WI Capitol Watch

Federal Bills of Interest & Voting Records in the 2010-2011 Legislative Session

We look mostly at state legislation, but the links below are to some of the federal legislative proposals introduced this session which began January 2010, that may be of interest to you.  Not all of the bills introduced are included in these listings. 

If you do not know who represents you, click on the
WHO IS MY LEGISLATOR link and it will take you to a site where you can find out.  Updated 1/31/11

                                          FEDERAL BILLS & VOTES
HR 2  Repealing the Job-Killing Health Care Law Act HOUSE VOTE 245-189
HR 3  No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act
HR 21  Reclaiming Individual Liberty Act
HR 514  To extend expiring provisions of the USA PATRIOT Improvement and Reauthorization Act of 2005 and Intelli-
               gence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 relating to access to business records, individual terrorists as
               agents of foreign powers, and roving wiretaps until December 8, 2011
HOUSE VOTE 277-148 (Required 2/3
               majority & failed to reach by 7 votes so did not pass)
HR 514 as amended  To extend expiring provisions of the USA PATRIOT Improvement and Reauthorization Act of 2005
               and Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 relating to access to business records, individual
               terrorists as agents of foreign powers, and roving wiretaps until December 8, 2011.  Obama is expected to sign.
                   
SEN VOTE 86-12  HOUSE VOTE 279-143  All WI Republicans & both Senators voted in favor
HR 217 Title X Abortion Provider Prohibition Act
HR 358  Protect Life Act
HR 822  National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act of 2011 HOUSE VOTE 272-154
HR 998 & S 555 Student Non-Discrimination Act of 2011
HR 1076  To prohibit Federal funding of National Public Radio and the use of Federal funds to acquire radio content
                     
HOUSE VOTE 228-192
HR 1540 & S 1867  National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 (See votes on S 1867 below)
HR 1800  FISA Sunsets Reauthorization Act of 2011- RENEW USA PATRIOT ACT FOR 6 MORE YEARS BY WI
         CONGRESSMAN JAMES SENSENBRENNER
HR 1954  To implement the President's request to increase the statutory limit on the public debt
                   
HOUSE DEFEATED 318-97
HR 2164  Legal Workforce Act
HR 2411 Reduce America's Debt Now Act of 2011
HR 3166 
Enemy Expatriation Act
HR 3261 (SOPA) Stop Online Piracy Act



H RES 22  Reducing the amount authorized for salaries and expenses of Member, committee, and leadership offices in
         2011 and 2012
HOUSE VOTE 408-13
H RES 26  Resolved, That upon adoption of this resolution it shall be in order to consider in the House the bill (H.R. 2) to
         repeal the job-killing health care law and health care-related provisions
HOUSE VOTE 236-181
H.J.RES. 2  Proposing a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution of the United States 
                       11/18/11 Failed on
HOUSE VOTE 261-165 (2/3 vote needed to pass)
H.J.RES 48  Additional Continuing Appropriations Amendments, 2011 Three weeks spending bill to keep from shutting
        down government 
HOUSE VOTE 271-158  SENATE VOTE 87-13
H J RES 98  Relating to the disapproval of the President's exercise of authority to increase the debt limit, as
         submitted under section 3101A of title 31, United States Code, on January 12, 2012
                           
HOUSE VOTE 239-176   SENATE VOTE 44-52
HR 2560  Cut, Cap, and Balance Act of 2011 HOUSE VOTE 234-190



S 91  Life at Conception Act
S 93  To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow expenses relating to all home schools to be qualified education
          expenses for purposes of a Coverdell education savings account
S 94  Home School Opportunities Make Education Sound Act of 2011
S 141 To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to expand the Coverdell education savings accounts to allow home
           school education expenses, and for other purposes
S 176  Common Sense Concealed Firearms Permit Act of 2011
S 365  Budget Control Act of 2011 SEN VOTE 74-26  HOUSE VOTE  269-161 SIGNED BY OBAMA 8/2/11
   
6 Republican Members of the new debt-reduction supercommittee are as follows: Rep Jeb Hensarling from TX; Rep Dave Camp from MI; Rep Fred Upton from MI; Sen Joh Kyl from AZ; Sen Pat Toomey from PA; and Sen Rob Portman from OH.  The 6 Democrat members are Sen Patty Murray from WA; Sen John Kerry from MA; Sen Max Baucus from MT; and the 3 members from Congress have yet to be named.  The 12 members will have to approve a debt-cutting plan before it can be sent to Congress for a vote.  This means at least on lawmaker must agree to a plan backed by the opposite party.  The committee has until Thanksgiving to complete its work and Congress has until Christmas to vote on it.  This should be more than interesting!
S 555 & HR 998 Student Non-Discrimination Act of 2011
S 990  Patriot Sunsets Extension Act of 2011 (Enrolled Bill [Final as Passed Both House and Senate]
              HOUSE VOTE 250-153   SEN VOTE 72-23  ACT BY PRES OBAMA  All Republicans from WI voted
              in favor of this unconstitutional extension of an unconstitutional act

S 627.EAH 
Budget Control Act of 2011 HOUSE VOTE 218-210  SEN VOTE TO TALBE 59-41
S 968 
PROTECT IP Act of 2011
S 1867 & HR 1540 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012  S 1867 SEN VOTE 93-7
   
HR 1540 HOUSE VOTE 322-96  HR 1540 CONFERENCE REPORT HOUSE VOTE 283-136  SEN VOTE 86-13
   
SIGNED BY PRESIDENT OBAMA 12/31/11


RELATED ITEMS
ACTA TREATY (ANTI-COUNTERFEITING TRADE AGREEMENT)
HR 3261
(SOPA) Stop Online Piracy Act
S 968  PROTECT IP Act of 2011

The following are links to US Federal Government Sites which may be helpful to use in researching federal issues
U.S. SENATE                 U.S. HOUSE                   U.S. WHITEHOUSE