Copyright 1999 The Tribune Co. Publishes The Tampa Tribune
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August 8, 1999, Sunday, FINAL EDITION
SECTION: FLORIDA/METRO, Pg. 9
LENGTH: 813 words
HEADLINE:
U.S. House and Senate votes;
BODY:
WASHINGTON - Here's how members of Congress were recorded on major
roll call votes in the week ending Aug. 6. Call your representative or
senator at (202) 224-3121. Voting by Florida's representatives:
TAX CUTS Voting 221 for and 206 against, the House approved the
conference report on a 10-year, $ 792 billion tax cut (HR 2488). More than
a third of the relief - $ 283 billion - would be achieved by phased-in 1
percent reductions in each of the five personal income tax rates, which
range from 15 percent to 39.6 percent. The bill is to be financed by
non-Social Security budget surpluses projected to reach $ 1 trillion by
2009. But most lawmakers agreed that reserves of that magnitude will
accumulate only under certain conditions, such as the economy remaining strong
and Congress making significant cuts over 10 years in popular domestic
programs. If non-Social Security surpluses fall short of the $ 792 billion
mark, the tax cuts likely would eat into Social Security surpluses,
projected at $ 2 trillion over the next 10 years. YES NO YES NO Michael
Bilirakis * Carrie Meek * R-Palm Harbor D-Miami Allen Boyd * John
Mica * D-Monticello R-Winter Park Corrine Brown * Dan Miller *
D-Jacksonville R-Bradenton Charles Canady * Ileana Ros-Lehtinen *
R-Lakeland R-Miami Jim Davis * Joe Scarborough * D-Tampa
R-Pensacola Peter Deutsch * Clay Shaw * D-Lauderhill R-Fort
Lauderdale Lincoln Diaz-Balart * Cliff Stearns * R-Miami R-Ocala
Mark Foley * Karen Thurman * R-West Palm Beach D-Dunnellon
Tillie Fowler * Dave Weldon * R-Jacksonville R-Palm Bay Porter
Goss * Robert Wexler * R-Sanibel D-Boca Raton Alcee Hastings * Bill
Young * D-Miami R-Indian Rocks Beach Bill McCollum *
R-Altamonte Springs
LEGAL AID Voting 242 for and 178 against, the
House approved increasing the fiscal 2000 budget for the Legal
Services Corp. from a committee-approved figure of $ 141 million to $
250 million. The increase was taken from a variety of criminal justice
programs. Legal Services Corp. provides the poor with
access to the courts. Its appropriation this year is $ 300 million. The vote
occurred as the House passed a bill (HR 2670) providing nearly $ 36
billion in 2000 for the departments of State, Justice, and Commerce.
A yes vote was to increase legal services funding.
YES NO YES NO
Michael Bilirakis * Carrie Meek * Allen Boyd * John Mica *
Corrine Brown * Dan Miller * Charles Canady * Ileana Ros-Lehtinen *
Jim Davis * Joe Scarborough * Peter Deutsch * Clay Shaw
Lincoln Diaz-Balart * Cliff Stearns * Mark Foley * Karen Thurman *
Tillie Fowler * Dave Weldon * Porter Goss * Robert Wexler *
Alcee Hastings * Bill Young * Bill McCollum * Voting by
Florida's senators: TAX CUTS Voting 50 for and 49 against, the Senate
gave final congressional approval to a Republican bill (HR 2488) that cuts
taxes for individuals and businesses by $ 792 billion between 2000-2009.
It includes a phase-out of inheritance and gift taxes, an extension of a
research and development tax credit important to Silicon Valley, and a 1
percent reduction in each of the five marginal income tax rates for
individuals. The package also benefits married couples who file joint
returns using the standard deduction; contributors to Individual
Retirement Accounts and Education Savings Accounts; individuals including
the self-employed who pay at least half of their medical insurance
premiums; investors who pay capital gains taxes; and contributors to 401(k)
retirement accounts.
To pay for itself, the bill stakes a claim on
nearly 80 percent of the $ 1 trillion budget surplus that is projected to
accumulate outside of Social Security over the next 10 years.
A yes vote
was to pass the bill.
YES NO YES NO Bob Graham * Connie Mack *
D-Miami Lakes R-Fort Myers
AMBASSADOR HOLBROOKE Voting 81 for and
16 against, the Senate confirmed Richard Holbrooke as U.S. ambassador to
the United Nations. A veteran diplomat, Holbrooke played a prominent role in
U.S. efforts that helped end war in Bosnia in 1995. Senate opposition to
his U.N. nomination was based, in part, on disagreement with his and the
administration's Balkan policy.
A yes vote was to confirm Holbrooke.
YES NO YES NO Bob Graham * Connie Mack *
ARTS ENDOWMENT
Voting 80 for and 16 against, the Senate approved extending the life of the
National Endowment for the Arts. The vote killed a bid to close the NEA by
eliminating its fiscal 2000 budget of $ 99 million. This occurred during
debate on a 2000 appropriations bill (HR 2466) that was later passed. The
NEA provides grants to artists within guidelines that discourage sexually
explicit projects.
A yes vote was to preserve the NEA.
YES NO
YES NO Bob Graham * Connie Mack *
Source: Thomas Reports
LOAD-DATE: August 9, 1999 
