Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Pete Sessions votes "no" to Native Hawaiians, Children's Health

Pete Sessions voted "no" to the Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Acts, and "no" to reauthorization of SCHIP. From Congress.Org:

Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act
Vote Passed (261-153, 18 Not Voting)
The House passed H.R. 505, to express the policy of the United States regarding the United States relationship with Native Hawaiians and to provide a process for the recognition by the United States of the Native Hawaiian governing entity, by a yea-and-nay vote of 261 yeas to 153 nays, Roll No. 1000. Pete Sessions voted "no."

Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act
Vote Passed (265-142, 26 Not Voting)
A new bill to reauthorize and expand the State Children’s Health Insurance Program was passed by the House, a week after the chamber failed to override President Bush’s veto of the previous version of the bill. See H.R. 3963, "to amend title XXI of the Social Security Act to extend and improve the Children's Health Insurance Program." See Roll No. 1009. Pete Sessions voted "no."

Monday, October 22, 2007

Pete Sessions votes "no" to Railroad Safety, Poor Kids

Once again, Pete Sessions was among a slim minority of House members who voted against the Federal Railroad Safety Improvement Act (H.R. 2095), to prevent railroad fatalities, injuries, and hazardous materials releases and to authorize the Federal Railroad Safety Administration. The bill passed 377-38, with 16 not voting (See Roll Call 980).

Pete Sessions also helped Bush sustain his veto of the S-CHIP bill, voting against expanding the program to cover more low-income kids (See H.R. 976, Roll Call 982). The House was short 13 votes necessary to override Bush's veto.

Monday, October 15, 2007

Pete Sessions Votes "no" to Affordable Housing, Responsible Tax Collection

Not surprisingly, Pete Sessions voted no to H.R. 2895 "to establish the National Affordable Housing Trust Fund in the Treasury of the United States to provide for the construction, rehabilitation, and preservation of decent, safe, and affordable housing for low-income families." The bill passed 264-148 (see Roll Call 958).

In keeping with his recent votes against accountability, Pete Sessions voted against the Tax Collection Responsibility Act, H.R. 3056, which prohibits the Internal Revenue Service from using private debt collection companies. The bill passed 232-173 (see Roll Call 960).

Pete Sessions says "no" to accountability

In two recent votes, Pete Sessions was part of a slim minority of who voted "no" to government accountability and "no" to holding private security firms accountable for criminal behavior, while working on Federal contracts.

Pete Sessions was one of only 30 who voted no to H.R. 2740, which brings independent contractors under the jurisdiction of U.S. law, same as the military. This was aimed directly at Blackwater, a State Department contractor, which may have been responsible for the deaths of Iraqi civilians.

The bill passed with overwhelming bipartisan support (see Roll Call 940).

Another bipartisan vote in favor of accountability was H.R. 928, the "Improving Government Accountability Act," which will protect the inspectors general within every government department from political interference while providing more oversight of their actions.

Pete Sessions was one of only 11 who voted against this bill (see Roll Call 937).