How Your U.S. Lawmaker Voted

WASHINGTON — Here's how area House members voted on major roll calls in the week ending Friday. The Senate was in recess.

House

Privatized tax collection

By a vote of 232-173, the House on Wednesday passed a bill (HR 3056) that would repeal a 2004 law that empowers the Internal Revenue Service to hire private firms to collect delinquent income taxes. To date, the program has cost $71 million to administer, while recovering up to $32 million in delinquent taxes, according to debate.

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

Voting no: Doc Hastings, R-4; Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-5.

Not voting: Rick Larsen, D-2; Dave Reichert, R-8.

Estate-tax repeal

By a vote of 196-212, the House on Wednesday defeated a Republican motion to HR 3056 (above) that sought to permanently repeal the estate tax on Jan. 1, 2011. One of President Bush's tax cuts, the levy is being reduced between 2001-09 and repealed in 2010, and then will return in 2011 at pre-2001 levels.

Voting yes: Hastings, McMorris Rodgers.

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

Not voting: Larsen, Reichert.

Affordable-housing fund

By a vote of 264-148, the House on Wednesday passed a bill (HR 2895) that would establish the National Affordable Housing Trust Fund, which would help local and state agencies build or rehabilitate 1.5 million housing units over 10 years for families earning far less than the median income for their area. The venture would receive $800 million to $1 billion in annual funding outside of the congressional appropriations process. The money would be drawn from surpluses at the Federal Housing Administration and profits at the federally chartered corporations Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

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

Voting no: Hastings, McMorris Rodgers.

Not voting: Reichert.

Work requirement

By a vote of 199-218, the House on Wednesday defeated a Republican bid to deny housing financed by HR 2895 (above) to persons not engaged in work, job training or community service at least 20 hours per week. The measure exempted elderly and disabled persons and single parents of children 5 and younger.

Voting yes: Hastings, McMorris Rodgers.

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

Not voting: Reichert.

Roll Call Report Syndicate