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Christopher's
Votes - April, 2004
Arts, Immigration, Social Services and
other Domestic Issues
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(132) H Res 399: Melvin Jones Tribute - Adoption
April 27, 2004 - Cannon, R-Utah, motion to suspend the rules
and adopt the resolution that would honor the late Melvin
Jones, founder of the Association of Lions Clubs -- now known
as Lions Clubs International. It also would recognize the
contributions of Lions Clubs International to communities
in need. Motion agreed to 395-0
Vote: Yea
Budget, Taxes and the Economy
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(136) HR 4181: 'Marriage Penalty' Relief - Rangel Substitute
April 28, 2004 - Rangel, D-N.Y., substitute amendment that
would permanently extend tax provisions eliminating the so-called
marriage penalty by making the standard deduction for married
couples double that of single taxpayers and increasing the
upper limit of the 15 percent tax bracket for married couples
to twice that of singles. It also would prevent the alternative
minimum tax from negating the benefits of the bill for married
couples, and it would offset the cost of the bill by imposing
a 3.6 percent surtax on taxpayers earning more than $500,000
a year and married couples with annual incomes of more than
$1 million. Rejected 189-226
Vote: Nay
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(137) HR 4181: 'Marriage Penalty' Relief - Recommit
April 28, 2004 - Stenholm, D-Texas, motion to recommit the
bill to the House Ways and Means Committee with instructions
to add language that would require the Treasury secretary
to certify that there is sufficient room under the current
debt ceiling to provide funds for the bill. Motion rejected
199-220
Vote: Nay
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(138) HR 4181: 'Marriage Penalty' Relief - Passage
April 28, 2004 - Passage of the bill that would permanently
extend tax provisions eliminating the so-called marriage penalty
by making the standard deduction for married couples double
that of single taxpayers and increasing the upper limit of
the 15 percent tax bracket for married couples to twice that
of singles. It also would make permanent higher income limits
for married couples eligible to receive the refundable earned-income
tax credit. Passed 323-95
Vote: Yea
Congress and Federal Elections
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(126) HR 2844: Continuity of Congress - Previous Question
April 22, 2004 - Hastings, R-Wash., motion to order the previous
question (thus ending debate and possibility of amendment)
on adoption of the rule (H Res 602) to provide for House floor
consideration of the bill that would require special elections
to fill vacant House seats within 45 days of a catastrophe
that kills at least 100 House members. Motion agreed to 210-198
Vote: Yea
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(127) HR 2844: Continuity of Congress - Rule
April 22, 2004 - Adoption of the rule (H Res 602) to provide
for House floor consideration of the bill that would require
special elections to fill vacant House seats within 45 days
of a catastrophe that kills at least 100 House members. Adopted
212-197
Vote: Yea
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(128) HR 2844: Continuity of Congress - Deadline Extension
April 22, 2004 - Larson, D-Conn., amendment no. 1 that would
extend the time frame for conducting special elections from
45 to 75 days. Rejected 179-229
Vote: Nay
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(129) HR 2844: Continuity of Congress - Candidate Selection
April 22, 2004 - Larson, D-Conn., amendment no. 2 that would
strike the bill's 10-day deadline for political parties to
select nominees and substitute language that would require
a potential candidate to meet the requirements to get on the
ballot as set by state law. Rejected 188-217
Vote: Nay
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(130) HR 2844: Continuity of Congress - Passage
April 22, 2004 - Passage of the bill that would require special
elections to fill vacant House seats within 45 days of a catastrophe
that kills at least 100 House members. If a regularly scheduled
election is planned to fill a vacant House seat within 75
days of the House Speaker's announcement of the vacancies,
then no special election for that seat is required. It also
would require parties to nominate their candidates within
10 days of the House Speaker's announcement. Passed 306-97
Vote: Yea
Defense and National Security
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(125) HR 1779: Reservist Retirement Withdrawals - Passage
April 21, 2004 - Shaw, R-Fla., motion to suspend the rules
and pass the bill that would allow members of the active-duty
National Guard and reserves to make penalty-free early withdrawals
from retirement plans. The bill would limit the withdrawals
to members of the military activated between Sept. 11, 2001,
and Sept. 12, 2005, and who serve in excess of 179 days. Motion
agreed to 415-0
Vote: Yea
Education
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(133) H Res 578: Financial Literacy Month - Adoption
April 27, 2004 - Cannon, R-Utah, motion to suspend the rules
and adopt the resolution that would support the goals and
ideals of Financial Literacy Month, which seeks to educate
the public about the need for increased financial literacy
for youth in the United States. Motion agreed to 391-0
Vote: Yea
Enviornment, Energy, Science and Technology
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(121) HR 3970: 'Green' Chemistry - Passage
April 21, 2004 - Gingrey, R-Ga., motion to suspend the rules
and pass the bill that would direct several federal agencies
to promote research and development of "green" chemistry
-- the use of chemistry to reduce pollution. The bill would
authorize $84 million through fiscal 2007 for programs such
as competitive grants to researchers from universities, industry,
and nonprofit organizations, and research at federal laboratories.
