HOW'D THEY VOTE? (April 30, 2012)

April 30, 2012
In this MegaVote for Kansas' 3rd Congressional District and Missouri's 5th Congressional District:

Recent Congressional Votes

• Senate: 21st Century Postal Service Act of 2012
• Senate: Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2011
• House: Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act
• House: Interest Rate Reduction Act

Editor's Note: The Senate and House are in recess this week. They will return on Monday, May 7.

Recent Senate Votes

21st Century Postal Service Act of 2012 - Vote Passed (62-37, 1 Not Voting)

The Senate passed its U.S. Postal Service overhaul bill. The bill seeks to trim the workforce by about 100,000 employees through attrition and delays efforts to eliminate Saturday delivery and close some post offices. The House has yet to pass its version of the bill. The postmaster estimates the agency needs to trim $22 billion in operating costs to remain in business.

Sen. Pat Roberts voted YES
Sen. Jerry Moran voted YES

Sen. Roy Blunt voted YES 
Sen. Claire McCaskill voted YES

Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2011 - Vote Passed (68-31, 1 Not Voting)

The Senate voted to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act for another five years. The 1994 law gives federal law enforcement agencies tools to combat crime against women. The reauthorization adds provisions relating to Native American and immigrant women, and sexual orientation. The House is likely to pass a bill similar to the current authorization.

Sen. Pat Roberts voted NO 
Sen. Jerry Moran voted NO 

Sen. Roy Blunt voted NO 
Sen. Claire McCaskill voted YES

Recent House Votes

Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act - Vote Passed (248-168, 15 Not Voting)

This House bill directs the Director of National Intelligence to develop procedures to share cyber-threat information on a voluntary basis between the government's intelligence community and the private sector. The White House has threatened to veto the bill.

Rep. Kevin Yoder voted YES 

Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II voted NO

Interest Rate Reduction Act - Vote Passed (215-195, 22 Not Voting)

The House passed this bill that would keep the interest rate for government-subsidized student loans at 3.4 percent. The rate is scheduled to rise to 6.8 percent on July 1, 2012. To offset the estimated $6 billion cost of maintaining the current interest rate, the bill would repeal the $12 billion Prevention and Public Health Fund which was created by the 2010 health care reform bill. The White House supports keeping the current interest rate, but has threatened to veto this bill.

Rep. Kevin Yoder voted YES 

Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II voted NO