA (30th), Sherman D-CA (32nd), Chu D-CA (28th), Garamendi D-CA (8th), Bera D-CA (6th), Waters D-CA (43rd), Lieu D-CA (36th), Peters D-CA (50th), Matsui D-CA (7th), Whitesides D-CA (27th), Issa R-CA (48th), Kim R-CA (40th), Obernolte R-CA (23rd), Tran D-CA (45th), Valadao R-CA (22nd), Jacobs D-CA (51st), Gray D-CA (13th), Mullin D-CA (15th), Kiley (CA) I-CA (3rd), Kamlager-Dove D-CA (37th), Garcia (CA) D-CA (42nd), Fong R-CA (20th)
NOT VOTING: Huffman D-CA (2nd)
House Vote 8:
SEPTEMBER 11 ATTACKS: The House has passed the 25th Anniversary of 9/11 Commemorative Coin Act (H.R. 1993), sponsored by Rep. Dan Goldman, D-N.Y., to have the Treasury Department mint and sell coins to commemorate the September 11 attacks, with part of the sale proceeds going to the National September 11 Memorial and Museum at the World Trade Center. Goldman cited the value of having the proceeds support the museum's "critical work educating future generations and remembering those we lost." The vote, on May 20, was unanimous with 415 yeas.
YEAS: Gomez D-CA (34th), Sanchez D-CA (38th), Torres (CA) D-CA (35th), Calvert R-CA (41st), Carbajal D-CA (24th), Min D-CA (47th), Costa D-CA (21st), McClintock R-CA (5th), Brownley D-CA (26th), Liccardo D-CA (16th), Panetta D-CA (19th), Vargas D-CA (52nd), Barragan D-CA (44th), Huffman D-CA (2nd), Khanna D-CA (17th), Levin D-CA (49th), Simon D-CA (12th), Takano D-CA (39th), Lofgren D-CA (18th), Thompson (CA) D-CA (4th), Aguilar D-CA (33rd), DeSaulnier D-CA (10th), Cisneros D-CA (31st), Pelosi D-CA (11th), Ruiz D-CA (25th), Harder (CA) D-CA (9th), Rivas D-CA (29th), Correa D-CA (46th), Friedman D-CA (30th), Sherman D-CA (32nd), Chu D-CA (28th), Garamendi D-CA (8th), Bera D-CA (6th), Waters D-CA (43rd), Lieu D-CA (36th), Peters D-CA (50th), Matsui D-CA (7th), Whitesides D-CA (27th), Issa R-CA (48th), Kim R-CA (40th), Obernolte R-CA (23rd), Tran D-CA (45th), Valadao R-CA (22nd), Jacobs D-CA (51st), Gray D-CA (13th), Mullin D-CA (15th), Kiley (CA) I-CA (3rd), Kamlager-Dove D-CA (37th), Garcia (CA) D-CA (42nd), Fong R-CA (20th)
House Vote 9:
GENDER AND PUBLIC SCHOOLS: The House has passed the Parental Rights Over The Education and Care of Their Kids Act (H.R. 2616), sponsored by Rep. Tim Walberg, R-Mich., to condition federal funding for public elementary and middle schools on the schools obtaining parental consent in order to change sex-based accommodations or gender identifications for a given student. Walberg said the bill was needed because "many schools are engaged in systematic attempts to erode parental rights. Schools are facilitating gender transitions or encouraging students to change their names and pronouns without telling parents." An opponent, Rep. Bobby Scott, D-Va., claimed the bill "bars any discussion of transgender people or topics in the classroom, banning books with transgender characters or that even discuss the existence of transgender people." The vote, on May 20, was 217 yeas to 198 nays.
NAYS: Gomez D-CA (34th), Sanchez D-CA (38th), Torres (CA) D-CA (35th), Carbajal D-CA (24th), Min D-CA (47th), Costa D-CA (21st), Brownley D-CA (26th), Liccardo D-CA (16th), Panetta D-CA (19th), Vargas D-CA (52nd), Barragan D-CA (44th), Huffman D-CA (2nd), Khanna D-CA (17th), Levin D-CA (49th), Simon D-CA (12th), Takano D-CA (39th), Lofgren D-CA (18th), Thompson (CA) D-CA (4th), Aguilar D-CA (33rd), DeSaulnier D-CA (10th), Cisneros D-CA (31st), Pelosi D-CA (11th), Ruiz D-CA (25th), Harder (CA) D-CA (9th), Rivas D-CA (29th), Correa D-CA (46th), Friedman D-CA (30th), Sherman D-CA (32nd), Chu D-CA (28th), Garamendi D-CA (8th), Bera D-CA (6th), Waters D-CA (43rd), Lieu D-CA (36th), Peters D-CA (50th), Matsui D-CA (7th), Whitesides D-CA (27th), Tran D-CA (45th), Jacobs D-CA (51st), Gray D-CA (13th), Mullin D-CA (15th), Kamlager-Dove D-CA (37th), Garcia (CA) D-CA (42nd)
YEAS: Calvert R-CA (41st), McClintock R-CA (5th), Issa R-CA (48th), Kim R-CA (40th), Obernolte R-CA (23rd), Valadao R-CA (22nd), Kiley (CA) I-CA (3rd), Fong R-CA (20th)
House Vote 10:
WOMEN'S HISTORY: The House has rejected the Smithsonian American Women's History Museum Act (H.R. 1329), sponsored by Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, R-N.Y., to authorize construction of a museum about women's history on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Malliotakis said: "It is long past time that the women of this country, who make up more than half of the population, deserve to have a museum that tells their stories and shares their contributions to our great country." A bill opponent, Rep. Joseph D. Morelle, D-N.Y., said it gave too much control over the museum siting and design process to the president, and "inserts an ideological poison pill intended to dictate what the museum can and cannot say about women's history." The vote, on May 21, was 204 yeas to 216 nays.
NAYS: Gomez D-CA (34th), Sanchez D-CA (38th), Torres (CA) D-CA (35th), Carbajal D-CA (24th), Min D-CA (47th), Costa D-CA (21st), Brownley D-CA (26th), Liccardo D-CA (16th), Panetta D-CA (19th), Vargas D-CA (52nd), Barragan D-CA (44th), Huffman D-CA (2nd), Khanna D-CA (17th), Levin D-CA (49th), Simon D-CA (12th), Takano D-CA (39th), Lofgren D-CA (18th), Thompson (CA) D-CA (4th), Aguilar D-CA (33rd), DeSaulnier D-CA (10th), Cisneros D-CA (31st), Pelosi D-CA (11th), Ruiz D-CA (25th), Harder (CA) D-CA (9th), Rivas D-CA (29th), Correa D-CA (46th), Friedman D-CA (30th), Sherman D-CA (32nd), Chu D-CA (28th), Garamendi D-CA (8th), Bera D-CA (6th), Waters D-CA (43rd), Lieu D-CA (36th), Peters D-CA (50th), Matsui D-CA (7th), Whitesides D-CA (27th), Tran D-CA (45th), Jacobs D-CA (51st), Gray D-CA (13th), Mullin D-CA (15th), Kamlager-Dove D-CA (37th), Garcia (CA) D-CA (42nd)
YEAS: Calvert R-CA (41st), McClintock R-CA (5th), Issa R-CA (48th), Kim R-CA (40th), Obernolte R-CA (23rd), Valadao R-CA (22nd), Kiley (CA) I-CA (3rd), Fong R-CA (20th)
House Vote 11:
BACKGROUND CHECKS ON VETERANS: The House has passed the Veterans 2nd Amendment Protection Act (H.R. 1041), sponsored by Rep. Mike Bost, R-Ill., to bar the Veterans Affairs Department (VA) from sending information about a fiduciary for a given veteran to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System for firearms purchases. Bost said fiduciary reporting rested on "the false assumption that disabled veterans are dangerous and the harmful assumption that the capacity to manage your finances has any bearing on dangerousness or that you are dangerous." A bill opponent, Rep. Mark Takano, D-Calif., said reporting was appropriately "based on a diagnosis of severe mental illness or injury" in a veteran that puts the veteran at greater risk of suicide using a firearm. The vote, on May 21, was 216 yeas to 201 nays.
