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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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Mississippi Congressional Votes for the Week ending 2026-05-01
by Arne Christensen
WASHINGTON, May 2 -- Here's a look at how Mississippi members of Congress voted over the previous week.HOUSE VOTES:
House Vote 1:
IRS WHISTLEBLOWERS: The House has passed the IRS Whistleblower Program Improvement Act (H.R. 7959), sponsored by Rep. Mike Kelly, R-Pa., to change procedures for handling whistleblowers at the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the issuance of awards to the whistleblowers. Kelly said the changes would "keep the program focused, predictable, and effective, addressing longstanding delays and improving program credibility." The vote, on April 27, was 346 yeas to 10 nays.
YEAS: ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, May 2 -- Here's a look at how Mississippi members of Congress voted over the previous week. HOUSE VOTES: House Vote 1: IRS WHISTLEBLOWERS: The House has passed the IRS Whistleblower Program Improvement Act (H.R. 7959), sponsored by Rep. Mike Kelly, R-Pa., to change procedures for handling whistleblowers at the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the issuance of awards to the whistleblowers. Kelly said the changes would "keep the program focused, predictable, and effective, addressing longstanding delays and improving program credibility." The vote, on April 27, was 346 yeas to 10 nays. YEAS:Guest R-MS (3rd), Thompson (MS) D-MS (2nd), Kelly (MS) R-MS (1st), Ezell R-MS (4th)
House Vote 2:
ENTITLEMENT TAXES AND CLERGY: The House has passed the Clergy Act (H.R. 227), sponsored by Rep. Vince Fong, R-Calif., to give members of the clergy who have received an exemption, on religious grounds, from Social Security and Medicare taxes, a two-year time frame to revoke the exemption, and therefore also become eligible for Social Security and Medicare benefits. Fong said giving them the chance to sign up for the entitlements was desirable because "many faith leaders experience significant financial hardship as they approach retirement." The vote, on April 27, was 350 yeas to 5 nays.
YEAS: Guest R-MS (3rd), Thompson (MS) D-MS (2nd), Kelly (MS) R-MS (1st), Ezell R-MS (4th)
House Vote 3:
FISA SURVEILLANCE: The House has passed the Foreign Intelligence Accountability Act (S. 1318), sponsored by Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., to change Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) surveillance and judicial review procedures. Measures include requiring pre-approval by an attorney of Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) searches of records involving legal U.S. residents, and penalties for government workers who make improper records queries. A supporter, Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, said the bill built on recently enacted reforms to FISA programs that were "incredibly important for protecting our national security and advancing our interests abroad." A bill opponent, Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., said it would enable "sweeping FISA section 702 surveillance authority to spy on American citizens' private communications and to violate the privacy rights of the people." The vote, on April 29, was 235 yeas to 191 nays.
YEAS: Guest R-MS (3rd), Kelly (MS) R-MS (1st), Ezell R-MS (4th)
NAYS: Thompson (MS) D-MS (2nd)
House Vote 4:
2026 BUDGET: The House has passed a bill (S. Con. Res. 33), sponsored by Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., to set out the fiscal 2026 budget for the federal government, and outline budgets for fiscal 2027 through 2035, including $70 billion of added funding for the Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agencies. A supporter, Rep. Jodey C. Arrington, R-Texas, said it sought "to fund the people's homeland security, to protect our citizens, and to do right by these hard-working, God-fearing public servants who go to work every day not knowing if they are going to come home." An opponent, Rep. Jimmy Panetta, D-Calif., said: "No more funding until they [the agencies] transform, reform, and retrain with commonsensical law enforcement protocols and procedures." The vote, on April 29, was 215 yeas to 211 nays, with 1 voting present.
YEAS: Guest R-MS (3rd), Kelly (MS) R-MS (1st), Ezell R-MS (4th)
NAYS: Thompson (MS) D-MS (2nd)
House Vote 5:
WOOD PRODUCTS AND BIOFUELS: The House has rejected an amendment sponsored by Rep. Cliff Bentz, R-Ore., to the Farm, Food, and National Security Act (H.R. 7567), that would have included residual material generated by sawmills and other wood processors under the definition of renewable biomass fuels. Bentz said: "This amendment would allow materials from these sources to be economically used for domestic biofuel production." An opponent, Rep. Shontel M. Brown, D-Ohio, said "it would expand the renewable food standards definition to every single tree across our public lands," promoting irresponsible tree cutting. The vote, on April 30, was 210 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 6:
FOOD STAMPS STUDY: The House has passed an amendment sponsored by Rep. Glenn Grothman, R-Wis., to the Farm, Food, and National Security Act (H.R. 7567), to require an Agriculture Department report on demonstration projects for potentially changing what foods are eligible for purchase by recipients of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. Grothman said the report would enable "informed, data-driven decisions about the program's future." The vote, on April 30, was 416 yeas to 8 nays.
YEAS: Guest R-MS (3rd), Thompson (MS) D-MS (2nd), Kelly (MS) R-MS (1st), Ezell R-MS (4th)
House Vote 7:
PESTICIDE LABELS: The House has passed an amendment sponsored by Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., to the Farm, Food, and National Security Act (H.R. 7567), that would strike from the bill sections restricting state authority to impose labeling requirements for pesticides. Paulina Luna said studies indicating "constant and consistent links between pesticide exposures and leukemia, brain cancers, and rare childhood cancers" meant states should be able to adopt their own requirements. An opponent, Rep. Glenn Thompson, R-Pa., said: "The sections that this amendment seeks to strike deliver commonsense regulatory reforms that are critical for securing access to well-regulated pesticide tools for a variety of crop production and public health needs." The vote, on April 30, was 280 yeas to 142 nays.
NAYS: Guest R-MS (3rd), Kelly (MS) R-MS (1st), Ezell R-MS (4th)
YEAS: Thompson (MS) D-MS (2nd)
House Vote 8:
AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH: The House has passed an amendment sponsored by Rep. Hillary J. Scholten, D-Mich., to the Farm, Food, and National Security Act (H.R. 7567), to expand the scope of the Agriculture Advanced Research and Development Authority (AGARDA) program. Scholten said it "will give our agricultural producers the tools they need to increase sustainable and efficient use of water, soil, and other natural resources, and it will help farms adapt to challenges, like extreme weather event and drought." An amendment opponent, Rep. Glenn Thompson, R-Pa., said "promoting climate solutions does not fit into the underlying mission of AGARDA and takes away from its mission." The vote, on April 30, was 233 yeas to 194 nays.
NAYS: Guest R-MS (3rd), Kelly (MS) R-MS (1st), Ezell R-MS (4th)
YEAS: Thompson (MS) D-MS (2nd)
House Vote 9:
REGULATING FARM EQUIPMENT EMISSIONS: The House has passed an amendment sponsored by Rep. Victoria Spartz, R-Ind., to the Farm, Food, and National Security Act (H.R. 7567). The amendment would exempt several types of tractors and other agricultural equipment from Clean Air Act emissions regulations. Spartz said the regulations "are doing real damage to family farms and grocery prices. They make equipment extremely costly, prone to breakdowns, and less reliable, causing delays, fires, and higher prices for consumers." An amendment opponent, Rep. Angie Craig, D-Minn., cited "the critical role of the Clean Air Act in making sure that the health and safety of Americans across this country is secure." The vote, on April 30, was 215 yeas to 213 nays.
YEAS: Guest R-MS (3rd), Kelly (MS) R-MS (1st), Ezell R-MS (4th)
NAYS: Thompson (MS) D-MS (2nd)
House Vote 10:
FARM BILL: The House has passed the Farm, Food, and National Security Act (H.R. 7567), sponsored by Rep. Glenn Thompson, R-Pa., to reauthorize through fiscal 2031 and change Agriculture Department programs, including crop subsidies and crop insurance, international food aid and trade, and food benefits for impoverished consumers. Thompson said: "This bill protects health, food affordability, and our nation's sovereignty." An opponent, Rep. Angie Craig, D-Minn., said "it turns a blind eye to the farmers calling for emergency economic assistance so they can afford to keep planting" and maintains a $187 billion cut in food benefits funding. The vote, on April 30, was 224 yeas to 200 nays.
YEAS: Guest R-MS (3rd), Kelly (MS) R-MS (1st), Ezell R-MS (4th)
NAYS: Thompson (MS) D-MS (2nd)
House Vote 11:
FISA EXTENSION: The House has passed a bill (S. 4465), sponsored by Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., to extend the authorities of Title 7 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), also known as Section 702, which governs surveillance of foreigners, to June 12 of this year. A supporter, Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, said: "The 702 program is incredibly important for protecting our national security and advancing our interests abroad. This temporary extension will ensure that there is no disruption to the program while we work out our differences on a longer reauthorization." An opponent, Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., cited abuse of FISA databases "to query political activists, journalists, members of Congress and their staff, and random romantic interests of FBI agents." The vote, on April 30, was 261 yeas to 111 nays.
YEAS: Guest R-MS (3rd), Thompson (MS) D-MS (2nd), Kelly (MS) R-MS (1st), Ezell R-MS (4th)
SENATE VOTES:
Senate Vote 1:
WAR WITH CUBA: The Senate has approved a point of order against a bill (S.J. Res. 124), sponsored by Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., that would have required the removal of U.S. soldiers from action against Cuba due to the lack of a declaration of war by Congress. Kaine said the U.S. blockade of energy imports into Cuba amounted to warlike hostilities, and "if anyone were doing that to the United States and affecting our citizens in that way, we would certainly view that as hostilities that we would want to do everything we could to stop." A bill opponent, Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., said: "The Cuban regime has just been despicable. They have killed Americans, and they have destroyed the lives of Cubans for decades. So this has to change." The vote for the point of order, on April 28, was 51 yeas to 47 nays.
YEAS: Wicker R-MS, Hyde-Smith R-MS
Senate Vote 2:
ATF DIRECTOR: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Robert Cekada to be the director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). Cekada had been the agency's deputy director for the past year, after two decades in numerous ATF roles and, prior to joining the ATF in 2005, more than a decade as a police officer in New York City and then Florida. A supporter, Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., called Cekada "an honorable man who believes in serving his community, enforcing the rule of law, and promoting public safety." The vote, on April 29, was 59 yeas to 39 nays.
YEAS: Wicker R-MS, Hyde-Smith R-MS
Senate Vote 3:
COLORADO AIR QUALITY: The Senate has rejected a motion to consider a bill (S.J. Res. 139), sponsored by Sen. Michael F. Bennet, D-Colo., that would have disapproved of and voided an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule canceling Colorado's submitted regional haze plan. Bennet said the EPA action "was based on an unprecedented and flawed legal theory" that wrongly asserts that Colorado must prove that coal-fired power plants in the state closing because of the haze plan does not amount to an illegal seizure of private property. The vote, on April 29, was 46 yeas to 52 nays.
NAYS: Wicker R-MS, Hyde-Smith R-MS
Senate Vote 4:
IMMIGRANTS AND JOBS: The Senate has rejected a motion to consider a bill (S.J. Res. 99), sponsored by Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., that would have disapproved of and voided a Citizenship and Immigration Services rule canceling the automatic extension of work permit documents for employment authorization for immigrants. Rosen said reverting to the previous situation, in which work permits were automatically extended so long as an immigrant filed a timely application for renewal, would "support workers and the business community." The vote, on April 29, was 47 yeas to 50 nays.
NAYS: Wicker R-MS, Hyde-Smith R-MS
Senate Vote 5:
IRAN WAR AUTHORIZATION: The Senate has rejected a motion to discharge from its Foreign Relations Committee a bill (S.J. Res. 184), sponsored by Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., that would require the cessation of military action against Iran in the absence of authorization from Congress. Schiff cited a legal mandate for a president to cease such action within 60 days of the start of a war if Congress has not granted its authority, and said failing to act would mean Congress surrendering "all authority to authorize war to the president." An opponent, Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, said an abrupt U.S. withdrawal from the war would "risk a new set of leaders who are even more radicalized against us, and we all but invite retaliation against American military forces, our allies, and the American people." The vote, on April 30, was 47 yeas to 50 nays.
NAYS: 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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Michigan Congressional Votes for the Week ending 2026-05-01
by Arne Christensen
WASHINGTON, May 2 -- Here's a look at how Michigan members of Congress voted over the previous week.HOUSE VOTES:
House Vote 1:
IRS WHISTLEBLOWERS: The House has passed the IRS Whistleblower Program Improvement Act (H.R. 7959), sponsored by Rep. Mike Kelly, R-Pa., to change procedures for handling whistleblowers at the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the issuance of awards to the whistleblowers. Kelly said the changes would "keep the program focused, predictable, and effective, addressing longstanding delays and improving program credibility." The vote, on April 27, was 346 yeas to 10 nays.
YEAS: ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, May 2 -- Here's a look at how Michigan members of Congress voted over the previous week. HOUSE VOTES: House Vote 1: IRS WHISTLEBLOWERS: The House has passed the IRS Whistleblower Program Improvement Act (H.R. 7959), sponsored by Rep. Mike Kelly, R-Pa., to change procedures for handling whistleblowers at the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the issuance of awards to the whistleblowers. Kelly said the changes would "keep the program focused, predictable, and effective, addressing longstanding delays and improving program credibility." The vote, on April 27, was 346 yeas to 10 nays. YEAS:Stevens D-MI (11th), Tlaib D-MI (12th), Dingell D-MI (6th), Huizenga R-MI (4th), McDonald Rivet D-MI (8th), Barrett R-MI (7th), Walberg R-MI (5th), Bergman R-MI (1st), Moolenaar R-MI (2nd), McClain R-MI (9th), Thanedar D-MI (13th)
NOT VOTING: Scholten D-MI (3rd), James R-MI (10th)
House Vote 2:
ENTITLEMENT TAXES AND CLERGY: The House has passed the Clergy Act (H.R. 227), sponsored by Rep. Vince Fong, R-Calif., to give members of the clergy who have received an exemption, on religious grounds, from Social Security and Medicare taxes, a two-year time frame to revoke the exemption, and therefore also become eligible for Social Security and Medicare benefits. Fong said giving them the chance to sign up for the entitlements was desirable because "many faith leaders experience significant financial hardship as they approach retirement." The vote, on April 27, was 350 yeas to 5 nays.
