Congress Votes | News | albanyherald.com

OCEAN ACIDIFICATION: The House has passed the Coastal Communities Ocean Acidification Act (H.R. 676) sponsored by Rep. Chellie Pingree, D-Maine. The bill would require the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to work with state and local governments to assess the acidification of oceans and other waterways, and develop responses to acidification. The vote, on May 9, was 351 yeas to 58 nays.

NAYS: Loudermilk R-GA (11th), Clyde R-GA (9th), McCormick R-GA (6th)

YEAS: Bishop D-GA (2nd), Allen R-GA (12th), Scott, Austin R-GA (8th), Scott, David D-GA (13th), McBath D-GA (7th), Carter R-GA (1st), Johnson D-GA (4th), Williams D-GA (5th), Collins R-GA (10th)

NOT VOTING: Ferguson R-GA (3rd)

WEATHER PREDICTION COMPUTING: The House has passed the Advanced Weather Model Computing Development Act (H.R. 1715) sponsored by Rep. Max Miller, R-Ohio. The bill would direct the Energy Department and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to do research on using machine learning and computing to improve prediction of the weather and climate. The vote, on May 9, was 356 yeas to 50 nays.

YEAS: Loudermilk R-GA (11th), Bishop D-GA (2nd), Scott, Austin R-GA (8th), Scott, David D-GA (13th), McBath D-GA (7th), Carter R-GA (1st), Johnson D-GA (4th), Williams D-GA (5th), Collins R-GA (10th)

NAYS: Allen R-GA (12th), Clyde R-GA (9th), McCormick R-GA (6th)

NOT VOTING: Ferguson R-GA (3rd)

BORDER SECURITY: The House has passed the Secure the Border Act (H.R. 2) sponsored by Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, R-Fla. The bill would require the resumption of construction of a wall at the border with Mexico, limit asylum claims by persons seeking U.S. residency, increase penalties for overstaying a residency visa, and bar the Homeland Security Department from processing the entry of foreigners who arrive in the U.S. other than at a port of entry. The vote, on May 11, was 219 yeas to 213 nays.

YEAS: Loudermilk R-GA (11th), Allen R-GA (12th), Scott, Austin R-GA (8th), Clyde R-GA (9th), Greene R-GA (14th), Carter R-GA (1st), Ferguson R-GA (3rd), McCormick R-GA (6th), Collins R-GA (10th)

NAYS: Bishop D-GA (2nd), Scott, David D-GA (13th), McBath D-GA (7th), Johnson D-GA (4th), Williams D-GA (5th)

UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS: The House has passed the Protecting Taxpayers and Victims of Unemployment Fraud Act (H.R. 1163) sponsored by Rep. Jason Smith, R-Mo., to provide various financial incentives for states to recover excessive unemployment insurance benefits issued during COVID lockdowns, and expand to 10 years the period for recovering erroneously paid benefits. The vote, on May 11, was 230 yeas to 200 nays.

YEAS: Loudermilk R-GA (11th), Allen R-GA (12th), Scott, Austin R-GA (8th), Clyde R-GA (9th), Greene R-GA (14th), Carter R-GA (1st), Ferguson R-GA (3rd), McCormick R-GA (6th), Collins R-GA (10th)

NAYS: Bishop D-GA (2nd), Scott, David D-GA (13th), McBath D-GA (7th), Johnson D-GA (4th), Williams D-GA (5th)

IDENTIFYING ILLICIT DRUGS: The House has passed the Testing, Rapid Analysis, and Narcotic Quality Research Act (H.R. 1734) sponsored by Rep. Mike Collins, R-Ga., to require the National Institute of Standards and Technology to fund research into the potential use of methods to identify xylazine, a veterinary tranquilizer drug also known as tranq, novel synthetic opioids, and other illicit drugs that pose health concerns. The vote, on May 11, was unanimous with 425 yeas.

YEAS: Entire Georgia delegation, except Johnson D-GA (4th), who did not vote.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of L. Felice Gorordo to be the U.S. Alternate Executive Director of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development for a two-year term. Gorordo has been a CEO of multiple technology companies involved in immigration and entrepreneurship, as well as a government official during the George W. Bush and Obama administrations. The vote, on May 10, was 52 yeas to 45 nays.

YEAS: Ossoff D-GA, Warnock D-GA

SPECIAL EDUCATION: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Glenna Laureen Wright-Gallo to be the Education Department’s Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services. The vote, on May 10, was 52 yeas to 44 nays.

YEAS: Ossoff D-GA, Warnock D-GA

NATIONAL ARCHIVIST: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Colleen Shogan to the Archivist of the United States. The archivist manages the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), which stores federal government documents considered to be of permanent importance. Shogan is a senior official at the White House Historical Association; previously, she worked at the Library of Congress, Congressional Research Service, and the Senate. The vote, on May 10, was 52 yeas to 45 nays.

YEAS: Ossoff D-GA, Warnock D-GA

WOMEN’S ISSUES DIPLOMAT: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Geeta Rao Gupta to be the U.S. Ambassador at Large for Global Women’s Issues. Gupta, currently a senior fellow at the U.N. Foundation, is also co-chair of a World Health Organization advisory committee on health emergencies. The vote, on May 10, was 51 yeas to 47 nays.

YEAS: Ossoff D-GA, Warnock D-GA

ENDANGERED SPECIES REGULATION: The Senate has passed a resolution (S.J. Res. 23) sponsored by Sen. Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo., to disapprove of and void a 2022 National Marine Fisheries Service rule regulating the listing of endangered and threatened species, and critical habitat for those species.  The vote, on May 11, was 51 yeas to 49 nays.

NAYS: Ossoff D-GA, Warnock D-GA

LONG-EARED BAT: The Senate has passed a resolution (S.J. Res. 24) sponsored by Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., to disapprove of and void a Fish and Wildlife Service rule listing the northern long-eared bat as an endangered species. The vote, on May 11, was 51 yeas to 49 nays.

NAYS: Ossoff D-GA, Warnock D-GA