Here is how our House members and New York’s two senators voted on select issues during the legislative weeks ending June 14, 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.
Hotel Reservation Fees
The House on June 11, by a 384-25 vote, passed the No Hidden Fees on Extra Expenses for Stays Act (H.R. 6543), sponsored by Rep. Young Kim (R-Calif.), to require hotels, motels, and similar facilities to disclose each individual fee included in the cost of a stay at the facility. Kim said the requirement “provides clarity for consumers and improves the quality of the American hospitality and tourism industries.”
Michael Lawler (R-17, including Philipstown) voted yes
Pat Ryan (D-18, including Beacon) voted yes
Labelling Unflushable Wipes
The House on June 11, by a 351-56 vote, passed the Wastewater Infrastructure Pollution Prevention and Environmental Safety Act (H.R. 2964), sponsored by Lisa McClain (R-Mich.), to require businesses that market nonflushable baby and other types of cleaning wipes to put “Do Not Flush” labels on wipe packaging. McClain said disposal of the nonflushable wipes in wastewater systems created more than $400 million of annual costs, and “ensuring needed information is provided to consumers will prevent damage to wastewater systems and actually save taxpayers millions in repair costs.”
Michael Lawler (R-17, including Philipstown) voted yes
Pat Ryan (D-18, including Beacon) voted yes
Diplomacy with Tibet and China
The House on June 12, by a 391-26 vote, passed the Promoting a Resolution to the Tibet-China Dispute Act (S. 138), sponsored by Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), to adopt a legal U.S. definition of Tibet that is more expansive than China’s definition, which is typically limited to the Tibet Autonomous Region. The bill would also direct U.S. diplomats to counter disinformation about Tibet from China’s government. A supporter, Rep. James McGovern (D-Mass.), said: “A vote for this bill is a vote to recognize the rights of the Tibetan people, and it is a vote to insist on resolving the dispute between Tibet and the People’s Republic of China peacefully, in accordance with international law, through dialogue, and without preconditions.”
Michael Lawler (R-17, including Philipstown) voted yes
Pat Ryan (D-18, including Beacon) voted yes
Palestinian Refugees
The House on June 12, by a 204-199 vote, passed an amendment sponsored by Rep. Brian Mast (R-Fla.), to the Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act (H.R. 8070) that would bar funding for the Defense Department to fly Palestinian refugees to the U.S. Mast said having the military devote resources to humanitarian efforts such as transporting Palestinian refugees “could undermine the readiness and the effectiveness of our armed forces.” An amendment opponent, Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.), said eliminating the possibility of transporting refugees “puts us in a position of saying we are the enemy of all Palestinian people,” with resulting hazards for both Israel and the U.S.
Michael Lawler (R-17, including Philipstown) voted yes
Pat Ryan (D-18, including Beacon) voted no
Climate Change Spending
The House on June 12, by a 215-210 vote, passed an amendment sponsored by Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas), to the Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act (H.R. 8070) that would bar funding for the implementation of executive orders on climate change issued by President Biden. Roy said the funding ban was needed because the executive orders have led to changes in the military “that compromise national security in order to advance the climate fetish of our colleagues on the other side of the aisle.” An amendment opponent, Rep. Jennifer McClellan (D-Va.), said: “Climate change and sea level rise and increased temperatures and increased storms have a direct impact on military readiness, operations, and the health and well-being of our servicemembers.”
Michael Lawler (R-17, including Philipstown) voted yes
Pat Ryan (D-18, including Beacon) voted no
Attorney General Subpoena
The House on June 12, by a 216-207 vote, passed a resolution (H. Res. 1292), sponsored by Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), to find Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt of Congress for not complying with a subpoena for Garland to submit an audio recording of President Joseph Biden being questioned about classified documents.
Michael Lawler (R-17, including Philipstown) voted yes
Pat Ryan (D-18, including Beacon) voted no
Transgender Surgeries
The House on June 13, by a 213-206 vote, passed an amendment sponsored by Rep. Matt Rosendale (R-Mont.), to the Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act (H.R. 8070). The amendment would bar the military’s TRICARE health care program from funding gender change surgeries and transgender hormone treatments. Rosendale said: “The taxpayers should not be bound by paying the expenses that are associated with these transgender surgeries for the military.” An opponent, Rep. Sara Jacobs, (D-Calif.), said: “By denying servicemembers this medically necessary care, this amendment will hurt our military readiness and likely lead to servicemembers leaving the military.”
Michael Lawler (R-17, including Philipstown) voted yes
Pat Ryan (D-18, including Beacon) voted no
Abortion and the Military
The House on June 13, by a 214-207 vote, passed an amendment sponsored by Rep. Beth Van Duyne (R-Texas), to the Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act (H.R. 8070), to bar the military from funding abortion services for members of the military. Van Duyne said that, by reversing a 2022 Biden administration policy authorizing such funding, the amendment would return the military to its decades-old position of “not having taxpayer-funded abortions.” An amendment opponent, Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-N.J.), said: “Preventing military women from traveling for care when they are stationed in states with draconian abortion laws isn’t pro-life.”
