May 31, 2016
In this MegaVote for Hawaii's 1st & 2nd Congressional Districts:
Recent Congressional Votes
- Senate: Congressional Disapproval of Labor Department Rule on the Term "Fiduciary" – Passage
- Senate: Congressional Disapproval of Agriculture Department Rule on Catfish – Passage
- Senate: Fiscal 2017 Defense Authorization – Cloture on the Motion to Proceed
- House: Zika Vector Control – Passage
- House: Clarifying Congressional Intent in Providing for District of Columbia Home Rule – Passage
- House: Energy Policy Overhaul – Passage
- House: Fiscal 2017 Energy-Water Appropriations – Federal Contractors and Sexual Orientation Discrimination
- House: Fiscal 2017 Energy-Water Appropriations – Passage
Editor's Note: The Senate and House are not in session this week.
Recent Senate Votes
Congressional Disapproval of Labor Department Rule on the Term "Fiduciary" – Passage - Vote Passed (56-41, 3 Not Voting)
The resolution of disapproval nullifies an Agriculture Department inspection program of domestic and foreign catfish. The joint resolution targets a rule that took effect March 1, 2016, and completed the shifting of responsibility for catfish inspections from the Food and Drug Administration to the Agriculture Department.
Sen. Brian Schatz voted NO
Sen. Mazie Hirono voted NO
Congressional Disapproval of Agriculture Department Rule on Catfish – Passage - Vote Passed (55-43, 2 Not Voting)
The resolution of disapproval nullifies an Agriculture Department inspection program of domestic and foreign catfish. The joint resolution targets a rule that took effect March 1, 2016, and completed the shifting of responsibility for catfish inspections from the Food and Drug Administration to the Agriculture Department.
Sen. Brian Schatz voted NO
Sen. Mazie Hirono voted NO
Fiscal 2017 Defense Authorization – Cloture on the Motion to Proceed - Vote Agreed to (98-0, 2 Not Voting)
The bill authorizes $602.2 billion for discretionary defense spending in fiscal 2017, including $59 billion for operations overseas. It allows the Defense Department to plan and design a stateside facility to one day house the detainees currently held at the Guantanamo Bay detention facility. However, it keeps existing prohibitions on Guantanamo’s closure, including blocking any funds authorized in the bill to be used for actually constructing a stateside replacement. The bill requires women to register for the draft, starting Jan. 1, 2018, and creates a commission to examine whether the Selective Service is still needed.
Sen. Brian Schatz voted YES
Sen. Mazie Hirono voted YES
Recent House Votes
Zika Vector Control – Passage - Vote Passed (258-156, 19 Not Voting)
The bill temporarily modifies the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) to prohibit the EPA or a state government from requiring a permit for the use of registered pesticides near navigable waters. It also temporarily alters the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to prohibit the EPA and states from requiring permits for the point source use of a pesticide, or the residue resulting from the use of a pesticide, that is registered under FIFRA.
Rep. Mark Takai voted Not Voting
Rep. Tulsi Gabbard voted NO
Clarifying Congressional Intent in Providing for District of Columbia Home Rule – Passage - Vote Passed (240-179, 14 Not Voting)
The measure repeals the District of Columbia law that modified D.C.'s home rule charter to allow locally generated funds to be spent without congressional approval, and it modifies the 1973 D.C. Home Rule Act to further specify that all city funding is subject to Congress' annually appropriations process. It also alters the 1973 law to specify that the District has no authority to change the District's budget process as it relates to congressional review and approval.
Rep. Mark Takai voted Not Voting
Rep. Tulsi Gabbard voted NO
Energy Policy Overhaul – Passage - Vote Passed (241-178, 14 Not Voting)
The bill includes all or parts of 37 House-passed measures including legislation that promote the accelerated development and construction of natural gas pipelines and hydropower projects by increasing the authority of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, require the agency to set hard deadlines for environmental reviews and permitting, and require the designation of at least 10 corridors across federal lands in the Eastern U.S. where pipelines could be built.
Rep. Mark Takai voted Not Voting
Rep. Tulsi Gabbard voted NO
Fiscal 2017 Energy-Water Appropriations – Federal Contractors and Sexual Orientation Discrimination - Vote Agreed to(223-195, 15 Not Voting)
The amendment bars federal contractors from discriminating against employees on the basis of sexual orientation. However, the amendment could not violate certain portions of the Constitution.
Rep. Mark Takai voted Not Voting
Rep. Tulsi Gabbard voted YES
Fiscal 2017 Energy-Water Appropriations – Passage - Vote Failed (112-305, 16 Not Voting)
The bill provides a total of $37.4 billion in funding subject to discretionary caps for fiscal 2017 for the Energy Department and federal water projects. The bill appropriates $6.1 billion in new funding for civil projects of the Army Corps of Engineers. It provides $12.9 billion for the National Nuclear Security Administration and almost $6.2 billion for environmental management activities. It also bars the use of funds in the bill to close the Yucca Mountain license application, or to irrevocably remove Yucca Mountain as an option for repository.
Rep. Mark Takai voted Not Voting
Rep. Tulsi Gabbard voted NO