YEAS: Stevens D-MI (11th), Tlaib D-MI (12th), Dingell D-MI (6th), Huizenga R-MI (4th), McDonald Rivet D-MI (8th), Barrett R-MI (7th), Walberg R-MI (5th), Bergman R-MI (1st), Moolenaar R-MI (2nd), McClain R-MI (9th), Thanedar D-MI (13th)
NOT VOTING: Scholten D-MI (3rd), James R-MI (10th)
House Vote 3:
FISA SURVEILLANCE: The House has passed the Foreign Intelligence Accountability Act (S. 1318), sponsored by Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., to change Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) surveillance and judicial review procedures. Measures include requiring pre-approval by an attorney of Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) searches of records involving legal U.S. residents, and penalties for government workers who make improper records queries. A supporter, Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, said the bill built on recently enacted reforms to FISA programs that were "incredibly important for protecting our national security and advancing our interests abroad." A bill opponent, Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., said it would enable "sweeping FISA section 702 surveillance authority to spy on American citizens' private communications and to violate the privacy rights of the people." The vote, on April 29, was 235 yeas to 191 nays.
NAYS: Stevens D-MI (11th), Tlaib D-MI (12th), Dingell D-MI (6th), Barrett R-MI (7th), Scholten D-MI (3rd), Thanedar D-MI (13th)
YEAS: Huizenga R-MI (4th), McDonald Rivet D-MI (8th), Walberg R-MI (5th), Bergman R-MI (1st), Moolenaar R-MI (2nd), McClain R-MI (9th), James R-MI (10th)
House Vote 4:
2026 BUDGET: The House has passed a bill (S. Con. Res. 33), sponsored by Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., to set out the fiscal 2026 budget for the federal government, and outline budgets for fiscal 2027 through 2035, including $70 billion of added funding for the Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agencies. A supporter, Rep. Jodey C. Arrington, R-Texas, said it sought "to fund the people's homeland security, to protect our citizens, and to do right by these hard-working, God-fearing public servants who go to work every day not knowing if they are going to come home." An opponent, Rep. Jimmy Panetta, D-Calif., said: "No more funding until they [the agencies] transform, reform, and retrain with commonsensical law enforcement protocols and procedures." The vote, on April 29, was 215 yeas to 211 nays, with 1 voting present.
NAYS: Stevens D-MI (11th), Tlaib D-MI (12th), Dingell D-MI (6th), McDonald Rivet D-MI (8th), Scholten D-MI (3rd), Thanedar D-MI (13th)
YEAS: Huizenga R-MI (4th), Barrett R-MI (7th), Walberg R-MI (5th), Bergman R-MI (1st), Moolenaar R-MI (2nd), McClain R-MI (9th), James R-MI (10th)
House Vote 5:
WOOD PRODUCTS AND BIOFUELS: The House has rejected an amendment sponsored by Rep. Cliff Bentz, R-Ore., to the Farm, Food, and National Security Act (H.R. 7567), that would have included residual material generated by sawmills and other wood processors under the definition of renewable biomass fuels. Bentz said: "This amendment would allow materials from these sources to be economically used for domestic biofuel production." An opponent, Rep. Shontel M. Brown, D-Ohio, said "it would expand the renewable food standards definition to every single tree across our public lands," promoting irresponsible tree cutting. The vote, on April 30, was 210 yeas to 216 nays.
NAYS: Stevens D-MI (11th), Tlaib D-MI (12th), Dingell D-MI (6th), McDonald Rivet D-MI (8th), Walberg R-MI (5th), Scholten D-MI (3rd), Thanedar D-MI (13th)
YEAS: Huizenga R-MI (4th), Barrett R-MI (7th), Moolenaar R-MI (2nd), McClain R-MI (9th), James R-MI (10th)
NOT VOTING: Bergman R-MI (1st)
House Vote 6:
FOOD STAMPS STUDY: The House has passed an amendment sponsored by Rep. Glenn Grothman, R-Wis., to the Farm, Food, and National Security Act (H.R. 7567), to require an Agriculture Department report on demonstration projects for potentially changing what foods are eligible for purchase by recipients of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. Grothman said the report would enable "informed, data-driven decisions about the program's future." The vote, on April 30, was 416 yeas to 8 nays.
YEAS: Stevens D-MI (11th), Tlaib D-MI (12th), Dingell D-MI (6th), Huizenga R-MI (4th), McDonald Rivet D-MI (8th), Barrett R-MI (7th), Walberg R-MI (5th), Bergman R-MI (1st), Moolenaar R-MI (2nd), McClain R-MI (9th), Scholten D-MI (3rd), James R-MI (10th), Thanedar D-MI (13th)
House Vote 7:
PESTICIDE LABELS: The House has passed an amendment sponsored by Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., to the Farm, Food, and National Security Act (H.R. 7567), that would strike from the bill sections restricting state authority to impose labeling requirements for pesticides. Paulina Luna said studies indicating "constant and consistent links between pesticide exposures and leukemia, brain cancers, and rare childhood cancers" meant states should be able to adopt their own requirements. An opponent, Rep. Glenn Thompson, R-Pa., said: "The sections that this amendment seeks to strike deliver commonsense regulatory reforms that are critical for securing access to well-regulated pesticide tools for a variety of crop production and public health needs." The vote, on April 30, was 280 yeas to 142 nays.
YEAS: Stevens D-MI (11th), Tlaib D-MI (12th), Dingell D-MI (6th), Huizenga R-MI (4th), McDonald Rivet D-MI (8th), Barrett R-MI (7th), Scholten D-MI (3rd), James R-MI (10th), Thanedar D-MI (13th)
NAYS: Walberg R-MI (5th), Bergman R-MI (1st), Moolenaar R-MI (2nd), McClain R-MI (9th)
House Vote 8:
AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH: The House has passed an amendment sponsored by Rep. Hillary J. Scholten, D-Mich., to the Farm, Food, and National Security Act (H.R. 7567), to expand the scope of the Agriculture Advanced Research and Development Authority (AGARDA) program. Scholten said it "will give our agricultural producers the tools they need to increase sustainable and efficient use of water, soil, and other natural resources, and it will help farms adapt to challenges, like extreme weather event and drought." An amendment opponent, Rep. Glenn Thompson, R-Pa., said "promoting climate solutions does not fit into the underlying mission of AGARDA and takes away from its mission." The vote, on April 30, was 233 yeas to 194 nays.
YEAS: Stevens D-MI (11th), Tlaib D-MI (12th), Dingell D-MI (6th), McDonald Rivet D-MI (8th), Walberg R-MI (5th), Scholten D-MI (3rd), Thanedar D-MI (13th)
NAYS: Huizenga R-MI (4th), Barrett R-MI (7th), Bergman R-MI (1st), Moolenaar R-MI (2nd), McClain R-MI (9th), James R-MI (10th)
House Vote 9:
REGULATING FARM EQUIPMENT EMISSIONS: The House has passed an amendment sponsored by Rep. Victoria Spartz, R-Ind., to the Farm, Food, and National Security Act (H.R. 7567). The amendment would exempt several types of tractors and other agricultural equipment from Clean Air Act emissions regulations. Spartz said the regulations "are doing real damage to family farms and grocery prices. They make equipment extremely costly, prone to breakdowns, and less reliable, causing delays, fires, and higher prices for consumers." An amendment opponent, Rep. Angie Craig, D-Minn., cited "the critical role of the Clean Air Act in making sure that the health and safety of Americans across this country is secure." The vote, on April 30, was 215 yeas to 213 nays.
NAYS: Stevens D-MI (11th), Tlaib D-MI (12th), Dingell D-MI (6th), McDonald Rivet D-MI (8th), Scholten D-MI (3rd), Thanedar D-MI (13th)
YEAS: Huizenga R-MI (4th), Barrett R-MI (7th), Walberg R-MI (5th), Bergman R-MI (1st), Moolenaar R-MI (2nd), McClain R-MI (9th), James R-MI (10th)
House Vote 10:
FARM BILL: The House has passed the Farm, Food, and National Security Act (H.R. 7567), sponsored by Rep. Glenn Thompson, R-Pa., to reauthorize through fiscal 2031 and change Agriculture Department programs, including crop subsidies and crop insurance, international food aid and trade, and food benefits for impoverished consumers. Thompson said: "This bill protects health, food affordability, and our nation's sovereignty." An opponent, Rep. Angie Craig, D-Minn., said "it turns a blind eye to the farmers calling for emergency economic assistance so they can afford to keep planting" and maintains a $187 billion cut in food benefits funding. The vote, on April 30, was 224 yeas to 200 nays.
NAYS: Stevens D-MI (11th), Tlaib D-MI (12th), Dingell D-MI (6th), Scholten D-MI (3rd), Thanedar D-MI (13th)
YEAS: Huizenga R-MI (4th), McDonald Rivet D-MI (8th), Barrett R-MI (7th), Walberg R-MI (5th), Bergman R-MI (1st), Moolenaar R-MI (2nd), McClain R-MI (9th), James R-MI (10th)
House Vote 11:
FISA EXTENSION: The House has passed a bill (S. 4465), sponsored by Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., to extend the authorities of Title 7 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), also known as Section 702, which governs surveillance of foreigners, to June 12 of this year. A supporter, Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, said: "The 702 program is incredibly important for protecting our national security and advancing our interests abroad. This temporary extension will ensure that there is no disruption to the program while we work out our differences on a longer reauthorization." An opponent, Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., cited abuse of FISA databases "to query political activists, journalists, members of Congress and their staff, and random romantic interests of FBI agents." The vote, on April 30, was 261 yeas to 111 nays.
NAYS: Stevens D-MI (11th), Dingell D-MI (6th), Thanedar D-MI (13th)
NOT VOTING: Tlaib D-MI (12th)
YEAS: Huizenga R-MI (4th), McDonald Rivet D-MI (8th), Barrett R-MI (7th), Walberg R-MI (5th), Bergman R-MI (1st), Moolenaar R-MI (2nd), McClain R-MI (9th), Scholten D-MI (3rd), James R-MI (10th)
SENATE VOTES:
Senate Vote 1:
WAR WITH CUBA: The Senate has approved a point of order against a bill (S.J. Res. 124), sponsored by Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., that would have required the removal of U.S. soldiers from action against Cuba due to the lack of a declaration of war by Congress. Kaine said the U.S. blockade of energy imports into Cuba amounted to warlike hostilities, and "if anyone were doing that to the United States and affecting our citizens in that way, we would certainly view that as hostilities that we would want to do everything we could to stop." A bill opponent, Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., said: "The Cuban regime has just been despicable. They have killed Americans, and they have destroyed the lives of Cubans for decades. So this has to change." The vote for the point of order, on April 28, was 51 yeas to 47 nays.
NAYS: Peters D-MI, Slotkin D-MI
Senate Vote 2:
ATF DIRECTOR: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Robert Cekada to be the director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). Cekada had been the agency's deputy director for the past year, after two decades in numerous ATF roles and, prior to joining the ATF in 2005, more than a decade as a police officer in New York City and then Florida. A supporter, Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., called Cekada "an honorable man who believes in serving his community, enforcing the rule of law, and promoting public safety." The vote, on April 29, was 59 yeas to 39 nays.
NAYS: Peters D-MI, Slotkin D-MI
Senate Vote 3:
COLORADO AIR QUALITY: The Senate has rejected a motion to consider a bill (S.J. Res. 139), sponsored by Sen. Michael F. Bennet, D-Colo., that would have disapproved of and voided an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule canceling Colorado's submitted regional haze plan. Bennet said the EPA action "was based on an unprecedented and flawed legal theory" that wrongly asserts that Colorado must prove that coal-fired power plants in the state closing because of the haze plan does not amount to an illegal seizure of private property. The vote, on April 29, was 46 yeas to 52 nays.
YEAS: Peters D-MI, Slotkin D-MI
Senate Vote 4:
IMMIGRANTS AND JOBS: The Senate has rejected a motion to consider a bill (S.J. Res. 99), sponsored by Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., that would have disapproved of and voided a Citizenship and Immigration Services rule canceling the automatic extension of work permit documents for employment authorization for immigrants. Rosen said reverting to the previous situation, in which work permits were automatically extended so long as an immigrant filed a timely application for renewal, would "support workers and the business community." The vote, on April 29, was 47 yeas to 50 nays.
YEAS: Peters D-MI, Slotkin D-MI
Senate Vote 5:
IRAN WAR AUTHORIZATION: The Senate has rejected a motion to discharge from its Foreign Relations Committee a bill (S.J. Res. 184), sponsored by Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., that would require the cessation of military action against Iran in the absence of authorization from Congress. Schiff cited a legal mandate for a president to cease such action within 60 days of the start of a war if Congress has not granted its authority, and said failing to act would mean Congress surrendering "all authority to authorize war to the president." An opponent, Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, said an abrupt U.S. withdrawal from the war would "risk a new set of leaders who are even more radicalized against us, and we all but invite retaliation against American military forces, our allies, and the American people." The vote, on April 30, was 47 yeas to 50 nays.