NAYS: Gomez D-CA (34th), Sanchez D-CA (38th), Torres (CA) D-CA (35th), Carbajal D-CA (24th), Min D-CA (47th), Costa D-CA (21st), Brownley D-CA (26th), Liccardo D-CA (16th), Panetta D-CA (19th), Vargas D-CA (52nd), Barragan D-CA (44th), Huffman D-CA (2nd), Khanna D-CA (17th), Levin D-CA (49th), Simon D-CA (12th), Takano D-CA (39th), Lofgren D-CA (18th), Thompson (CA) D-CA (4th), Aguilar D-CA (33rd), DeSaulnier D-CA (10th), Cisneros D-CA (31st), Pelosi D-CA (11th), Ruiz D-CA (25th), Harder (CA) D-CA (9th), Rivas D-CA (29th), Correa D-CA (46th), Friedman D-CA (30th), Sherman D-CA (32nd), Chu D-CA (28th), Bera D-CA (6th), Waters D-CA (43rd), Lieu D-CA (36th), Peters D-CA (50th), Matsui D-CA (7th), Whitesides D-CA (27th), Tran D-CA (45th), Jacobs D-CA (51st), Mullin D-CA (15th), Kamlager-Dove D-CA (37th), Garcia (CA) D-CA (42nd)
YEAS: Calvert R-CA (41st), McClintock R-CA (5th), Kim R-CA (40th), Obernolte R-CA (23rd), Valadao R-CA (22nd), Gray D-CA (13th), Kiley (CA) I-CA (3rd), Fong R-CA (20th)
NOT VOTING: Garamendi D-CA (8th), Issa R-CA (48th)
House Vote 12:
BENEFITS FOR DISABLED VETERANS: The House has passed the Sharri Briley and Eric Edmundson Veterans Benefits Expansion Act (H.R. 6047), sponsored by Rep. Tom Barrett, R-Mich., to increase various benefits for certain classes of veterans, including a supplemental monthly allowance for veterans with a disability connected to their time in the military. Barrett said: "My bill will deliver a long overdue, historic increase in benefits to care for veterans who were severely injured in the line of duty, and it will support the Gold Star families who lost a spouse, a parent, a child, or a loved one in service to our country." An opponent, Rep. Mark Takano, D-Calif., said the benefits increase would wrongly be paid for by cutting funding for mortgage subsidies for veterans buying a home. The vote, on May 21, was 235 yeas to 179 nays.
NAYS: Gomez D-CA (34th), Sanchez D-CA (38th), Torres (CA) D-CA (35th), Min D-CA (47th), Brownley D-CA (26th), Liccardo D-CA (16th), Panetta D-CA (19th), Vargas D-CA (52nd), Barragan D-CA (44th), Huffman D-CA (2nd), Khanna D-CA (17th), Levin D-CA (49th), Simon D-CA (12th), Takano D-CA (39th), Lofgren D-CA (18th), Thompson (CA) D-CA (4th), Aguilar D-CA (33rd), DeSaulnier D-CA (10th), Cisneros D-CA (31st), Pelosi D-CA (11th), Ruiz D-CA (25th), Harder (CA) D-CA (9th), Rivas D-CA (29th), Friedman D-CA (30th), Sherman D-CA (32nd), Chu D-CA (28th), Waters D-CA (43rd), Lieu D-CA (36th), Matsui D-CA (7th), Jacobs D-CA (51st), Mullin D-CA (15th), Kamlager-Dove D-CA (37th), Garcia (CA) D-CA (42nd)
YEAS: Calvert R-CA (41st), Carbajal D-CA (24th), Costa D-CA (21st), McClintock R-CA (5th), Correa D-CA (46th), Bera D-CA (6th), Peters D-CA (50th), Whitesides D-CA (27th), Kim R-CA (40th), Obernolte R-CA (23rd), Tran D-CA (45th), Valadao R-CA (22nd), Gray D-CA (13th), Kiley (CA) I-CA (3rd), Fong R-CA (20th)
NOT VOTING: Garamendi D-CA (8th), Issa R-CA (48th)
SENATE VOTES:
Senate Vote 1:
CONFIRMING NOMINEES: The Senate has passed a bill (S. Res. 690), sponsored by Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., to confirm, en bloc, the nomination of 49 different nominees to executive branch positions, including ambassadors and U.S. attorneys and marshals for state districts. Thune said the group consideration avoided petty partisan delays for nominees who have completed the Senate's nominee review process. An opponent, Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said the slate was a "rancid package of nominees," many of them lacking qualifications other than loyalty to President Trump. The vote, on May 18, was 46 yeas to 43 nays.
NAYS: Padilla D-CA, Schiff D-CA
Senate Vote 2:
SOUTH CAROLINA JUDGE: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Sheria Akins Clarke to be a judge on the U.S. District Court for South Carolina. A lawyer and staffer for various House committees from 2009 to 2019, Clarke has since been an assistant U.S. attorney for the district and, currently, a lawyer at a private law firm. The vote, on May 19, was 52 yeas to 38 nays.
NAYS: Padilla D-CA, Schiff D-CA
Senate Vote 3:
IRAN WAR AUTHORIZATION: The Senate has agreed to a motion to discharge from its Foreign Relations Committee a bill (S.J. Res. 185), sponsored by Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., that would require the cessation of military action against Iran absent Congressional authorization. Kaine cited a 60-day deadline under the War Powers Resolution, after combat action begins, for Congress to review the action, and said: "We are well past the statutory time that might give a president an argument that 'I don't need to come to Congress to get a war approved.' " The vote to discharge, on May 19, was 50 yeas to 47 nays.
YEAS: Padilla D-CA, Schiff D-CA
Senate Vote 4:
VIRGIN ISLANDS JUDGE: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Evan Rikhye to be a judge for the District Court of the Virgin Islands for a 10-year term. Rikhye was an assistant U.S. attorney for the Virgin Islands for two different approximately three-year spans as part of a two-decade career as a Justice Department prosecutor; for the past year and a half, he has been a senior counsel for Walmart. The vote, on May 20, was 52 yeas to 47 nays.
NAYS: Padilla D-CA, Schiff D-CA
For more information about Targeted News Service, please contact Myron Struck, editor, 703/304-1897, editor@targetednews.com; for technical questions about transmission or for retransmissions, please contact Kevin Meek, kevin@targetednews.com.
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Maryland Congressional Votes for the Week ending 2026-05-22
by Arne Christensen
WASHINGTON, May 23 -- Here's a look at how Maryland members of Congress voted over the previous week.HOUSE VOTES:
House Vote 1:
NATO FUNDING: The House has rejected an amendment sponsored by Rep. Gregory Steube, R-Fla., to the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (H.R. 8469), that would have shifted $482 million from a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) security program to military construction efforts. Steube said tax dollars should be devoted to "strengthening America readiness, improving our base infrastructure, supporting our servicemembers ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, May 23 -- Here's a look at how Maryland members of Congress voted over the previous week. HOUSE VOTES: House Vote 1: NATO FUNDING: The House has rejected an amendment sponsored by Rep. Gregory Steube, R-Fla., to the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (H.R. 8469), that would have shifted $482 million from a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) security program to military construction efforts. Steube said tax dollars should be devoted to "strengthening America readiness, improving our base infrastructure, supporting our servicemembersand their families, and advancing our national security." An amendment opponent, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., said the NATO spending was needed both "to deter aggression from our adversaries but also to directly support U.S. troops stationed in Europe." The vote, on May 15, was 80 yeas to 333 nays.
NOT VOTING: McClain Delaney D-MD (6th), Harris (MD) R-MD (1st)
NAYS: Elfreth D-MD (3rd), Olszewski D-MD (2nd), Hoyer D-MD (5th), Raskin D-MD (8th), Mfume D-MD (7th), Ivey D-MD (4th)
House Vote 2:
VA AND MILITARY CONSTRUCTION SPENDING: The House has passed the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (H.R. 8469), sponsored by Rep. John R. Carter, R-Texas. The bill would provide about $481 billion for fiscal 2027 spending at the Veterans Affairs Department (VA) and for construction programs at the various divisions of the military. Carter said it "honors those who sacrifice for our country and reaffirms our commitment to the well-being of both servicemembers and veterans." The vote, on May 15, was 400 yeas to 15 nays.
