How your U.S. lawmaker voted this week

WASHINGTON — Here's how the state's members of Congress voted in the week that ended Friday.

House

Extended jobless benefits

By a vote of 331-83, the House on Tuesday passed a bill (HR 3548) providing 13 more weeks of jobless checks for those in high-unemployment states whose current allotments have expired or soon will expire. The bill applies to at least 27 states with jobless rates of 8.5 percent or higher and the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.

The bill would immediately benefit about 300,000 long-term unemployed and help 1 million more by year's end, with the $1.4 billion cost offset mainly by payroll taxes on employers. Jobless checks average $300 a week. The bill would extend total benefits to as long as 21 months in the highest-unemployment states.

A yes vote was to pass the bill.

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.

Not voting: Doc Hastings, R-4.

Medicare premiums

By a vote of 406-18, the House on Thursday sent the Senate a bill (HR 3631) to freeze Medicare premiums in 2010 at the current level of about $96 a month. Medicare premiums are deducted from Social Security checks, and the rationale of this bill is that since there will be no Social Security inflation adjustment in 2010, there should be no rise in Medicare premiums. About 75 percent of the 42 million Medicare recipients automatically will have their 2010 premiums frozen because there is no inflation this year. The bill covers the Medicare participants who lack such automatic protection.

A yes vote was to pass the bill.

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

Voting no: Baird, Smith.

Senate

National park system

By a vote of 79-19, the Senate on Thursday killed an amendment to shift $420 million in the 2010 Interior Department budget (HR 2996) from land acquisition to maintenance in the National Park System. The $32.2 billion appropriations bill was later sent to conference with the House.

A yes vote was to kill the amendment.

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

Offshore drilling

By a vote of 56-42, the Senate on Wednesday killed a Republican bid to speed implementation of a new law to expand offshore oil and gas drilling. Although approved last year, the new drilling cannot begin until 2012 for contractual reasons. In part, the expansion authorizes outer continental shelf drilling 100 miles off the Atlantic and Pacific shorelines and beyond. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar rejected a Bush-administration drilling plan and ordered a slower pace for planning the new drilling. This vote occurred during debate on HR 2996.

A yes vote was to kill the GOP motion.

Voting yes: Cantwell, Murray.

Roll Call Report Syndicate