Here’s how area House and Senate members voted on major issues during the legislative week ending Oct. 27. See the nonpartisan VoteFacts.com for more information on top congressional issues and individual voting records. Click here for previous votes.
Michael Lawler (R), District 17 (including Philipstown)
Lawler, 37, was elected to Congress in 2022. From 2021 to 2022, he was a Republican member of the state Assembly from the 97th district in Rockland County. A graduate of Suffern High School, he holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting and finance from Manhattan College. He is a former director of the state Republican Party and former deputy town supervisor of Orangetown.
Pat Ryan (D), District 18 (including Beacon)
Ryan, 41, was elected to Congress in 2022. Formerly the county executive of Ulster, he grew up in Kingston and holds a bachelor’s degree in international politics from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and a master’s degree in security studies from Georgetown. Ryan served in the U.S. Army as a combat intelligence officer from 2004 to 2009, including two tours in Iraq. He is also a former technology executive.
Mike Johnson Elected House Speaker
Republicans on Oct. 25 elected Mike Johnson, a four-term GOP representative from Louisiana as the 56th speaker of the House. Johnson, who aided Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election, drew support from all 220 Republicans who voted. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) was backed by all 209 Democrats who voted. The four members not voting were Republican Derrick Van Orden of Wisconsin and Democrats Brendan Boyle of Pennsylvania, Lou Correa of California and Vicente Gonzalez of Texas.
Johnson’s elevation to speaker, which puts him second in the line of presidential succession, followed three weeks of Republican infighting after the removal of former Speaker Kevin McCarthy instigated by far-right lawmakers. Johnson, who is considered more conservative than McCarthy on social issues, favors a federal ban on abortions after six weeks of pregnancy with virtually no exceptions, opposes federal funding of gender-affirming care for children and supports federal and state laws that prohibit same-sex marriage, among other stands.
After the 2020 presidential election, Johnson took the lead in soliciting House GOP signatures in support of a Texas lawsuit asking the Supreme Court to decertify the electoral votes of Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, all states won by Joe Biden. The court declined to hear the case. Weeks later, when Congress reconvened after the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol by Trump supporters, Johnson was among more than 100 House Republicans who voted without success to decertify Pennsylvania and Arizona electoral votes for Biden and have the results reviewed by GOP-controlled legislatures.
Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) said: “A man of deep faith, [Johnson] epitomizes what it means to be a servant leader. A deeply respected constitutional lawyer, Mike has dedicated his life to preserving America’s great principles of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness…. Americans fundamentally understand that the federal government has been illegally weaponized against we the people, shredding the Constitution, targeting conservatives and parents…. The people are looking to this great chamber to save America and save America we will.”
Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.) said: “This has been about one thing. This has been about who can appease Donald Trump. House Republicans have put their names behind someone [Johnson] who has been called the most important architect of the electoral college objections. He spearheaded the legal effort, joined by more than 100 of our colleagues on the other side of the aisle, in support of a dangerous and baseless lawsuit to overturn the results of the 2020 election.”
Michael Lawler (R-17, including Philipstown) voted for Johnson
Pat Ryan (D-18, including Beacon) voted for Jeffries
Supporting Israel, Condemning Hamas
Voting 412 for and 10 against, the House on Oct. 25 adopted a resolution (H Res 771) declaring the U.S. is “standing with Israel as it defends itself against the barbaric war launched by Hamas and other terrorists.” The measure also condemned Iran’s support for terrorist groups including Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad while affirming Israel’s right to defend itself and America’s continuing military, intelligence and diplomatic support of Israel.
Members voting no were Republican Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Democrats Delia Ramirez of Illinois, Jamaal Bowman and Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Cori Bush of Missouri, Andre Carson of Indiana, Al Green of Texas, Summer Lee of Pennsylvania, Ilhan Omar of Minnesota and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan.
Six members, all Democrats, avoided taking a stand by answering “present.” They were Greg Casar of Texas, Joaquin Castro of Texas, Pramila Jayapal of Washington, Jesus Garcia of Illinois, Nydia Velazquez of New York and Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts.
Michael McCaul (R-Texas) said the measure “condemns in the strongest possible terms the atrocities of Hamas and reiterates Israel’s right to defend herself, along with America’s unwavering support for the state of Israel. All roads lead back to Iran. Their fingerprints are all over this attack. They have consistently funded Hamas and other Palestinian groups to the tune of $100 million per year.”
No member spoke against the resolution during floor debate.
Andre Carson (D-Ind.) called the resolution “horribly one-sided” in written comments in the Congressional Record. He added: “By failing to acknowledge the growing loss of Palestinian lives or that all Palestinians are not Hamas, this resolution creates further division…. We must defend our Jewish brothers and sisters from antisemitism. Muslims must also be defended from Islamophobia and not have their patriotism questioned because they believe in justice for Palestinians.”
A yes vote was to adopt the resolution.
Michael Lawler (R-17, including Philipstown) voted yes
Pat Ryan (D-18, including Beacon) voted yes
SENATE
Guns for Mentally Impaired Veterans
Voting 53 for and 45 against, the Senate on Oct. 25 adopted an amendment that would restore the gun rights of individuals judged by the Department of Veterans Affairs to be so mentally impaired that they cannot manage their own veterans’ benefits. By law, the department must appoint a fiduciary to manage their benefits. The department also must report the individual’s name to the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check (NICS) system, which disqualifies the individual from purchasing a firearm because of his or her mental condition. This amendment would ban funding to carry out the NICS reporting requirement. The amendment was added to a bill (HR 4366), later passed, that would provide appropriations for agencies including the departments of Veterans Affairs and Transportation in fiscal 2024.
John Kennedy (R-La.) said “We shouldn’t take away a person’s gun without a judge — not a bureaucrat at the VA — ruling that person to be mentally incompetent.”
Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) said: “One-third of the veterans we are talking about in this category are diagnosed schizophrenics, and this amendment allows for every single one of them to have their gun rights restored.”
A yes vote was to adopt the amendment.
Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) voted no
Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) voted no
Defunding COVID Mask Mandates
Voting 59 for and 38 against, the Senate on Oct. 25 adopted an amendment that would prohibit the Department of Transportation and agencies, including Amtrak, from requiring masks to be worn to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Applying to surface but not airborne transportation, the amendment was added to a bill (HR 4366), later passed, that would provide appropriations for agencies including the departments of Transportation and Veterans Affairs in fiscal 2024.
J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) said: “If people want to wear masks, of course, they should be able to. But if people don’t want to wear masks on airplanes, on transit, they should have that option as well, and that is all that my amendment does…. I think it is reasonable to not ask the American people to reenter the era of mask mandates.”
Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) said “I don’t think President Biden or the head of Amtrak or [Transportation] Secretary Buttigieg or anyone else” is planning a mask mandate. But if a future COVID variant proves “10 times as virulent, 100 times as deadly and airborne, then I do think public health officials should be able to consult with agencies to try to figure out what measures ought to work.”
A yes vote was to adopt the amendment.
Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) voted no
Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) voted no