YEAS: McClain Delaney D-MD (6th), Elfreth D-MD (3rd), Olszewski D-MD (2nd), Harris (MD) R-MD (1st), Hoyer D-MD (5th), Raskin D-MD (8th), Ivey D-MD (4th)
NOT VOTING: Mfume D-MD (7th)
House Vote 3:
AFFORDABLE HOUSING: The House has passed the amended version of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act (H.R. 6644), sponsored by Rep. J. French Hill, R-Ark., to establish numerous federal housing mortgage, regulation, and other policies, with the general goal of increasing the supply of affordable housing. Hill said the bill "advances practical, bipartisan solutions to modernizing the federal housing programs, reducing regulatory burdens, streamlining the development process, and building more homes to meet growing demand." The vote, on May 20, was 396 yeas to 13 nays.
YEAS: McClain Delaney D-MD (6th), Elfreth D-MD (3rd), Olszewski D-MD (2nd), Hoyer D-MD (5th), Raskin D-MD (8th), Mfume D-MD (7th), Ivey D-MD (4th)
NAYS: Harris (MD) R-MD (1st)
House Vote 4:
REVIEWING NEW BANKS: The House has passed the American Access to Banking Act (H.R. 4544), sponsored by Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., to change procedures for regulatory reviews of applications to form new banks and credit unions. Waters said streamlining the review process would encourage the creation of new community banks, helping entrepreneurs provide "access to affordable financial products and services to neighbors in their community." The vote, on May 20, was 405 yeas to 4 nays.
YEAS: McClain Delaney D-MD (6th), Elfreth D-MD (3rd), Olszewski D-MD (2nd), Harris (MD) R-MD (1st), Hoyer D-MD (5th), Raskin D-MD (8th), Mfume D-MD (7th), Ivey D-MD (4th)
House Vote 5:
BANK DEPOSITS: The House has passed the Community Bank Deposit Access Act (H.R. 5317), sponsored by Rep. J. French Hill, R-Ark., to stop treating as brokered deposits funds placed at insured banks that have less than $10 billion of assets, so long as the bank meets federal financial soundness standards. Hill said the regulatory change "works to essentially give community banks greater flexibility to access stable and reliable funding sources so that they can continue to meet the financial needs of the communities they serve." The vote, on May 20, was 393 yeas to 16 nays.
YEAS: McClain Delaney D-MD (6th), Elfreth D-MD (3rd), Olszewski D-MD (2nd), Harris (MD) R-MD (1st), Hoyer D-MD (5th), Raskin D-MD (8th), Mfume D-MD (7th), Ivey D-MD (4th)
House Vote 6:
ST. LOUIS VA FACILITY: The House has passed the Fiscal Year 2025 Veterans Affairs Major Medical Facility Authorization Act (S. 2393), sponsored by Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., to authorize up to $1.77 billion of spending on extensive changes to the St. Louis VA Medical Center, including adding a new bed tower and new clinical buildings. A supporter, Rep. Mike Bost, R-Ill., said: "These investments would expand capacity, support specialized care, and improve the overall experience for veterans, caregivers, providers, and staff." The vote, on May 20, was 405 yeas to 5 nays.
YEAS: McClain Delaney D-MD (6th), Elfreth D-MD (3rd), Olszewski D-MD (2nd), Hoyer D-MD (5th), Raskin D-MD (8th), Mfume D-MD (7th), Ivey D-MD (4th)
NAYS: Harris (MD) R-MD (1st)
House Vote 7:
SHARK ALERTS: The House has passed Lulu's Law (S. 1003), sponsored by Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., to require a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) order permitting government agencies to send shark attack alerts to mobile phones. A supporter, Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-N.J., said: "Local authorities can and should use every tool at their disposal to keep the public informed of developments with clear actionable instructions for how to respond safely." The vote, on May 20, was 401 yeas to 6 nays.
YEAS: McClain Delaney D-MD (6th), Elfreth D-MD (3rd), Olszewski D-MD (2nd), Hoyer D-MD (5th), Raskin D-MD (8th), Mfume D-MD (7th), Ivey D-MD (4th)
NAYS: Harris (MD) R-MD (1st)
House Vote 8:
SEPTEMBER 11 ATTACKS: The House has passed the 25th Anniversary of 9/11 Commemorative Coin Act (H.R. 1993), sponsored by Rep. Dan Goldman, D-N.Y., to have the Treasury Department mint and sell coins to commemorate the September 11 attacks, with part of the sale proceeds going to the National September 11 Memorial and Museum at the World Trade Center. Goldman cited the value of having the proceeds support the museum's "critical work educating future generations and remembering those we lost." The vote, on May 20, was unanimous with 415 yeas.
YEAS: McClain Delaney D-MD (6th), Elfreth D-MD (3rd), Olszewski D-MD (2nd), Harris (MD) R-MD (1st), Hoyer D-MD (5th), Raskin D-MD (8th), Mfume D-MD (7th), Ivey D-MD (4th)
House Vote 9:
GENDER AND PUBLIC SCHOOLS: The House has passed the Parental Rights Over The Education and Care of Their Kids Act (H.R. 2616), sponsored by Rep. Tim Walberg, R-Mich., to condition federal funding for public elementary and middle schools on the schools obtaining parental consent in order to change sex-based accommodations or gender identifications for a given student. Walberg said the bill was needed because "many schools are engaged in systematic attempts to erode parental rights. Schools are facilitating gender transitions or encouraging students to change their names and pronouns without telling parents." An opponent, Rep. Bobby Scott, D-Va., claimed the bill "bars any discussion of transgender people or topics in the classroom, banning books with transgender characters or that even discuss the existence of transgender people." The vote, on May 20, was 217 yeas to 198 nays.
NAYS: McClain Delaney D-MD (6th), Elfreth D-MD (3rd), Olszewski D-MD (2nd), Hoyer D-MD (5th), Raskin D-MD (8th), Mfume D-MD (7th), Ivey D-MD (4th)
YEAS: Harris (MD) R-MD (1st)
House Vote 10:
WOMEN'S HISTORY: The House has rejected the Smithsonian American Women's History Museum Act (H.R. 1329), sponsored by Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, R-N.Y., to authorize construction of a museum about women's history on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Malliotakis said: "It is long past time that the women of this country, who make up more than half of the population, deserve to have a museum that tells their stories and shares their contributions to our great country." A bill opponent, Rep. Joseph D. Morelle, D-N.Y., said it gave too much control over the museum siting and design process to the president, and "inserts an ideological poison pill intended to dictate what the museum can and cannot say about women's history." The vote, on May 21, was 204 yeas to 216 nays.
NAYS: McClain Delaney D-MD (6th), Elfreth D-MD (3rd), Olszewski D-MD (2nd), Harris (MD) R-MD (1st), Hoyer D-MD (5th), Raskin D-MD (8th), Mfume D-MD (7th), Ivey D-MD (4th)
House Vote 11:
BACKGROUND CHECKS ON VETERANS: The House has passed the Veterans 2nd Amendment Protection Act (H.R. 1041), sponsored by Rep. Mike Bost, R-Ill., to bar the Veterans Affairs Department (VA) from sending information about a fiduciary for a given veteran to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System for firearms purchases. Bost said fiduciary reporting rested on "the false assumption that disabled veterans are dangerous and the harmful assumption that the capacity to manage your finances has any bearing on dangerousness or that you are dangerous." A bill opponent, Rep. Mark Takano, D-Calif., said reporting was appropriately "based on a diagnosis of severe mental illness or injury" in a veteran that puts the veteran at greater risk of suicide using a firearm. The vote, on May 21, was 216 yeas to 201 nays.
NAYS: McClain Delaney D-MD (6th), Elfreth D-MD (3rd), Olszewski D-MD (2nd), Hoyer D-MD (5th), Raskin D-MD (8th), Mfume D-MD (7th), Ivey D-MD (4th)
YEAS: Harris (MD) R-MD (1st)
House Vote 12:
BENEFITS FOR DISABLED VETERANS: The House has passed the Sharri Briley and Eric Edmundson Veterans Benefits Expansion Act (H.R. 6047), sponsored by Rep. Tom Barrett, R-Mich., to increase various benefits for certain classes of veterans, including a supplemental monthly allowance for veterans with a disability connected to their time in the military. Barrett said: "My bill will deliver a long overdue, historic increase in benefits to care for veterans who were severely injured in the line of duty, and it will support the Gold Star families who lost a spouse, a parent, a child, or a loved one in service to our country." An opponent, Rep. Mark Takano, D-Calif., said the benefits increase would wrongly be paid for by cutting funding for mortgage subsidies for veterans buying a home. The vote, on May 21, was 235 yeas to 179 nays.
