WASHINGTON — Here’s how area members of Congress voted on major issues in the week ending Friday.
House
Dispute over “frivolous” lawsuits: Voting 241 for and 185 against, the House on Thursday passed a GOP-drafted bill (HR 758) requiring federal courts to impose financial penalties on plaintiffs who file lawsuits seen by the presiding judge as frivolous. The bill would require offending parties to pay compensation such as attorneys’ fees to those on the receiving end of frivolous suits. At present, judges can levy such penalties at their discretion.
A yes vote was to send the bill to the Senate.
Voting yes: Jaime Herrera Beutler, R-3, Dan Newhouse, R-4, Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-5, Dave Reichert, R-8
Voting no: Suzan DelBene, D-1, Rick Larsen, D-2, Derek Kilmer, D-6, Jim McDermott, D-7, Denny Heck, D-10
Not voting: Adam Smith, D-9,
Exemption for wage-bias suits: Voting 179 for and 239 against, the House on Thursday defeated a motion by Democrats to exempt from HR 758 (above) lawsuits filed in federal court under employment-discrimination laws, including actions to ensure women receive equal pay for equal work. A yes vote was to add a wage-bias exemption to the bill.
Voting yes: DelBene, Larsen, Kilmer, McDermott, Heck
Voting no: Herrera Beutler, Newhouse, McMorris Rodgers, Reichert
Not voting: Smith
Row over Export-Import Bank: Voting 238 for and 179 against, the House on Thursday blocked a procedural bid by Democrats (H Res 420) to force a vote on a bill reauthorizing the Export-Import Bank. After losing its congressional charter June 30, the bank, a U.S. taxpayer-backed lender to foreign customers, can no longer provide new financing of U.S. companies’ sales abroad. Democrats turned to this procedural tactic after the House GOP leadership refused to bring to the floor a bill with more than 190 sponsors to revive the 81-year-old agency. The vote occurred two days after General Electric announced it would move 500 jobs abroad in response to the bank’s demise. A yes vote was to block a move for floor debate on a bill to reauthorize the Export-Import Bank.
Voting yes: Herrera Beutler, Newhouse,
McMorris Rodgers, Reichert
Voting no: DelBene, Larsen, Kilmer, McDermott, Heck
Not voting: Smith
Senate
Recognition of Israel: The Senate on Thursday failed, 53-45, to reach 60 votes needed to advance a GOP measure that would prohibit any lifting of U.S. economic sanctions on Iran until it has freed American prisoners and formally recognized Israel. A yes vote was to add the prohibition to HJ Res 61 (below).
Voting no: Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., Patty Murray, D-Wash.
Iran Nuclear Deal: The Senate on Thursday failed, 56-42, to reach 60 votes for advancing a measure that would block an international deal aimed keeping Iran free of nuclear arms. A yes vote was to kill the deal on grounds, in part, that it is weak on verification, imperils Israel and would fund Iranian-backed terrorism. (HJ Res 61). A yes vote backed a resolution that would kill the nuclear deal.
Voting no: Cantwell, Murray
Key votes ahead
In the week of Sept. 21, the House will take up a bill to expedite environmental reviews of federally funded construction projects, while the Senate will debate a bill to outlaw abortions after 20 weeks of fertilization.
Voterama in Congress
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