September 15, 2016

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

Recent Congressional Votes

Senate: Fiscal 2016 Transportation-HUD Appropriations Conference Report – Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Conference Report

Senate: Fiscal 2017 Defense Appropriations – Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Motion to Proceed to the Bill

House: Prevent Government Settlement Donations to 3rd Parties – Passage

House: Ease Stock Listing Requirements for Certain Small Firms – Passage

House: Loosen Private Equity Fund Requirements – Passage

Upcoming Congressional Bills

Senate: Water Resources Development

House: Health Expenses Tax Deductions

House: Veterans Affairs Department Accountability

House: Disclose Agency Rule-Making Communications

House: Prohibit Guantanamo Transfers

Recent Senate Votes

Fiscal 2016 Transportation-HUD Appropriations Conference Report – Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Conference Report - Vote Rejected (52-46, 2 Not Voting)

Motion to invoke cloture (thus limiting debate) on the conference report on the bill which 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 it 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 include $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. Sixty votes are needed to invoke cloture.

Sen. Brian Schatz voted NO

Sen. Mazie Hirono voted NO

Fiscal 2017 Defense Appropriations – Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Motion to Proceed to the Bill - Vote Rejected(55-43, 2 Not Voting)

The Senate rejected a McConnell, R-Ky., motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to the bill that would provide billions in discretionary defense spending for the Defense Department. Sixty votes are needed to invoke cloture.

Sen. Brian Schatz voted NO

Sen. Mazie Hirono voted NO

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Recent House Votes

Prevent Government Settlement Donations to 3rd Parties – Passage - Vote Passed (241-174, 16 Not Voting)

The measure prohibits settlement agreements involving the U.S. government from requiring the other party to make a donation to a third party. The bill's prohibition would not apply if the payment is for restitution to affected parties or remedies actual harm. Under the measure, the prohibition applies only to settlement agreements reached after the bill's enactment.

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard voted NO

Ease Stock Listing Requirements for Certain Small Firms – Passage - Vote Passed (236-178, 17 Not Voting)

The bill expands the range of companies that can use Form S-3 to register securities sales, exempts the sale of certain securities from registration with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and state regulatory agencies and requires the SEC to revise Regulation D (Reg D) with the goal of loosening restrictions and filing requirements under existing Rule 506 exemptions.

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard voted NO

Loosen Private Equity Fund Requirements – Passage - Vote Passed (261-145, 25 Not Voting)

The legislation reduces reporting and other requirements effectively placed on private equity funds by the 2010 Dodd-Frank Act (PL 111-203), including by eliminating requirements that such funds report annually on their investments and activities and be subject to unannounced, independent annual audits. It also modifies existing requirements under the Investment Advisers Act regarding the relationship between investment fund managers and their investors under the act to largely exempt private equity funds, including by loosening current restrictions on advertising and expanding the circumstances under which funds do not have to notify investors when there is a change in ownership or control.

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard voted NO

Upcoming Votes

Water Resources Development - S2848

The bill would authorize $10.6 billion in funding for more than 30 Army Corps of Engineers water infrastructure projects under the current law (PL 113-121), including waterways and flood control systems, as well as Environmental Protection Agency drinking water infrastructure programs. The measure would authorize $220 million in recovery assistance, specifically $100 million for water infrastructure improvements available to "states with emergency drinking water situations" via state revolving fund loans; $70 million in Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act credit subsidies; and $50 million in health screening and education grants.

Health Expenses Tax Deductions - HR3590

The legislation would repeal the increases in the threshold at which individuals may begin deducting unreimbursed medical expenses from their income as set by the 2010 health care law, thereby rolling the threshold back to 7.5 percent of adjusted gross income for all taxpayers and preventing the threshold from increasing to 10 percent for senior citizens. Under the measure, the medical deduction threshold would revert to 7.5 percent of adjusted gross income beginning with the current 2016 tax year.

Veterans Affairs Department Accountability - HR5620

The bill would expand the ability of the Veterans Affairs (VA) Department to fire or demote VA employees based on performance or misconduct, and it would overhaul the VA's current disability appeals process by giving veterans the choice of three "lanes" for appeal when dissatisfied with an initial VA benefits decision. It also would include provisions to protect VA whistleblowers against retaliation by supervisors, authorize the VA to recoup employee bonuses and relocation expenses, allow the VA to reduce Senior Executive Service (SES) employees' pensions upon conviction of certain felonies, streamline disciplinary actions for SES employees and eliminate all bonuses for SES employees for five years.

Disclose Agency Rule-Making Communications - HR5226

The measure would require each federal agency to maintain an online searchable list of its regulatory actions and all public communications it makes regarding those regulatory actions. It also would prohibit agencies from soliciting support for, or promoting, its regulatory actions.

Prohibit Guantanamo Transfers - HR5351

The bill temporarily would prohibit the Defense Department from transferring or releasing any detainee from the detention facility at the U.S. Naval Station, Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, into the United States, its territories or possessions, or to any foreign country or entity. The blanket prohibition would end on Jan. 21, 2017, or earlier once a Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal 2017 is enacted.