NAYS: McClain Delaney D-MD (6th), Elfreth D-MD (3rd), Olszewski D-MD (2nd), Harris (MD) R-MD (1st), Hoyer D-MD (5th), Raskin D-MD (8th), Mfume D-MD (7th), Ivey D-MD (4th)
SENATE VOTES:
Senate Vote 1:
CONFIRMING NOMINEES: The Senate has passed a bill (S. Res. 690), sponsored by Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., to confirm, en bloc, the nomination of 49 different nominees to executive branch positions, including ambassadors and U.S. attorneys and marshals for state districts. Thune said the group consideration avoided petty partisan delays for nominees who have completed the Senate's nominee review process. An opponent, Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said the slate was a "rancid package of nominees," many of them lacking qualifications other than loyalty to President Trump. The vote, on May 18, was 46 yeas to 43 nays.
NAYS: Van Hollen D-MD, Alsobrooks D-MD
Senate Vote 2:
SOUTH CAROLINA JUDGE: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Sheria Akins Clarke to be a judge on the U.S. District Court for South Carolina. A lawyer and staffer for various House committees from 2009 to 2019, Clarke has since been an assistant U.S. attorney for the district and, currently, a lawyer at a private law firm. The vote, on May 19, was 52 yeas to 38 nays.
NAYS: Van Hollen D-MD, Alsobrooks D-MD
Senate Vote 3:
IRAN WAR AUTHORIZATION: The Senate has agreed to a motion to discharge from its Foreign Relations Committee a bill (S.J. Res. 185), sponsored by Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., that would require the cessation of military action against Iran absent Congressional authorization. Kaine cited a 60-day deadline under the War Powers Resolution, after combat action begins, for Congress to review the action, and said: "We are well past the statutory time that might give a president an argument that 'I don't need to come to Congress to get a war approved.' " The vote to discharge, on May 19, was 50 yeas to 47 nays.
YEAS: Van Hollen D-MD, Alsobrooks D-MD
Senate Vote 4:
VIRGIN ISLANDS JUDGE: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Evan Rikhye to be a judge for the District Court of the Virgin Islands for a 10-year term. Rikhye was an assistant U.S. attorney for the Virgin Islands for two different approximately three-year spans as part of a two-decade career as a Justice Department prosecutor; for the past year and a half, he has been a senior counsel for Walmart. The vote, on May 20, was 52 yeas to 47 nays.
NAYS: Van Hollen D-MD, Alsobrooks D-MD
For more information about Targeted News Service, please contact Myron Struck, editor, 703/304-1897, editor@targetednews.com; for technical questions about transmission or for retransmissions, please contact Kevin Meek, kevin@targetednews.com.
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Arkansas Congressional Votes for the Week ending 2026-05-22
by Arne Christensen
WASHINGTON, May 23 -- Here's a look at how Arkansas members of Congress voted over the previous week.HOUSE VOTES:
House Vote 1:
NATO FUNDING: The House has rejected an amendment sponsored by Rep. Gregory Steube, R-Fla., to the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (H.R. 8469), that would have shifted $482 million from a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) security program to military construction efforts. Steube said tax dollars should be devoted to "strengthening America readiness, improving our base infrastructure, supporting our servicemembers ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, May 23 -- Here's a look at how Arkansas members of Congress voted over the previous week. HOUSE VOTES: House Vote 1: NATO FUNDING: The House has rejected an amendment sponsored by Rep. Gregory Steube, R-Fla., to the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (H.R. 8469), that would have shifted $482 million from a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) security program to military construction efforts. Steube said tax dollars should be devoted to "strengthening America readiness, improving our base infrastructure, supporting our servicemembersand their families, and advancing our national security." An amendment opponent, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., said the NATO spending was needed both "to deter aggression from our adversaries but also to directly support U.S. troops stationed in Europe." The vote, on May 15, was 80 yeas to 333 nays.
NAYS: Crawford R-AR (1st), Womack R-AR (3rd), Hill (AR) R-AR (2nd)
YEAS: Westerman R-AR (4th)
House Vote 2:
VA AND MILITARY CONSTRUCTION SPENDING: The House has passed the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (H.R. 8469), sponsored by Rep. John R. Carter, R-Texas. The bill would provide about $481 billion for fiscal 2027 spending at the Veterans Affairs Department (VA) and for construction programs at the various divisions of the military. Carter said it "honors those who sacrifice for our country and reaffirms our commitment to the well-being of both servicemembers and veterans." The vote, on May 15, was 400 yeas to 15 nays.
YEAS: Crawford R-AR (1st), Womack R-AR (3rd), Westerman R-AR (4th), Hill (AR) R-AR (2nd)
House Vote 3:
AFFORDABLE HOUSING: The House has passed the amended version of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act (H.R. 6644), sponsored by Rep. J. French Hill, R-Ark., to establish numerous federal housing mortgage, regulation, and other policies, with the general goal of increasing the supply of affordable housing. Hill said the bill "advances practical, bipartisan solutions to modernizing the federal housing programs, reducing regulatory burdens, streamlining the development process, and building more homes to meet growing demand." The vote, on May 20, was 396 yeas to 13 nays.
YEAS: Crawford R-AR (1st), Womack R-AR (3rd), Westerman R-AR (4th), Hill (AR) R-AR (2nd)
House Vote 4:
REVIEWING NEW BANKS: The House has passed the American Access to Banking Act (H.R. 4544), sponsored by Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., to change procedures for regulatory reviews of applications to form new banks and credit unions. Waters said streamlining the review process would encourage the creation of new community banks, helping entrepreneurs provide "access to affordable financial products and services to neighbors in their community." The vote, on May 20, was 405 yeas to 4 nays.
YEAS: Crawford R-AR (1st), Womack R-AR (3rd), Westerman R-AR (4th), Hill (AR) R-AR (2nd)
House Vote 5:
BANK DEPOSITS: The House has passed the Community Bank Deposit Access Act (H.R. 5317), sponsored by Rep. J. French Hill, R-Ark., to stop treating as brokered deposits funds placed at insured banks that have less than $10 billion of assets, so long as the bank meets federal financial soundness standards. Hill said the regulatory change "works to essentially give community banks greater flexibility to access stable and reliable funding sources so that they can continue to meet the financial needs of the communities they serve." The vote, on May 20, was 393 yeas to 16 nays.
YEAS: Crawford R-AR (1st), Womack R-AR (3rd), Westerman R-AR (4th), Hill (AR) R-AR (2nd)
House Vote 6:
ST. LOUIS VA FACILITY: The House has passed the Fiscal Year 2025 Veterans Affairs Major Medical Facility Authorization Act (S. 2393), sponsored by Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., to authorize up to $1.77 billion of spending on extensive changes to the St. Louis VA Medical Center, including adding a new bed tower and new clinical buildings. A supporter, Rep. Mike Bost, R-Ill., said: "These investments would expand capacity, support specialized care, and improve the overall experience for veterans, caregivers, providers, and staff." The vote, on May 20, was 405 yeas to 5 nays.
YEAS: Crawford R-AR (1st), Womack R-AR (3rd), Westerman R-AR (4th), Hill (AR) R-AR (2nd)
House Vote 7:
SHARK ALERTS: The House has passed Lulu's Law (S. 1003), sponsored by Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., to require a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) order permitting government agencies to send shark attack alerts to mobile phones. A supporter, Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-N.J., said: "Local authorities can and should use every tool at their disposal to keep the public informed of developments with clear actionable instructions for how to respond safely." The vote, on May 20, was 401 yeas to 6 nays.
YEAS: Crawford R-AR (1st), Womack R-AR (3rd), Westerman R-AR (4th), Hill (AR) R-AR (2nd)
House Vote 8:
SEPTEMBER 11 ATTACKS: The House has passed the 25th Anniversary of 9/11 Commemorative Coin Act (H.R. 1993), sponsored by Rep. Dan Goldman, D-N.Y., to have the Treasury Department mint and sell coins to commemorate the September 11 attacks, with part of the sale proceeds going to the National September 11 Memorial and Museum at the World Trade Center. Goldman cited the value of having the proceeds support the museum's "critical work educating future generations and remembering those we lost." The vote, on May 20, was unanimous with 415 yeas.