YEAS: Peters D-MI, Slotkin D-MI
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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Kansas Congressional Votes for the Week ending 2026-05-01
by Arne Christensen
WASHINGTON, May 2 -- Here's a look at how Kansas members of Congress voted over the previous week.HOUSE VOTES:
House Vote 1:
IRS WHISTLEBLOWERS: The House has passed the IRS Whistleblower Program Improvement Act (H.R. 7959), sponsored by Rep. Mike Kelly, R-Pa., to change procedures for handling whistleblowers at the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the issuance of awards to the whistleblowers. Kelly said the changes would "keep the program focused, predictable, and effective, addressing longstanding delays and improving program credibility." The vote, on April 27, was 346 yeas to 10 nays.
YEAS: ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, May 2 -- Here's a look at how Kansas members of Congress voted over the previous week. HOUSE VOTES: House Vote 1: IRS WHISTLEBLOWERS: The House has passed the IRS Whistleblower Program Improvement Act (H.R. 7959), sponsored by Rep. Mike Kelly, R-Pa., to change procedures for handling whistleblowers at the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the issuance of awards to the whistleblowers. Kelly said the changes would "keep the program focused, predictable, and effective, addressing longstanding delays and improving program credibility." The vote, on April 27, was 346 yeas to 10 nays. YEAS:Davids (KS) D-KS (3rd), Schmidt R-KS (2nd), Mann R-KS (1st)
NOT VOTING: Estes R-KS (4th)
House Vote 2:
ENTITLEMENT TAXES AND CLERGY: The House has passed the Clergy Act (H.R. 227), sponsored by Rep. Vince Fong, R-Calif., to give members of the clergy who have received an exemption, on religious grounds, from Social Security and Medicare taxes, a two-year time frame to revoke the exemption, and therefore also become eligible for Social Security and Medicare benefits. Fong said giving them the chance to sign up for the entitlements was desirable because "many faith leaders experience significant financial hardship as they approach retirement." The vote, on April 27, was 350 yeas to 5 nays.
YEAS: Davids (KS) D-KS (3rd), Schmidt R-KS (2nd), Mann R-KS (1st)
NOT VOTING: Estes R-KS (4th)
House Vote 3:
FISA SURVEILLANCE: The House has passed the Foreign Intelligence Accountability Act (S. 1318), sponsored by Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., to change Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) surveillance and judicial review procedures. Measures include requiring pre-approval by an attorney of Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) searches of records involving legal U.S. residents, and penalties for government workers who make improper records queries. A supporter, Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, said the bill built on recently enacted reforms to FISA programs that were "incredibly important for protecting our national security and advancing our interests abroad." A bill opponent, Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., said it would enable "sweeping FISA section 702 surveillance authority to spy on American citizens' private communications and to violate the privacy rights of the people." The vote, on April 29, was 235 yeas to 191 nays.
NAYS: Davids (KS) D-KS (3rd)
YEAS: Estes R-KS (4th), Schmidt R-KS (2nd), Mann R-KS (1st)
House Vote 4:
2026 BUDGET: The House has passed a bill (S. Con. Res. 33), sponsored by Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., to set out the fiscal 2026 budget for the federal government, and outline budgets for fiscal 2027 through 2035, including $70 billion of added funding for the Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agencies. A supporter, Rep. Jodey C. Arrington, R-Texas, said it sought "to fund the people's homeland security, to protect our citizens, and to do right by these hard-working, God-fearing public servants who go to work every day not knowing if they are going to come home." An opponent, Rep. Jimmy Panetta, D-Calif., said: "No more funding until they [the agencies] transform, reform, and retrain with commonsensical law enforcement protocols and procedures." The vote, on April 29, was 215 yeas to 211 nays, with 1 voting present.
NAYS: Davids (KS) D-KS (3rd)
YEAS: Estes R-KS (4th), Schmidt R-KS (2nd), Mann R-KS (1st)
House Vote 5:
WOOD PRODUCTS AND BIOFUELS: The House has rejected an amendment sponsored by Rep. Cliff Bentz, R-Ore., to the Farm, Food, and National Security Act (H.R. 7567), that would have included residual material generated by sawmills and other wood processors under the definition of renewable biomass fuels. Bentz said: "This amendment would allow materials from these sources to be economically used for domestic biofuel production." An opponent, Rep. Shontel M. Brown, D-Ohio, said "it would expand the renewable food standards definition to every single tree across our public lands," promoting irresponsible tree cutting. The vote, on April 30, was 210 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 6:
FOOD STAMPS STUDY: The House has passed an amendment sponsored by Rep. Glenn Grothman, R-Wis., to the Farm, Food, and National Security Act (H.R. 7567), to require an Agriculture Department report on demonstration projects for potentially changing what foods are eligible for purchase by recipients of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. Grothman said the report would enable "informed, data-driven decisions about the program's future." The vote, on April 30, was 416 yeas to 8 nays.
YEAS: Davids (KS) D-KS (3rd), Estes R-KS (4th), Schmidt R-KS (2nd), Mann R-KS (1st)
House Vote 7:
PESTICIDE LABELS: The House has passed an amendment sponsored by Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., to the Farm, Food, and National Security Act (H.R. 7567), that would strike from the bill sections restricting state authority to impose labeling requirements for pesticides. Paulina Luna said studies indicating "constant and consistent links between pesticide exposures and leukemia, brain cancers, and rare childhood cancers" meant states should be able to adopt their own requirements. An opponent, Rep. Glenn Thompson, R-Pa., said: "The sections that this amendment seeks to strike deliver commonsense regulatory reforms that are critical for securing access to well-regulated pesticide tools for a variety of crop production and public health needs." The vote, on April 30, was 280 yeas to 142 nays.
YEAS: Davids (KS) D-KS (3rd), Schmidt R-KS (2nd)
NOT VOTING: Estes R-KS (4th)
NAYS: Mann R-KS (1st)
House Vote 8:
AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH: The House has passed an amendment sponsored by Rep. Hillary J. Scholten, D-Mich., to the Farm, Food, and National Security Act (H.R. 7567), to expand the scope of the Agriculture Advanced Research and Development Authority (AGARDA) program. Scholten said it "will give our agricultural producers the tools they need to increase sustainable and efficient use of water, soil, and other natural resources, and it will help farms adapt to challenges, like extreme weather event and drought." An amendment opponent, Rep. Glenn Thompson, R-Pa., said "promoting climate solutions does not fit into the underlying mission of AGARDA and takes away from its mission." The vote, on April 30, was 233 yeas to 194 nays.
YEAS: Davids (KS) D-KS (3rd)
NAYS: Estes R-KS (4th), Schmidt R-KS (2nd), Mann R-KS (1st)
House Vote 9:
REGULATING FARM EQUIPMENT EMISSIONS: The House has passed an amendment sponsored by Rep. Victoria Spartz, R-Ind., to the Farm, Food, and National Security Act (H.R. 7567). The amendment would exempt several types of tractors and other agricultural equipment from Clean Air Act emissions regulations. Spartz said the regulations "are doing real damage to family farms and grocery prices. They make equipment extremely costly, prone to breakdowns, and less reliable, causing delays, fires, and higher prices for consumers." An amendment opponent, Rep. Angie Craig, D-Minn., cited "the critical role of the Clean Air Act in making sure that the health and safety of Americans across this country is secure." The vote, on April 30, was 215 yeas to 213 nays.
NAYS: Davids (KS) D-KS (3rd)
YEAS: Estes R-KS (4th), Schmidt R-KS (2nd), Mann R-KS (1st)
House Vote 10:
FARM BILL: The House has passed the Farm, Food, and National Security Act (H.R. 7567), sponsored by Rep. Glenn Thompson, R-Pa., to reauthorize through fiscal 2031 and change Agriculture Department programs, including crop subsidies and crop insurance, international food aid and trade, and food benefits for impoverished consumers. Thompson said: "This bill protects health, food affordability, and our nation's sovereignty." An opponent, Rep. Angie Craig, D-Minn., said "it turns a blind eye to the farmers calling for emergency economic assistance so they can afford to keep planting" and maintains a $187 billion cut in food benefits funding. The vote, on April 30, was 224 yeas to 200 nays.
YEAS: Davids (KS) D-KS (3rd), Estes R-KS (4th), Schmidt R-KS (2nd), Mann R-KS (1st)
House Vote 11:
FISA EXTENSION: The House has passed a bill (S. 4465), sponsored by Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., to extend the authorities of Title 7 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), also known as Section 702, which governs surveillance of foreigners, to June 12 of this year. A supporter, Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, said: "The 702 program is incredibly important for protecting our national security and advancing our interests abroad. This temporary extension will ensure that there is no disruption to the program while we work out our differences on a longer reauthorization." An opponent, Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., cited abuse of FISA databases "to query political activists, journalists, members of Congress and their staff, and random romantic interests of FBI agents." The vote, on April 30, was 261 yeas to 111 nays.
YEAS: Davids (KS) D-KS (3rd), Estes R-KS (4th), Schmidt R-KS (2nd), Mann R-KS (1st)
SENATE VOTES:
Senate Vote 1:
WAR WITH CUBA: The Senate has approved a point of order against a bill (S.J. Res. 124), sponsored by Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., that would have required the removal of U.S. soldiers from action against Cuba due to the lack of a declaration of war by Congress. Kaine said the U.S. blockade of energy imports into Cuba amounted to warlike hostilities, and "if anyone were doing that to the United States and affecting our citizens in that way, we would certainly view that as hostilities that we would want to do everything we could to stop." A bill opponent, Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., said: "The Cuban regime has just been despicable. They have killed Americans, and they have destroyed the lives of Cubans for decades. So this has to change." The vote for the point of order, on April 28, was 51 yeas to 47 nays.
YEAS: Moran R-KS, Marshall R-KS
Senate Vote 2:
ATF DIRECTOR: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Robert Cekada to be the director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). Cekada had been the agency's deputy director for the past year, after two decades in numerous ATF roles and, prior to joining the ATF in 2005, more than a decade as a police officer in New York City and then Florida. A supporter, Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., called Cekada "an honorable man who believes in serving his community, enforcing the rule of law, and promoting public safety." The vote, on April 29, was 59 yeas to 39 nays.
YEAS: Moran R-KS, Marshall R-KS
Senate Vote 3:
COLORADO AIR QUALITY: The Senate has rejected a motion to consider a bill (S.J. Res. 139), sponsored by Sen. Michael F. Bennet, D-Colo., that would have disapproved of and voided an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule canceling Colorado's submitted regional haze plan. Bennet said the EPA action "was based on an unprecedented and flawed legal theory" that wrongly asserts that Colorado must prove that coal-fired power plants in the state closing because of the haze plan does not amount to an illegal seizure of private property. The vote, on April 29, was 46 yeas to 52 nays.
NAYS: Moran R-KS, Marshall R-KS
Senate Vote 4:
IMMIGRANTS AND JOBS: The Senate has rejected a motion to consider a bill (S.J. Res. 99), sponsored by Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., that would have disapproved of and voided a Citizenship and Immigration Services rule canceling the automatic extension of work permit documents for employment authorization for immigrants. Rosen said reverting to the previous situation, in which work permits were automatically extended so long as an immigrant filed a timely application for renewal, would "support workers and the business community." The vote, on April 29, was 47 yeas to 50 nays.
NAYS: Moran R-KS, Marshall R-KS
Senate Vote 5:
IRAN WAR AUTHORIZATION: The Senate has rejected a motion to discharge from its Foreign Relations Committee a bill (S.J. Res. 184), sponsored by Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., that would require the cessation of military action against Iran in the absence of authorization from Congress. Schiff cited a legal mandate for a president to cease such action within 60 days of the start of a war if Congress has not granted its authority, and said failing to act would mean Congress surrendering "all authority to authorize war to the president." An opponent, Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, said an abrupt U.S. withdrawal from the war would "risk a new set of leaders who are even more radicalized against us, and we all but invite retaliation against American military forces, our allies, and the American people." The vote, on April 30, was 47 yeas to 50 nays.
NOT VOTING: Moran R-KS
NAYS: 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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Maine Congressional Votes for the Week ending 2026-05-01
by Arne Christensen
WASHINGTON, May 2 -- Here's a look at how Maine members of Congress voted over the previous week.HOUSE VOTES:
House Vote 1:
IRS WHISTLEBLOWERS: The House has passed the IRS Whistleblower Program Improvement Act (H.R. 7959), sponsored by Rep. Mike Kelly, R-Pa., to change procedures for handling whistleblowers at the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the issuance of awards to the whistleblowers. Kelly said the changes would "keep the program focused, predictable, and effective, addressing longstanding delays and improving program credibility." The vote, on April 27, was 346 yeas to 10 nays.
YEAS: ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, May 2 -- Here's a look at how Maine members of Congress voted over the previous week. HOUSE VOTES: House Vote 1: IRS WHISTLEBLOWERS: The House has passed the IRS Whistleblower Program Improvement Act (H.R. 7959), sponsored by Rep. Mike Kelly, R-Pa., to change procedures for handling whistleblowers at the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the issuance of awards to the whistleblowers. Kelly said the changes would "keep the program focused, predictable, and effective, addressing longstanding delays and improving program credibility." The vote, on April 27, was 346 yeas to 10 nays. YEAS:Pingree D-ME (1st), Golden (ME) D-ME (2nd)
House Vote 2:
ENTITLEMENT TAXES AND CLERGY: The House has passed the Clergy Act (H.R. 227), sponsored by Rep. Vince Fong, R-Calif., to give members of the clergy who have received an exemption, on religious grounds, from Social Security and Medicare taxes, a two-year time frame to revoke the exemption, and therefore also become eligible for Social Security and Medicare benefits. Fong said giving them the chance to sign up for the entitlements was desirable because "many faith leaders experience significant financial hardship as they approach retirement." The vote, on April 27, was 350 yeas to 5 nays.