Michael Lawler (R-17, including Philipstown) voted yes
Pat Ryan (D-18, including Beacon) voted no
Military DEI Offices
The House on June 13, by a 211-208 vote, passed an amendment sponsored by Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.), to the Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act (H.R. 8070). The amendment would eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) offices in the military. Norman said: “DEI programs tend to be ineffective and cost the taxpayers more money, and it has been a very real detriment to the recruitment of our military.” An opponent, Rep. Terri Sewell (D-Ala.), said: “Inclusion is proven to be beneficial for military effectiveness, military readiness, and ultimately, our national security.”
Michael Lawler (R-17, including Philipstown) voted yes
Pat Ryan (D-18, including Beacon) voted no
Censorship
The House on June 13, by a 218-206 vote, passed an amendment sponsored by Rep. Roger Williams (R-Texas) to the Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act (H.R. 8070), that would bar funding of companies that demonetize domestic businesses and other entities based on their lawful speech. Williams said: “The government should never seek to demonetize or censor American businesses, whether directly or indirectly, as it has done through NewsGuard and similar entities.” An opponent, Rep. Christopher Deluzio (D-Pa.), said the funding ban would make it impossible for the military “to contract with any organization that might try to identify propaganda from our adversaries.”
Michael Lawler (R-17, including Philipstown) voted yes
Pat Ryan (D-18, including Beacon) voted no
Extremism Working Group
The House on June 13, by a 215-206 vote, passed an amendment sponsored by Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.), to the Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act (H.R. 8070). The amendment would bar funding for the Defense Department’s Countering Extremist Activity Working Group or the implementation of the group’s recommendations. Boebert said: “In order to stand up to China, Russia, and terrorists, our military needs to project strength, not cultural wokeness. My amendment does exactly that.” An opponent, Rep. Jill Tokuda (D-Hawaii), said the amendment “undermines unit cohesion, the readiness of our forces, and ultimately public trust in our military.”
Michael Lawler (R-17, including Philipstown) voted yes
Pat Ryan (D-18, including Beacon) voted no
Military Physical Fitness Standards
The House on June 13, by a 216-205 vote, rejected an amendment sponsored by Rep. Michael Waltz (R-Fla.), to the Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act (H.R. 8070). The amendment would have required the Army to use gender-neutral fitness standards for its combat fitness test for soldiers. Waltz said: “The standard it takes to be successful in infantry should be different than to be a cyberwarrior, a supply officer, or a pilot. Let’s make the standards according to the job and not according to anything else.” An amendment opponent, Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-N.J.), called it redundant and counterproductive because it would force the Army “to rely on this amendment’s conclusion that sex-neutral minimum standards are scientifically justifiable without the science” to back the conclusion.
Michael Lawler (R-17, including Philipstown) voted no
Pat Ryan (D-18, including Beacon) voted no
Along with roll call votes this week, the House also passed this legislation by voice vote:
■ The Forgotten Heroes of the Holocaust Congressional Gold Medal Act (H.R. 537), to award the Congressional Gold Medal to 60 diplomats;
■ A resolution (H. Res. 965), calling for the immediate release of Ryan Corbett, a U.S. citizen detained by the Taliban since August 10, 2022;
■ A resolution (H. Con. Res. 27), condemning Russia’s unjust and arbitrary detention of Russian opposition leader Vladimir Kara-Murza; and
■ The Rural Small Business Resilience Act (H.R. 7984), to require the Small Business Administration to improve access to disaster assistance for individuals located in rural areas.
SENATE
Regulating Energy Markets
The Senate on June 12, by a 67-27 vote, confirmed the nomination of David Rosner to be a commissioner on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for a term lasting until mid-2027. Rosner, currently an analyst at FERC, was previously an energy policy official at the Energy Department and the Bipartisan Policy Center.
Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) voted yes
Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) voted yes
The Senate on June 12, by a 83-12 vote, confirmed the nomination of Lindsay See to be a commissioner on the FERC for a term lasting until mid-2028. See has been West Virginia’s solicitor general for the past seven years.
Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) voted yes
Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) voted yes
The Senate on June 13, by a 63-33 vote, confirmed the nomination of Judy W. Chang to be a commissioner on the FERC for a term lasting until mid-2029. Chang has been an energy and climate official in the Massachusetts government, and worked in various roles as an energy policy and economics expert.
Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) voted yes
Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) voted yes
The Senate also passed the Maternal and Child Health Stillbirth Prevention Act (H.R. 4581), to support stillbirth prevention and research.
