How your U.S. lawmakers voted

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

House

$170 billion stimulus

By a vote of 380-34, the House on Thursday sent President Bush an economic-stimulus package (HR 5140) that would deliver one-time payments to some 137 million U.S. households. The bill also would provide at least $46 billion in one-time business tax breaks and nearly double caps on loans insurable by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the Federal Housing Administration. The bill is projected to cost up to $170 billion over two years in deficit spending. Checks are to be mailed in May.

The bill would authorize rebates of up to $600 to 117 million households that file tax returns, plus $300 per dependent child. It also would send $300 checks to 20 million Social Security recipients and 250,000 disabled veterans, and provide rebates of $300 per individual, or $600 per couple, to households with at least $3,000 in earned income that pay no income taxes.

Voting yes: Rick Larsen, D-2; Doc Hastings, R-4; Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-5; Norm Dicks, D-6; Jim McDermott, D-7; Dave Reichert, R-8.

Voting no: Brian Baird, D-3.

Not voting: Jay Inslee, D-1; Adam Smith, D-9.

Higher education

By a vote of 354-58, the House on Thursday passed a bill (HR 4137) renewing the Higher Education Act through 2012 at a cost of $97.4 billion. The bill would use the federal government's $85 billion in annual aid to higher education as leverage to set requirements and standards for colleges and universities.

The bill would use federal Web sites and other publicity to hold schools publicly accountable for their overall costs and tuition increases; seek to control textbook costs; penalize states that reduce student aid; increase the maximum Pell Grant for poor students from $4,300 to $9,000 per year and make Pell Grants available year-round; and expand federal aid to minorities, veterans, military families and the disabled.

Additionally, the bill would require simplified forms for applying for student loans; police conflicts of interest and corrupt practices between schools and lending institutions; increase aid to historically black institutions and Hispanic-serving schools; and encourage schools to adopt more efficient energy practices and make greater use of renewable fuels

Additionally, the bill would create programs in concert with the private sector to upgrade the teaching of science, technology and critical foreign languages; seek to upgrade teacher training in those fields; and require schools to improve campus security and disaster-preparedness procedures.

The bill also would authorize up to $10,000 in student-loan forgiveness to members of the armed forces, public defenders, prosecutors, firefighters, emergency workers, law-enforcement officers, educators and nurses.

Voting yes: Larsen, Baird, Hastings, McMorris Rodgers, Dicks, McDermott, Reichert.

Not voting: Inslee, Smith.

Dischargeable loans

By a vote of 179-236, the House on Thursday refused to classify privately funded student loans as a dischargeable debt in Chapter 7 bankruptcy proceedings. The amendment, proposed to HR 4137 (above), sought to give long-term debtors a way to dispose of high-interest commercial loans they took out as students.

Voting yes: Dicks, McDermott.

Voting no: Larsen, Baird, Hastings, McMorris Rodgers, Reichert.

Not voting: Inslee, Smith.

Senate

$170 billion stimulus

By a vote of 81-16, the Senate on Thursday passed a $170 billion anti-recession bill (HR 5140, see House issue above).

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

Extended jobless benefits

By a vote of 58-41, the Senate on Wednesday failed to reach 60 votes needed to advance a Democratic-drafted bill that was far more extensive than HR 5140 (above). The bill differed most notably by providing 13 or 26 weeks of extended unemployment benefits; setting much higher income levels for rebate eligibility; providing energy-efficiency tax credits; granting tax incentives for energy exploration; and giving states authority to offer tax-exempt mortgage bonds.

Voting yes: Cantwell, Murray.

FISA extension

By a vote of 49-46, the Senate on Wednesday failed to get 60 votes for advancing a bid to renew the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) for four years rather than six years. Backers said a four-year sunset would obligate the next administration to scrutinize the law closely, while foes said intelligence agencies would better protect national security in the six-year window contained in the underlying bill (S 2248).

Voting yes: Cantwell, Murray.

Roll Call Report Syndicate