Motion agreed to 402-14
Vote: Yea
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(122) HR 4030: Math and Science Medals - Passage
April 21, 2004 - Smith, R-Mich., motion to suspend the rules
and pass the bill that would direct the National Science Foundation
(NSF) to award 10 annual congressional medals to private companies
that have supported student achievement in science, technology,
engineering and mathematics at elementary and secondary schools.
Motion agreed to 411-7
Vote: Yea
Executive Branch, Federal Buildings,
and District of Columbia
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(118) HR 4037: Richard G. Wilson Postal Facility - Passage
April 20, 2004 - Miller, R-Mich., motion to suspend the rules
and pass the bill that would name a postal facility in Cape
Girardeau, Mo., after Army Pfc. Richard G. Wilson, who was
killed in the Korean War and posthumously awarded the Congressional
Medal of Honor in 1951. Motion agreed to 392-0
Vote: Yea
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(119) HR 3855: Gen. John J. Pershing Post Office - Passage
April 20, 2004 - Miller, R-Mich., motion to suspend the rules
and pass the bill that would name a post office building in
Lacleade, Mo., after the late Gen. John J. Pershing, who led
U.S. forces during World War I. Motion agreed to 389-0
Vote: Yea
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(120) HR 1822: Dosan Ahn Chang Ho Post Office - Passage
April 20, 2004 - Miller, R-Mich., motion to suspend the rules
and pass the bill that would name a post office building in
Los Angeles after the late Dosan Ahn Chang Ho, who founded
the Young Korean Academy in Los Angeles and played a significant
role in the growth of the Korean-American community in the
city. Motion agreed to 399-0
Vote: Yea
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(123) HR 3147: James V. Hansen Building - Passage
April 21, 2004 - LaTourette, R-Ohio, motion to suspend the
rules and pass the bill that would name a federal building
in Ogden, Utah, after former Rep. James V. Hansen, R-Utah,
who served in the House from 1981 to 2003.
Motion agreed to 418-0:
Vote: Yea
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(131) HR 3942: Rhode Island Veterans Post Office - Passage
April 27, 2004 - Cannon, R-Utah, motion to suspend the rules
and pass the bill that would rename a post office building
in Middletown, R.I., as the Rhode Island Veterans Post Office
Building. Motion agreed to 395-0
Vote: Yea
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(135) S 1904: Wilkie D. Ferguson Jr. Courthouse - Passage
April 28, 2004 - LaTourette, R-Ohio, motion to suspend the
rules and pass the bill that would name a federal courthouse
in Miami after the late Judge Wilkie D. Ferguson Jr., who
served on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District
of Florida. Motion agreed to 408-0
Vote: Yea
Foreign Affairs
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(124) HR 4019: World Health Organization and Taiwan - Passage
April 21, 2004 - Chabot, R-Ohio, motion to suspend the rules
and pass the bill that would authorize the secretary of State
to endorse and obtain observer status for Taiwan at the annual
weeklong summit of the World Health Assembly in May 2004 in
Geneva. Motion agreed to 416-0
Vote: Yea
Labor and Retirement
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(116) HR 3108: Pension Funding - Recommit
April 02, 2004 - Andrews, D-N.J., motion to recommit the conference
report to the conference committee with instructions that
it be reported back to the House with a provision that would
allow 20 percent of multi-employer pension plans to reduce
contributions to their plans, an increase from about 4 percent.