YEAS: Crawford R-AR (1st), Womack R-AR (3rd), Westerman R-AR (4th), Hill (AR) R-AR (2nd)
House Vote 9:
GENDER AND PUBLIC SCHOOLS: The House has passed the Parental Rights Over The Education and Care of Their Kids Act (H.R. 2616), sponsored by Rep. Tim Walberg, R-Mich., to condition federal funding for public elementary and middle schools on the schools obtaining parental consent in order to change sex-based accommodations or gender identifications for a given student. Walberg said the bill was needed because "many schools are engaged in systematic attempts to erode parental rights. Schools are facilitating gender transitions or encouraging students to change their names and pronouns without telling parents." An opponent, Rep. Bobby Scott, D-Va., claimed the bill "bars any discussion of transgender people or topics in the classroom, banning books with transgender characters or that even discuss the existence of transgender people." The vote, on May 20, was 217 yeas to 198 nays.
YEAS: Crawford R-AR (1st), Womack R-AR (3rd), Westerman R-AR (4th), Hill (AR) R-AR (2nd)
House Vote 10:
WOMEN'S HISTORY: The House has rejected the Smithsonian American Women's History Museum Act (H.R. 1329), sponsored by Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, R-N.Y., to authorize construction of a museum about women's history on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Malliotakis said: "It is long past time that the women of this country, who make up more than half of the population, deserve to have a museum that tells their stories and shares their contributions to our great country." A bill opponent, Rep. Joseph D. Morelle, D-N.Y., said it gave too much control over the museum siting and design process to the president, and "inserts an ideological poison pill intended to dictate what the museum can and cannot say about women's history." The vote, on May 21, was 204 yeas to 216 nays.
YEAS: Crawford R-AR (1st), Womack R-AR (3rd), Westerman R-AR (4th), Hill (AR) R-AR (2nd)
House Vote 11:
BACKGROUND CHECKS ON VETERANS: The House has passed the Veterans 2nd Amendment Protection Act (H.R. 1041), sponsored by Rep. Mike Bost, R-Ill., to bar the Veterans Affairs Department (VA) from sending information about a fiduciary for a given veteran to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System for firearms purchases. Bost said fiduciary reporting rested on "the false assumption that disabled veterans are dangerous and the harmful assumption that the capacity to manage your finances has any bearing on dangerousness or that you are dangerous." A bill opponent, Rep. Mark Takano, D-Calif., said reporting was appropriately "based on a diagnosis of severe mental illness or injury" in a veteran that puts the veteran at greater risk of suicide using a firearm. The vote, on May 21, was 216 yeas to 201 nays.
YEAS: Crawford R-AR (1st), Womack R-AR (3rd), Westerman R-AR (4th), Hill (AR) R-AR (2nd)
House Vote 12:
BENEFITS FOR DISABLED VETERANS: The House has passed the Sharri Briley and Eric Edmundson Veterans Benefits Expansion Act (H.R. 6047), sponsored by Rep. Tom Barrett, R-Mich., to increase various benefits for certain classes of veterans, including a supplemental monthly allowance for veterans with a disability connected to their time in the military. Barrett said: "My bill will deliver a long overdue, historic increase in benefits to care for veterans who were severely injured in the line of duty, and it will support the Gold Star families who lost a spouse, a parent, a child, or a loved one in service to our country." An opponent, Rep. Mark Takano, D-Calif., said the benefits increase would wrongly be paid for by cutting funding for mortgage subsidies for veterans buying a home. The vote, on May 21, was 235 yeas to 179 nays.
YEAS: Crawford R-AR (1st), Womack R-AR (3rd), Westerman R-AR (4th), Hill (AR) R-AR (2nd)
SENATE VOTES:
Senate Vote 1:
CONFIRMING NOMINEES: The Senate has passed a bill (S. Res. 690), sponsored by Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., to confirm, en bloc, the nomination of 49 different nominees to executive branch positions, including ambassadors and U.S. attorneys and marshals for state districts. Thune said the group consideration avoided petty partisan delays for nominees who have completed the Senate's nominee review process. An opponent, Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said the slate was a "rancid package of nominees," many of them lacking qualifications other than loyalty to President Trump. The vote, on May 18, was 46 yeas to 43 nays.
YEAS: Cotton R-AR, Boozman R-AR
Senate Vote 2:
SOUTH CAROLINA JUDGE: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Sheria Akins Clarke to be a judge on the U.S. District Court for South Carolina. A lawyer and staffer for various House committees from 2009 to 2019, Clarke has since been an assistant U.S. attorney for the district and, currently, a lawyer at a private law firm. The vote, on May 19, was 52 yeas to 38 nays.
YEAS: Cotton R-AR, Boozman R-AR
Senate Vote 3:
IRAN WAR AUTHORIZATION: The Senate has agreed to a motion to discharge from its Foreign Relations Committee a bill (S.J. Res. 185), sponsored by Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., that would require the cessation of military action against Iran absent Congressional authorization. Kaine cited a 60-day deadline under the War Powers Resolution, after combat action begins, for Congress to review the action, and said: "We are well past the statutory time that might give a president an argument that 'I don't need to come to Congress to get a war approved.' " The vote to discharge, on May 19, was 50 yeas to 47 nays.
NAYS: Cotton R-AR, Boozman R-AR
Senate Vote 4:
VIRGIN ISLANDS JUDGE: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Evan Rikhye to be a judge for the District Court of the Virgin Islands for a 10-year term. Rikhye was an assistant U.S. attorney for the Virgin Islands for two different approximately three-year spans as part of a two-decade career as a Justice Department prosecutor; for the past year and a half, he has been a senior counsel for Walmart. The vote, on May 20, was 52 yeas to 47 nays.
YEAS: Cotton R-AR, Boozman R-AR
For more information about Targeted News Service, please contact Myron Struck, editor, 703/304-1897, editor@targetednews.com; for technical questions about transmission or for retransmissions, please contact Kevin Meek, kevin@targetednews.com.
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Arizona Congressional Votes for the Week ending 2026-05-22
by Arne Christensen
WASHINGTON, May 23 -- Here's a look at how Arizona members of Congress voted over the previous week.HOUSE VOTES:
House Vote 1:
NATO FUNDING: The House has rejected an amendment sponsored by Rep. Gregory Steube, R-Fla., to the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (H.R. 8469), that would have shifted $482 million from a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) security program to military construction efforts. Steube said tax dollars should be devoted to "strengthening America readiness, improving our base infrastructure, supporting our servicemembers ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, May 23 -- Here's a look at how Arizona members of Congress voted over the previous week. HOUSE VOTES: House Vote 1: NATO FUNDING: The House has rejected an amendment sponsored by Rep. Gregory Steube, R-Fla., to the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (H.R. 8469), that would have shifted $482 million from a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) security program to military construction efforts. Steube said tax dollars should be devoted to "strengthening America readiness, improving our base infrastructure, supporting our servicemembersand their families, and advancing our national security." An amendment opponent, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., said the NATO spending was needed both "to deter aggression from our adversaries but also to directly support U.S. troops stationed in Europe." The vote, on May 15, was 80 yeas to 333 nays.
NAYS: Stanton D-AZ (4th), Schweikert R-AZ (1st), Ansari D-AZ (3rd), Grijalva D-AZ (7th)
YEAS: Biggs (AZ) R-AZ (5th), Gosar R-AZ (9th), Hamadeh (AZ) R-AZ (8th), Crane R-AZ (2nd), Ciscomani R-AZ (6th)
House Vote 2:
VA AND MILITARY CONSTRUCTION SPENDING: The House has passed the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (H.R. 8469), sponsored by Rep. John R. Carter, R-Texas. The bill would provide about $481 billion for fiscal 2027 spending at the Veterans Affairs Department (VA) and for construction programs at the various divisions of the military. Carter said it "honors those who sacrifice for our country and reaffirms our commitment to the well-being of both servicemembers and veterans." The vote, on May 15, was 400 yeas to 15 nays.
