June 19, 2012 In this MegaVote for Hawaii's 1st & 2nd Congressional Districts: Recent Congressional Votes Senate: Motion to Table; Farm Bill – Sugar Price Supports Repeal Senate: Motion to Table; Farm Bill – Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Elimination Upcoming Congressional Bills Senate: Farm Bill House: Domestic Energy and Jobs Act

Recent Senate Votes

Motion to Table; Farm Bill – Sugar Price Supports Repeal - Vote Agreed to (50-46, 4 Not Voting) Last week saw the Senate struggling to come to agreement on which amendments it would consider to the five-year reauthorization of agriculture and nutrition programs. The first such amendment - offered by Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., on behalf of Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H. – would phase out the federal price support program for sugar producers by 2015. Detractors of the program argue that it artificially inflates prices for consumers and end-users, such as confectioners. The program’s backers argue that it actually shields both of these groups from violent swings in market prices by providing a supportive environment for domestic sugar production. The actual vote taken, however, was not on the amendment itself but on a motion to table. The motion passed, thus killing the amendment. Sen. Daniel Inouye voted YES......send e-mail or see bio Sen. Daniel Akaka voted YES......send e-mail or see bio Motion to Table; Farm Bill – Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Elimination - Vote Agreed to (65-33, 2 Not Voting) The second amendment brought up for consideration concerned federal nutrition assistance, known by its acronym SNAP. Republicans have raised the alarm that spending under this program has ballooned in recent years and have sought to cut benefits. Democrats have countered that the program is actually functioning as it was designed to do, with more people coming on the rolls because of a weak economy. A “sequester-replacement” bill (H.R. 5652) passed last month in the House mostly along party lines would cut $34 billion from SNAP in the next 10 years as part of an effort to avoid Pentagon cuts. This Senate amendment, again offered by Reid (this time on behalf of Rand Paul, R-Ky.), would do House Republicans one better by ending SNAP as it currently exists and in its place creating a block grant program that would send a fixed amount of money to the states each year for the overall purpose of nutrition assistance, but with far fewer strings attached than there are currently. The actual vote was once again on a motion to table rather than the amendment itself. Sen. Daniel Inouye voted YES......send e-mail or see bio Sen. Daniel Akaka voted YES......send e-mail or see bio

Upcoming Votes

Farm Bill - S.3240 The Senate will continue consideration of the farm bill. Domestic Energy and Jobs Act - H.R.4480 The House will consider this bill that would mandate an increase in oil and gas production equivalent to any release from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.