Voterama in Congress, week ending June 1, 2012

How Illinois lawmakers voted in Congress Week ending June 1

Updated: June 8, 2012 11:38AM

Gender-Based Abortions: Members failed, 246-168, to reach a two-thirds majority for passing a bill making it a crime for doctors to perform abortions thought to be based on the sex of the fetus. A yes vote backed HR 3541 over arguments it would allow police to interfere with women’s constitutional privacy rights.

Prescription Drugs: Members approved, 387-5, $6.4 billion in Food and Drug Administration fees on firms that seek approval of new drugs, medical devices and biotechnology products. A yes vote backed a bill (HR 5651) that increases FDA scrutiny of foreign plants that make drugs sold in the United States.

2013 Intelligence Budget: Members passed, 386-28, an estimated $80 billion budget for U.S. civilian and military intelligence agencies in fiscal 2013. A yes vote backed a bill requiring the director of national intelligence to report to Congress on the consequences of any U.S. attack on Iran.

Military Construction, Veterans: Members approved, 407-12, $60.7 billion in discretionary spending and $74.6 billion in mandatory spending for the Department of Veterans Affairs in fiscal 2013. A yes vote backed a bill that also would provide $11 billion for military construction in 2013.

Electric vs. Fossil Fuels: Members refused,139-245, to shift $50 million from Department of Energy fossil-fuels programs to accounts for developing electric-powered vehicles. A yes vote backed an amendment to an energy appropriations bill for fiscal 2013 that remained in debate. (HR 5325)

Key votes ahead

In the week of June 3, the House will take up the Department of Homeland Security’s 2013 budget and a bill to repeal the 2010 health law’s tax on medical devices, while the Senate will debate the Paycheck Fairness Act to even pay disparities between males and females.

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