Capital Report:
How They Voted
How They Voted
Whose interests are our elected officials representing: the people—or the special interests?
Too many voters haven’t got a clue, relying only on officials’ own newsletters that tout their best votes—often
conveniently leaving out bills on which their votes might be unpopular with the people who voted them into office.
Our Back Fence is shedding some light into those smoke-hazed back-rooms in Washington D.C. and Sacramento,
enabling you to keep up with what your elected officials are doing – and decide whether or not they deserve your
vote when it comes time for the next election.
We’ve chosen major bills listed by Vote-Smart.org, a nonpartisan organization, as well as key measures tracked by
public interest groups. Below are some of the most important recent bills—and how our representatives cast their
votes.
For details and information on more bills, visit www.vote-smart.org.
To find out how to reach your elected officials, check the “contact your legislators” link on our homepage.
CONGRESS
BILL & DESCRIPTION VOTES: VOTES: STATUS
CONGRESSMAN CONGRESSMAN
DUNCAN HUNTER BOB FILNER
H.R. 2956: Redeployment from Iraq No Yes Passed House
Requires reduction of U.S. military
forces in Iraq to a limited level by
April 1, 2008.
S.5: Stem Cell Research Act of 2007 No Yes Passed by
Would allow stem cells from embryos Congress;
otherwise discarded by fertility clinics to Vetoed by
be used for research seeking cures for Pres. Bush conditions such as diabetes and
Alzheimer’s.
HR 3043: Appropriations to fund No Did not vote Passed House
Depts. of Labor, Health & Human
Services, & Education. Bans funds for
goods made from forced child labor;
increases Pell Grants for college students,
funds rural hospitals, funds energy assistance
and childcare for low-income people, bans
funding for abortions, funds abstinence
education through Head Start.
HR 2669: Increases funds for student loans No Yes Passed House
and offers loan forgiveness to people who
have suffered 20 years of economic
hardships or who take jobs as teachers,
nurses, or certain other public service
occupations.
HR 1851: Changes housing voucher Yes Yes Passed House
program; creates program to assist low-
income families with housing and creates
incentives to obtain employment.
HR 980: Allow collective bargaining Yes Yes Passed House
for public safety officers.
H. Amendment 197: Requires that all No Yes Passed House
prisoners in Guantanamo Bay Prison
be charged with a crime, transferred,
or released. (Prisoners have been held
for six years, since 9/11.)
U.S. SENATE
VOTES: VOTES:
SENATOR SENATOR
BARBARA DIANE
BILL & DESCRIPTION BOXER FEINSTEIN STATUS
HR 2669: Increase student loans Yes Yes d Senate
(see description above)
S Amdnt.1333: Denies entry to Yes Yes Amendment
immigrants with criminal adopted by
backgrounds of committing Senate
serious crimes
S. Amend. 1519: Makes oil Yes Yes Amendment
cartels illegal and prevents foreign adopted by
states that enter into cartels from Senate
claiming sovereign immunity in
U.S. courts
CALIFORNIA STATE ASSEMBLY
VOTES:
ASSEMBLYMAN
BILL & DESCRIPTION JOEL ANDERSON STATUS
SB 180 No Passed
Makes it easier for farm workers Assembly
to engage in collective bargaining 46-33
AB 1470
Solar Hot Water & Efficiency Act No Passed
Allocates $250 million for installation Assembly
Of 250,000 solar hot water heaters by 2017 44-34
.
AB 35 No Passed
Requires establishment of green Assembly
Building standards for construction and 46-33
renovation of state government buildings
CALIFORNIA STATE SENATE
Votes:
Senator Dennis
Bill & Description Hollingsworth Status
SB 456 No Passed
Bans diacetyl, a vapor used in microwave Senate
Popcorn, pancake syrup, cakes, candies, 22-18
Frozen foods and other products. Diacetyl
has been linked to lung illness
SB 840 No Passed but
Establish universal healthcare for all vetoed by
Californians to assure access to Governor
healthcare for everyone
Schwarzenegger
SB 1019
Grants public access to record of No Passed
investigations into police
misconduct
Too many voters haven’t got a clue, relying only on officials’ own newsletters that tout their best votes—often
conveniently leaving out bills on which their votes might be unpopular with the people who voted them into office.