YEAS: Stanton D-AZ (4th), Schweikert R-AZ (1st), Biggs (AZ) R-AZ (5th), Gosar R-AZ (9th), Hamadeh (AZ) R-AZ (8th), Crane R-AZ (2nd), Ciscomani R-AZ (6th), Grijalva D-AZ (7th)
NAYS: Ansari D-AZ (3rd)
House Vote 3:
AFFORDABLE HOUSING: The House has passed the amended version of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act (H.R. 6644), sponsored by Rep. J. French Hill, R-Ark., to establish numerous federal housing mortgage, regulation, and other policies, with the general goal of increasing the supply of affordable housing. Hill said the bill "advances practical, bipartisan solutions to modernizing the federal housing programs, reducing regulatory burdens, streamlining the development process, and building more homes to meet growing demand." The vote, on May 20, was 396 yeas to 13 nays.
YEAS: Stanton D-AZ (4th), Gosar R-AZ (9th), Ansari D-AZ (3rd), Hamadeh (AZ) R-AZ (8th), Ciscomani R-AZ (6th), Grijalva D-AZ (7th)
NAYS: Schweikert R-AZ (1st), Biggs (AZ) R-AZ (5th)
NOT VOTING: Crane R-AZ (2nd)
House Vote 4:
REVIEWING NEW BANKS: The House has passed the American Access to Banking Act (H.R. 4544), sponsored by Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., to change procedures for regulatory reviews of applications to form new banks and credit unions. Waters said streamlining the review process would encourage the creation of new community banks, helping entrepreneurs provide "access to affordable financial products and services to neighbors in their community." The vote, on May 20, was 405 yeas to 4 nays.
YEAS: Stanton D-AZ (4th), Schweikert R-AZ (1st), Gosar R-AZ (9th), Ansari D-AZ (3rd), Hamadeh (AZ) R-AZ (8th), Ciscomani R-AZ (6th), Grijalva D-AZ (7th)
NAYS: Biggs (AZ) R-AZ (5th)
NOT VOTING: Crane R-AZ (2nd)
House Vote 5:
BANK DEPOSITS: The House has passed the Community Bank Deposit Access Act (H.R. 5317), sponsored by Rep. J. French Hill, R-Ark., to stop treating as brokered deposits funds placed at insured banks that have less than $10 billion of assets, so long as the bank meets federal financial soundness standards. Hill said the regulatory change "works to essentially give community banks greater flexibility to access stable and reliable funding sources so that they can continue to meet the financial needs of the communities they serve." The vote, on May 20, was 393 yeas to 16 nays.
YEAS: Stanton D-AZ (4th), Schweikert R-AZ (1st), Biggs (AZ) R-AZ (5th), Gosar R-AZ (9th), Hamadeh (AZ) R-AZ (8th), Ciscomani R-AZ (6th)
NAYS: Ansari D-AZ (3rd), Grijalva D-AZ (7th)
NOT VOTING: Crane R-AZ (2nd)
House Vote 6:
ST. LOUIS VA FACILITY: The House has passed the Fiscal Year 2025 Veterans Affairs Major Medical Facility Authorization Act (S. 2393), sponsored by Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., to authorize up to $1.77 billion of spending on extensive changes to the St. Louis VA Medical Center, including adding a new bed tower and new clinical buildings. A supporter, Rep. Mike Bost, R-Ill., said: "These investments would expand capacity, support specialized care, and improve the overall experience for veterans, caregivers, providers, and staff." The vote, on May 20, was 405 yeas to 5 nays.
YEAS: Stanton D-AZ (4th), Schweikert R-AZ (1st), Biggs (AZ) R-AZ (5th), Gosar R-AZ (9th), Ansari D-AZ (3rd), Hamadeh (AZ) R-AZ (8th), Ciscomani R-AZ (6th), Grijalva D-AZ (7th)
NOT VOTING: Crane R-AZ (2nd)
House Vote 7:
SHARK ALERTS: The House has passed Lulu's Law (S. 1003), sponsored by Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., to require a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) order permitting government agencies to send shark attack alerts to mobile phones. A supporter, Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-N.J., said: "Local authorities can and should use every tool at their disposal to keep the public informed of developments with clear actionable instructions for how to respond safely." The vote, on May 20, was 401 yeas to 6 nays.
YEAS: Stanton D-AZ (4th), Schweikert R-AZ (1st), Biggs (AZ) R-AZ (5th), Gosar R-AZ (9th), Ansari D-AZ (3rd), Hamadeh (AZ) R-AZ (8th), Ciscomani R-AZ (6th), Grijalva D-AZ (7th)
NOT VOTING: Crane R-AZ (2nd)
House Vote 8:
SEPTEMBER 11 ATTACKS: The House has passed the 25th Anniversary of 9/11 Commemorative Coin Act (H.R. 1993), sponsored by Rep. Dan Goldman, D-N.Y., to have the Treasury Department mint and sell coins to commemorate the September 11 attacks, with part of the sale proceeds going to the National September 11 Memorial and Museum at the World Trade Center. Goldman cited the value of having the proceeds support the museum's "critical work educating future generations and remembering those we lost." The vote, on May 20, was unanimous with 415 yeas.
YEAS: Stanton D-AZ (4th), Schweikert R-AZ (1st), Biggs (AZ) R-AZ (5th), Gosar R-AZ (9th), Ansari D-AZ (3rd), Hamadeh (AZ) R-AZ (8th), Ciscomani R-AZ (6th), Grijalva D-AZ (7th)
NOT VOTING: Crane R-AZ (2nd)
House Vote 9:
GENDER AND PUBLIC SCHOOLS: The House has passed the Parental Rights Over The Education and Care of Their Kids Act (H.R. 2616), sponsored by Rep. Tim Walberg, R-Mich., to condition federal funding for public elementary and middle schools on the schools obtaining parental consent in order to change sex-based accommodations or gender identifications for a given student. Walberg said the bill was needed because "many schools are engaged in systematic attempts to erode parental rights. Schools are facilitating gender transitions or encouraging students to change their names and pronouns without telling parents." An opponent, Rep. Bobby Scott, D-Va., claimed the bill "bars any discussion of transgender people or topics in the classroom, banning books with transgender characters or that even discuss the existence of transgender people." The vote, on May 20, was 217 yeas to 198 nays.
NAYS: Stanton D-AZ (4th), Ansari D-AZ (3rd), Grijalva D-AZ (7th)
YEAS: Schweikert R-AZ (1st), Biggs (AZ) R-AZ (5th), Gosar R-AZ (9th), Hamadeh (AZ) R-AZ (8th), Ciscomani R-AZ (6th)
NOT VOTING: Crane R-AZ (2nd)
House Vote 10:
WOMEN'S HISTORY: The House has rejected the Smithsonian American Women's History Museum Act (H.R. 1329), sponsored by Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, R-N.Y., to authorize construction of a museum about women's history on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Malliotakis said: "It is long past time that the women of this country, who make up more than half of the population, deserve to have a museum that tells their stories and shares their contributions to our great country." A bill opponent, Rep. Joseph D. Morelle, D-N.Y., said it gave too much control over the museum siting and design process to the president, and "inserts an ideological poison pill intended to dictate what the museum can and cannot say about women's history." The vote, on May 21, was 204 yeas to 216 nays.
NAYS: Stanton D-AZ (4th), Ansari D-AZ (3rd), Grijalva D-AZ (7th)
YEAS: Schweikert R-AZ (1st), Biggs (AZ) R-AZ (5th), Gosar R-AZ (9th), Hamadeh (AZ) R-AZ (8th), Crane R-AZ (2nd), Ciscomani R-AZ (6th)
House Vote 11:
BACKGROUND CHECKS ON VETERANS: The House has passed the Veterans 2nd Amendment Protection Act (H.R. 1041), sponsored by Rep. Mike Bost, R-Ill., to bar the Veterans Affairs Department (VA) from sending information about a fiduciary for a given veteran to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System for firearms purchases. Bost said fiduciary reporting rested on "the false assumption that disabled veterans are dangerous and the harmful assumption that the capacity to manage your finances has any bearing on dangerousness or that you are dangerous." A bill opponent, Rep. Mark Takano, D-Calif., said reporting was appropriately "based on a diagnosis of severe mental illness or injury" in a veteran that puts the veteran at greater risk of suicide using a firearm. The vote, on May 21, was 216 yeas to 201 nays.
