My Votes – Week of December 5

RULE BILLS

A rule bill is a bill passed through a full House vote under a rule that has been voted and agreed upon by the Rules Committee. Rule bills require a simple majority of the House to pass (218 votes) through a recorded vote.

12/6/2022

H.R. 7946

Veteran Service Recognition Act of 2022

Passed  |  220-208
My Vote  |  NO

This legislation allows Secretary Mayorkas to provide lawful permanent resident status and halt the deportation of noncitizen veterans. This could include those convicted of violent crimes and retroactively readmit those who have been deported for serious felonies. This bill also gives the DHS Secretary authority to admit previously deported noncitizen veterans, waive the grounds for their deportation, including for noncitizens who have been removed because of serious felony convictions, and provide them with a green card and pathway to citizenship. Republicans offered several amendments that would close the loopholes, but all were rejected during the markup. After nearly two years of the Biden administration turning a blind eye to the crisis at our southern border, I believe we should be helping to to combat the overflow of illegal immigration and drugs coming into our country and there is an existing process for noncitizen veterans to be naturalized. For these reasons I voted against this legislation.

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12/8/2022

H.R. 8404

Respect for Marriage Act

Passed  |  258-169
My Vote  |  NO

This bill provides provides statutory authority for same-sex and interracial marriages. I believe the issue of the equal right to marriage for same-sex couples was already settled by the Supreme Court. In 2015, it was decided in Obergefell v. Hodges that all states must issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples and recognize same-sex marriages validly performed in other states. In the wake of the Supreme Court’s ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, however, House Democrats have falsely claimed the Court has plans to overturn these decisions. This is simply not true. For this reason, along with concerns about how this bill inadequately protects religious freedom, I opposed this legislation.

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SUSPENSION BILLS

A suspension bill is a bill passed by the House through suspending the rules to move quickly, circumventing the House Rules Committee. Suspension bills are typically less controversial pieces of legislation, and as the rules are being suspended, they require a higher threshold, two-thirds of those voting in the House, to pass. Additionally, these bills are often passed by a voice vote, without a formal roll call vote.

12/6/2022

S. 1617

Disaster Assistance for Rural Communities Act

Passed  |  406-8
My Vote  |  YES

This bill allows state governors to request disaster assistance directly from the Small Business Administration. This will help streamline the approval process, cutting through some of the bureaucratic red tape that prevents rural homeowners, renters, and small businesses from accessing disaster relief quickly.

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12/6/2022

S. 3875

Community Disaster Resilience Zones Act of 2022

Passed  |  333-92
My Vote  |  YES

This bill will ensure there is a strategic and data-driven approach to our nation’s response to extreme weather events and other emergencies. This will help identify which areas in Eastern Washington and across the country are most likely to be impacted and prepare our response before disaster strikes.

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12/6/2022

S. 2796

Rural Opioid Abuse Prevention Act

Passed  |  408-11
My Vote  |  YES

This legislation will make sure rural areas have access to the same resources larger cities may have in order to fight back against the opioid epidemic and combat the deadly surge of overdoses in America. Specifically, this bill will fill gaps in prevention, treatment, and recovery services for individuals in rural areas with funding for local governments and organizations that serve rural communities heavily impacted by opioid addiction and abuse.

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12/6/2022

S. 4834

PROTECT Our Children Act of 2022

Passed  |  421-1
My Vote  |  YES

This bill reauthorizes the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force Program, which is dedicated to investigating, prosecuting, and developing effective responses to internet crimes against children. The ICAC has done incredible work to combat child exploitation nationwide over the years, and this bill will allow that important work to continue and help protect kids from predators.

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12/1/2022

H.R. 5796

Patents for Humanity Act of 2022

Passed  |  396-24

My Vote  |  YES

This bill provides statutory authority for a program to award certificates that may be used to accelerate certain proceedings and applications at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO). The program established under this bill shall be treated as the successor to the existing Patents for Humanity program.

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12/6/2022

S. 4052

Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Act of 2022

Passed  |  408-17
My Vote  |  YES

This important legislation will help doctors and nurses detect, diagnose, and treat early hearing loss so parents and caregivers can take the steps necessary to support their child’s needs. The bill reauthorizes through FY2027 support for early detection methods and intervention programs that have played a tremendous role in helping many hearing-impaired children overcome their disability and reach their full potential.