Transparency in Congress and a well-informed electorate are vital to preserving our self-governing Constitutional Republic. My constituents deserve to know how their members of Congress vote, which is why I have explained every vote I have cast in Congress since I was first elected.
To read more about my votes and see the full list with explanations of all the legislation considered this week by the House, please click here.
I voted “Yes” for H.R. 3935, the Securing Growth and Robust Leadership in American Aviation Act. This legislation reauthorizes the functions of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) through FY2028, including activities and programs related to aerospace innovation, airport planning and development, facilities and equipment, and operations. In addition, it includes an amendment I led with Representatives Langworthy and Higgins to preserve the 1,500-hour flight requirement for pilots. The 1,500-hour requirement was passed in 2010 in response to the 2009 Colgan Air Flight 3407 crash in Clarence, NY, that killed all 49 individuals on board and one person on the ground. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) determined in its accident report that the crash could have been avoided if the pilots had received additional training in effectively handling a stalled aircraft. Ultimately, H.R. 3935 will support the aviation workforce, improve the flight experience for passengers, and advance the safety record of American aviation. This bill passed the House with a bipartisan majority of 351-69.
I voted “Yes” on H.R. 3941, the Schools Not Shelters Act. President Biden and Secretary Mayorkas’ refusal to secure the southern border has led to a national migrant crisis. As a result, New York City has been shipping migrants to Upstate New York for housing, including in schools and university dorms, despite the lack of resources or physical space. This disrupts the summer uses of these schools, hindering the community’s access to meals, recreational facilities, and additional support services. This shortsighted and dangerous plan undermines the learning process, poses substantial safety concerns, and disturbs ordinary school routines. To address this issue, H.R. 3941 would prohibit any schools or universities from being forced to house migrants, protecting these institutions for our students and their communities. Upstate New York schools should be dedicated to cultivating a safe learning environment for our children, not providing housing for unvetted migrants. Our communities should not have to shoulder the burden of President Biden’s refusal to enforce our nation’s immigration laws. This bill passed the House by a vote of 222-201.
I voted “No” on H.J. Res. 68, Relating to a national emergency declared by the President on October 27, 2006. This resolution would terminate Executive Order 13413, a President Bush-era executive order that was renewed annually by Presidents Obama, Trump, and Biden. This executive order declared a national emergency in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and gives the President broader sanction authority to target individuals who perpetuate the conflict, provide arms in the conflict, or otherwise exploit those involved. One of the key individuals sanctioned under this national emergency is Viktor Bout, a Russian arms dealer called the “Merchant of Death”, who provided arms to both sides of the conflict in the DRC. Ultimately, the bill lacks the necessary reforms to return emergency powers from the executive branch to the people’s elected representatives in Congress. All this bill would do is reward terrorists, many of whom are intent on killing citizens of the United States, and remove the fines used to compensate American victims of terrorism, such as our 9/11 families. This bill failed to pass the House by a vote of 348-65.
I voted “No” on H.J. Res. 70, Relating to a national emergency declared by the President on February 25, 2011. This resolution would terminate Executive Order 13566, a President Obama-era executive order that was renewed annually by Presidents Trump and Biden. This executive order declared a national emergency in Libya and gives the President broader sanction authority to target individuals who perpetuate the conflict. Many individuals, such as the Qaddafi family, are sanctioned under this national emergency, which includes Qaddafi’s son who is wanted for war crimes. Ultimately, the bill lacks the necessary reforms to return emergency powers from the executive branch to the people’s elected representatives in Congress. All this bill would do is reward terrorists, many of whom are intent on killing citizens of the United States, and remove the fines used to compensate American victims of terrorism, such as our 9/11 families. This bill failed to pass the House by a vote of 30-388.