NAYS: Stanton D-AZ (4th), Ansari D-AZ (3rd), Grijalva D-AZ (7th)
YEAS: Schweikert R-AZ (1st), Biggs (AZ) R-AZ (5th), Gosar R-AZ (9th), Hamadeh (AZ) R-AZ (8th), Crane R-AZ (2nd), Ciscomani R-AZ (6th)
House Vote 12:
BENEFITS FOR DISABLED VETERANS: The House has passed the Sharri Briley and Eric Edmundson Veterans Benefits Expansion Act (H.R. 6047), sponsored by Rep. Tom Barrett, R-Mich., to increase various benefits for certain classes of veterans, including a supplemental monthly allowance for veterans with a disability connected to their time in the military. Barrett said: "My bill will deliver a long overdue, historic increase in benefits to care for veterans who were severely injured in the line of duty, and it will support the Gold Star families who lost a spouse, a parent, a child, or a loved one in service to our country." An opponent, Rep. Mark Takano, D-Calif., said the benefits increase would wrongly be paid for by cutting funding for mortgage subsidies for veterans buying a home. The vote, on May 21, was 235 yeas to 179 nays.
NAYS: Stanton D-AZ (4th), Ansari D-AZ (3rd), Grijalva D-AZ (7th)
YEAS: Schweikert R-AZ (1st), Biggs (AZ) R-AZ (5th), Gosar R-AZ (9th), Hamadeh (AZ) R-AZ (8th), Crane R-AZ (2nd), Ciscomani R-AZ (6th)
SENATE VOTES:
Senate Vote 1:
CONFIRMING NOMINEES: The Senate has passed a bill (S. Res. 690), sponsored by Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., to confirm, en bloc, the nomination of 49 different nominees to executive branch positions, including ambassadors and U.S. attorneys and marshals for state districts. Thune said the group consideration avoided petty partisan delays for nominees who have completed the Senate's nominee review process. An opponent, Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said the slate was a "rancid package of nominees," many of them lacking qualifications other than loyalty to President Trump. The vote, on May 18, was 46 yeas to 43 nays.
NAYS: Gallego D-AZ, Kelly D-AZ
Senate Vote 2:
SOUTH CAROLINA JUDGE: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Sheria Akins Clarke to be a judge on the U.S. District Court for South Carolina. A lawyer and staffer for various House committees from 2009 to 2019, Clarke has since been an assistant U.S. attorney for the district and, currently, a lawyer at a private law firm. The vote, on May 19, was 52 yeas to 38 nays.
YEAS: Gallego D-AZ
NAYS: Kelly D-AZ
Senate Vote 3:
IRAN WAR AUTHORIZATION: The Senate has agreed to a motion to discharge from its Foreign Relations Committee a bill (S.J. Res. 185), sponsored by Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., that would require the cessation of military action against Iran absent Congressional authorization. Kaine cited a 60-day deadline under the War Powers Resolution, after combat action begins, for Congress to review the action, and said: "We are well past the statutory time that might give a president an argument that 'I don't need to come to Congress to get a war approved.' " The vote to discharge, on May 19, was 50 yeas to 47 nays.
YEAS: Gallego D-AZ, Kelly D-AZ
Senate Vote 4:
VIRGIN ISLANDS JUDGE: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Evan Rikhye to be a judge for the District Court of the Virgin Islands for a 10-year term. Rikhye was an assistant U.S. attorney for the Virgin Islands for two different approximately three-year spans as part of a two-decade career as a Justice Department prosecutor; for the past year and a half, he has been a senior counsel for Walmart. The vote, on May 20, was 52 yeas to 47 nays.
NAYS: Gallego D-AZ, Kelly D-AZ
For more information about Targeted News Service, please contact Myron Struck, editor, 703/304-1897, editor@targetednews.com; for technical questions about transmission or for retransmissions, please contact Kevin Meek, kevin@targetednews.com.
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Alabama Congressional Votes for the Week ending 2026-05-22
by Arne Christensen
WASHINGTON, May 23 -- Here's a look at how Alabama members of Congress voted over the previous week.HOUSE VOTES:
House Vote 1:
NATO FUNDING: The House has rejected an amendment sponsored by Rep. Gregory Steube, R-Fla., to the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (H.R. 8469), that would have shifted $482 million from a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) security program to military construction efforts. Steube said tax dollars should be devoted to "strengthening America readiness, improving our base infrastructure, supporting our servicemembers ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, May 23 -- Here's a look at how Alabama members of Congress voted over the previous week. HOUSE VOTES: House Vote 1: NATO FUNDING: The House has rejected an amendment sponsored by Rep. Gregory Steube, R-Fla., to the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (H.R. 8469), that would have shifted $482 million from a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) security program to military construction efforts. Steube said tax dollars should be devoted to "strengthening America readiness, improving our base infrastructure, supporting our servicemembersand their families, and advancing our national security." An amendment opponent, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., said the NATO spending was needed both "to deter aggression from our adversaries but also to directly support U.S. troops stationed in Europe." The vote, on May 15, was 80 yeas to 333 nays.
NAYS: Aderholt R-AL (4th), Sewell D-AL (7th), Rogers (AL) R-AL (3rd), Figures D-AL (2nd), Strong R-AL (5th)
YEAS: Palmer R-AL (6th), Moore (AL) R-AL (1st)
House Vote 2:
VA AND MILITARY CONSTRUCTION SPENDING: The House has passed the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (H.R. 8469), sponsored by Rep. John R. Carter, R-Texas. The bill would provide about $481 billion for fiscal 2027 spending at the Veterans Affairs Department (VA) and for construction programs at the various divisions of the military. Carter said it "honors those who sacrifice for our country and reaffirms our commitment to the well-being of both servicemembers and veterans." The vote, on May 15, was 400 yeas to 15 nays.
YEAS: Aderholt R-AL (4th), Palmer R-AL (6th), Moore (AL) R-AL (1st), Sewell D-AL (7th), Rogers (AL) R-AL (3rd), Figures D-AL (2nd), Strong R-AL (5th)
House Vote 3:
AFFORDABLE HOUSING: The House has passed the amended version of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act (H.R. 6644), sponsored by Rep. J. French Hill, R-Ark., to establish numerous federal housing mortgage, regulation, and other policies, with the general goal of increasing the supply of affordable housing. Hill said the bill "advances practical, bipartisan solutions to modernizing the federal housing programs, reducing regulatory burdens, streamlining the development process, and building more homes to meet growing demand." The vote, on May 20, was 396 yeas to 13 nays.
NOT VOTING: Aderholt R-AL (4th), Moore (AL) R-AL (1st)
YEAS: Palmer R-AL (6th), Sewell D-AL (7th), Rogers (AL) R-AL (3rd), Figures D-AL (2nd), Strong R-AL (5th)
House Vote 4:
REVIEWING NEW BANKS: The House has passed the American Access to Banking Act (H.R. 4544), sponsored by Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., to change procedures for regulatory reviews of applications to form new banks and credit unions. Waters said streamlining the review process would encourage the creation of new community banks, helping entrepreneurs provide "access to affordable financial products and services to neighbors in their community." The vote, on May 20, was 405 yeas to 4 nays.
NOT VOTING: Aderholt R-AL (4th), Moore (AL) R-AL (1st)
YEAS: Palmer R-AL (6th), Sewell D-AL (7th), Rogers (AL) R-AL (3rd), Figures D-AL (2nd), Strong R-AL (5th)
House Vote 5:
BANK DEPOSITS: The House has passed the Community Bank Deposit Access Act (H.R. 5317), sponsored by Rep. J. French Hill, R-Ark., to stop treating as brokered deposits funds placed at insured banks that have less than $10 billion of assets, so long as the bank meets federal financial soundness standards. Hill said the regulatory change "works to essentially give community banks greater flexibility to access stable and reliable funding sources so that they can continue to meet the financial needs of the communities they serve." The vote, on May 20, was 393 yeas to 16 nays.
NOT VOTING: Aderholt R-AL (4th), Moore (AL) R-AL (1st)
YEAS: Palmer R-AL (6th), Sewell D-AL (7th), Rogers (AL) R-AL (3rd), Figures D-AL (2nd), Strong R-AL (5th)
House Vote 6:
ST. LOUIS VA FACILITY: The House has passed the Fiscal Year 2025 Veterans Affairs Major Medical Facility Authorization Act (S. 2393), sponsored by Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., to authorize up to $1.77 billion of spending on extensive changes to the St. Louis VA Medical Center, including adding a new bed tower and new clinical buildings. A supporter, Rep. Mike Bost, R-Ill., said: "These investments would expand capacity, support specialized care, and improve the overall experience for veterans, caregivers, providers, and staff." The vote, on May 20, was 405 yeas to 5 nays.
