July 14, 2016

In this MegaVote for Hawaii's 1st & 2nd Congressional Districts:

Recent Congressional Votes

• Senate: "Sanctuary Cities" – Cloture on the Motion to Proceed to the Bill
• Senate: Increase Prison Sentences for Undocumented Criminals – Cloture on the Motion to Proceed to the Bill
• Senate: Labeling Requirements for Genetically Modified Organisms in Foods – Cloture on the Motion to Concur in the House Amendment to the Bill with an Additional Amendment
• Senate: Labeling Requirements for Genetically Modified Organisms in Foods – Motion to Concur in the House Amendment to the Bill with an Additional Amendment
• Senate: Fiscal 2017 Defense Appropriations – Cloture on the Motion to Proceed to the Bill
• House: Health Savings Accounts – Passage
• House: Fiscal 2017 Financial Services Appropriations – Passage
• House: Opioid Programs – Agreeing to the Conference Report

Upcoming Congressional Bills

• Senate: Opioid Programs Conference Report
• Senate: Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization
• Senate: Fiscal 2017 Defense Appropriations
• Senate: Fiscal 2016 Transportation-HUD Appropriations Conference Report
• House: Judicial Deference in Rule-Making
• House: Fiscal 2017 Interior-Environment Appropriations
• House: Abortion Conscience Rights
• House: Prohibit Purchase of Heavy Water from Iran
• House: Bar Iran from U.S. Financial System
• House: Iran Sanctions
• House: Labeling Requirements for Genetically Modified Organisms in Foods

Recent Senate Votes

"Sanctuary Cities" – Cloture on the Motion to Proceed to the Bill - Vote Rejected (53-44, 3 Not Voting)

The Senate rejected a motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to the bill that would punish local jurisdictions that decline to comply with federal immigration laws by denying them federal funding.

Sen. Brian Schatz voted NO
Sen. Mazie Hirono voted NO

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Increase Prison Sentences for Undocumented Criminals – Cloture on the Motion to Proceed to the Bill - Vote Rejected(55-42, 3 Not Voting)

The Senate rejected a motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to the bill that would increase prison sentences for undocumented criminals who re-enter the United States multiple times. Specifically, it would set a five-year mandatory minimum sentence for immigrants with felony convictions or caught illegally crossing the border two or more times, and a 10-year maximum sentence on immigrants caught re-entering the U.S. three times.

Sen. Brian Schatz voted NO
Sen. Mazie Hirono voted NO

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Labeling Requirements for Genetically Modified Organisms in Foods – Cloture on the Motion to Concur in the House Amendment to the Bill with an Additional Amendment - Vote Agreed to (65-32, 3 Not Voting)

The chamber agreed to invoke cloture on the motion to concur in the House amendment to the bill with an additional amendment that establishes the nation's first mandatory requirements for food companies to label genetically modified food products. The measure directs the Agriculture Department to create within two years regulations for determining which foods qualify for labeling as genetically modified. The proposal offers food companies the option of on-label disclosure, the use of a symbol developed by the Agriculture Department or electronic bar codes that consumers can scan with their smart phones.

Sen. Brian Schatz voted NO
Sen. Mazie Hirono voted NO

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Labeling Requirements for Genetically Modified Organisms in Foods – Motion to Concur in the House Amendment to the Bill with an Additional Amendment - Vote Agreed to (63-30, 7 Not Voting)

The chamber agreed to the motion to concur in the House amendment to the bill with an additional amendment that establishes the nation's first mandatory requirements for food companies to label genetically modified food products. The measure directs the Agriculture Department to create within two years regulations for determining which foods qualify for labeling as genetically modified. The proposal offers food companies the option of on-label disclosure, the use of a symbol developed by the Agriculture Department or electronic bar codes that consumers can scan with their smart phones.

Sen. Brian Schatz voted NO
Sen. Mazie Hirono voted YES

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Fiscal 2017 Defense Appropriations – Cloture on the Motion to Proceed to the Bill - Vote Rejected (50-44, 6 Not Voting)

The Senate rejected a motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to the bill that would provide billions in discretionary defense spending for the Defense Department.

