WASHINGTON, CD — Here’s a look at how area members of Congress voted over the previous week.
House
Energy efficiency and manufactured homes
The House on Jan. 9 voted 263-147 to pass the Affordable Housing Over Mandating Efficiency Standards Act (H.R. 5184), sponsored by Rep. Erin Houchin, R-Ind., to cancel a May 2022 Energy Department rule setting out energy efficiency standards for manufactured homes. Houchin said the rule duplicated existing home regulations from the Department of Housing and Urban Development and “raised costs by $5,000 to $10,000 per door, with little to no environmental benefit.” A bill opponent, Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-N.J., said: “Given the recent trends in energy costs, it is more important now than ever that we maintain the Department of Energy’s standard to protect these residents from even higher energy bills.”
U.S. Reps. Pat Ryan, D-Gardiner; and Josh Riley, D-Ithaca, voted yes.
Trade in remote access products
The House on Jan. 12 voted 369-22 to pass the Remote Access Security Act (H.R. 2683), sponsored by Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., to establish that exports of products that enable remote access to objects located in the U.S. are subject to federal controls. Lawler said: “It is imperative that we as a Congress act with urgency to update our laws and ensure that China, Russia, Iran, and others do not have access to sensitive technology remotely.”
Ryan and Riley voted yes.
Trade with Africa
The House on Jan. 12 voted 340-54 to pass the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) Extension Act (H.R. 6500), sponsored by Rep. Jason Smith, R-Mo., to extend through 2028 duty-free treatment of most exports from an array of countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Smith said U.S. “economic, strategic, and national security interests are front and center in AGOA. Think about it: This program strengthens our critical supply chains and helps us counter the harmful global influence of nations like China and Russia.”
Ryan voted yes. Riley voted no
Clothes from Haiti
The House on Jan. 12 voted 345-45 to pass the Haiti Economic Lift Program Extension Act (H.R. 6504), sponsored by Rep. Gregory F. Murphy, R-N.C., to extend through 2028 duty-free status for apparel imports from Haiti. A supporter, Rep. Gregory W. Meeks, D-N.Y., said: “We simply cannot afford to abandon the thousands of Haitian families who depend on this program, nor the economic lift to our region that it will provide.”
Ryan and Riley voted yes.
Federal labor standards
The House on Jan. 13 voted 215-209 to reject the Flexibility for Workers Education Act (H.R. 2262), sponsored by Rep. Ashley Hinson, R-Iowa. The bill would have excluded some types of voluntary employee training, done outside of working hours, from a federal definition of hours worked.
Ryan and Riley voted no.
Regulating showerheads
The House on Jan. 13 voted 226-197 to pass the Saving Homeowners from Overregulation With Exceptional Rinsing Act (H.R. 4593), sponsored by Rep. Russell Fry, R-S.C. The bill would use the definition of a showerhead from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) to make federal water efficiency regulations. Fry said: “Congress set the efficiency standards in 1975, and if Congress wants to address those, that is Congress’ prerogative, not some unelected, unaccountable bureaucrat in Washington, D.C.” An opponent, Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-N.J., said reverting to the ASME standard would “increase utility bills.”
Ryan and Riley voted no.
Endowment for democracy
The House on Jan. 14 voted 291-127 to reject an amendment sponsored by Rep. Elijah Crane, R-Ariz., to the Financial Services and General Government and National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs Appropriations Act (H.R. 7006) that would have eliminated funding for the National Endowment for Democracy from the bill. Crane said “this organization has engaged in global censorship, domestic propaganda, and regime-change politics. It has worked to crush populous movements, fuel color revolutions, and run off-the-books operations with plausible deniability.” An amendment opponent, Rep. Lois Frankel, D-Fla., said: “For decades, these programs have supported free and fair elections, independent journalism, civic participation, and access to truthful information.”
Ryan and Riley voted no.
State treasury budgets
The House on Jan. 14 voted 341-79 to pass the Financial Services and General Government and National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs Appropriations Act (H.R. 7006), sponsored by Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla. The bill would provide $90 billion of fiscal 2026 funding for the State and Treasury Departments, the judiciary branch, and various security and foreign affairs agencies. Cole said: “Just as this package strengthens economic security and accountability, it also reinforces America’s security and leadership at home and abroad. The National Security-Department of State measures champion an America-first policy agenda.”
Ryan voted no. Riley voted yes.
Employer retirement plans
The House on Jan. 15 voted 213-205 to pass the Protecting Prudent Investment of Retirement Savings Act (H.R. 2988), sponsored by Rep. Rick W. Allen, R-Ga., to change federal regulation of fiduciaries for employer-sponsored retirement investment plans. Changes include anti-discrimination measures, and requiring fiduciaries to use only financial concerns to shape investment actions. Allen said the bill would help ensure fiduciaries fulfill their “duty to prioritize financial returns, ensuring Americans’ hard-earned savings are invested in a sensible manner.” A bill opponent, Rep. Sean Casten, D-Ill., said: “It simply assumes that a handful of paternalistic legislators know more about the interests of America’s businessowners than they do.”
Ryan and Riley voted no.
Senate
Health insurance exchanges
The Senate on Jan. 13 voted 52-47 to reject a motion to proceed to a bill (S.J. Res. 84), sponsored by Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., that would have canceled a Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services rule issued last June governing enrollment on individual health insurance exchanges, including by requiring verification of eligibility to buy insurance on the exchanges.
U.S. Sens. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.; and Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., voted yes.
Venezuela
The Senate on Jan. 14 voted 50-50, with Vice President Vance casting the deciding vote to sustain a point of order brought by Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, objecting to the privileged status of a bill (S.J. Res. 98) that would require the ending of U.S. military force against Venezuela in the absence of authorization from Congress. Risch said the bill was unnecessary because “the recent actions in Venezuela were limited in scope, short in duration, and done to protect U.S. interests and citizens. What President Trump has done in Venezuela is the definition of the president’s article II Constitutional authorities as commander in chief.” The bill sponsor, Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., said Congressional oversight was necessary because the U.S. was still taking hostile action against Venezuela, and could seize more Venezuela government officials, as it recently seized Nicolas Maduro.
Schumer and Gillibrand voted no.
Funding various agencies
The Senate on Jan. 15 voted 82-15 to pass the Commerce, Justice, Science; Energy and Water Development; and Interior and Environment Appropriations Act (H.R. 6938), sponsored by Tom Cole, R-Okla. The bill would provide $215 billion of fiscal 2026 funding for many federal agencies, including the Energy, Interior, Commerce, and Justice Departments. A supporter, Sen. Susan M. Collins, R-Maine, said it “would actually reduce discretionary spending while better focusing funding on key priorities of the American people.”
Schumer and Gillibrand voted yes.
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