December 12, 2011 In this MegaVote for Hawaii's 1st & 2nd Congressional Districts: Recent Congressional Votes Senate: Cloture on the Nomination of Richard Cordray to be Director, Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection Senate: Motion to Proceed; Middle Class Tax Cut Act of 2011 Senate: Motion to Proceed; Temporary Tax Holiday and Government Reduction Act House: Regulations From the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act of 2011 House: Farm Dust Regulation Prevention Act of 2011 Upcoming Congressional Bills House: Payroll tax cut extension House: Defense authorization House: Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Consolidated Appropriations Act, FY2012

Recent Senate Votes

Cloture on the Nomination of Richard Cordray to be Director, Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection - Vote Rejected (53-45, 1 Present, 1 Not Voting) The Senate failed to reach the sixty votes needed to move forward on the nomination of Richard Cordray to lead the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The CFPB, which was created by the Dodd-Frank financial regulatory overhaul, is responsible for overseeing financial products like home loans and credit cards. Sen. Daniel Inouye voted YES......send e-mail or see bio Sen. Daniel Akaka voted YES......send e-mail or see bio Motion to Proceed; Middle Class Tax Cut Act of 2011 - Vote Rejected (50-48, 2 Not Voting) The Senate rejected a motion to move forward on this Democratic proposal to reduce the employee share of the payroll tax from 4.2 to 3.1 percent for 2012. The employer share would stay at 6.2 percent. The payroll tax funds the Social Security trust fund. A law passed in December 2010 is set to expire at the end of 2011 that reduced the employee share from 6.2 to 4.2 percent. Sen. Daniel Inouye voted YES......send e-mail or see bio Sen. Daniel Akaka voted YES......send e-mail or see bio Motion to Proceed; Temporary Tax Holiday and Government Reduction Act - Vote Rejected (22-76, 2 Not Voting) The Senate rejected a motion to move forward on this Republican proposal to freeze the employee share of the payroll tax at 4.2 percent. The proposal offsets the cost by freezing federal pay and reducing the federal workforce by attrition. Sen. Daniel Inouye voted NO......send e-mail or see bio Sen. Daniel Akaka voted NO......send e-mail or see bio

Recent House Votes

Regulations From the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act of 2011 - Vote Passed (241-184, 8 Not Voting) This bill would require congressional approval of federal regulations that are expected to cost the economy $100 million or more or have a significant effect on consumer prices. Currently, regulations take effect unless both Congress and the president approve a resolution disapproving of them. The White House opposes the bill. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa voted NO......send e-mail or see bio Rep. Mazie Hirono voted NO......send e-mail or see bio Farm Dust Regulation Prevention Act of 2011 - Vote Passed (268-150, 15 Not Voting) This House-passed bill would prevent the EPA from revising air standards concerning dust from farm operations for one year. The Senate is unlikely to take up the bill. The White House has also issued a veto threat. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa voted NO......send e-mail or see bio Rep. Mazie Hirono voted NO......send e-mail or see bio

Upcoming Votes

Payroll tax cut extension - H.R.3630 The House is expected to take up a payroll tax bill this week. Defense authorization - H.R.1540 Congress may wrap up work on the conference report for the 2012 fiscal year defense authorization bill. Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Consolidated Appropriations Act, FY2012 - H.R.2055 Congress may also wrap up work on this $900 billion omnibus spending package that combines the nine remaining annual appropriations bills. The current stopgap spending bill runs out December 16.