Ohio in Congress

Voterama in Congress

Here are area lawmakers’ decisions on major roll-call votes in

Washington for the week ending Feb. 18.

U.S. House
Internet Neutrality: Members voted, 244-181, to strip the Federal Com-
munications Commission of funds to advance its rule aimed at keeping the
Internet equally available to all users. A yes vote backed the amendment
on grounds the agency lacks authority to regulate the Internet. (HR 1)
LaTourette: No Fudge: No

Greenhouse Gases: Members voted, 239-185, to halve funding for an

Environmental Protection Agency program requiring power plants and refin-
eries to report data on their emissions to the agency. A yes vote was to
shift half of the program’s $16 billion budget to deficit reduction. (HR 1)
LaTourette: No Fudge: No

GOP Spending Bill: Members passed, 235-189, a GOP bill to cut non-
security discretionary spending by $60 billion in the last seven months of
fiscal 2011. This is a 22% cut between March 4-Sept. 30. A yes vote was
to pass a bill (HR 1) that also raises defense outlays while cutting the
homeland-security spending category.
LaTourette: Yes Fudge: No
Planned Parenthood: Members voted, 240-185, to stop federal funding
in fiscal 2011 of Planned Parenthood of America, a private organization
that provides reproductive health services and other medical care at 800
clinics nationwide. The group’s abortion services are not federally funded. A
yes vote was to adopt this amendment to HR 1.
LaTourette: Yes Fudge: No

U.S. Senate
Federal Aviation Budget: Senators passed, 87-8, a $35 billion two-year
authorization of federal aviation programs. A yes vote backed a bill (S 223)
that will upgrade the air-traffic control system, continue taxpayer-subsidized
air service to small cities and increase federal taxation of aviation fuel
Brown: Yes Portman: Yes
Aviation Budget Cut: Voting 51-47, senators tabled (killed) an amend-
ment to cut the federal aviation budget by more than $2 billion annually.
Backers said the cut is needed to reduce deficits, while those opposed
said it would imperil air safety. A yes vote was to kill the proposed cut. (S
223)
Brown: Yes Portman: No

Air-Service Subsidies: Senators voted, 61-38, to preserve the Essential

Air Service program, which uses $200 million in taxpayer subsidies each
year to provide air service to some 1.1 million travelers in more than 150
small cities. A yes vote was to (table) kill an amendment to end the pro-
gram. (S 223)
Brown: Yes Portman: No

Key votes ahead

Congress is in recess until the week of Feb. 28.