YEAS: Pingree D-ME (1st), Golden (ME) D-ME (2nd)
House Vote 3:
FISA SURVEILLANCE: The House has passed the Foreign Intelligence Accountability Act (S. 1318), sponsored by Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., to change Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) surveillance and judicial review procedures. Measures include requiring pre-approval by an attorney of Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) searches of records involving legal U.S. residents, and penalties for government workers who make improper records queries. A supporter, Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, said the bill built on recently enacted reforms to FISA programs that were "incredibly important for protecting our national security and advancing our interests abroad." A bill opponent, Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., said it would enable "sweeping FISA section 702 surveillance authority to spy on American citizens' private communications and to violate the privacy rights of the people." The vote, on April 29, was 235 yeas to 191 nays.
NAYS: Pingree D-ME (1st)
YEAS: Golden (ME) D-ME (2nd)
House Vote 4:
2026 BUDGET: The House has passed a bill (S. Con. Res. 33), sponsored by Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., to set out the fiscal 2026 budget for the federal government, and outline budgets for fiscal 2027 through 2035, including $70 billion of added funding for the Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agencies. A supporter, Rep. Jodey C. Arrington, R-Texas, said it sought "to fund the people's homeland security, to protect our citizens, and to do right by these hard-working, God-fearing public servants who go to work every day not knowing if they are going to come home." An opponent, Rep. Jimmy Panetta, D-Calif., said: "No more funding until they [the agencies] transform, reform, and retrain with commonsensical law enforcement protocols and procedures." The vote, on April 29, was 215 yeas to 211 nays, with 1 voting present.
NAYS: Pingree D-ME (1st), Golden (ME) D-ME (2nd)
House Vote 5:
WOOD PRODUCTS AND BIOFUELS: The House has rejected an amendment sponsored by Rep. Cliff Bentz, R-Ore., to the Farm, Food, and National Security Act (H.R. 7567), that would have included residual material generated by sawmills and other wood processors under the definition of renewable biomass fuels. Bentz said: "This amendment would allow materials from these sources to be economically used for domestic biofuel production." An opponent, Rep. Shontel M. Brown, D-Ohio, said "it would expand the renewable food standards definition to every single tree across our public lands," promoting irresponsible tree cutting. The vote, on April 30, was 210 yeas to 216 nays.
YEAS: Pingree D-ME (1st), Golden (ME) D-ME (2nd)
House Vote 6:
FOOD STAMPS STUDY: The House has passed an amendment sponsored by Rep. Glenn Grothman, R-Wis., to the Farm, Food, and National Security Act (H.R. 7567), to require an Agriculture Department report on demonstration projects for potentially changing what foods are eligible for purchase by recipients of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. Grothman said the report would enable "informed, data-driven decisions about the program's future." The vote, on April 30, was 416 yeas to 8 nays.
YEAS: Pingree D-ME (1st), Golden (ME) D-ME (2nd)
House Vote 7:
PESTICIDE LABELS: The House has passed an amendment sponsored by Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., to the Farm, Food, and National Security Act (H.R. 7567), that would strike from the bill sections restricting state authority to impose labeling requirements for pesticides. Paulina Luna said studies indicating "constant and consistent links between pesticide exposures and leukemia, brain cancers, and rare childhood cancers" meant states should be able to adopt their own requirements. An opponent, Rep. Glenn Thompson, R-Pa., said: "The sections that this amendment seeks to strike deliver commonsense regulatory reforms that are critical for securing access to well-regulated pesticide tools for a variety of crop production and public health needs." The vote, on April 30, was 280 yeas to 142 nays.
YEAS: Pingree D-ME (1st), Golden (ME) D-ME (2nd)
House Vote 8:
AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH: The House has passed an amendment sponsored by Rep. Hillary J. Scholten, D-Mich., to the Farm, Food, and National Security Act (H.R. 7567), to expand the scope of the Agriculture Advanced Research and Development Authority (AGARDA) program. Scholten said it "will give our agricultural producers the tools they need to increase sustainable and efficient use of water, soil, and other natural resources, and it will help farms adapt to challenges, like extreme weather event and drought." An amendment opponent, Rep. Glenn Thompson, R-Pa., said "promoting climate solutions does not fit into the underlying mission of AGARDA and takes away from its mission." The vote, on April 30, was 233 yeas to 194 nays.
YEAS: Pingree D-ME (1st), Golden (ME) D-ME (2nd)
House Vote 9:
REGULATING FARM EQUIPMENT EMISSIONS: The House has passed an amendment sponsored by Rep. Victoria Spartz, R-Ind., to the Farm, Food, and National Security Act (H.R. 7567). The amendment would exempt several types of tractors and other agricultural equipment from Clean Air Act emissions regulations. Spartz said the regulations "are doing real damage to family farms and grocery prices. They make equipment extremely costly, prone to breakdowns, and less reliable, causing delays, fires, and higher prices for consumers." An amendment opponent, Rep. Angie Craig, D-Minn., cited "the critical role of the Clean Air Act in making sure that the health and safety of Americans across this country is secure." The vote, on April 30, was 215 yeas to 213 nays.
NAYS: Pingree D-ME (1st)
YEAS: Golden (ME) D-ME (2nd)
House Vote 10:
FARM BILL: The House has passed the Farm, Food, and National Security Act (H.R. 7567), sponsored by Rep. Glenn Thompson, R-Pa., to reauthorize through fiscal 2031 and change Agriculture Department programs, including crop subsidies and crop insurance, international food aid and trade, and food benefits for impoverished consumers. Thompson said: "This bill protects health, food affordability, and our nation's sovereignty." An opponent, Rep. Angie Craig, D-Minn., said "it turns a blind eye to the farmers calling for emergency economic assistance so they can afford to keep planting" and maintains a $187 billion cut in food benefits funding. The vote, on April 30, was 224 yeas to 200 nays.
NAYS: Pingree D-ME (1st), Golden (ME) D-ME (2nd)
House Vote 11:
FISA EXTENSION: The House has passed a bill (S. 4465), sponsored by Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., to extend the authorities of Title 7 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), also known as Section 702, which governs surveillance of foreigners, to June 12 of this year. A supporter, Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, said: "The 702 program is incredibly important for protecting our national security and advancing our interests abroad. This temporary extension will ensure that there is no disruption to the program while we work out our differences on a longer reauthorization." An opponent, Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., cited abuse of FISA databases "to query political activists, journalists, members of Congress and their staff, and random romantic interests of FBI agents." The vote, on April 30, was 261 yeas to 111 nays.
NAYS: Pingree D-ME (1st)
YEAS: Golden (ME) D-ME (2nd)
SENATE VOTES:
Senate Vote 1:
WAR WITH CUBA: The Senate has approved a point of order against a bill (S.J. Res. 124), sponsored by Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., that would have required the removal of U.S. soldiers from action against Cuba due to the lack of a declaration of war by Congress. Kaine said the U.S. blockade of energy imports into Cuba amounted to warlike hostilities, and "if anyone were doing that to the United States and affecting our citizens in that way, we would certainly view that as hostilities that we would want to do everything we could to stop." A bill opponent, Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., said: "The Cuban regime has just been despicable. They have killed Americans, and they have destroyed the lives of Cubans for decades. So this has to change." The vote for the point of order, on April 28, was 51 yeas to 47 nays.
NAYS: Collins R-ME, King I-ME
Senate Vote 2:
ATF DIRECTOR: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Robert Cekada to be the director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). Cekada had been the agency's deputy director for the past year, after two decades in numerous ATF roles and, prior to joining the ATF in 2005, more than a decade as a police officer in New York City and then Florida. A supporter, Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., called Cekada "an honorable man who believes in serving his community, enforcing the rule of law, and promoting public safety." The vote, on April 29, was 59 yeas to 39 nays.
YEAS: Collins R-ME, King I-ME
Senate Vote 3:
COLORADO AIR QUALITY: The Senate has rejected a motion to consider a bill (S.J. Res. 139), sponsored by Sen. Michael F. Bennet, D-Colo., that would have disapproved of and voided an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule canceling Colorado's submitted regional haze plan. Bennet said the EPA action "was based on an unprecedented and flawed legal theory" that wrongly asserts that Colorado must prove that coal-fired power plants in the state closing because of the haze plan does not amount to an illegal seizure of private property. The vote, on April 29, was 46 yeas to 52 nays.
NAYS: Collins R-ME
YEAS: King I-ME
Senate Vote 4:
IMMIGRANTS AND JOBS: The Senate has rejected a motion to consider a bill (S.J. Res. 99), sponsored by Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., that would have disapproved of and voided a Citizenship and Immigration Services rule canceling the automatic extension of work permit documents for employment authorization for immigrants. Rosen said reverting to the previous situation, in which work permits were automatically extended so long as an immigrant filed a timely application for renewal, would "support workers and the business community." The vote, on April 29, was 47 yeas to 50 nays.
NAYS: Collins R-ME
YEAS: King I-ME
Senate Vote 5:
IRAN WAR AUTHORIZATION: The Senate has rejected a motion to discharge from its Foreign Relations Committee a bill (S.J. Res. 184), sponsored by Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., that would require the cessation of military action against Iran in the absence of authorization from Congress. Schiff cited a legal mandate for a president to cease such action within 60 days of the start of a war if Congress has not granted its authority, and said failing to act would mean Congress surrendering "all authority to authorize war to the president." An opponent, Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, said an abrupt U.S. withdrawal from the war would "risk a new set of leaders who are even more radicalized against us, and we all but invite retaliation against American military forces, our allies, and the American people." The vote, on April 30, was 47 yeas to 50 nays.
YEAS: Collins R-ME, King I-ME
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-
Illinois Congressional Votes for the Week ending 2026-05-01
by Arne Christensen
WASHINGTON, May 2 -- Here's a look at how Illinois members of Congress voted over the previous week.HOUSE VOTES:
House Vote 1:
IRS WHISTLEBLOWERS: The House has passed the IRS Whistleblower Program Improvement Act (H.R. 7959), sponsored by Rep. Mike Kelly, R-Pa., to change procedures for handling whistleblowers at the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the issuance of awards to the whistleblowers. Kelly said the changes would "keep the program focused, predictable, and effective, addressing longstanding delays and improving program credibility." The vote, on April 27, was 346 yeas to 10 nays.
YEAS: ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, May 2 -- Here's a look at how Illinois members of Congress voted over the previous week. HOUSE VOTES: House Vote 1: IRS WHISTLEBLOWERS: The House has passed the IRS Whistleblower Program Improvement Act (H.R. 7959), sponsored by Rep. Mike Kelly, R-Pa., to change procedures for handling whistleblowers at the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the issuance of awards to the whistleblowers. Kelly said the changes would "keep the program focused, predictable, and effective, addressing longstanding delays and improving program credibility." The vote, on April 27, was 346 yeas to 10 nays. YEAS:Quigley D-IL (5th), Krishnamoorthi D-IL (8th), Garcia (IL) D-IL (4th), Casten D-IL (6th), Schneider D-IL (10th), Kelly (IL) D-IL (2nd), Foster D-IL (11th), Underwood D-IL (14th), Miller (IL) R-IL (15th), Budzinski D-IL (13th), Ramirez D-IL (3rd), Jackson (IL) D-IL (1st)
NOT VOTING: Bost R-IL (12th), Davis (IL) D-IL (7th), LaHood R-IL (16th), Schakowsky D-IL (9th), Sorensen D-IL (17th)
House Vote 2:
ENTITLEMENT TAXES AND CLERGY: The House has passed the Clergy Act (H.R. 227), sponsored by Rep. Vince Fong, R-Calif., to give members of the clergy who have received an exemption, on religious grounds, from Social Security and Medicare taxes, a two-year time frame to revoke the exemption, and therefore also become eligible for Social Security and Medicare benefits. Fong said giving them the chance to sign up for the entitlements was desirable because "many faith leaders experience significant financial hardship as they approach retirement." The vote, on April 27, was 350 yeas to 5 nays.
YEAS: Quigley D-IL (5th), Krishnamoorthi D-IL (8th), Garcia (IL) D-IL (4th), Casten D-IL (6th), Schneider D-IL (10th), Kelly (IL) D-IL (2nd), Foster D-IL (11th), Underwood D-IL (14th), Miller (IL) R-IL (15th), Budzinski D-IL (13th), Ramirez D-IL (3rd), Jackson (IL) D-IL (1st)
NOT VOTING: Bost R-IL (12th), Davis (IL) D-IL (7th), LaHood R-IL (16th), Schakowsky D-IL (9th), Sorensen D-IL (17th)
House Vote 3:
FISA SURVEILLANCE: The House has passed the Foreign Intelligence Accountability Act (S. 1318), sponsored by Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., to change Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) surveillance and judicial review procedures. Measures include requiring pre-approval by an attorney of Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) searches of records involving legal U.S. residents, and penalties for government workers who make improper records queries. A supporter, Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, said the bill built on recently enacted reforms to FISA programs that were "incredibly important for protecting our national security and advancing our interests abroad." A bill opponent, Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., said it would enable "sweeping FISA section 702 surveillance authority to spy on American citizens' private communications and to violate the privacy rights of the people." The vote, on April 29, was 235 yeas to 191 nays.
YEAS: Quigley D-IL (5th), Bost R-IL (12th), Schneider D-IL (10th), LaHood R-IL (16th), Miller (IL) R-IL (15th), Budzinski D-IL (13th), Sorensen D-IL (17th)
NAYS: Krishnamoorthi D-IL (8th), Davis (IL) D-IL (7th), Garcia (IL) D-IL (4th), Casten D-IL (6th), Kelly (IL) D-IL (2nd), Schakowsky D-IL (9th), Foster D-IL (11th), Underwood D-IL (14th), Ramirez D-IL (3rd), Jackson (IL) D-IL (1st)
House Vote 4:
2026 BUDGET: The House has passed a bill (S. Con. Res. 33), sponsored by Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., to set out the fiscal 2026 budget for the federal government, and outline budgets for fiscal 2027 through 2035, including $70 billion of added funding for the Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agencies. A supporter, Rep. Jodey C. Arrington, R-Texas, said it sought "to fund the people's homeland security, to protect our citizens, and to do right by these hard-working, God-fearing public servants who go to work every day not knowing if they are going to come home." An opponent, Rep. Jimmy Panetta, D-Calif., said: "No more funding until they [the agencies] transform, reform, and retrain with commonsensical law enforcement protocols and procedures." The vote, on April 29, was 215 yeas to 211 nays, with 1 voting present.