Sen. Brian Schatz voted NO
Sen. Mazie Hirono voted NO

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Recent House Votes

Health Savings Accounts – Passage - Vote Passed (241-181, 11 Not Voting)

The chamber passed legislation which modifies several rules related to health savings accounts (HSAs) including by nearly doubling the maximum contribution limit and allows certain couples to divide up their combined catch-up contributions among either of their HSAs. It also repeals a rule under the 2010 health care law that made over-the-counter medications ineligible for coverage under HSAs and other health-related accounts.

Rep. Mark Takai voted Not Voting

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard voted NO

Upcoming Votes

Opioid Programs Conference Report - S524

The conference report on the bill would contain numerous provisions to combat increasing rates of opioid drug abuse, including through modifications to prescribing and pain management practices, by creating or modifying programs to expand access to treatment, particularly access to opioid overdose reversal drugs or medication-assisted treatment that eases withdrawal symptoms, and by establishing or strengthening specific programs for vulnerable groups such as drug-addicted infants. It also would require the Veterans Affairs Department to take several actions to better manage and track the use of opioids by veterans.

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Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization - HR636

The bill would extend the FAA authorization through September 2017. It would include language that would require the FAA to check on security practices in overseas airports that service direct flights to the United States.

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Fiscal 2017 Defense Appropriations - HR5293

The bill would provide billions in discretionary defense spending for the Defense Department.

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Fiscal 2016 Transportation-HUD Appropriations Conference Report - HR2577

The conference report on the bill would provide $1.1 billion in supplemental funding for the government to prepare for and respond to the public health threat posed by the Zika virus, and would provide a total of $185 billion for the Veterans Affairs Department and military construction in fiscal 2017 — including $82.5 billion in discretionary spending subject to the budget caps, $102.5 billion in mandatory spending and $172 million in Overseas Contingency Operations funding. The Zika funding would provide $933 million in domestic funding and $175 million for international activities, with approximately $750 million of the total being offset through rescissions to Ebola, Affordable Care Act, and other Health and Human Services Department funding.

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Judicial Deference in Rule-Making - HR4768

The bill effectively would overturn two Supreme Court decisions that require courts to give substantial deference to an agency’s interpretation of the law it is implementing and to its own interpretation of regulations.

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Fiscal 2017 Interior-Environment Appropriations - HR5538

The measure would provide a total of $32.1 billion in net discretionary spending subject to budget caps. It would increase funding for the National Park Service, U.S. Geological Survey, Bureau of Indian Affairs and Indian Health Service but cuts funding for EPA, the Bureau of Land Management, Office of Surface Mining, and the Fish and Wildlife Service. It includes numerous policy provisions including those to prohibit EPA from limiting greenhouse gas emissions for new and existing power plants, limit methane emissions from the oil and gas industry and regulate air emissions from offshore operations.

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Abortion Conscience Rights - S304

The bill would prohibit the federal government, as well as state and local governments, from penalizing, retaliating against or otherwise discriminating against a health care provider because the provider does not provide or sponsor abortion coverage. It would provide for a complaint process and civil actions for any violations through the Health and Human Services and Justice departments.

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Prohibit Purchase of Heavy Water from Iran - HR5119

The bill would prohibit federal funds from being used to purchase heavy water (a byproduct of nuclear fuel processing) from Iran, or to issue licenses to purchase heavy water.

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Bar Iran from U.S. Financial System - HR4992

The bill would codify existing regulations that prohibit the administration from allowing the U.S. dollar to be used to facilitate trade transactions with Iran, and it would uphold Iran's designation as a "primary money-laundering concern." The prohibition would cover direct dollar transactions and "work-arounds," including dollar-clearing, dollar-based conversions and dollar-related foreign currency transactions.

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Iran Sanctions - HR5631

The bill generally would expand and strengthen existing sanctions against Iran related to its ballistic-missile program, support for international terrorism and its ongoing record of human rights abuses against its own population. Specifically, the measure would require that the president apply terrorism sanctions to the Revolutionary Guards within 120 days of enactment, rather than giving him the discretion available under current law.

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Labeling Requirements for Genetically Modified Organisms in Foods - S764

The bill would establish the nation's first mandatory requirements for food companies to label genetically modified food products. The measure would direct the Agriculture Department to create within two years regulations for determining which foods qualify for labeling as genetically modified. The proposal would offer food companies the option of on-label disclosure, the use of a symbol developed by the Agriculture Department or electronic bar codes that consumers can scan with their smart phones.