WASHINGTON — Here’s how area members of Congress voted in the week ending Nov. 20.
HOUSE
- MEDICARE DOCTOR PAYMENTS: Voting 243 for and 183 against, the House on Nov. 19 passed a bill (HR 3961) that would avert a 21 percent cut next year in Medicare payments to doctors. The bill was opposed mainly because its cost of $210 billion over ten years would be deficit spending. The bill would permanently change the Medicare formula for paying doctors. It would increase payments by nearly $20 billion per year over ten years and cause slight annual increases in Medicare premiums.
A yes vote was to pass the bill.
Voting yes: G.K. Butterfield, D-1, Bob Etheridge, D-2, David Price, D-4, Mike McIntyre, D-7, Larry Kissell, D-8, Heath Shuler , D-11, Melvin Watt, D-12, Brad Miller, D-13
Voting no: Walter Jones, R-3, Virginia Foxx, R-5, Howard Coble, R-6, Sue Myrick, R-9, Patrick McHenry, R-10
- GOP MEDICARE PLAN: Voting 177 for and 252 against, the House on Nov. 19 defeated a Republican motion to restructure HR 3961 (above) as a two-year rather than permanent fix of Medicare’s system for paying doctors. The motion also identified a revenue source to pay for the proposed two-year remedy.
A yes vote backed the motion.
Voting yes: Jones, Foxx, Coble, Myrick, McHenry
Voting no: Butterfield, Etheridge, Price, McIntyre, Kissell, Shuler, Watt, Miller
- CRUISE-SHIP SAFETY: Voting 416 for and four against, the House on Nov. 17 sent the Senate a bill (HR 3360) to address sexual assaults and other crimes on cruise vessels carrying American passengers.
The bill requires cruise-ship operators to promptly report crimes to the FBI and Coast Guard, publish crime data online, establish procedures to assist victims and have at least one crew member trained to investigate crime scenes. Operators also would be required to limit crew access to passenger cabins and publish information for contacting U.S. embassies and consulates in countries on the cruise itinerary. The bill would cover between 125-150 vessels that ply U.S. ports.
A yes vote was to pass the bill.
Voting yes: Butterfield, Etheridge, Jones, Price, Foxx, Coble, McIntyre, Kissell, Myrick, McHenry, Shuler, Watt, Miller
SENATE
- GUANTANAMO PRISONERS: Voting 57 for and 43 against, the Senate on Nov. 17 allowed funds in the 2010 military-construction budget (HR 3082) to be used for securing U.S. prisons to hold terrorist suspects transferred from overseas. The vote tabled (killed) an amendment designed mainly to prevent detainee transfers from the Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, military prison.
A yes vote was to kill the amendment.
Voting yes: Kay Hagan, D
Voting no: Richard Burr, R
- JUDGE DAVID HAMILTON: Voting 59 for and 39 against, the Senate on Nov. 19 confirmed federal Judge David Hamilton, 52, of the Southern District of Indiana, for a seat on the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Based in Chicago, the court hears appeals from federal rulings in Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin. Hamilton’s confirmation would put four Democratic appointees on the court, compared to seven judges appointed by Republican presidents.
A yes vote was to confirm Hamilton.
Voting yes: Hagan
Voting no: Burr
- VETERANS’ CAREGIVERS: Voting 98 for and none against, the Senate on Nov. 19 passed a bill (S 1963) to provide monthly stipends and health care to family members who stay home to care for veterans severely injured in Afghanistan or Iraq. The stipend would equal what an outside agency would pay an employee to provide similar care. The new program is projected to cost $3.9 billion over five years in deficit spending.
Additionally, the bill would expand services for women veterans, veterans living in rural areas and the estimated 130,000 homeless veterans.
A yes vote was to pass the bill.
Voting yes: Hagan, Burr
Voting no: None
- UNITED NATIONS DUES: The Senate on Nov. 19 refused, 32 for and 66 against, to reduce U.S. payments to the United Nations and other international organizations by $3.9 billion over five years to pay the projected cost of S 1963 (above).
A yes vote backed the amendment.
Voting yes: Burr
Voting no: Hagan