I voted “No” on H.J. Res. 71, Relating to a national emergency declared by the President on May 22, 2003. This resolution would terminate Executive Order 13303, a President Bush-era executive order that was renewed annually by Presidents Obama, Trump, and Biden. This executive order declared a national emergency in Iraq and gives the President broader sanction authority to target individuals who perpetuate the conflict, provide arms in the conflict, or otherwise exploit those involved. This includes Iranian-backed militias who continue to attack U.S. forces and terrorize Iraqi citizens. Ultimately, the bill lacks the necessary reforms to return emergency powers from the executive branch to the people’s elected representatives in Congress. All this bill would do is reward terrorists, many of whom are intent on killing citizens of the United States, and remove the fines used to compensate American victims of terrorism, such as our 9/11 families. This bill failed to pass the House by a vote of 26-394.
I voted “No” on H.J. Res. 79, Relating to a national emergency declared by the President on May 11, 2004. This resolution would terminate Executive Order 13338, a President Bush-era executive order that was renewed annually by Presidents Obama, Trump, and Biden. This executive order declared a national emergency in Syria and gives the President broader sanction authority to target individuals who perpetuate the conflict, provide arms in the conflict, or otherwise exploit those involved. This includes the brutal Assad regime who use chemical weapons against their own people. Ultimately, the bill lacks the necessary reforms to return emergency powers from the executive branch to the people’s elected representatives in Congress. All this bill would do is reward terrorists, many of whom are intent on killing citizens of the United States, and remove the fines used to compensate American victims of terrorism, such as our 9/11 families. This bill failed to pass the House by a vote of 24-394.
I voted “No” on H.J. Res. 74, Relating to a national emergency declared by the President on May 16, 2012. This resolution would terminate Executive Order 13611, a President Obama-era executive order that was renewed annually by Presidents Trump and Biden. This executive order declared a national emergency in Yemen and gives the President broader sanction authority to target individuals who perpetuate the conflict, provide arms in the conflict, or otherwise exploit those involved. This includes the Iranian-backed Houthis who obstructed the peaceful transfer of power and are responsible for the ongoing civil war. Ultimately, the bill lacks the necessary reforms to return emergency powers from the executive branch to the people’s elected representatives in Congress. All this bill would do is reward terrorists, many of whom are intent on killing citizens of the United States, and remove the fines used to compensate American victims of terrorism, such as our 9/11 families. This bill failed to pass the House by a vote of 27-398.
I voted “Yes” on H.Con.Res. 57, Expressing the sense of Congress supporting the State of Israel. Last weekend, Representative Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) claimed that Israel is “a racist state” just days before the President of Israel was scheduled to visit Washington, DC and address Congress. While many Members of Congress rightfully condemned Representative Jayapal’s comments, she refused to show remorse. Even more astonishing, a handful of Members of Congress, including Representatives Ilhan Omar (D-MN) and Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) parroted her remarks. This commonsense and bipartisan resolution makes it the sense of Congress that Israel is not a racist or apartheid state; that Congress rejects anti-Semitism; and that the United States will always be a staunch partner and supporter of Israel. I was honored to cosponsor this resolution and vote for it on the floor when it passed the House by a vote of 412-9.
I voted “Yes” on S. 111, the Providing Accountability Through Transparency Act of 2023. This legislation requires federal agencies to provide a concise, online summary for any proposed rule. The change will boost government transparency, allowing the American people to more effectively engage with the federal rulemaking process. This builds on a similar provision I supported in the 115th Congress to curb the regulatory bureaucracy and provide additional visibility to the American people. With these commonsense reforms, we can help ensure that rule makers are held accountable and federal policy fully reflects the needs of the American people. This bill passed the House by a vote of 400-0.
I voted “Yes” on H.R. 813, the Global Investment in American Jobs Act of 2023. In recent years, American companies have seen a significant increase in global investment, boosting our nation’s economy and domestic workforce. H.R. 813 aims to build on this strength, requiring the Secretary of Commerce to review U.S. global competitiveness in attracting global investment from responsible private sector entities and submit a report to Congress. This report will help Congress craft critical legislation aimed at reducing our dependency on China and other foreign adversaries in our supply chain, while increasing our global economic leadership. It is vital we do all we can to help boost investment in American industry, innovation, and jobs. This bill passed the House by a vote of 386-22.