NAYS: Quigley D-IL (5th), Krishnamoorthi D-IL (8th), Davis (IL) D-IL (7th), Garcia (IL) D-IL (4th), Casten D-IL (6th), Schneider D-IL (10th), Kelly (IL) D-IL (2nd), Schakowsky D-IL (9th), Foster D-IL (11th), Underwood D-IL (14th), Budzinski D-IL (13th), Sorensen D-IL (17th), Ramirez D-IL (3rd), Jackson (IL) D-IL (1st)
YEAS: Bost R-IL (12th), LaHood R-IL (16th), Miller (IL) R-IL (15th)
House Vote 5:
WOOD PRODUCTS AND BIOFUELS: The House has rejected an amendment sponsored by Rep. Cliff Bentz, R-Ore., to the Farm, Food, and National Security Act (H.R. 7567), that would have included residual material generated by sawmills and other wood processors under the definition of renewable biomass fuels. Bentz said: "This amendment would allow materials from these sources to be economically used for domestic biofuel production." An opponent, Rep. Shontel M. Brown, D-Ohio, said "it would expand the renewable food standards definition to every single tree across our public lands," promoting irresponsible tree cutting. The vote, on April 30, was 210 yeas to 216 nays.
NAYS: Quigley D-IL (5th), Krishnamoorthi D-IL (8th), Davis (IL) D-IL (7th), Garcia (IL) D-IL (4th), Schneider D-IL (10th), Kelly (IL) D-IL (2nd), Schakowsky D-IL (9th), Foster D-IL (11th), Underwood D-IL (14th), Budzinski D-IL (13th), Sorensen D-IL (17th), Ramirez D-IL (3rd), Jackson (IL) D-IL (1st)
YEAS: Bost R-IL (12th), Casten D-IL (6th), LaHood R-IL (16th), Miller (IL) R-IL (15th)
House Vote 6:
FOOD STAMPS STUDY: The House has passed an amendment sponsored by Rep. Glenn Grothman, R-Wis., to the Farm, Food, and National Security Act (H.R. 7567), to require an Agriculture Department report on demonstration projects for potentially changing what foods are eligible for purchase by recipients of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. Grothman said the report would enable "informed, data-driven decisions about the program's future." The vote, on April 30, was 416 yeas to 8 nays.
YEAS: Quigley D-IL (5th), Bost R-IL (12th), Davis (IL) D-IL (7th), Garcia (IL) D-IL (4th), Casten D-IL (6th), Schneider D-IL (10th), LaHood R-IL (16th), Kelly (IL) D-IL (2nd), Schakowsky D-IL (9th), Foster D-IL (11th), Underwood D-IL (14th), Miller (IL) R-IL (15th), Budzinski D-IL (13th), Sorensen D-IL (17th), Ramirez D-IL (3rd), Jackson (IL) D-IL (1st)
NAYS: Krishnamoorthi D-IL (8th)
House Vote 7:
PESTICIDE LABELS: The House has passed an amendment sponsored by Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., to the Farm, Food, and National Security Act (H.R. 7567), that would strike from the bill sections restricting state authority to impose labeling requirements for pesticides. Paulina Luna said studies indicating "constant and consistent links between pesticide exposures and leukemia, brain cancers, and rare childhood cancers" meant states should be able to adopt their own requirements. An opponent, Rep. Glenn Thompson, R-Pa., said: "The sections that this amendment seeks to strike deliver commonsense regulatory reforms that are critical for securing access to well-regulated pesticide tools for a variety of crop production and public health needs." The vote, on April 30, was 280 yeas to 142 nays.
YEAS: Quigley D-IL (5th), Krishnamoorthi D-IL (8th), Davis (IL) D-IL (7th), Garcia (IL) D-IL (4th), Casten D-IL (6th), Schneider D-IL (10th), Kelly (IL) D-IL (2nd), Schakowsky D-IL (9th), Foster D-IL (11th), Underwood D-IL (14th), Budzinski D-IL (13th), Sorensen D-IL (17th), Ramirez D-IL (3rd), Jackson (IL) D-IL (1st)
NAYS: Bost R-IL (12th), LaHood R-IL (16th), Miller (IL) R-IL (15th)
House Vote 8:
AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH: The House has passed an amendment sponsored by Rep. Hillary J. Scholten, D-Mich., to the Farm, Food, and National Security Act (H.R. 7567), to expand the scope of the Agriculture Advanced Research and Development Authority (AGARDA) program. Scholten said it "will give our agricultural producers the tools they need to increase sustainable and efficient use of water, soil, and other natural resources, and it will help farms adapt to challenges, like extreme weather event and drought." An amendment opponent, Rep. Glenn Thompson, R-Pa., said "promoting climate solutions does not fit into the underlying mission of AGARDA and takes away from its mission." The vote, on April 30, was 233 yeas to 194 nays.
YEAS: Quigley D-IL (5th), Krishnamoorthi D-IL (8th), Davis (IL) D-IL (7th), Garcia (IL) D-IL (4th), Casten D-IL (6th), Schneider D-IL (10th), Kelly (IL) D-IL (2nd), Schakowsky D-IL (9th), Foster D-IL (11th), Underwood D-IL (14th), Budzinski D-IL (13th), Sorensen D-IL (17th), Ramirez D-IL (3rd), Jackson (IL) D-IL (1st)
NAYS: Bost R-IL (12th), LaHood R-IL (16th), Miller (IL) R-IL (15th)
House Vote 9:
REGULATING FARM EQUIPMENT EMISSIONS: The House has passed an amendment sponsored by Rep. Victoria Spartz, R-Ind., to the Farm, Food, and National Security Act (H.R. 7567). The amendment would exempt several types of tractors and other agricultural equipment from Clean Air Act emissions regulations. Spartz said the regulations "are doing real damage to family farms and grocery prices. They make equipment extremely costly, prone to breakdowns, and less reliable, causing delays, fires, and higher prices for consumers." An amendment opponent, Rep. Angie Craig, D-Minn., cited "the critical role of the Clean Air Act in making sure that the health and safety of Americans across this country is secure." The vote, on April 30, was 215 yeas to 213 nays.
NAYS: Quigley D-IL (5th), Krishnamoorthi D-IL (8th), Davis (IL) D-IL (7th), Garcia (IL) D-IL (4th), Casten D-IL (6th), Schneider D-IL (10th), Kelly (IL) D-IL (2nd), Schakowsky D-IL (9th), Foster D-IL (11th), Underwood D-IL (14th), Budzinski D-IL (13th), Sorensen D-IL (17th), Ramirez D-IL (3rd), Jackson (IL) D-IL (1st)
YEAS: Bost R-IL (12th), LaHood R-IL (16th), Miller (IL) R-IL (15th)
House Vote 10:
FARM BILL: The House has passed the Farm, Food, and National Security Act (H.R. 7567), sponsored by Rep. Glenn Thompson, R-Pa., to reauthorize through fiscal 2031 and change Agriculture Department programs, including crop subsidies and crop insurance, international food aid and trade, and food benefits for impoverished consumers. Thompson said: "This bill protects health, food affordability, and our nation's sovereignty." An opponent, Rep. Angie Craig, D-Minn., said "it turns a blind eye to the farmers calling for emergency economic assistance so they can afford to keep planting" and maintains a $187 billion cut in food benefits funding. The vote, on April 30, was 224 yeas to 200 nays.
NAYS: Quigley D-IL (5th), Krishnamoorthi D-IL (8th), Davis (IL) D-IL (7th), Garcia (IL) D-IL (4th), Casten D-IL (6th), Schneider D-IL (10th), Kelly (IL) D-IL (2nd), Schakowsky D-IL (9th), Foster D-IL (11th), Underwood D-IL (14th), Budzinski D-IL (13th), Sorensen D-IL (17th), Ramirez D-IL (3rd), Jackson (IL) D-IL (1st)
YEAS: Bost R-IL (12th), LaHood R-IL (16th), Miller (IL) R-IL (15th)
House Vote 11:
FISA EXTENSION: The House has passed a bill (S. 4465), sponsored by Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., to extend the authorities of Title 7 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), also known as Section 702, which governs surveillance of foreigners, to June 12 of this year. A supporter, Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, said: "The 702 program is incredibly important for protecting our national security and advancing our interests abroad. This temporary extension will ensure that there is no disruption to the program while we work out our differences on a longer reauthorization." An opponent, Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., cited abuse of FISA databases "to query political activists, journalists, members of Congress and their staff, and random romantic interests of FBI agents." The vote, on April 30, was 261 yeas to 111 nays.
NOT VOTING: Quigley D-IL (5th), Davis (IL) D-IL (7th), Garcia (IL) D-IL (4th), Kelly (IL) D-IL (2nd), Schakowsky D-IL (9th), Ramirez D-IL (3rd)
YEAS: Bost R-IL (12th), Krishnamoorthi D-IL (8th), Casten D-IL (6th), Schneider D-IL (10th), LaHood R-IL (16th), Foster D-IL (11th), Budzinski D-IL (13th), Sorensen D-IL (17th)
NAYS: Underwood D-IL (14th), Miller (IL) R-IL (15th), Jackson (IL) D-IL (1st)
SENATE VOTES:
Senate Vote 1:
WAR WITH CUBA: The Senate has approved a point of order against a bill (S.J. Res. 124), sponsored by Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., that would have required the removal of U.S. soldiers from action against Cuba due to the lack of a declaration of war by Congress. Kaine said the U.S. blockade of energy imports into Cuba amounted to warlike hostilities, and "if anyone were doing that to the United States and affecting our citizens in that way, we would certainly view that as hostilities that we would want to do everything we could to stop." A bill opponent, Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., said: "The Cuban regime has just been despicable. They have killed Americans, and they have destroyed the lives of Cubans for decades. So this has to change." The vote for the point of order, on April 28, was 51 yeas to 47 nays.
NAYS: Durbin D-IL, Duckworth D-IL
Senate Vote 2:
ATF DIRECTOR: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Robert Cekada to be the director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). Cekada had been the agency's deputy director for the past year, after two decades in numerous ATF roles and, prior to joining the ATF in 2005, more than a decade as a police officer in New York City and then Florida. A supporter, Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., called Cekada "an honorable man who believes in serving his community, enforcing the rule of law, and promoting public safety." The vote, on April 29, was 59 yeas to 39 nays.
NAYS: Durbin D-IL, Duckworth D-IL
Senate Vote 3:
COLORADO AIR QUALITY: The Senate has rejected a motion to consider a bill (S.J. Res. 139), sponsored by Sen. Michael F. Bennet, D-Colo., that would have disapproved of and voided an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule canceling Colorado's submitted regional haze plan. Bennet said the EPA action "was based on an unprecedented and flawed legal theory" that wrongly asserts that Colorado must prove that coal-fired power plants in the state closing because of the haze plan does not amount to an illegal seizure of private property. The vote, on April 29, was 46 yeas to 52 nays.
YEAS: Durbin D-IL, Duckworth D-IL
Senate Vote 4:
IMMIGRANTS AND JOBS: The Senate has rejected a motion to consider a bill (S.J. Res. 99), sponsored by Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., that would have disapproved of and voided a Citizenship and Immigration Services rule canceling the automatic extension of work permit documents for employment authorization for immigrants. Rosen said reverting to the previous situation, in which work permits were automatically extended so long as an immigrant filed a timely application for renewal, would "support workers and the business community." The vote, on April 29, was 47 yeas to 50 nays.
YEAS: Durbin D-IL, Duckworth D-IL
Senate Vote 5:
IRAN WAR AUTHORIZATION: The Senate has rejected a motion to discharge from its Foreign Relations Committee a bill (S.J. Res. 184), sponsored by Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., that would require the cessation of military action against Iran in the absence of authorization from Congress. Schiff cited a legal mandate for a president to cease such action within 60 days of the start of a war if Congress has not granted its authority, and said failing to act would mean Congress surrendering "all authority to authorize war to the president." An opponent, Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, said an abrupt U.S. withdrawal from the war would "risk a new set of leaders who are even more radicalized against us, and we all but invite retaliation against American military forces, our allies, and the American people." The vote, on April 30, was 47 yeas to 50 nays.
YEAS: Durbin D-IL, Duckworth D-IL
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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Georgia Congressional Votes for the Week ending 2026-05-01
by Arne Christensen
WASHINGTON, May 2 -- Here's a look at how Georgia members of Congress voted over the previous week.HOUSE VOTES:
House Vote 1:
IRS WHISTLEBLOWERS: The House has passed the IRS Whistleblower Program Improvement Act (H.R. 7959), sponsored by Rep. Mike Kelly, R-Pa., to change procedures for handling whistleblowers at the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the issuance of awards to the whistleblowers. Kelly said the changes would "keep the program focused, predictable, and effective, addressing longstanding delays and improving program credibility." The vote, on April 27, was 346 yeas to 10 nays.
