Here is how Philadelphia-area members of Congress were recorded on major roll-call
votes last week:
House
• Mandatory sentences.The House on Wednesday passed, 375-45, a bill (HR
1751) increasing penalties for a range of crimes, including ones against federal judges and court personnel. It adds 16 mandatory
minimum sentences to the criminal code. The Judicial Conference of the United States, the policy body of the federal judiciary,
objected to the expansion of mandatory sentences, saying they deprive judges of needed flexibility to "provide proportionality
and fairness in punishment."
A yes vote was to pass the bill.
All Philadelphia-area representatives voted yes.
Senate
• Enemy combatants.Senators on Thursday voted, 49-42, to deny U.S. court
access to enemy combatants held by the U.S. military without charges at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The amendment to a military
spending bill (S 1042) would negate a 2004 Supreme Court ruling that permits these prisoners to file habeas corpus petitions
and lawsuits challenging the terms of their incarceration. The measure would void pending challenges and prohibit new ones.
A yes vote backed the amendment.
Voting no: Joseph R. Biden Jr. (D., Del.), Thomas Carper (D., Del.), Frank Lautenberg (D., N.J.), and Arlen Specter (R.,
Pa.)
Not voting: Jon Corzine (D., N.J.) and Rick Santorum (R., Pa.)
• Secret CIA prisons.Voting 82-9, the Senate on Thursday required the administration
to give the Senate Intelligence Committee a classified briefing on a secret network of CIA prisons, reportedly centered in
Eastern Europe, that was the subject of a recent Washington Post article. The amendment was added to S 1042 (above).
A yes vote backed the amendment.
Voting yes: Biden, Carper, Lautenberg and Specter.
Not voting: Corzine and Santorum.
• Prisoner treatment.Senators on Tuesday defeated, 43-55, an amendment to
S 1042 (above) to establish an independent commission on U.S. treatment of detainees since 9/11. The panel would examine areas
such as any past or present administration policies that sanction prisoner abuse, and the reported network of secret CIA prisons
overseas.
A yes vote backed an independent commission on prisoner abuse.
Voting yes: Biden, Carper and Lautenberg.
Voting no: Santorum and Specter.
Not voting: Corzine.
• Armed Forces broadcasts.Voting 44-54, senators on Tuesday defeated a measure
requiring the American Forces Network, which broadcasts to service personnel and dependents worldwide, to be balanced in its
political commentary. The amendment to S 1042 (above) addressed the fact that the network airs no commentators on the left
to balance its lineup of conservatives such as Rush Limbaugh and Dr. James Dobson. The amendment also sought to establish
an ombudsman to monitor the fairness of AFN programming.
A yes vote backed the amendment.
Voting yes: Biden, Carper and Lautenberg.
Voting no: Santorum and Specter.
Not voting: Corzine.
• Loose nuclear materials.Voting 37-60, senators on Tuesday defeated an
amendment to transfer $50 million in S 1042 (above) from the National Missile Defense to the Cooperative Threat Reduction
program, which secures loose nuclear weapons and materials against terrorists, mainly in the former Soviet Union.
A yes vote backed the amendment.
Voting yes: Biden and Carper.
Voting no: Santorum and Specter.
Not voting: Corzine and Lautenberg.
• Guard, Reserve pay.Voting 40-59, senators on Wednesday refused to provide
up to $3,000 a month in extra pay to Guard and Reserve members mobilized for at least six months. The amendment to S 1042
(above) would offset pay losses resulting from the loss of civilian paychecks. The added pay would be available to those with
a pay gap of at least $50 a month.
A yes vote backed the amendment.
Voting yes: Biden and Lautenberg.
Voting no: Carper, Santorum and Specter.
Not voting: Corzine.
Roll Call Report Syndicate in The Philadelphia Inquirer, Nov 13, 2005
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