Here is how our House members and New York’s two senators voted on select issues during the legislative weeks ending April 26, as reported by Targeted News Service. 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 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.
Border Enforcement Activities
The House, by a 215-199 vote on April 20, rejected the Transnational Criminal Organization Illicit Spotter Prevention and Elimination Act (H.R. 3602), sponsored by Rep. Juan Ciscomani (R-Ariz.). The bill would have established criminal penalties for intentionally hindering efforts by government workers to enforce immigration, customs, and drug laws at the U.S. border. Ciscomani said: “This bill does not just address a major national security weakness, it solves a crisis that millions of Americans already live with.” An opponent, Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), called it “an empty messaging bill that does absolutely nothing to reform our outdated immigration system.”
Michael Lawler (R-17, including Philipstown) voted yes
Pat Ryan (D-18, including Beacon) voted no
Reviewing Sanctions Against Iran
The House, by a 249-167 vote on April 20, passed an amendment sponsored by Rep. Zachary Nunn (R-Iowa) to the 21st Century Peace through Strength Act (H.R. 8038) to require the Treasury Department to send Congress reports on exemptions to sanctions levied against Iran. Nunn said the disclosures would give Congress knowledge required “to effectively ensure oversight and draft targeted legislation to ensure the Iranian regime doesn’t have access to the funds necessary for it to finance terror.” An amendment opponent, Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.), said it could put an onerous burden on Treasury, and Meeks also cited “concerns about business confidentiality.”
Michael Lawler (R-17, including Philipstown) voted yes
Pat Ryan (D-18, including Beacon) voted yes
Sanctions and TikTok Divestiture
The House on April 20, by a 360-58 vote, passed the 21st Century Peace through Strength Act (H.R. 8038), sponsored by Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas), to authorize sanctions against Russia and Iran, as well as restrictions against TikTok, unless the company is sold. McCaul said that along with discouraging U.S. adversaries, “this bill also protects Americans, especially our children, from the malign influence of the Chinese Communist Party-controlled TikTok. This app is a spy balloon in Americans’ phones.” An opponent, Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-Texas), said the sanctions would reward Israel’s government for using “American weapons to kill indiscriminately and to force famine, with over 25,000 women and children dead and tens of thousands of missiles and bombs levied on innocent civilians.”
Michael Lawler (R-17, including Philipstown) voted yes
Pat Ryan (D-18, including Beacon) voted yes
Aid to Taiwan
The House on April 20, by a 385-34 vote, passed the Indo-Pacific Security Supplemental Appropriations Act (H.R. 8036), sponsored by Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.), to provide $8.12 billion of emergency supplemental spending on support for Taiwan and other U.S. allies in East Asia. Cole said the aid for countries facing threats from China “is not only about safeguarding the ideals of democracy and peace, but it is also central to our own national security.”
Michael Lawler (R-17, including Philipstown) voted yes
Pat Ryan (D-18, including Beacon) voted yes
Restricting Aid to Ukraine
The House on April 20, by a 272-154 vote, rejected an amendment sponsored by Rep. Kat Cammack (R-Fla.), to the Ukraine Security Supplemental Appropriations Act (H.R. 8035) that would have eliminated non-military funding for Ukraine from the bill. Cammack cited pressing needs to reduce the deficit and respond to domestic U.S. problems in saying that narrowing the bill’s spending would “look out for American national security and American economic security.” An opponent, Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-Fla.), said “we cannot afford to shortchange our oversight funding, our diplomatic security funding, and other strategic priorities” by adopting the funding elimination.
Michael Lawler (R-17, including Philipstown) voted no
Pat Ryan (D-18, including Beacon) voted no
Aid to Ukraine
The House on April 20, by a 311-112 vote, passed the Ukraine Security Supplemental Appropriations Act (H.R. 8035), sponsored by Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.), to provide about $60 billion of support to Ukraine in its war with Russia, including munitions supplies and loans to Ukraine’s government. A supporter, Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-Fla.), said it “directly supports the national security interests of the United States” by projecting peace through strength against Russia’s anti-democratic invasion of Ukraine. An opponent, Rep. Marjorie Taylor-Greene (R-Ga.), said Congress should “be demanding peace in Ukraine, between these countries [Russia and Ukraine], peace for these people so that no more of them have to die.”