NOT ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, May 2 -- Here's a look at how Georgia members of Congress voted over the previous week. HOUSE VOTES: House Vote 1: IRS WHISTLEBLOWERS: The House has passed the IRS Whistleblower Program Improvement Act (H.R. 7959), sponsored by Rep. Mike Kelly, R-Pa., to change procedures for handling whistleblowers at the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the issuance of awards to the whistleblowers. Kelly said the changes would "keep the program focused, predictable, and effective, addressing longstanding delays and improving program credibility." The vote, on April 27, was 346 yeas to 10 nays. NOTVOTING: Loudermilk R-GA (11th), Bishop D-GA (2nd), Carter (GA) R-GA (1st)
YEAS: Allen R-GA (12th), Scott, Austin R-GA (8th), Clyde R-GA (9th), McBath D-GA (6th), Jack R-GA (3rd), Johnson (GA) D-GA (4th), Williams (GA) D-GA (5th), McCormick R-GA (7th), Collins R-GA (10th), Fuller R-GA (14)
House Vote 2:
ENTITLEMENT TAXES AND CLERGY: The House has passed the Clergy Act (H.R. 227), sponsored by Rep. Vince Fong, R-Calif., to give members of the clergy who have received an exemption, on religious grounds, from Social Security and Medicare taxes, a two-year time frame to revoke the exemption, and therefore also become eligible for Social Security and Medicare benefits. Fong said giving them the chance to sign up for the entitlements was desirable because "many faith leaders experience significant financial hardship as they approach retirement." The vote, on April 27, was 350 yeas to 5 nays.
NOT VOTING: Loudermilk R-GA (11th), Bishop D-GA (2nd), Carter (GA) R-GA (1st)
YEAS: Allen R-GA (12th), Scott, Austin R-GA (8th), Clyde R-GA (9th), McBath D-GA (6th), Jack R-GA (3rd), Johnson (GA) D-GA (4th), Williams (GA) D-GA (5th), McCormick R-GA (7th), Collins R-GA (10th), Fuller R-GA (14)
House Vote 3:
FISA SURVEILLANCE: The House has passed the Foreign Intelligence Accountability Act (S. 1318), sponsored by Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., to change Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) surveillance and judicial review procedures. Measures include requiring pre-approval by an attorney of Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) searches of records involving legal U.S. residents, and penalties for government workers who make improper records queries. A supporter, Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, said the bill built on recently enacted reforms to FISA programs that were "incredibly important for protecting our national security and advancing our interests abroad." A bill opponent, Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., said it would enable "sweeping FISA section 702 surveillance authority to spy on American citizens' private communications and to violate the privacy rights of the people." The vote, on April 29, was 235 yeas to 191 nays.
NOT VOTING: Loudermilk R-GA (11th)
YEAS: Bishop D-GA (2nd), Allen R-GA (12th), Scott, Austin R-GA (8th), Clyde R-GA (9th), Carter (GA) R-GA (1st), Jack R-GA (3rd), McCormick R-GA (7th), Collins R-GA (10th), Fuller R-GA (14)
NAYS: McBath D-GA (6th), Johnson (GA) D-GA (4th), Williams (GA) D-GA (5th)
House Vote 4:
2026 BUDGET: The House has passed a bill (S. Con. Res. 33), sponsored by Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., to set out the fiscal 2026 budget for the federal government, and outline budgets for fiscal 2027 through 2035, including $70 billion of added funding for the Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agencies. A supporter, Rep. Jodey C. Arrington, R-Texas, said it sought "to fund the people's homeland security, to protect our citizens, and to do right by these hard-working, God-fearing public servants who go to work every day not knowing if they are going to come home." An opponent, Rep. Jimmy Panetta, D-Calif., said: "No more funding until they [the agencies] transform, reform, and retrain with commonsensical law enforcement protocols and procedures." The vote, on April 29, was 215 yeas to 211 nays, with 1 voting present.
NOT VOTING: Loudermilk R-GA (11th)
NAYS: Bishop D-GA (2nd), McBath D-GA (6th), Johnson (GA) D-GA (4th), Williams (GA) D-GA (5th)
YEAS: Allen R-GA (12th), Scott, Austin R-GA (8th), Clyde R-GA (9th), Carter (GA) R-GA (1st), Jack R-GA (3rd), McCormick R-GA (7th), Collins R-GA (10th), Fuller R-GA (14)
House Vote 5:
WOOD PRODUCTS AND BIOFUELS: The House has rejected an amendment sponsored by Rep. Cliff Bentz, R-Ore., to the Farm, Food, and National Security Act (H.R. 7567), that would have included residual material generated by sawmills and other wood processors under the definition of renewable biomass fuels. Bentz said: "This amendment would allow materials from these sources to be economically used for domestic biofuel production." An opponent, Rep. Shontel M. Brown, D-Ohio, said "it would expand the renewable food standards definition to every single tree across our public lands," promoting irresponsible tree cutting. The vote, on April 30, was 210 yeas to 216 nays.
NOT VOTING: Loudermilk R-GA (11th)
NAYS: Bishop D-GA (2nd), Clyde R-GA (9th), McBath D-GA (6th), Johnson (GA) D-GA (4th), Williams (GA) D-GA (5th)
YEAS: Allen R-GA (12th), Scott, Austin R-GA (8th), Carter (GA) R-GA (1st), Jack R-GA (3rd), McCormick R-GA (7th), Collins R-GA (10th), Fuller R-GA (14)
House Vote 6:
FOOD STAMPS STUDY: The House has passed an amendment sponsored by Rep. Glenn Grothman, R-Wis., to the Farm, Food, and National Security Act (H.R. 7567), to require an Agriculture Department report on demonstration projects for potentially changing what foods are eligible for purchase by recipients of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. Grothman said the report would enable "informed, data-driven decisions about the program's future." The vote, on April 30, was 416 yeas to 8 nays.
NOT VOTING: Loudermilk R-GA (11th), McCormick R-GA (7th)
YEAS: Bishop D-GA (2nd), Allen R-GA (12th), Scott, Austin R-GA (8th), Clyde R-GA (9th), Carter (GA) R-GA (1st), Jack R-GA (3rd), Johnson (GA) D-GA (4th), Williams (GA) D-GA (5th), Collins R-GA (10th), Fuller R-GA (14)
NAYS: McBath D-GA (6th)
House Vote 7:
PESTICIDE LABELS: The House has passed an amendment sponsored by Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., to the Farm, Food, and National Security Act (H.R. 7567), that would strike from the bill sections restricting state authority to impose labeling requirements for pesticides. Paulina Luna said studies indicating "constant and consistent links between pesticide exposures and leukemia, brain cancers, and rare childhood cancers" meant states should be able to adopt their own requirements. An opponent, Rep. Glenn Thompson, R-Pa., said: "The sections that this amendment seeks to strike deliver commonsense regulatory reforms that are critical for securing access to well-regulated pesticide tools for a variety of crop production and public health needs." The vote, on April 30, was 280 yeas to 142 nays.
NOT VOTING: Loudermilk R-GA (11th)
NAYS: Bishop D-GA (2nd), Allen R-GA (12th), Scott, Austin R-GA (8th), Clyde R-GA (9th), Johnson (GA) D-GA (4th), McCormick R-GA (7th)
YEAS: McBath D-GA (6th), Carter (GA) R-GA (1st), Jack R-GA (3rd), Williams (GA) D-GA (5th), Collins R-GA (10th), Fuller R-GA (14)
House Vote 8:
AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH: The House has passed an amendment sponsored by Rep. Hillary J. Scholten, D-Mich., to the Farm, Food, and National Security Act (H.R. 7567), to expand the scope of the Agriculture Advanced Research and Development Authority (AGARDA) program. Scholten said it "will give our agricultural producers the tools they need to increase sustainable and efficient use of water, soil, and other natural resources, and it will help farms adapt to challenges, like extreme weather event and drought." An amendment opponent, Rep. Glenn Thompson, R-Pa., said "promoting climate solutions does not fit into the underlying mission of AGARDA and takes away from its mission." The vote, on April 30, was 233 yeas to 194 nays.
NOT VOTING: Loudermilk R-GA (11th)
YEAS: Bishop D-GA (2nd), McBath D-GA (6th), Johnson (GA) D-GA (4th), Williams (GA) D-GA (5th)
NAYS: Allen R-GA (12th), Scott, Austin R-GA (8th), Clyde R-GA (9th), Carter (GA) R-GA (1st), Jack R-GA (3rd), McCormick R-GA (7th), Collins R-GA (10th), Fuller R-GA (14)
House Vote 9:
REGULATING FARM EQUIPMENT EMISSIONS: The House has passed an amendment sponsored by Rep. Victoria Spartz, R-Ind., to the Farm, Food, and National Security Act (H.R. 7567). The amendment would exempt several types of tractors and other agricultural equipment from Clean Air Act emissions regulations. Spartz said the regulations "are doing real damage to family farms and grocery prices. They make equipment extremely costly, prone to breakdowns, and less reliable, causing delays, fires, and higher prices for consumers." An amendment opponent, Rep. Angie Craig, D-Minn., cited "the critical role of the Clean Air Act in making sure that the health and safety of Americans across this country is secure." The vote, on April 30, was 215 yeas to 213 nays.
NOT VOTING: Loudermilk R-GA (11th)
YEAS: Bishop D-GA (2nd), Allen R-GA (12th), Scott, Austin R-GA (8th), Clyde R-GA (9th), Jack R-GA (3rd), McCormick R-GA (7th), Collins R-GA (10th), Fuller R-GA (14)
NAYS: McBath D-GA (6th), Carter (GA) R-GA (1st), Johnson (GA) D-GA (4th), Williams (GA) D-GA (5th)
House Vote 10:
FARM BILL: The House has passed the Farm, Food, and National Security Act (H.R. 7567), sponsored by Rep. Glenn Thompson, R-Pa., to reauthorize through fiscal 2031 and change Agriculture Department programs, including crop subsidies and crop insurance, international food aid and trade, and food benefits for impoverished consumers. Thompson said: "This bill protects health, food affordability, and our nation's sovereignty." An opponent, Rep. Angie Craig, D-Minn., said "it turns a blind eye to the farmers calling for emergency economic assistance so they can afford to keep planting" and maintains a $187 billion cut in food benefits funding. The vote, on April 30, was 224 yeas to 200 nays.
NOT VOTING: Loudermilk R-GA (11th)
YEAS: Bishop D-GA (2nd), Allen R-GA (12th), Scott, Austin R-GA (8th), Clyde R-GA (9th), Carter (GA) R-GA (1st), Jack R-GA (3rd), McCormick R-GA (7th), Collins R-GA (10th), Fuller R-GA (14)
NAYS: McBath D-GA (6th), Johnson (GA) D-GA (4th), Williams (GA) D-GA (5th)
House Vote 11:
FISA EXTENSION: The House has passed a bill (S. 4465), sponsored by Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., to extend the authorities of Title 7 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), also known as Section 702, which governs surveillance of foreigners, to June 12 of this year. A supporter, Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, said: "The 702 program is incredibly important for protecting our national security and advancing our interests abroad. This temporary extension will ensure that there is no disruption to the program while we work out our differences on a longer reauthorization." An opponent, Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., cited abuse of FISA databases "to query political activists, journalists, members of Congress and their staff, and random romantic interests of FBI agents." The vote, on April 30, was 261 yeas to 111 nays.
NOT VOTING: Loudermilk R-GA (11th), Clyde R-GA (9th)
YEAS: Bishop D-GA (2nd), Allen R-GA (12th), Scott, Austin R-GA (8th), McBath D-GA (6th), Carter (GA) R-GA (1st), Jack R-GA (3rd), Johnson (GA) D-GA (4th), McCormick R-GA (7th), Fuller R-GA (14)
NAYS: Williams (GA) D-GA (5th), Collins R-GA (10th)
SENATE VOTES:
Senate Vote 1:
WAR WITH CUBA: The Senate has approved a point of order against a bill (S.J. Res. 124), sponsored by Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., that would have required the removal of U.S. soldiers from action against Cuba due to the lack of a declaration of war by Congress. Kaine said the U.S. blockade of energy imports into Cuba amounted to warlike hostilities, and "if anyone were doing that to the United States and affecting our citizens in that way, we would certainly view that as hostilities that we would want to do everything we could to stop." A bill opponent, Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., said: "The Cuban regime has just been despicable. They have killed Americans, and they have destroyed the lives of Cubans for decades. So this has to change." The vote for the point of order, on April 28, was 51 yeas to 47 nays.
NAYS: Ossoff D-GA, Warnock D-GA
Senate Vote 2:
ATF DIRECTOR: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Robert Cekada to be the director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). Cekada had been the agency's deputy director for the past year, after two decades in numerous ATF roles and, prior to joining the ATF in 2005, more than a decade as a police officer in New York City and then Florida. A supporter, Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., called Cekada "an honorable man who believes in serving his community, enforcing the rule of law, and promoting public safety." The vote, on April 29, was 59 yeas to 39 nays.
NAYS: Ossoff D-GA, Warnock D-GA
Senate Vote 3:
COLORADO AIR QUALITY: The Senate has rejected a motion to consider a bill (S.J. Res. 139), sponsored by Sen. Michael F. Bennet, D-Colo., that would have disapproved of and voided an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule canceling Colorado's submitted regional haze plan. Bennet said the EPA action "was based on an unprecedented and flawed legal theory" that wrongly asserts that Colorado must prove that coal-fired power plants in the state closing because of the haze plan does not amount to an illegal seizure of private property. The vote, on April 29, was 46 yeas to 52 nays.
YEAS: Ossoff D-GA, Warnock D-GA
Senate Vote 4:
IMMIGRANTS AND JOBS: The Senate has rejected a motion to consider a bill (S.J. Res. 99), sponsored by Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., that would have disapproved of and voided a Citizenship and Immigration Services rule canceling the automatic extension of work permit documents for employment authorization for immigrants. Rosen said reverting to the previous situation, in which work permits were automatically extended so long as an immigrant filed a timely application for renewal, would "support workers and the business community." The vote, on April 29, was 47 yeas to 50 nays.
