House votes
Democratic Reps. Mike Michaud and Chellie Pingree
Vote 1: Military operations in Libya: The House has rejected a resolution (HJ Res 68), sponsored by Rep. Alcee Hastings, D-Fla., that would have authorized military operations in Libya that did not involve the use of ground troops. Hastings said the resolution would “prevent the kind of open-ended, indefinite military commitments we have elsewhere in the world,” including Afghanistan and Iraq. An opponent, Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Fla., said it “would enable mission creep, rather than setting clear parameters for U.S. engagement” in Libya by restricting the president’s authority to use force there. The vote, on June 24, was 123 yeas to 295 nays.
NAYS: Michaud, Pingree
Vote 2: Funding military operations in Libya: The House has rejected a bill (HR 2278), sponsored by Rep. Thomas J. Rooney, R-Fla., that would have restricted funding for the use of military force in Libya. Rooney said the restriction would prevent President Obama from being “able to pick fights around the world without any debate from another branch of government” on whether military operations overseas were appropriate. An opponent, Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., said the restriction would threaten a limited mission to support democracy in Libya that would have benefits for the U.S. campaign against al-Qaida terrorists. The vote, on June 24, was 180 yeas to 238 nays.
YEAS: Michaud, Pingree
Senate votes
Republican Sens. Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe
Vote 1: Confirming Deputy Attorney General: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of James Michael Cole to serve as Deputy Attorney General following his recess appointment to the position in January. A supporter, Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., said Cole, who had substantial experience and numerous endorsements from Republicans and Democrats, “understands both sides of the street and is smart and tenacious, and is a person of unquestioned honor and integrity.” An opponent, Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, criticized the recess appointment and said Cole would support civilian prosecution of high-ranking terrorists. He criticized Cole for failing to seek greater efficiencies in grant programs at Justice in his time as Deputy Attorney General thus far, and found fault with Cole for his performance as independent monitor of AIG after the government bailout of the insurance giant. The vote, on June 28, was 55 yeas to 42 nays.
YEAS: Collins
NAYS: Snowe
Vote 2: Revoking lending authority to IMF: The Senate has rejected an amendment sponsored by Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., to the Presidential Appointment Efficiency and Streamlining Act (S 679). The amendment would have repealed authority for the International Monetary Fund to access a $100 billion credit line provided by the U.S. DeMint said that with the U.S. in dire fiscal straits, there was “no excuse for giving away money around the world” through aid provided by the IMF “when we cannot even keep our promises here in America” to seniors and veterans. The vote, on June 29, was 44 yeas to 55 nays.
YEAS: Collins, Snowe
Vote 3: Confirming public affairs officials: The Senate has rejected an amendment sponsored by Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., to the Presidential Appointment Efficiency and Streamlining Act (S 679). The amendment would have required nominations for eight public affairs positions at federal agencies to be approved by the Senate. DeMint said the public affairs officials “need to be accountable to us and we need to make sure they respond to the American people.” An opponent, Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, said confirmation was not needed for the officials, who did not make policy and did not have control over government funds. The vote, on June 29, was 25 yeas to 74 nays.
YEAS: Snowe
NAYS: Collins
Vote 4: Streamlining presidential nominations: The Senate has passed the Presidential Appointment Efficiency and Streamlining Act (S 679), sponsored by Sen. Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y. The bill would reduce the number of presidential nominees to positions at government agencies requiring confirmation by the Senate. Schumer said it “will help our government function better” by removing unnecessary confirmation votes and giving committees more time to focus “on improving the everyday life of Americans.” The vote, on June 29, was 79 yeas to 20 nays.
YEAS: Collins, Snowe
Vote 5: Duplicative government programs: The Senate has rejected an amendment sponsored by Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., to a resolution (SRes 116) to expedite consideration of certain presidential nominations. The amendment would have required the Congressional Research Service to analyze whether legislation to create new federal programs would duplicate existing federal initiatives. Coburn said the analysis would show Congress “the duplication and inefficiency, the lack of direction, and the lack of pointed purpose to get an end result in program after program,” and therefore avoid wasteful spending. The vote, on June 29, was 63 yeas to 34 nays, with a two-thirds majority required for approval.
YEAS: Collins, Snowe
Vote 6: Expediting review of nominations: The Senate has agreed to a resolution (SRes 116), sponsored by Sen. Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y., to expedite consideration of certain presidential nominations for officials at federal agencies. Schumer said the resolution would free up Senate committees to spend time “on other nominees or on other legislation to improve the condition, for instance, of our middle class,” by streamlining the review of nominations. The vote, on June 29, was 89 yeas to 8 nays.
YEAS: Collins, Snowe
Vote 7: Confirming CIA director: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Army Gen. David Petraeus (Ret.) to serve as director of Central Intelligence. A supporter, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., praised Petraeus’s effectiveness as a general directing counterinsurgency military campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan and his 37 years of military service, and said he was “among the finest military officers and strategic thinkers of his generation.” The vote, on June 30, was unanimous with 94 yeas.
YEAS: Collins, Snowe
Compiled by Targeted News Service for the Bangor Daily News