Motion rejected 195-217
Vote: Nay
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(117) HR 3108: Pension Funding - Conference Report
April 02, 2004 - Adoption of the conference report on the
bill that would allow companies to reduce contributions to
their pension plans by temporarily altering the formula used
to calculate whether those contributions are sufficient to
cover liabilities. The new formula would use a rate based
on yields on a corporate bond index. The bill also would ease
funding rules for about 4 percent of multi-employer pension
plans, giving them a grace period to account for losses. Adopted
(thus sent to the Senate) 336-69
Vote: Yea
Transportation
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(105) HR 3550: Surface Transportation - Previous Question
April 01, 2004 - Dreier, R-Calif., motion to order the previous
question (thus ending debate and possibility of amendment)
on adoption of the rule (H Res 593) to provide for House floor
consideration of the bill that would authorize $284 billion
for federal-aid highway, mass transit, safety and research
programs from fiscal 2004 to 2009. Motion agreed to 229-194
Vote: Yea
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(106) HR 3550: Surface Transportation - Earmark Funding
April 01, 2004 - Flake, R-Ariz., amendment no. 3 that would
subtract the amount that states receive in high priority program
earmarks from their formula totals for the Surface Transportation
Program. Rejected 60-367
Vote: Nay
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(107) HR 3550: Surface Transportation - Toll Credits
April 01, 2004 - Jackson-Lee, D-Texas, amendment no. 4 that
would allow states to receive toll credits -- government credits
that match toll revenues -- for any local, state or private
funds contributed to a toll project that exceed the minimum
non-federal 20 percent threshold required for federal matching
funds. Rejected 50-376
Vote: Nay
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(108) HR 3550: Surface Transportation - Truck Weight Limit
Exclusion
April 01, 2004 - Chocola, R-Ind., amendment no. 9 that would
provide for a 400-pound weight limit exclusion for any heavy-duty
motor vehicles equipped with EPA-approved "idling reduction
technology," which is intended to reduce emissions and
fuel consumption. Rejected 198-228
Vote: Nay
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(109) HR 3550: Surface Transportation - Trucking Rest Periods
April 01, 2004 - Bachus, R-Ala., amendment no. 17 that would
exempt motion picture and television production truck drivers
from new hours-of-service regulations, which increased required
rest periods for truck drivers by two hours. Adopted 365-62
Vote: Yea
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(110) HR 3550: Surface Transportation - New Hampshire Weight
Limits
April 02, 2004 - Bradley, R-N.H., amendment no. 20 that would
increase the allowable weight of vehicles permitted to travel
on Interstate highways 93 and 89 in New Hampshire from 80,000
to 99,000 pounds, while also instructing the New Hampshire
Transportation Department to study the impact of the changes.
Rejected 90-334
Vote: Nay
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(111) HR 3550: Surface Transportation - New Tolls
April 02, 2004 - Kennedy, R-Minn., amendment no. 22 that would
replace a provision in the bill to implement new tolls on
existing highway lanes and continue charging tolls indefinitely,
with language that would permit tolls only on new voluntary-use
lanes until the new lanes are paid for. Adopted 231-193
Vote: Nay
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(112) HR 3550: Surface Transportation - High Priority Project
Funding
April 02, 2004 - Isakson, R-Ga., amendment no. 23 that would
include high priority projects and projects of "regional
and national significance" within the minimum guarantee
of funds provided to each state, making the bill consistent
with current law. Money saved by the calculation change would
be returned to core highway programs, including Interstate
maintenance, the National Highway System, surface transportation
and bridges. Rejected 170-254
Vote: Nay
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(113) HR 3550: Surface Transportation - Recommit
April 02, 2004 - Davis, D-Tenn., motion to recommit the bill
to the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee with
instructions to increase funding for the bill to the Senate-passed
level of $318 billion. Motion rejected 198-225
Vote: Nay
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(114) HR 3550: Surface Transportation - Passage
April 02, 2004 - Passage of the bill that would authorize
$284 billion for federal-aid highway, mass transit, safety
and research programs from fiscal 2004 to 2009. The funding
total includes $217 billion in guaranteed spending for highways,
$51.5 billion for mass transit and other public transportation
programs, and $11.1 billion for members' projects. It also
would freeze funding in fiscal 2006 and beyond unless legislation
is enacted that would ensure that states get back at least
95 percent of the dollars their motorists send to the Highway
Trust Fund by fiscal 2009. Passed 357-65
Vote: Yea
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(134) HR 4219: Surface Transportation Extension - Passage
April 28, 2004 - Petri, R-Wis., motion to suspend the rules
and pass the bill that would extend funding for highway, transit
and transportation safety programs for an additional two months,
through June 30, 2004. The bill includes $24.3 billion in
contract authority for federal-aid highway programs. Motion
agreed to 410-0
Vote: Yea
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