YEAS: Ossoff D-GA, Warnock D-GA
Senate Vote 5:
IRAN WAR AUTHORIZATION: The Senate has rejected a motion to discharge from its Foreign Relations Committee a bill (S.J. Res. 184), sponsored by Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., that would require the cessation of military action against Iran in the absence of authorization from Congress. Schiff cited a legal mandate for a president to cease such action within 60 days of the start of a war if Congress has not granted its authority, and said failing to act would mean Congress surrendering "all authority to authorize war to the president." An opponent, Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, said an abrupt U.S. withdrawal from the war would "risk a new set of leaders who are even more radicalized against us, and we all but invite retaliation against American military forces, our allies, and the American people." The vote, on April 30, was 47 yeas to 50 nays.
YEAS: Ossoff D-GA, Warnock D-GA
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 2026-05-01
by Arne Christensen
WASHINGTON, May 2 -- Here's a look at how California members of Congress voted over the previous week.HOUSE VOTES:
House Vote 1:
IRS WHISTLEBLOWERS: The House has passed the IRS Whistleblower Program Improvement Act (H.R. 7959), sponsored by Rep. Mike Kelly, R-Pa., to change procedures for handling whistleblowers at the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the issuance of awards to the whistleblowers. Kelly said the changes would "keep the program focused, predictable, and effective, addressing longstanding delays and improving program credibility." The vote, on April 27, was 346 yeas to 10 nays.
NOT ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, May 2 -- Here's a look at how California members of Congress voted over the previous week. HOUSE VOTES: House Vote 1: IRS WHISTLEBLOWERS: The House has passed the IRS Whistleblower Program Improvement Act (H.R. 7959), sponsored by Rep. Mike Kelly, R-Pa., to change procedures for handling whistleblowers at the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the issuance of awards to the whistleblowers. Kelly said the changes would "keep the program focused, predictable, and effective, addressing longstanding delays and improving program credibility." The vote, on April 27, was 346 yeas to 10 nays. NOTVOTING: Gomez D-CA (34th), Liccardo D-CA (16th), Cisneros D-CA (31st), Pelosi D-CA (11th), Waters D-CA (43rd), Peters D-CA (50th), Gray D-CA (13th), Garcia (CA) D-CA (42nd)
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), 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), 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), Lieu D-CA (36th), 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), Mullin D-CA (15th), Kiley (CA) I-CA (3rd), Kamlager-Dove D-CA (37th), Fong R-CA (20th)
House Vote 2:
ENTITLEMENT TAXES AND CLERGY: The House has passed the Clergy Act (H.R. 227), sponsored by Rep. Vince Fong, R-Calif., to give members of the clergy who have received an exemption, on religious grounds, from Social Security and Medicare taxes, a two-year time frame to revoke the exemption, and therefore also become eligible for Social Security and Medicare benefits. Fong said giving them the chance to sign up for the entitlements was desirable because "many faith leaders experience significant financial hardship as they approach retirement." The vote, on April 27, was 350 yeas to 5 nays.
NOT VOTING: Gomez D-CA (34th), Liccardo D-CA (16th), Cisneros D-CA (31st), Pelosi D-CA (11th), Waters D-CA (43rd), Peters D-CA (50th), Gray D-CA (13th), Garcia (CA) D-CA (42nd)
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), 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), 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), Lieu D-CA (36th), 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), Mullin D-CA (15th), Kiley (CA) I-CA (3rd), Kamlager-Dove D-CA (37th), Fong R-CA (20th)
House Vote 3:
FISA SURVEILLANCE: The House has passed the Foreign Intelligence Accountability Act (S. 1318), sponsored by Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., to change Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) surveillance and judicial review procedures. Measures include requiring pre-approval by an attorney of Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) searches of records involving legal U.S. residents, and penalties for government workers who make improper records queries. A supporter, Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, said the bill built on recently enacted reforms to FISA programs that were "incredibly important for protecting our national security and advancing our interests abroad." A bill opponent, Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., said it would enable "sweeping FISA section 702 surveillance authority to spy on American citizens' private communications and to violate the privacy rights of the people." The vote, on April 29, was 235 yeas to 191 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), DeSaulnier D-CA (10th), Pelosi D-CA (11th), Ruiz D-CA (25th), Rivas D-CA (29th), Correa D-CA (46th), Friedman D-CA (30th), Sherman D-CA (32nd), Chu D-CA (28th), Garamendi D-CA (8th), Waters D-CA (43rd), Lieu D-CA (36th), Matsui D-CA (7th), 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), Aguilar D-CA (33rd), Cisneros D-CA (31st), Harder (CA) D-CA (9th), Bera D-CA (6th), 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), Kiley (CA) I-CA (3rd), Fong R-CA (20th)
House Vote 4:
2026 BUDGET: The House has passed a bill (S. Con. Res. 33), sponsored by Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., to set out the fiscal 2026 budget for the federal government, and outline budgets for fiscal 2027 through 2035, including $70 billion of added funding for the Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agencies. A supporter, Rep. Jodey C. Arrington, R-Texas, said it sought "to fund the people's homeland security, to protect our citizens, and to do right by these hard-working, God-fearing public servants who go to work every day not knowing if they are going to come home." An opponent, Rep. Jimmy Panetta, D-Calif., said: "No more funding until they [the agencies] transform, reform, and retrain with commonsensical law enforcement protocols and procedures." The vote, on April 29, was 215 yeas to 211 nays, with 1 voting present.
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), Fong R-CA (20th)
PRESENT: Kiley (CA) I-CA (3rd)
House Vote 5:
WOOD PRODUCTS AND BIOFUELS: The House has rejected an amendment sponsored by Rep. Cliff Bentz, R-Ore., to the Farm, Food, and National Security Act (H.R. 7567), that would have included residual material generated by sawmills and other wood processors under the definition of renewable biomass fuels. Bentz said: "This amendment would allow materials from these sources to be economically used for domestic biofuel production." An opponent, Rep. Shontel M. Brown, D-Ohio, said "it would expand the renewable food standards definition to every single tree across our public lands," promoting irresponsible tree cutting. The vote, on April 30, was 210 yeas to 216 nays.
NAYS: Gomez D-CA (34th), Sanchez D-CA (38th), Carbajal D-CA (24th), Min D-CA (47th), Brownley D-CA (26th), Liccardo D-CA (16th), Vargas D-CA (52nd), Barragan D-CA (44th), Khanna D-CA (17th), Levin D-CA (49th), Simon D-CA (12th), Takano D-CA (39th), Aguilar D-CA (33rd), DeSaulnier D-CA (10th), Cisneros D-CA (31st), Pelosi D-CA (11th), Rivas D-CA (29th), Friedman D-CA (30th), Sherman D-CA (32nd), Chu D-CA (28th), Waters D-CA (43rd), Lieu D-CA (36th), Jacobs D-CA (51st), Mullin D-CA (15th), Kamlager-Dove D-CA (37th), Garcia (CA) D-CA (42nd)
YEAS: Torres (CA) D-CA (35th), Calvert R-CA (41st), Costa D-CA (21st), McClintock R-CA (5th), Panetta D-CA (19th), Huffman D-CA (2nd), Lofgren D-CA (18th), Thompson (CA) D-CA (4th), Ruiz D-CA (25th), Harder (CA) D-CA (9th), Correa D-CA (46th), Garamendi D-CA (8th), Bera D-CA (6th), 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), Gray D-CA (13th), Kiley (CA) I-CA (3rd), Fong R-CA (20th)
House Vote 6:
FOOD STAMPS STUDY: The House has passed an amendment sponsored by Rep. Glenn Grothman, R-Wis., to the Farm, Food, and National Security Act (H.R. 7567), to require an Agriculture Department report on demonstration projects for potentially changing what foods are eligible for purchase by recipients of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. Grothman said the report would enable "informed, data-driven decisions about the program's future." The vote, on April 30, was 416 yeas to 8 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), 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: Issa R-CA (48th)
House Vote 7:
PESTICIDE LABELS: The House has passed an amendment sponsored by Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., to the Farm, Food, and National Security Act (H.R. 7567), that would strike from the bill sections restricting state authority to impose labeling requirements for pesticides. Paulina Luna said studies indicating "constant and consistent links between pesticide exposures and leukemia, brain cancers, and rare childhood cancers" meant states should be able to adopt their own requirements. An opponent, Rep. Glenn Thompson, R-Pa., said: "The sections that this amendment seeks to strike deliver commonsense regulatory reforms that are critical for securing access to well-regulated pesticide tools for a variety of crop production and public health needs." The vote, on April 30, was 280 yeas to 142 nays.
YEAS: 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), Mullin D-CA (15th), Kamlager-Dove D-CA (37th), Garcia (CA) D-CA (42nd)
NAYS: Calvert R-CA (41st), McClintock R-CA (5th), Issa R-CA (48th), 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)
House Vote 8:
AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH: The House has passed an amendment sponsored by Rep. Hillary J. Scholten, D-Mich., to the Farm, Food, and National Security Act (H.R. 7567), to expand the scope of the Agriculture Advanced Research and Development Authority (AGARDA) program. Scholten said it "will give our agricultural producers the tools they need to increase sustainable and efficient use of water, soil, and other natural resources, and it will help farms adapt to challenges, like extreme weather event and drought." An amendment opponent, Rep. Glenn Thompson, R-Pa., said "promoting climate solutions does not fit into the underlying mission of AGARDA and takes away from its mission." The vote, on April 30, was 233 yeas to 194 nays.
YEAS: 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), Kiley (CA) I-CA (3rd), Kamlager-Dove D-CA (37th), Garcia (CA) D-CA (42nd)
NAYS: Calvert R-CA (41st), McClintock R-CA (5th), Issa R-CA (48th), Kim R-CA (40th), Obernolte R-CA (23rd), Valadao R-CA (22nd), Fong R-CA (20th)
House Vote 9:
REGULATING FARM EQUIPMENT EMISSIONS: The House has passed an amendment sponsored by Rep. Victoria Spartz, R-Ind., to the Farm, Food, and National Security Act (H.R. 7567). The amendment would exempt several types of tractors and other agricultural equipment from Clean Air Act emissions regulations. Spartz said the regulations "are doing real damage to family farms and grocery prices. They make equipment extremely costly, prone to breakdowns, and less reliable, causing delays, fires, and higher prices for consumers." An amendment opponent, Rep. Angie Craig, D-Minn., cited "the critical role of the Clean Air Act in making sure that the health and safety of Americans across this country is secure." The vote, on April 30, was 215 yeas to 213 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), 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), Mullin D-CA (15th), Kamlager-Dove D-CA (37th), Garcia (CA) D-CA (42nd)
YEAS: Calvert R-CA (41st), McClintock R-CA (5th), Correa D-CA (46th), Issa R-CA (48th), 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)
House Vote 10:
FARM BILL: The House has passed the Farm, Food, and National Security Act (H.R. 7567), sponsored by Rep. Glenn Thompson, R-Pa., to reauthorize through fiscal 2031 and change Agriculture Department programs, including crop subsidies and crop insurance, international food aid and trade, and food benefits for impoverished consumers. Thompson said: "This bill protects health, food affordability, and our nation's sovereignty." An opponent, Rep. Angie Craig, D-Minn., said "it turns a blind eye to the farmers calling for emergency economic assistance so they can afford to keep planting" and maintains a $187 billion cut in food benefits funding. The vote, on April 30, was 224 yeas to 200 nays.
NAYS: Gomez D-CA (34th), Sanchez D-CA (38th), Torres (CA) D-CA (35th), Carbajal D-CA (24th), 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), 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), Mullin D-CA (15th), Kamlager-Dove D-CA (37th), Garcia (CA) D-CA (42nd)
YEAS: Calvert R-CA (41st), Costa D-CA (21st), McClintock R-CA (5th), Issa R-CA (48th), 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)
House Vote 11:
FISA EXTENSION: The House has passed a bill (S. 4465), sponsored by Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., to extend the authorities of Title 7 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), also known as Section 702, which governs surveillance of foreigners, to June 12 of this year. A supporter, Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, said: "The 702 program is incredibly important for protecting our national security and advancing our interests abroad. This temporary extension will ensure that there is no disruption to the program while we work out our differences on a longer reauthorization." An opponent, Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., cited abuse of FISA databases "to query political activists, journalists, members of Congress and their staff, and random romantic interests of FBI agents." The vote, on April 30, was 261 yeas to 111 nays.
NAYS: Gomez D-CA (34th), Sanchez D-CA (38th), Torres (CA) D-CA (35th), Min D-CA (47th), Vargas D-CA (52nd), Huffman D-CA (2nd), Khanna D-CA (17th), Levin D-CA (49th), Simon D-CA (12th), Takano D-CA (39th), Thompson (CA) D-CA (4th), DeSaulnier D-CA (10th), Ruiz D-CA (25th), Correa D-CA (46th), Friedman D-CA (30th), Chu D-CA (28th), Lieu D-CA (36th), Matsui D-CA (7th), Gray D-CA (13th), Mullin D-CA (15th)
YEAS: Calvert R-CA (41st), Carbajal D-CA (24th), McClintock R-CA (5th), Brownley D-CA (26th), Liccardo D-CA (16th), Panetta D-CA (19th), Aguilar D-CA (33rd), Cisneros D-CA (31st), Pelosi D-CA (11th), Harder (CA) D-CA (9th), Rivas D-CA (29th), Waters D-CA (43rd), 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), Kiley (CA) I-CA (3rd)
NOT VOTING: Costa D-CA (21st), Barragan D-CA (44th), Lofgren D-CA (18th), Sherman D-CA (32nd), Garamendi D-CA (8th), Bera D-CA (6th), Kamlager-Dove D-CA (37th), Garcia (CA) D-CA (42nd), Fong R-CA (20th)
SENATE VOTES:
Senate Vote 1:
WAR WITH CUBA: The Senate has approved a point of order against a bill (S.J. Res. 124), sponsored by Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., that would have required the removal of U.S. soldiers from action against Cuba due to the lack of a declaration of war by Congress. Kaine said the U.S. blockade of energy imports into Cuba amounted to warlike hostilities, and "if anyone were doing that to the United States and affecting our citizens in that way, we would certainly view that as hostilities that we would want to do everything we could to stop." A bill opponent, Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., said: "The Cuban regime has just been despicable. They have killed Americans, and they have destroyed the lives of Cubans for decades. So this has to change." The vote for the point of order, on April 28, was 51 yeas to 47 nays.
