My Votes – Week of March 9th
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.
Result and Date | Bill # | Bill Title | My Vote | What it means for you and your family |
3/11/2020
PASSED |
H.R. 6172 | USA FREEDOM Reauthorization Act of 2020 | NO | This bill reauthorizes Section 215 powers Congress established in the USA Patriot Act. Section 215 has been used for the unwarranted collection of phone records of millions in the United States. |
3/11/2020
PASSED |
S.J.Res. 68 | A joint resolution to direct the removal of United States Armed Forces from hostilities against the Islamic Republic of Iran that have not been authorized by Congress | NO | This bill would dangerously restrict the President’s powers in responding to threats posed by the Islamic Republic of Iran by terminating all usage of armed forces, including rapid response, against Iran’s government or military unless directed by Congress. |
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.
Result and Date | Bill # | Bill Title | My Vote | What it means for you and your family |
3/13/2020
PASSED |
H.R. 6201 | Families First Coronavirus Response Act | YES | This bipartisan bill supported by President Trump would guarantee free coronavirus testing, establishes paid leave, enhances unemployment insurance, expands food security initiatives, and increases federal Medicaid funding. |
3/9/2020
PASSED |
H.Res. 410 | Encouraging reunions of divided Korean-American Families | YES | This bill would encourage help for reunions of Korean-Americans and their relatives in North Korea in the light of the separated relatives on both sides being very elderly and rapidly dying off, to include finding and matching up relatives and encouraging the government of South Korea to include American citizens in their inter-Korean video reunions. |
3/9/2020
PASSED |
H.R. 1771 | Divided Families Reunification Act | YES | This bill directs the Department of State to consult with South Korea on potential opportunities to reunite Korean Americans with family in North Korea. It requires the State Department’s Special Envoy on North Korean Human Rights Issues to periodically consult with representatives of Korean Americans with family in North Korea on reunification efforts and periodically report to Congress on the progress of such consultations. The special envoy will also report to Congress on the possible use of video reunions between Korean Americans and their family in North Korea. |
3/10/2020
PASSED |
H.Res. 756 | Implementing recommendations adopted by the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress | YES | This bill would adopt the recommendations of the House Modernization subcommittee, including creating a centralized human resources program for House personnel, create a report on diversity and inclusion, examine updating the staff payroll system, changing the limitation on the number of employees a Member may have, improving new Member orientation, making cybersecurity training mandatory for House employees, improving the use of tech in offices, leveraging the House’s bulk purchasing power, improving accessibility to House websites and software, creating a database to track committee votes, standardizing legislative language, and other changes. |
3/11/2020
PASSED |
S. 760 | Support for Veterans in Effective Apprenticeships Act of 2019 | YES | This bill enables registered apprenticeship programs to better serve veterans. |