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Week Ending Sept. 15
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Voting Archives |
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1. Earmarks Disclosure: Members adopted, 245-171, a measure (H
Res 1003) requiring many of the "earmarks" in spending and
tax bills to be identified along with their sponsors. A yes
vote was to add openness to the secretive practice of
members` directing benefits to their pet projects.
2. Port & Rail Security: Senators passed, 98-0, a bill that,
in part, requires radiation-detection gear at the 22
busiest seaports by January 2008, increases scrutiny of
U.S.-bound containers in foreign ports and allocates
federal funds on the basis of risk. A yes vote was to pass
HR 4954.
3. Nuclear Cargo: Senators killed, 61-37, an amendment to HR
4954 (above) requiring that within four years all
containers arriving at U.S. ports be scanned for nuclear
weapons. A yes vote was to kill the proposal on grounds
that 100 percent scanning is not achievable any time soon.
more
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From Senate debate Sept. 14 on an amendment requiring all cargo containers arriving at U.S. ports -- about 11 million annually -- to be scanned for nuclear weapons (Issue 3, at left).
"I hope, I pray we can have a broad bipartisan majority for this amendment because -- coming from New York, I feel this keenly -- we do not want to be in the `what if' situation…a nuclear weapon has been smuggled in on a container and
exploded on our shores." -- Charles Schumer, D-N.Y.
"I do not think it is practical at this point to require 100 percent scanning of 11 million containers coming into this country. And it ignores the very real improvements that are included in the underlying bill." -- Susan Collins,
R-Maine
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