WASHINGTON – Here’s how area members of Congress voted on major roll calls in the week ending Friday.
HOUSE
Electronic records retention: Members voted, 286-137, to require the White House and other federal agencies to preserve all e-mail messages and other electronic files under National Archives oversight. A yes vote backed a bill (HR 5811) sparked by a massive loss of White House e-mails.
Voting yes: Jay Inslee, D-Bainbridge Island; Rick Larsen, D-Everett; Brian Baird, D-Vancouver; Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Deer Lake; Norm Dicks, D-Belfair; Jim McDermott, D-Seattle; Dave Reichert, R-Auburn; Adam Smith, D-Tacoma.
Voting no: Doc Hastings, R-Pasco.
SENATE
Spy powers: Senators sent President Bush, 69-28, a bill to renew the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act and grant immunity to telecommunications companies (next issue). A yes vote backed a bill (HR 6304) to allow spying without specific warrants on foreign communications passing through the United States.
Voting no: Maria Cantwell, D; Patty Murray, D.
Telecoms’ immunity: Senators refused, 32-66, to strip HR 6304 (above) of retroactive immunity for companies such as AT&T, Sprint Nextel and Verizon that have been sued over their helping the administration spy on Americans without court warrants after 9/11. A yes vote opposed immunity.
Voting yes: Cantwell, Murray.
Medicare doctor payments: Senators voted, 69-30, to overcome GOP blockage of a bill that would rescind the administration’s 10.6 percent cut in Medicare payments to doctors that took effect July 1. The bill was sent to Bush on a nonrecord vote. A yes vote backed HR 6331.
Voting yes: Cantwell, Murray.
Gen. Petraeus confirmation: Senators confirmed, 95-2, the appointment of Army Gen. David Petraeus, 55, as commander of the U.S. Central Command, which conducts U.S. military operations in the Middle East, Central Asia and East Africa. A yes vote was to confirm Petraeus.
Voting yes: Cantwell, Murray.
Housing bill advance: Senators voted, 84-12, to advance a housing recovery bill that, in part, would enable lenders to refinance hundreds of thousands of at-risk mortgages in return for government backing of the new loans. A yes vote was to advance HR 3221 toward eventual Senate passage.
Voting yes: Cantwell, Murray.
KEY VOTES AHEAD
The House this week will take up the 2009 intelligence budget and a bill on highway and bridge inspections, while the Senate will debate housing relief and possibly global AIDS funding.
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