How your U.S. lawmaker voted

WASHINGTON — Here's how the state's members of Congress voted on major roll calls in the week ending Friday.

HOUSE

Bush Iraq veto: By a vote of 222-203, the House on Wednesday failed to reach a two-thirds majority for overriding President Bush's veto of a bill (HR 1591) requiring withdrawal of most U.S. troops from Iraq to start by Oct. 1. The bill, which sets no mandatory date for completing the pullout, would appropriate about $100 billion for combat operations and other military purposes and nearly $25 billion for nonwar programs.

A two-thirds majority in both chambers is needed to override a presidential veto. When one chamber fails to override, the other chamber — the Senate in this case — does not conduct a vote.

A yes vote was to override the veto.

Voting yes: Jay Inslee, D-1; Rick Larsen, D-2; Brian Baird, D-3; Norm Dicks, D-6; Jim McDermott, D-7; Adam Smith, D-9.

Voting no: Doc Hastings, R-4; Dave Reichert, R-8.

Not voting: Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-5.

Hate-crimes prosecutions: By a vote of 237-180, the House on Thursday voted to expand the federal law against hate crimes to include offenses based on sexual orientation, gender or disability, as well as existing categories of national origin, religion and race. The bill (HR 1592), which awaits Senate action, would authorize federal grants and law-enforcement resources to help state and local officials combat hate crimes. The law would target crimes of violence, not speech.

A yes vote was to pass the bill.

Voting yes: Inslee, Larsen, Baird, Dicks, McDermott, Reichert, Smith.

Voting no: Hastings.

Not voting: McMorris Rodgers.

Head Start renewal: By a vote of 365-48, the House on Wednesday approved a five-year renewal of the Head Start anti-poverty program for children ages 3 to 5 and the Early Head Start program for infants, toddlers and pregnant women.

The bill (HR 1429), which awaits Senate action, would terminate a Bush administration requirement of standardized testing for 4- and 5-year-olds in Head Start; encourage 2,700 Head Start programs to offer full-day and full-year services to 900,000-plus participants; require that by 2013 at least half of Head Start teachers hold bachelor's degrees; increase teacher salaries and benefits, and increase authorized funding by about 7 percent to $7.3 billion annually.

A yes vote was to pass the bill.

Voting yes: Inslee, Larsen, Baird, Hastings, Dicks, McDermott, Reichert, Smith.

Not voting: McMorris Rodgers.

Religion-based hiring: By a vote of 195-222, the House on Wednesday refused to strip HR 1429 (above) of language that prohibits Head Start programs from using religion as a basis for hiring and firing staff members.

A yes vote backed religion-based Head Start hiring.

Voting yes: Hastings, Reichert.

Voting no: Inslee, Larsen, Baird, Dicks, McDermott, Smith.

Not voting: McMorris Rodgers.

Social Security dispute: By a vote of 190-216, the House on Thursday defeated a motion concerning Social Security and the Advanced Technology Program (ATP), which provides federal grants to fund high-risk basic research by corporate-academic partnerships. The motion sought to block ATP budget increases until Congress stops using Social Security surpluses to mask the true extent of deficit spending. The vote occurred as the House passed a bill (HR 868) reauthorizing the National Institutes of Standards and Technology at a three-year budget of $2.5 billion.

A yes vote backed the motion.

Voting yes: Hastings, Reichert.

Voting no: Inslee, Larsen, Baird, Dicks, McDermott, Smith.

Not voting: McMorris Rodgers.

SENATE

Prescription-drug imports: By a vote of 63-28, the Senate on Thursday advanced a measure that would permit U.S. citizens to import Food and Drug Administration-approved prescription drugs from countries such as Canada without interference from the Customs and Border Patrol. This occurred during debate on a pending bill expanding Food and Drug Administration authority (S 1082).

A yes vote backed the amendment.

Voting yes: Maria Cantwell, D, Patty Murray, D.

Roll Call Report Syndicate