NOT VOTING: Aderholt R-AL (4th), Moore (AL) R-AL (1st)
YEAS: Palmer R-AL (6th), Sewell D-AL (7th), Rogers (AL) R-AL (3rd), Figures D-AL (2nd), Strong R-AL (5th)
House Vote 7:
SHARK ALERTS: The House has passed Lulu's Law (S. 1003), sponsored by Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., to require a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) order permitting government agencies to send shark attack alerts to mobile phones. A supporter, Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-N.J., said: "Local authorities can and should use every tool at their disposal to keep the public informed of developments with clear actionable instructions for how to respond safely." The vote, on May 20, was 401 yeas to 6 nays.
NOT VOTING: Aderholt R-AL (4th), Moore (AL) R-AL (1st), Rogers (AL) R-AL (3rd)
YEAS: Palmer R-AL (6th), Sewell D-AL (7th), Figures D-AL (2nd), Strong R-AL (5th)
House Vote 8:
SEPTEMBER 11 ATTACKS: The House has passed the 25th Anniversary of 9/11 Commemorative Coin Act (H.R. 1993), sponsored by Rep. Dan Goldman, D-N.Y., to have the Treasury Department mint and sell coins to commemorate the September 11 attacks, with part of the sale proceeds going to the National September 11 Memorial and Museum at the World Trade Center. Goldman cited the value of having the proceeds support the museum's "critical work educating future generations and remembering those we lost." The vote, on May 20, was unanimous with 415 yeas.
YEAS: Aderholt R-AL (4th), Palmer R-AL (6th), Moore (AL) R-AL (1st), Sewell D-AL (7th), Rogers (AL) R-AL (3rd), Figures D-AL (2nd), Strong R-AL (5th)
House Vote 9:
GENDER AND PUBLIC SCHOOLS: The House has passed the Parental Rights Over The Education and Care of Their Kids Act (H.R. 2616), sponsored by Rep. Tim Walberg, R-Mich., to condition federal funding for public elementary and middle schools on the schools obtaining parental consent in order to change sex-based accommodations or gender identifications for a given student. Walberg said the bill was needed because "many schools are engaged in systematic attempts to erode parental rights. Schools are facilitating gender transitions or encouraging students to change their names and pronouns without telling parents." An opponent, Rep. Bobby Scott, D-Va., claimed the bill "bars any discussion of transgender people or topics in the classroom, banning books with transgender characters or that even discuss the existence of transgender people." The vote, on May 20, was 217 yeas to 198 nays.
YEAS: Aderholt R-AL (4th), Palmer R-AL (6th), Moore (AL) R-AL (1st), Rogers (AL) R-AL (3rd), Strong R-AL (5th)
NAYS: Sewell D-AL (7th), Figures D-AL (2nd)
House Vote 10:
WOMEN'S HISTORY: The House has rejected the Smithsonian American Women's History Museum Act (H.R. 1329), sponsored by Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, R-N.Y., to authorize construction of a museum about women's history on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Malliotakis said: "It is long past time that the women of this country, who make up more than half of the population, deserve to have a museum that tells their stories and shares their contributions to our great country." A bill opponent, Rep. Joseph D. Morelle, D-N.Y., said it gave too much control over the museum siting and design process to the president, and "inserts an ideological poison pill intended to dictate what the museum can and cannot say about women's history." The vote, on May 21, was 204 yeas to 216 nays.
YEAS: Aderholt R-AL (4th), Palmer R-AL (6th), Moore (AL) R-AL (1st), Rogers (AL) R-AL (3rd), Strong R-AL (5th)
NAYS: Sewell D-AL (7th), Figures D-AL (2nd)
House Vote 11:
BACKGROUND CHECKS ON VETERANS: The House has passed the Veterans 2nd Amendment Protection Act (H.R. 1041), sponsored by Rep. Mike Bost, R-Ill., to bar the Veterans Affairs Department (VA) from sending information about a fiduciary for a given veteran to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System for firearms purchases. Bost said fiduciary reporting rested on "the false assumption that disabled veterans are dangerous and the harmful assumption that the capacity to manage your finances has any bearing on dangerousness or that you are dangerous." A bill opponent, Rep. Mark Takano, D-Calif., said reporting was appropriately "based on a diagnosis of severe mental illness or injury" in a veteran that puts the veteran at greater risk of suicide using a firearm. The vote, on May 21, was 216 yeas to 201 nays.
YEAS: Aderholt R-AL (4th), Palmer R-AL (6th), Moore (AL) R-AL (1st), Rogers (AL) R-AL (3rd), Strong R-AL (5th)
NAYS: Sewell D-AL (7th), Figures D-AL (2nd)
House Vote 12:
BENEFITS FOR DISABLED VETERANS: The House has passed the Sharri Briley and Eric Edmundson Veterans Benefits Expansion Act (H.R. 6047), sponsored by Rep. Tom Barrett, R-Mich., to increase various benefits for certain classes of veterans, including a supplemental monthly allowance for veterans with a disability connected to their time in the military. Barrett said: "My bill will deliver a long overdue, historic increase in benefits to care for veterans who were severely injured in the line of duty, and it will support the Gold Star families who lost a spouse, a parent, a child, or a loved one in service to our country." An opponent, Rep. Mark Takano, D-Calif., said the benefits increase would wrongly be paid for by cutting funding for mortgage subsidies for veterans buying a home. The vote, on May 21, was 235 yeas to 179 nays.
YEAS: Aderholt R-AL (4th), Palmer R-AL (6th), Moore (AL) R-AL (1st), Rogers (AL) R-AL (3rd), Strong R-AL (5th)
NAYS: Sewell D-AL (7th), Figures D-AL (2nd)
SENATE VOTES:
Senate Vote 1:
CONFIRMING NOMINEES: The Senate has passed a bill (S. Res. 690), sponsored by Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., to confirm, en bloc, the nomination of 49 different nominees to executive branch positions, including ambassadors and U.S. attorneys and marshals for state districts. Thune said the group consideration avoided petty partisan delays for nominees who have completed the Senate's nominee review process. An opponent, Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said the slate was a "rancid package of nominees," many of them lacking qualifications other than loyalty to President Trump. The vote, on May 18, was 46 yeas to 43 nays.
NOT VOTING: Tuberville R-AL
YEAS: Britt R-AL
Senate Vote 2:
SOUTH CAROLINA JUDGE: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Sheria Akins Clarke to be a judge on the U.S. District Court for South Carolina. A lawyer and staffer for various House committees from 2009 to 2019, Clarke has since been an assistant U.S. attorney for the district and, currently, a lawyer at a private law firm. The vote, on May 19, was 52 yeas to 38 nays.
NOT VOTING: Tuberville R-AL
YEAS: Britt R-AL
Senate Vote 3:
IRAN WAR AUTHORIZATION: The Senate has agreed to a motion to discharge from its Foreign Relations Committee a bill (S.J. Res. 185), sponsored by Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., that would require the cessation of military action against Iran absent Congressional authorization. Kaine cited a 60-day deadline under the War Powers Resolution, after combat action begins, for Congress to review the action, and said: "We are well past the statutory time that might give a president an argument that 'I don't need to come to Congress to get a war approved.' " The vote to discharge, on May 19, was 50 yeas to 47 nays.
NOT VOTING: Tuberville R-AL
NAYS: Britt R-AL
Senate Vote 4:
VIRGIN ISLANDS JUDGE: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Evan Rikhye to be a judge for the District Court of the Virgin Islands for a 10-year term. Rikhye was an assistant U.S. attorney for the Virgin Islands for two different approximately three-year spans as part of a two-decade career as a Justice Department prosecutor; for the past year and a half, he has been a senior counsel for Walmart. The vote, on May 20, was 52 yeas to 47 nays.
YEAS: Tuberville R-AL, Britt R-AL
For more information about Targeted News Service, please contact Myron Struck, editor, 703/304-1897, editor@targetednews.com; for technical questions about transmission or for retransmissions, please contact Kevin Meek, kevin@targetednews.com.
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