NAYS: Padilla D-CA, Schiff D-CA
Senate Vote 2:
ATF DIRECTOR: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Robert Cekada to be the director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). Cekada had been the agency's deputy director for the past year, after two decades in numerous ATF roles and, prior to joining the ATF in 2005, more than a decade as a police officer in New York City and then Florida. A supporter, Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., called Cekada "an honorable man who believes in serving his community, enforcing the rule of law, and promoting public safety." The vote, on April 29, was 59 yeas to 39 nays.
NAYS: Padilla D-CA, Schiff D-CA
Senate Vote 3:
COLORADO AIR QUALITY: The Senate has rejected a motion to consider a bill (S.J. Res. 139), sponsored by Sen. Michael F. Bennet, D-Colo., that would have disapproved of and voided an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule canceling Colorado's submitted regional haze plan. Bennet said the EPA action "was based on an unprecedented and flawed legal theory" that wrongly asserts that Colorado must prove that coal-fired power plants in the state closing because of the haze plan does not amount to an illegal seizure of private property. The vote, on April 29, was 46 yeas to 52 nays.
YEAS: Padilla D-CA, Schiff D-CA
Senate Vote 4:
IMMIGRANTS AND JOBS: The Senate has rejected a motion to consider a bill (S.J. Res. 99), sponsored by Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., that would have disapproved of and voided a Citizenship and Immigration Services rule canceling the automatic extension of work permit documents for employment authorization for immigrants. Rosen said reverting to the previous situation, in which work permits were automatically extended so long as an immigrant filed a timely application for renewal, would "support workers and the business community." The vote, on April 29, was 47 yeas to 50 nays.
YEAS: Padilla D-CA, Schiff D-CA
Senate Vote 5:
IRAN WAR AUTHORIZATION: The Senate has rejected a motion to discharge from its Foreign Relations Committee a bill (S.J. Res. 184), sponsored by Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., that would require the cessation of military action against Iran in the absence of authorization from Congress. Schiff cited a legal mandate for a president to cease such action within 60 days of the start of a war if Congress has not granted its authority, and said failing to act would mean Congress surrendering "all authority to authorize war to the president." An opponent, Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, said an abrupt U.S. withdrawal from the war would "risk a new set of leaders who are even more radicalized against us, and we all but invite retaliation against American military forces, our allies, and the American people." The vote, on April 30, was 47 yeas to 50 nays.
YEAS: 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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Alaska Congressional Votes for the Week ending 2026-05-01
by Arne Christensen
WASHINGTON, May 2 -- Here's a look at how Alaska members of Congress voted over the previous week.HOUSE VOTES:
House Vote 1:
IRS WHISTLEBLOWERS: The House has passed the IRS Whistleblower Program Improvement Act (H.R. 7959), sponsored by Rep. Mike Kelly, R-Pa., to change procedures for handling whistleblowers at the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the issuance of awards to the whistleblowers. Kelly said the changes would "keep the program focused, predictable, and effective, addressing longstanding delays and improving program credibility." The vote, on April 27, was 346 yeas to 10 nays.
NOT ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, May 2 -- Here's a look at how Alaska members of Congress voted over the previous week. HOUSE VOTES: House Vote 1: IRS WHISTLEBLOWERS: The House has passed the IRS Whistleblower Program Improvement Act (H.R. 7959), sponsored by Rep. Mike Kelly, R-Pa., to change procedures for handling whistleblowers at the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the issuance of awards to the whistleblowers. Kelly said the changes would "keep the program focused, predictable, and effective, addressing longstanding delays and improving program credibility." The vote, on April 27, was 346 yeas to 10 nays. NOTVOTING: Begich R-AK (AL)
House Vote 2:
ENTITLEMENT TAXES AND CLERGY: The House has passed the Clergy Act (H.R. 227), sponsored by Rep. Vince Fong, R-Calif., to give members of the clergy who have received an exemption, on religious grounds, from Social Security and Medicare taxes, a two-year time frame to revoke the exemption, and therefore also become eligible for Social Security and Medicare benefits. Fong said giving them the chance to sign up for the entitlements was desirable because "many faith leaders experience significant financial hardship as they approach retirement." The vote, on April 27, was 350 yeas to 5 nays.
NOT VOTING: Begich R-AK (AL)
House Vote 3:
FISA SURVEILLANCE: The House has passed the Foreign Intelligence Accountability Act (S. 1318), sponsored by Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., to change Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) surveillance and judicial review procedures. Measures include requiring pre-approval by an attorney of Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) searches of records involving legal U.S. residents, and penalties for government workers who make improper records queries. A supporter, Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, said the bill built on recently enacted reforms to FISA programs that were "incredibly important for protecting our national security and advancing our interests abroad." A bill opponent, Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., said it would enable "sweeping FISA section 702 surveillance authority to spy on American citizens' private communications and to violate the privacy rights of the people." The vote, on April 29, was 235 yeas to 191 nays.
YEAS: Begich R-AK (AL)
House Vote 4:
2026 BUDGET: The House has passed a bill (S. Con. Res. 33), sponsored by Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., to set out the fiscal 2026 budget for the federal government, and outline budgets for fiscal 2027 through 2035, including $70 billion of added funding for the Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agencies. A supporter, Rep. Jodey C. Arrington, R-Texas, said it sought "to fund the people's homeland security, to protect our citizens, and to do right by these hard-working, God-fearing public servants who go to work every day not knowing if they are going to come home." An opponent, Rep. Jimmy Panetta, D-Calif., said: "No more funding until they [the agencies] transform, reform, and retrain with commonsensical law enforcement protocols and procedures." The vote, on April 29, was 215 yeas to 211 nays, with 1 voting present.
YEAS: Begich R-AK (AL)
House Vote 5:
WOOD PRODUCTS AND BIOFUELS: The House has rejected an amendment sponsored by Rep. Cliff Bentz, R-Ore., to the Farm, Food, and National Security Act (H.R. 7567), that would have included residual material generated by sawmills and other wood processors under the definition of renewable biomass fuels. Bentz said: "This amendment would allow materials from these sources to be economically used for domestic biofuel production." An opponent, Rep. Shontel M. Brown, D-Ohio, said "it would expand the renewable food standards definition to every single tree across our public lands," promoting irresponsible tree cutting. The vote, on April 30, was 210 yeas to 216 nays.
YEAS: Begich R-AK (AL)
House Vote 6:
FOOD STAMPS STUDY: The House has passed an amendment sponsored by Rep. Glenn Grothman, R-Wis., to the Farm, Food, and National Security Act (H.R. 7567), to require an Agriculture Department report on demonstration projects for potentially changing what foods are eligible for purchase by recipients of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. Grothman said the report would enable "informed, data-driven decisions about the program's future." The vote, on April 30, was 416 yeas to 8 nays.
YEAS: Begich R-AK (AL)
House Vote 7:
PESTICIDE LABELS: The House has passed an amendment sponsored by Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., to the Farm, Food, and National Security Act (H.R. 7567), that would strike from the bill sections restricting state authority to impose labeling requirements for pesticides. Paulina Luna said studies indicating "constant and consistent links between pesticide exposures and leukemia, brain cancers, and rare childhood cancers" meant states should be able to adopt their own requirements. An opponent, Rep. Glenn Thompson, R-Pa., said: "The sections that this amendment seeks to strike deliver commonsense regulatory reforms that are critical for securing access to well-regulated pesticide tools for a variety of crop production and public health needs." The vote, on April 30, was 280 yeas to 142 nays.
YEAS: Begich R-AK (AL)
House Vote 8:
AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH: The House has passed an amendment sponsored by Rep. Hillary J. Scholten, D-Mich., to the Farm, Food, and National Security Act (H.R. 7567), to expand the scope of the Agriculture Advanced Research and Development Authority (AGARDA) program. Scholten said it "will give our agricultural producers the tools they need to increase sustainable and efficient use of water, soil, and other natural resources, and it will help farms adapt to challenges, like extreme weather event and drought." An amendment opponent, Rep. Glenn Thompson, R-Pa., said "promoting climate solutions does not fit into the underlying mission of AGARDA and takes away from its mission." The vote, on April 30, was 233 yeas to 194 nays.
NAYS: Begich R-AK (AL)
House Vote 9:
REGULATING FARM EQUIPMENT EMISSIONS: The House has passed an amendment sponsored by Rep. Victoria Spartz, R-Ind., to the Farm, Food, and National Security Act (H.R. 7567). The amendment would exempt several types of tractors and other agricultural equipment from Clean Air Act emissions regulations. Spartz said the regulations "are doing real damage to family farms and grocery prices. They make equipment extremely costly, prone to breakdowns, and less reliable, causing delays, fires, and higher prices for consumers." An amendment opponent, Rep. Angie Craig, D-Minn., cited "the critical role of the Clean Air Act in making sure that the health and safety of Americans across this country is secure." The vote, on April 30, was 215 yeas to 213 nays.
YEAS: Begich R-AK (AL)
House Vote 10:
FARM BILL: The House has passed the Farm, Food, and National Security Act (H.R. 7567), sponsored by Rep. Glenn Thompson, R-Pa., to reauthorize through fiscal 2031 and change Agriculture Department programs, including crop subsidies and crop insurance, international food aid and trade, and food benefits for impoverished consumers. Thompson said: "This bill protects health, food affordability, and our nation's sovereignty." An opponent, Rep. Angie Craig, D-Minn., said "it turns a blind eye to the farmers calling for emergency economic assistance so they can afford to keep planting" and maintains a $187 billion cut in food benefits funding. The vote, on April 30, was 224 yeas to 200 nays.
YEAS: Begich R-AK (AL)
House Vote 11:
FISA EXTENSION: The House has passed a bill (S. 4465), sponsored by Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., to extend the authorities of Title 7 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), also known as Section 702, which governs surveillance of foreigners, to June 12 of this year. A supporter, Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, said: "The 702 program is incredibly important for protecting our national security and advancing our interests abroad. This temporary extension will ensure that there is no disruption to the program while we work out our differences on a longer reauthorization." An opponent, Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., cited abuse of FISA databases "to query political activists, journalists, members of Congress and their staff, and random romantic interests of FBI agents." The vote, on April 30, was 261 yeas to 111 nays.
NAYS: Begich R-AK (AL)
SENATE VOTES:
Senate Vote 1:
WAR WITH CUBA: The Senate has approved a point of order against a bill (S.J. Res. 124), sponsored by Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., that would have required the removal of U.S. soldiers from action against Cuba due to the lack of a declaration of war by Congress. Kaine said the U.S. blockade of energy imports into Cuba amounted to warlike hostilities, and "if anyone were doing that to the United States and affecting our citizens in that way, we would certainly view that as hostilities that we would want to do everything we could to stop." A bill opponent, Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., said: "The Cuban regime has just been despicable. They have killed Americans, and they have destroyed the lives of Cubans for decades. So this has to change." The vote for the point of order, on April 28, was 51 yeas to 47 nays.
YEAS: Murkowski R-AK, Sullivan R-AK
Senate Vote 2:
ATF DIRECTOR: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Robert Cekada to be the director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). Cekada had been the agency's deputy director for the past year, after two decades in numerous ATF roles and, prior to joining the ATF in 2005, more than a decade as a police officer in New York City and then Florida. A supporter, Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., called Cekada "an honorable man who believes in serving his community, enforcing the rule of law, and promoting public safety." The vote, on April 29, was 59 yeas to 39 nays.
YEAS: Murkowski R-AK, Sullivan R-AK
Senate Vote 3:
COLORADO AIR QUALITY: The Senate has rejected a motion to consider a bill (S.J. Res. 139), sponsored by Sen. Michael F. Bennet, D-Colo., that would have disapproved of and voided an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule canceling Colorado's submitted regional haze plan. Bennet said the EPA action "was based on an unprecedented and flawed legal theory" that wrongly asserts that Colorado must prove that coal-fired power plants in the state closing because of the haze plan does not amount to an illegal seizure of private property. The vote, on April 29, was 46 yeas to 52 nays.
NAYS: Murkowski R-AK, Sullivan R-AK
Senate Vote 4:
IMMIGRANTS AND JOBS: The Senate has rejected a motion to consider a bill (S.J. Res. 99), sponsored by Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., that would have disapproved of and voided a Citizenship and Immigration Services rule canceling the automatic extension of work permit documents for employment authorization for immigrants. Rosen said reverting to the previous situation, in which work permits were automatically extended so long as an immigrant filed a timely application for renewal, would "support workers and the business community." The vote, on April 29, was 47 yeas to 50 nays.
YEAS: Murkowski R-AK
NAYS: Sullivan R-AK
Senate Vote 5:
IRAN WAR AUTHORIZATION: The Senate has rejected a motion to discharge from its Foreign Relations Committee a bill (S.J. Res. 184), sponsored by Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., that would require the cessation of military action against Iran in the absence of authorization from Congress. Schiff cited a legal mandate for a president to cease such action within 60 days of the start of a war if Congress has not granted its authority, and said failing to act would mean Congress surrendering "all authority to authorize war to the president." An opponent, Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, said an abrupt U.S. withdrawal from the war would "risk a new set of leaders who are even more radicalized against us, and we all but invite retaliation against American military forces, our allies, and the American people." The vote, on April 30, was 47 yeas to 50 nays.
NAYS: Murkowski R-AK, Sullivan R-AK
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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