Copyright 2000 The Washington Post
The Washington
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May 28, 2000, Sunday, Final Edition
SECTION: SOUTHERN MARYLAND EXTRA; Pg. M13
LENGTH: 1135 words
HEADLINE:
VOTES IN CONGRESS
BODY:
The following is a
report of how some major bills fared recently in Congress and how Southern
Maryland's representative, Steny H. Hoyer (D-5th District), and Democratic Sens.
Barbara A. Mikulski and Paul S. Sarbanes voted.
HOUSE
TRADE WITH CHINA
For-237 / Against-197
The House passed a bill (HR 4444) on Wednesday establishing
permanent, normal U.S. commerce with the People's Republic of China and setting
up a commission to monitor human rights abuses there. China is to lower or
eliminate barriers to U.S. commodities, goods and services. In return, it gains
the same relatively open access to American markets that is now available to
nearly all other U.S. trading partners. A yes vote supported normal trade
relations with China.
HOYER-YES
TAIWAN SECURITY
For-176 / Against-258
The House refused on Wednesday to
add language to HR 4444 (above) that sought to automatically revoke normal trade
with China if it attacked or blockaded Taiwan. A yes vote was to add pro-Taiwan
language to the bill.
HOYER-NO
BUDGET CHANGES
For-166 / Against-250
The House defeated a bill (HR 853)
on May 16 making major changes in the federal budget process. It sought to give
the force of law to the annual congressional budget resolution, which now is
only a blueprint that Congress often ignores. Backers said that subjecting the
Capitol Hill budget to a possible presidential veto would prompt lawmakers and
presidents to take it more seriously early in the year and avert year-end budget
showdowns. The bill also required Congress to hold record votes on raising the
national debt, limited new entitlement (automatic spending) programs to a life
span of 10 years and banned the current practice of lawmakers labeling routine
outlays as "emergency spending" so as to avoid spending limits. A yes vote
supported the changes in the budget process.
HOYER-NO
TWO-YEAR BUDGET
For-201 / Against-217
The House rejected on May 16 an amendment to HR 853 (above) to
convert the annual federal budget to a two-year cycle that coincide with the
two-year life of each Congress. Presidents would submit a biennial budget at the
beginning of odd-numbered years, and lawmakers would spend the remainder of the
year enacting the 13 spending bills that run the government. Congress would
devote the second year to activities such as conducting oversight hearings into
federal programs. A yes vote backed a two-year federal budget.
HOYER-NO
TELEPHONE TAX REPEAL
For-420 /
Against-2
The House passed a bill (HR 3916) on Thursday to
repeal the 3 percent federal tax on long-distance telephone service. Enacted in
1898 to help finance the Spanish American War, the levy would be phased out by
October 2002. This would cost the Treasury an estimated $ 19.8 billion in lost
revenue over the first five years. A yes vote favored repeal of the tax.
HOYER-YES
CAMPAIGN FINANCE DISPUTE
For-208 /
Against-214
The House refused on Thursday to close the so-called
"Section 527" loophole that enables anonymous political committees to raise
unlimited sums for influencing federal elections without having to identify
donors. The vote occurred during debate on HR 3916 (above). It was the first
House vote this year on a campaign finance issue. The political groups at issue
typically use their secretly raised funds to sponsor TV attack ads that stop
short of urging the defeat or election of a specific candidate. They exist under
Section 527 of the U.S. tax code and are not covered by the Federal Election
Campaign Act. With this vote, the House rejected a bid to subject them to the
campaign finance statute. A yes vote was to apply the federal campaign finance
law to "Section 527" political committees.
HOYER-YES
INTELLIGENCE BUDGET
For-175 / Against-225
The House rejected an amendment on Tuesday that sought to make
public the total U.S. intelligence budget for fiscal 1999. This occurred as the
House passed a classified fiscal 2001 funding bill (HR 4392) for U.S. spy
agencies such as the CIA, Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) and National
Security Agency (NSA). Although an official secret, U.S. intelligence spending
is often reported at about $ 30 billion annually. A yes vote backed making the
intelligence budget public.
HOYER-NO
SENATE
FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION NOMINEE
For-64 / Against-35
The Senate confirmed on Wednesday the nomination of Bradley A.
Smith, a law professor at Capital University in Columbus, Ohio, as one of the
six members of the Federal Election Commission. Smith is controversial because
he advocates repealing campaign finance laws on free speech grounds. The FEC,
which was set up by the post-Watergate Federal Elections Campaign Act, is
charged with enforcing laws on money in politics. It has three commissioners
selected by Democrats and three picked by Republicans. Smith was recruited by
Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) the leading Senate foe of bills in Congress to tighten
campaign finance laws. A yes vote was to confirm Smith.
MIKULSKI-NO
SARBANES-NO
FARM BAILOUT
For-91 / Against-4
The Senate sent President Clinton on Thursday a $ 15.3 billion
agricultural bailout package to help farmers cope with adversity such as
drought, declining commodity prices and sagging exports. The bill (HR 2559) was
approved earlier by the House on a non-record vote. About $ 8.2 billion is to be
spent over five years to extend crop insurance to livestock producers and
growers of certain specialty crops and to further subsidize the cost of
insurance premiums for all eligible farmers. About $ 7.1 billion is earmarked
for direct payments to farmers this year. The latter figure includes a host of
payments requested by lawmakers for specific beneficiaries, such as $ 500
million for oilseed producers, $ 340 million for tobacco farmers and $ 14
million for ethanol research at Southern Illinois University. A yes vote
supported the bailout package.
MIKULSKI-YES SARBANES-YES
MILITARY CONSTRUCTION
For-96 / Against-4
Senators passed a bill (HR 4425) on May 18 appropriating $ 8.63
billion in fiscal 2001 for construction at military bases around the globe, as
well as $ 4.1 billion for U.S. operations in Kosovo and $ 573 million for
combating illegal drugs in Colombia. The bill drew criticism because it also
contains $ 900 million for nearly 150 projects not sought by the Pentagon but
included at the request of individual senators. For example, it provides $ 8
million for the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City, $ 1.4 million for channel
dredging in Mississippi, $ 12 million for road construction in Hawaii, and $
300,000 for Indian tribes' housing in North Dakota and South Dakota. A yes vote
supported the appropriations.
MIKULSKI-YES SARBANES-YES
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
LOAD-DATE: May 28, 2000 
