Along with roll call votes last week, the House also passed: the Stop Tip-overs of Unstable, Risky Dressers on Youth Act (H.R. 2211), to require the Consumer Product Safety Commission to promulgate a consumer product safety rule for free-standing clothing storage units to protect children from tip-over related death or injury; the Nicholas and Zachary Burt Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Prevention Act (H.R. 1618), to encourage states to require the installation of residential carbon monoxide detectors in homes; and the Portable Fuel Container Safety Act (H.R. 806), to require compliant flame mitigation devices to be used on portable fuel containers for flammable liquid fuels.

HOUSE VOTES

EXTENDING VA PROGRAMS: The House has passed the Department of Veterans Affairs Expiring Authorities Act (H.R. 4285), sponsored by Rep. Anthony Brindisi, D-N.Y., to extend through September 2020 various VA programs, including a real estate loan program and a reimbursement program for rural veterans’ travel expenses when they receive health care. Brindisi said the extensions were needed “to ensure that veterans and their families continue to have access to the programs and benefits that they rely on.” The vote, on Sept. 18, was 417 yeas to 1 nay.
YEAS: Chellie Pingree, D-1st District; Jared Golden, D-2nd District

CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS: The House has passed the Continuing Appropriations Act and Health Extenders Act (H.R. 4378), sponsored by Rep. Nita M. Lowey, D-N.Y., to provide continuing appropriations through November 21 for numerous federal government agencies, as well as funding extensions for health care, immigration, and other programs. Lowey said the extensions were needed to allow adequate time for the Senate and House to finalize appropriations legislation for fiscal 2020 and “avoid another government shutdown like the one that started late last year which caused real harm to our economy.” The vote, on Sept. 19, was 301 yeas to 123 nays.
YEAS: Pingree, Golden

SENATE VOTES

AMBASSADOR TO U.A.E.: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of John Rakolta, Jr., to serve as U.S. ambassador to the United Arab Emirates. A supporter, Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, cited Rakolta’s experience in running the multi-billion dollar Walbridge Aldinger construction company and community service record in Michigan, and said that in his personal friendship with Rakolta, he had found Rakolta to be fully loyal to his commitments. The vote, on Sept. 17, was 63 yeas to 30 nays.
YEAS: Susan Collins, R-Maine; Angus King, I-Maine

HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICIAL: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Robert A. Destro to serve as the State Department’s assistant secretary for democracy, human rights, and labor. Destro has been a law professor at the Catholic University of America since 1982, and for six years served on the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. An opponent, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said Destro “has vocally opposed the movement for LGBTQ equality” and opposed “a woman’s constitutional right to make her own healthcare decisions.” The vote, on Sept. 18, was 49 yeas to 44 nays.
NAYS: Collins, King

TREASURY UNDERSECRETARY: The Senate has approved the nomination of Brent James McIntosh to serve as the Treasury Department’s undersecretary for international affairs. McIntosh, formerly Treasury’s general counsel, also worked in the George W. Bush administration in several roles. The vote, on Sept. 18, was 54 yeas to 38 nays.
YEAS: Collins
NAYS: King

TREASURY GENERAL COUNSEL: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Brian Callanan to serve as general counsel for the Treasury Department. Callanan had been Treasury’s deputy general counsel, and before that was a Senate aide and private practice lawyer in Washington, D.C. The vote, on Sept. 18, was 55 yeas to 39 nays.
YEAS: Collins
NAYS: King