September 21, 2016

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

Recent Congressional Votes

• Senate: Water Resources Development – Motion to Invoke Cloture
• Senate: Water Resources Development - Passage
• House: Health Expenses Tax Deductions
• House: Disclose Agency Rule-Making Communications
• House: Veterans Affairs Department Accountability
• House: Prohibit Guantanamo Transfers

Upcoming Congressional Bills

• Senate: Fiscal 2017 Legislative Branch Appropriations
• Senate: Prohibit Sales of Military Equipment to Saudi Arabia
• House: Legal Challenges to Federal Rules
• House: Identify Assets of Top Iranians
• House: Defer Taxing Stock Options for Startups
• House: Bar Ransom Payments for Hostages

Recent Senate Votes

Water Resources Development – Motion to Invoke Cloture - Vote Agreed to (94-3, 3 Not Voting)

Motion to invoke cloture (thus limiting debate) on the bill which authorizes $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 authorizes $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. Sixty votes are needed to invoke cloture.

Sen. Brian Schatz voted YES
Sen. Mazie Hirono voted YES

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Water Resources Development - Passage - Vote Passed (95-3, 2 Not Voting)

The Senate passed legislation which authorizes $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 also authorizes $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.

Sen. Brian Schatz voted YES
Sen. Mazie Hirono voted YES

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Recent House Votes

Health Expenses Tax Deductions - Vote Passed (261-147, 23 Not Voting)

The legislation repeals 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 reverts to 7.5 percent of adjusted gross income beginning with the current 2016 tax year.

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard voted NO

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Disclose Agency Rule-Making Communications - Vote Passed (250-171, 10 Not Voting)

The legislation requires 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 prohibits agencies from soliciting support for, or promoting, its regulatory actions.

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard voted NO

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Veterans Affairs Department Accountability - Vote Passed (310-116, 5 Not Voting)

The bill expands the ability of the Veterans Affairs (VA) Department to fire or demote VA employees based on performance or misconduct, and it overhauls 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 includes provisions to protect VA whistleblowers against retaliation by supervisors, authorizes the VA to recoup employee bonuses and relocation expenses, allows the VA to reduce Senior Executive Service (SES) employees' pensions upon conviction of certain felonies, streamlines disciplinary actions for SES employees and eliminates all bonuses for SES employees for five years.

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard voted YES

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Prohibit Guantanamo Transfers - Vote Passed (244-174, 13 Not Voting)

The measure prohibits the Defense Department from transferring or releasing any detainee from the detention facility at the U.S. Naval Station, Guantanamo 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.

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard voted NO

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Upcoming Votes

Fiscal 2017 Legislative Branch Appropriations - HR5325

The bill would appropriate $3.5 billion Legislative Branch bill for fiscal 2017, which covers the operations of the House, the Capitol Police, Architect of the Capitol, Library of Congress and other agencies. The current bill text is expected to be replaced with text containing the continuing resolution that would deal with broader veterans funding and emergency money needed to fight the spread of the Zika virus.

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Prohibit Sales of Military Equipment to Saudi Arabia - SJRES39

The joint resolution would prohibit a roughly $1 billion sale of military equipment to Saudi Arabia, including well more than a hundred Abrams tanks.

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Legal Challenges to Federal Rules - HR3438

The bill would postpone, until all legal challenges are completed, the implementation of any new federal rule that would have an economic impact of $1 billion or more per year.

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Identify Assets of Top Iranians - HR5461

The bill would require the Treasury secretary to compile and submit to Congress a report detailing the known assets of Iran's top political and military leaders, how those assets were acquired and for what purposes the assets were used.

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Defer Taxing Stock Options for Startups - HR5719

The bill would allow employee stockholders in certain startup businesses to defer income taxes on stock options for up to seven years, when they are more likely to have the funds to make the tax payments.

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Bar Ransom Payments for Hostages - HR5931

The bill would specify that it is the policy of the U.S. government not to pay ransom or release prisoners for the purpose of securing the release of U.S. citizens taken hostage abroad, and it generally would prohibit the U.S. government from providing to the government of Iran, either directly or indirectly, any cash or other promissory note. It would require the administration to obtain a Treasury foreign assets license before settling any pending financial claims with Iran, and to publicly disclose each such transaction and payment.