Congressional votes from Kansas members Nov. 24-30

How members from the House of Representatives and Senate from Kansas Voted for the week of Nov. 24-30

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Here’s a look at how area members of Congress voted over the previous week, Nov. 24-30.

Along with roll call votes, the House passed these measures by voice vote: a bill (H.R. 4666), to require the Inspector General of the Small Business Administration to submit a quarterly report on fraud relating to certain COVID-19 loans; the Returning Erroneous COVID Loans Addressing Illegal and Misappropriated Taxpayer Funds Act (H.R. 4667), to require the Small Business Administration to issue guidance and rules for lenders on handling amounts of Paycheck Protection Loans returned by borrowers; the Small Business Contracting Transparency Act (H.R. 4670), to require reporting on additional information with respect to small business concerns owned and controlled by women, qualified HUBZone small business concerns, and small business concerns owned and controlled by veterans; and a bill (H.R. 5427), to prohibit individuals convicted of defrauding the federal government from receiving any assistance from the Small Business Administration.

The Senate also confirmed a set of senior officer nominations in the Air Force, Army, Marine Corps, Navy and Space Force.

HOUSE VOTES

House Vote 1:

ISRAELI HOSTAGES AND HAMAS: The House has passed a resolution (H. Res. 793), sponsored by Rep. Haley M. Stevens, D-Mich., calling for Hamas to immediately release the hostages it took in its attack on Israel in October. Stevens said: “We must condemn the terrorists who seek to attack the Jewish state. They have brutally killed relatives, neighbors, and fellow Israelis. We must continue to push to return the remaining hostages.” The vote, on Nov. 28, was unanimous with 414 yeas.

YEAS: Davids (KS) D-KS (3rd), Estes R-KS (4th), LaTurner R-KS (2nd), Mann R-KS (1st)

House Vote 2:

ISRAEL RESOLUTION: The House has passed a resolution (H. Res. 888), sponsored by Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., to reaffirm Israel’s right to exist, condemn Hamas’s attack on Israel, and deem the denial of Israel’s right to exist a form of anti-Semitism. Lawler said: “Congress must never stop pushing back against Israel’s opponents, and we must reject biased attempts to destroy our greatest ally.” The vote, on Nov. 28, was 412 yeas to 1 nay, with 1 voting present.

YEAS: Davids (KS) D-KS (3rd), Estes R-KS (4th), LaTurner R-KS (2nd), Mann R-KS (1st)

House Vote 3:

CONDEMNING HOUTHIS: The House has passed an amendment sponsored by Rep. Andrew Ogles, R-Tenn., to the No Funds for Iranian Terrorism Act (H.R. 5961), to criticize the Biden administration for failing to unequivocally condemn the Houthi group in Yemen, which is supported by Iran. Ogles cited attacks against U.S. citizens and military ships by the Houthis, and said the lack of condemnation “is to the detriment of our national security.” An opponent, Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., said that in fact the administration “has repeatedly called out the violence of Houthi militants that they have perpetuated against civilians, including recent missile launches toward Israel.” The vote, on Nov. 30, was 226 yeas to 199 nays, with 1 voting present.

NAYS: Davids (KS) D-KS (3rd)

YEAS: Estes R-KS (4th), LaTurner R-KS (2nd), Mann R-KS (1st)

House Vote 4:

IRAN FINANCIAL ACCOUNTS: The House has passed the No Funds for Iranian Terrorism Act (H.R. 5961), sponsored by Rep. Michael T. McCaul, R-Texas, to require sanctions against foreign financial firms that attempt to help Iran transfer $6 billion that had been held in restricted accounts in South Korea but were de-restricted to facilitate the release of five U.S. citizens detained in Iran. McCaul said: “Blocking money to Iran is the most consequential thing we can do here in this Congress to stop Iran’s financing of terrorism to Hamas and other proxies to help keep our troops safe who are now under fire from Iran-backed militias.” An opponent, Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., said the bill would remove U.S. leverage against Iran by breaking a negotiated agreement under which the $6 billion could only be used in Iran for “approved humanitarian purchases to acquire medicine, medical equipment, agricultural goods, and food.” The vote, on Nov. 30, was 307 yeas to 119 nays, with 1 voting present.

YEAS: Davids (KS) D-KS (3rd), Estes R-KS (4th), LaTurner R-KS (2nd), Mann R-KS (1st)

House Vote 5:

IMMIGRANTS AND FEDERAL LANDS: The House has passed the Protecting our Communities from Failure to Secure the Border Act (H.R. 5283), sponsored by Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, R-N.Y., to bar the federal government from using various federal lands to house foreign alien nationals not authorized to be in the U.S. Malliotakis said housing such aliens on federal lands was not fair to foreigners who are going through the legal procedures for moving to the U.S., and she cited the burden that has been placed on New York City by a recent agreement to house at least 2,000 unauthorized migrants at a federal facility in Brooklyn. A bill opponent, Rep. Dan Goldman, D-N.Y., called it “another ploy by the Republicans to score political points without actually addressing the desperately needed reforms to our immigration system.” The vote, on Nov. 30, was 224 yeas to 203 nays, with 1 voting present.

NAYS: Davids (KS) D-KS (3rd)

YEAS: Estes R-KS (4th), LaTurner R-KS (2nd), Mann R-KS (1st)

SENATE VOTES:

Senate Vote 1:

MINNESOTA JUDGE: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Jeffrey M. Bryan to be a judge on the U.S. District Court for Minnesota. For the past decade, Bryan has been a district court and appeals court judge in Minnesota; previously, he was a federal prosecutor in the state. A supporter, Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., said of Bryan: “Through his devotion to justice and the rule of law, he has earned the respect and support of judges, attorneys, and law enforcement officials across the political spectrum.” The vote, on Nov. 28, was 49 yeas to 46 nays.