How your U.S. lawmaker voted

WASHINGTON — How the state's members of Congress voted on major roll calls in the week ending Friday:

House

Children's insurance

By a vote of 265-159, the House on Tuesday passed a five-year renewal of the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) projected to cost $60 billion, up $35 billion from current spending on a program designed mainly to insure needy youth not covered by Medicaid. The bill (HR 976) would expand eligibility to a large number of middle-class families lacking health insurance. It would expand coverage from 6.6 million to 9.8 million children and increase federal tobacco taxes from 39 cents to $1 per pack to pay for added costs.

Voting yes: Jay Inslee, D-1, Rick Larsen, D-2, Brian Baird, D-3, Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-5, Norm Dicks, D-6, Jim McDermott, D-7, Dave Reichert, R-8, Adam Smith, D-9.

Voting no: Doc Hastings, R-4.

Popcorn regulation

By a vote of 260-154, the House on Wednesday sent the Senate a bill (HR 2693) that would begin federal regulation of worker exposure to the food additive diacetyl, which has been linked to fatal lung disease in workers who manufacture and package microwave popcorn. The bill would give the Occupational Safety and Health Administration three months to require workplace-safety procedures, air-quality monitoring and medical testing at plants where there is exposure to this flavoring compound. Final regulations would have to be issued in three years.

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

Voting no: Hastings, McMorris Rodgers.

Flood insurance

By a vote of 263-146, the House on Thursday sent the Senate a bill (HR 3121) that would renew the National Flood Insurance Program, increase overall coverage limits and add coverage for such categories as windstorm damage and business interruptions.

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

Voting no: Hastings, McMorris Rodgers.

Not voting: Reichert.

Senate

Children's insurance

By a vote of 67-29, the Senate on Thursday joined the House (above) in renewing the State Children's Health Insurance Program at more than double today's cost. The bill (HR 976) faces a possible veto by President Bush.

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

Iraq-partition plan

By a vote of 75-23, the Senate on Wednesday approved a nonbinding proposal to split Iraq into three semi-autonomous regions — Kurdistan in the north, a Sunni entity based in the west and a Shiite entity in the south. The federal government would remain in Baghdad with power to secure borders and distribute oil revenues. The measure was added to a 2008 defense bill (1585) that remained in debate.

Voting yes: Cantwell, Murray.

U.S. policy toward Iran

By a vote of 76-22, the Senate on Wednesday adopted an amendment to HR 1585 calling for "the prudent and calibrated use of all instruments of U.S. power" in confronting Iran.

Voting yes: Murray.

Voting no: Cantwell.

Hate-crimes prosecutions

By a vote of 60-39, the Senate on Thursday agreed 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 measure, attached to HR 1585, would authorize federal grants and law-enforcement resources to help state and local officials combat hate crimes.

Voting yes: Cantwell, Murray.

Roll Call Report Syndicate