Copyright 2000 The Washington Post
The Washington
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May 11, 2000, Thursday, Final Edition
SECTION: PG EXTRA; Pg. M08
LENGTH: 724 words
HEADLINE:
For the Record
BODY:
Here's how some major
bills fared recently in Congress and how local congressional members voted, as
provided by Thomas's Roll Call Report Syndicate. NV means Not Voting.
HOUSE VOTES
TRADE WITH AFRICA
For: 309 /
Against: 110
The House approved the conference report on a bill
(HR 434) to provide increased access to U.S. markets to apparel and other goods
manufactured in sub-Saharan Africa, the Caribbean Basin and Central America. The
bill would waive or lower U.S. duties and quotas for products from more than 70
countries, with its greatest benefits going to manufacturers who use U.S. raw
materials to make their clothing.
MARYLAND
Yes No NV
Bartlett (R) *
Cardin (D) *
Ehrlich (R) *
Gilchrest (R) *
Hoyer (D) *
Cummings (D) *
Morella (R) *
Wynn (D) *
VIRGINIA
Yes No
NV
Davis (R) *
Moran (D) *
Wolf (R) *
Bateman
(R) *
Bliley (R) *
CHARTER SCHOOLS
For: 397 /
Against: 20
The House approved a non-binding measure (H Con Res
310) to declare a National Charter Schools Week. Charter schools are federally
funded, K-12 institutions that operate with a large degree of autonomy within
public systems.
MARYLAND
Yes No NV
Bartlett (R)
*
Cardin (D) *
Ehrlich (R) *
Gilchrest (R) *
Hoyer (D) *
Cummings (D) *
Morella (R) *
Wynn
(D) *
VIRGINIA
Yes No NV
Davis (R) *
Moran (D) *
Wolf (R) *
Bateman (R) *
Bliley (R)
*
SENATE VOTES
NUCLEAR WASTE VETO
For:
64 / Against: 35
The Senate failed to override President
Clinton's veto of a bill to permanently store the nation's nuclear waste near
Yucca Mountain, Nev., 90 miles northwest of Las Vegas. Supporters needed 67
votes to defeat the veto and pass the bill. A yes vote was to enact the bill.
MARYLAND
Yes No NV
Mikulski (D) *
Sarbanes (D) *
VIRGINIA
Yes No NV
Robb
(D) *
Warner (R) *
DEMOCRATIC PLAN
For: 45 /
Against: 54
Senators rejected a Democratic plan for renewing the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), which is the
main statute for federal funding of K-12 education. The underlying GOP bill (S
2), which remained in debate, would convert most categorical grants into block
grants that states could spend with minimal oversight if they meet broad
objectives.
In part, Democrats sought to kill a GOP school voucher
proposal. Also, they sought to preserve the existing categorical grant structure
for distributing approximately $ 14 billion annually through the
ESEA, about $ 8 billion of which goes to the nation's poorest
districts. A yes vote backed the Democratic alternative.
MARYLAND
Yes No NV
Mikulski (D) *
Sarbanes (D) *
VIRGINIA
Yes No NV
Robb
(D) *
Warner (R) *
MERIT PAY
For: 54 / Against:
42
The Senate adopted an amendment to S 2 (above) enabling
states and localities to use federal education grants to implement teacher
testing, merit pay and tenure reform programs. Over objections from Democrats
and the National Education Association, the GOP amendment authorizes these
initiatives along with other "teacher empowerment" programs at a cost of $ 2
billion annually. A yes vote backed the teacher testing and merit pay
initiative.
MARYLAND
Yes No NV
Mikulski (D) *
Sarbanes (D) *
VIRGINIA
Yes No NV
Robb
(D) *
Warner (R) *
TEACHER HIRING
For: 44 /
Against: 53
The Senate defeated a bid by Democrats to fund the
third year of President Clinton's class size reduction program, which is helping
local districts hire 100,000 elementary school teachers over six years. About
29,000 have been hired to date. The underlying GOP-drafted bill (S 2) shifts
targeted funding of $ 1.7 billion from the hiring program to a block grant that
could fund programs such as merit pay, tenure reform and teacher testing
(preceding issue). A yes vote was to continue the Democrats' class size
reduction categorical grant.
MARYLAND
Yes No NV
Mikulski (D) *
Sarbanes (D) *
VIRGINIA
Yes No NV
Robb (D) *
Warner (R) *
LOAD-DATE: May 11, 2000