Our Back Fence is shedding some light into those smoke-hazed back-rooms in Washington D.C. and Sacramento,
enabling you to keep up with what your elected officials are doing – and decide whether or not they deserve your
vote when it comes time for the next election.
We’ve chosen major bills listed by Vote-Smart.org, a nonpartisan organization, as well as key measures tracked by
public interest groups. Below are some of the most important recent bills—and how our representatives cast their
votes.
For details and information on more bills, visit www.vote-smart.org.
To find out how to reach your elected officials, check the “contact your legislators” link on our homepage.
CONGRESS
BILL & DESCRIPTION VOTES: VOTES: STATUS
CONGRESSMAN CONGRESSMAN
DUNCAN HUNTER BOB FILNER
H.R. 2956: Redeployment from Iraq No Yes Passed House
Requires reduction of U.S. military
forces in Iraq to a limited level by
April 1, 2008.
S.5: Stem Cell Research Act of 2007 No Yes Passed by
Would allow stem cells from embryos Congress;
otherwise discarded by fertility clinics to Vetoed by
be used for research seeking cures for Pres. Bush conditions such as diabetes and
Alzheimer’s.
HR 3043: Appropriations to fund No Did not vote Passed House
Depts. of Labor, Health & Human
Services, & Education. Bans funds for
goods made from forced child labor;
increases Pell Grants for college students,
funds rural hospitals, funds energy assistance
and childcare for low-income people, bans
funding for abortions, funds abstinence
education through Head Start.
HR 2669: Increases funds for student loans No Yes Passed House
and offers loan forgiveness to people who
have suffered 20 years of economic
hardships or who take jobs as teachers,
nurses, or certain other public service
occupations.
HR 1851: Changes housing voucher Yes Yes Passed House
program; creates program to assist low-
income families with housing and creates
incentives to obtain employment.
HR 980: Allow collective bargaining Yes Yes Passed House
for public safety officers.
H. Amendment 197: Requires that all No Yes Passed House
prisoners in Guantanamo Bay Prison
be charged with a crime, transferred,
or released. (Prisoners have been held
for six years, since 9/11.)
U.S. SENATE
VOTES: VOTES:
SENATOR SENATOR
BARBARA DIANE
BILL & DESCRIPTION BOXER FEINSTEIN STATUS
HR 2669: Increase student loans Yes Yes d Senate
(see description above)
S Amdnt.1333: Denies entry to Yes Yes Amendment
immigrants with criminal adopted by
backgrounds of committing Senate
serious crimes
S. Amend. 1519: Makes oil Yes Yes Amendment
cartels illegal and prevents foreign adopted by
states that enter into cartels from Senate
claiming sovereign immunity in
U.S. courts
CALIFORNIA STATE ASSEMBLY
VOTES:
ASSEMBLYMAN
BILL & DESCRIPTION JOEL ANDERSON STATUS
SB 180 No Passed
Makes it easier for farm workers Assembly
to engage in collective bargaining 46-33
AB 1470
Solar Hot Water & Efficiency Act No Passed
Allocates $250 million for installation Assembly
Of 250,000 solar hot water heaters by 2017 44-34
.
AB 35 No Passed
Requires establishment of green Assembly
Building standards for construction and 46-33
renovation of state government buildings
CALIFORNIA STATE SENATE
Votes:
Senator Dennis
Bill & Description Hollingsworth Status
SB 456 No Passed
Bans diacetyl, a vapor used in microwave Senate
Popcorn, pancake syrup, cakes, candies, 22-18
Frozen foods and other products. Diacetyl
has been linked to lung illness
SB 840 No Passed but
Establish universal healthcare for all vetoed by
Californians to assure access to Governor
healthcare for everyone
Schwarzenegger
SB 1019
Grants public access to record of No Passed
investigations into police
misconduct
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