Michael Lawler (R-17, including Philipstown) voted yes
Pat Ryan (D-18, including Beacon) voted yes
Israel Aid
The House on April 20, by a 366-58 vote, passed the Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act (H.R. 8034), sponsored by Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.), to provide $26.4 billion of aid to Israel in its conflicts with Hamas and Iran, including bolstering its missile defense systems and other forms of military aid. A supporter, Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), said the spending would “ensure Israel has the resources it needs to defend itself and that much-needed humanitarian aid can flow to millions of vulnerable people around the world.” An opponent, Rep. Al Green (D-Texas), said the funds would allow Israel “to purchase the lethality to kill more innocent civilian Palestinian men, women, and especially children.”
Michael Lawler (R-17, including Philipstown) voted yes
Pat Ryan (D-18, including Beacon) voted yes
SENATE
Fourth Amendment Surveillance Protections
The Senate on April 19, by a 61-31 vote, rejected an amendment sponsored by Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), to the Reforming Intelligence and Securing America Act (H.R. 7888), that would have added the text of the Fourth Amendment Is Not For Sale Act to the bill. Paul said the measure was needed to provide protections for the privacy of Americans’ electronic records. An opponent, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), cited widespread opposition from law enforcement agencies, as well as various Jewish groups.
Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) voted no
Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) voted no
Defining Communications Service Providers
The Senate on April 19, by a 58-34 vote, rejected an amendment sponsored by Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), to the Reforming Intelligence and Securing America Act (H.R. 7888), that would have eliminated Section 25, regarding the definition of an electronic communication service provider, from the bill. Wyden said Section 25 “dramatically expands warrantless surveillance by authorizing the government, for countless typical Americans and American companies, to secretly assist in their surveillance. If there is one thing we know, expansive surveillance authorities will always be used and abused.” An amendment opponent, Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.), cited claims by the attorney general that Section 25 “could never be used to target any entity inside the United States, including, for example, business, home, or place of worship.”
Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) voted no
Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) voted no
Surveillance of U.S. Residents
The Senate on April 19, by a 50-42 vote, rejected an amendment sponsored by Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), to the Reforming Intelligence and Securing America Act (H.R. 7888). The amendment would have required government officials to obtain a warrant in order to surveil the communications of lawful U.S. residents. Durbin said: “We can protect the Constitutional Bill of Rights and keep our country safe. We have got to be mindful that this requires vigilance” against abuse of rights. An amendment opponent, Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), said: “If we pass this requirement, it will simply benefit our foreign adversaries — Russia, China, Iran, Hamas — just to name a few.”
Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) voted no
Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) voted no
FISA Court Proceedings
The Senate on April 19, by a 53-40 vote, rejected an amendment sponsored by Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), to the Reforming Intelligence and Securing America Act (H.R. 7888), that would have changed legal procedures in the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) court, including increased disclosure requirements. Lee said it would help “defend the rights of individual Americans.” An opponent, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), said it would give suspected spies advantages in the courtroom, including possible access to sensitive intelligence information.
Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) voted no
Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) voted no
FISA Communications Surveillance
The Senate on April 19, by a 60-34 vote, passed the Reforming Intelligence and Securing America Act (H.R. 7888), sponsored by Rep. Laurel Lee (R-Fla.), to make changes to surveillance practices under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), including new approval requirements for database searches of U.S. legal residents and audit and notification requirements for such searches. A supporter, Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.), cited reforms to FISA surveillances processes, including the elimination of batch database queries and protections for figures such as politicians, journalists, and religious officials. An opponent, Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), said it would allow “a huge range of ordinary U.S. businesses and individuals and other organizations” to be forced to submit communications by U.S. citizens to the federal government.
Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) voted yes
Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) voted yes
Supplemental Appropriations
The Senate on April 23, by a vote of 79-18, concurred in the House amendment to the National Security Supplemental Appropriations Act (H.R. 815), sponsored by Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.) The amendment would provide about $95 billion of supplemental military aid to Ukraine, Taiwan, and Israel, require the sale of TikTok, and adopt several measures aimed at reducing fentanyl consumption. A supporter, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), said: “Even as our allies take on a greater share of the burden of collective security, our obligation to invest in our own defense is as serious as ever.” An opponent, Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), said the amendment advanced “policies that will, in many ways, prolong the suffering that Biden’s weaknesses and appeasement have caused for Americans and our friends and allies around the world each and every day.”
Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) voted yes
Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) voted yes
