How they voted

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Inaugural post

This feature of The Friday Letter . . . and more is sent free today to Substack subscribers and is one of several monthly features we are considering for inclusion in the paid subscription version. In this scheme we report the final vote on selected bills and presidential nominations and list the names of lawmakers who voted against their party's prevailing vote. We will fill as many requests for research on specific congressional and state legislative votes as we are able. Able-minded research volunteers are welcome. For submission guidelines and to volunteer, please contact stephencombs@substack.com.

2021, the 117th Congress

House of Representatives

Nov. 5, H.R. 3684: Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, a $1.2 trillion domestic spending bill that previously passed in the Senate with 18 Republican votes. Thirteen Republicans voted for the House bill, including several who have become reliable votes for Democrats:

Alaska – Don Young
Illinois – Adam Kinzinger
Michigan – Fred Upton
Nebraska – Don Bacon
New Jersey – Jefferson Van Drew, Chris Smith
New York – Andrew Garbarino, Nicole Malliotakis, Tom Reed, John Katko
Ohio – Anthony Gonzalez
Pennsylvania – Brian Fitzpatrick
West Virginia – David McKinley

Democrats who voted Nay because say it didn't go far enough in spending hikes for progressive programs:

Massachusetts – Ayanna Pressley
Michigan – Rashida Tlaib
Minnesota – Ilhan Omar, Minn
Missouri – Cori Bush
New York – Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Jamaal Bowman

Liz Cheney, who often votes with Democrats, voted Nay with Republicans. Passed, 228-206.

Among the provisions:

• Gives 10-year amnesty to illegal aliens with driver licenses and work permits.

• Allows Big Tech to discriminate against U.S. citizens in the hiring of foreign workers.

• Overturns the Hyde Amendment, which prohibits federal funding of abortions.

• Provides $500 billion for “climate spending.”

• Provides $400 billion for universal pre-K schools.

• Cuts taxes for the highly wealthy by restoring federal deductions for state and local taxes – said to be worth $30 billion.

The bill now goes to Biden's desk for signature.

Sources: govtrack.us, The Federalist, The Hill.

Nov. 3. H. Res. 760 (House Resolution), Expressing solidarity with Cuban citizens demonstrating peacefully for fundamental freedoms, condemning the Cuban regime’s acts of repression, and calling for the immediate release of arbitrarily detained Cuban citizens.

Passed, 382-40, with 175 Democrat Yea votes and 207 Republicans. All Republicans voted Yea; 40 Democrats voted Nay. One Republican, Steve Cohen (Tenn. - 9), voted Present.

Introduced in the House: The Illegal Immigration Payoff Prohibition Act would block payouts to individual members of illegal immigrant families separated at the border under Trump's “Zero tolerance” policy. It would amend the attorney general's power to enter settlement agreements. Introduced by Tom McClintock (R-Calif.) with co-sponsors Kevin McCarthy, Jim Jordan, and 144 other House Republicans.

The ACLU brought suit demanding reparations for illegal border-crossers, and it's reported that AG Merrick Garland is negotiating to pay individuals $450,000 each. The bill's chance of passage is low.

Source: The New York Post

United States Senate

Nov. 1. On the Nomination of Beth Robinson, a justice of the Vermont Supreme Court, to the United States Circuit Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit

Passed, 51-45, with Republicans Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) and Susan Collins (Maine) voting with 49 Democrats, enabling confirmation.

Robinson is a homosexual rights activist who argued for same-sex marriage recognition before the Vermont Supreme Court in 1999. She has also litigated cases seeking custody rights of transsexual adoptive parents.

Source: govtrack.us