2010 Congressional Report Card

1. Fiscal 2009 Budget Resolution - International Affairs Funding S AMDT 4245, S Con Res 70 [RC#110-83] Biden (D-DE) W=3.

This amendment would restore the full funding of the President's foreign affairs budget. The budget includes support for the reconstruction of Iraq and Afghanistan, nuclear nonproliferation, foreign assistance, fighting global AIDS, promoting sustainable development, and other efforts, with an offset.

Citizens for Global Solutions' supporters voted FOR the amendment.

The amendment passed 73-23 (R 24-22; D 47-1; I 2-0).

2. Climate Change S 3036 (set up cap and trade system) S 3036 [RC#110-141] Boxer (D-CA) W=2.

This motion invokes cloture on the motion to proceed to legislation that caps greenhouse gas emissions nationwide and sets up a trading system for companies to buy and sell emissions allowances. The bill furthers American progress towards reducing its greenhouse gas emissions affecting global climate change.

Citizens for Global Solutions' supporters voted FOR the motion.

The motion passed 74-14 (R 32-13; D 40-1; I 2-0).

3. Fiscal 2008 State-Foreign Operations Appropriations / U.N. Peacekeeping Operations H.R. 2764 [RC# 110-317] Ensign, (R-NV) W=3.

The Ensign amendment would strike the provision in the bill that would increase the limit on the U.S. share of contributions for U.N. peacekeeping operations during fiscal year 2008 from 25 percent to 27.1 percent.

Citizens for Global Solutions' supporters voted AGAINST the amendment.

The amendment was rejected 30-63 (R 29-18; D 1-43; I 0-2).

4. Fiscal 2008 State-Foreign Operations Appropriations / Malaria Control and Prevention H.R. 2764 [RC# 110-324], Coburn, (R-OK) W=2.

The Coburn amendment would bar the use of multilateral economic assistance funds for the World Bank Group malaria control or prevention programs.

Citizens for Global Solutions' supporters voted AGAINST the amendment.

The amendment was rejected 33-60 (R 28-19; D 5-39; I 0-2).

5. Fiscal 2008 Defense Authorization / Cloture [RC# 110-340] W=3.

Motion to invoke cloture (thus limiting debate) on the Specter (R-PA) amendment. The Specter amendment would restore habeas corpus rights to enemy combatants under U.S. detention, as well as to those awaiting military reviews that will determine their legal status. Note: Three-fifths of the full Senate (60) is required to invoke cloture.

Citizens for Global Solutions' supporters voted FOR the motion.

The cloture motion was rejected 56-43 (R 6-42; D 49-0; I 1-1).

6. Fiscal 2009 Omnibus Appropriations - United Nations Payment HR 1105 [RC#111-83] Inhofe (R-OK) W=3.

This amendment would bar the use of funds in the bill for any U.S. dues contribution or voluntary payment to the United Nations if the United Nations implements or imposes any tax on U.S. persons, even though this is not something the UN actually does. Passage of the amendment would harm U.S. efforts for multilateral cooperation through the United Nations.

Citizens for Global Solutions' supporters voted AGAINST the amendment.

The amendment was rejected 43-51 (R 39-0; D 4-49; I 0-2).

7. Fiscal 2010 Budget Resolution - Prohibit Reconciliation S Con Res 13 [RC#111-126], Johanns (R-NE) W=2.

This amendment would prohibit the use of reconciliation in the Senate for climate change or clean energy legislation involving a cap-and-trade system.

Citizens for Global Solutions' supporters voted AGAINST the amendment.

The amendment passed 67-31 (R 41-0; D 26-29; I 0-2).

8. Fiscal 2010 Budget Resolution - Climate Change Legislation S Con Res 13—[RC#111-141], Stabenow (D-MI) W=3.

This amendment would adjust climate change legislation to create new jobs in "clean technology," diversify the domestic clean energy supply, provide incentives for cost-savings through energy efficiencies, and provide voluntary opportunities for agriculture and forestry communities to contribute to reducing greenhouse gas levels. The bill's adoption would further U.S. efforts to limit greenhouse gas emissions that affect global climate change.

Citizens for Global Solutions' supporters voted FOR the amendment.

The amendment passed 73-25 (R 17-24; D 54-1; I 2-0).

9. Fiscal 2009 Supplemental - International Monetary Fund HR 2346 [RC#111-201] DeMint (R-SC) W=2.

This amendment would strike provisions for increased funding for new U.S. commitments to the International Monetary Fund. Lack of further U.S. financial commitment to the IMF risks making multilateral cooperation more difficult.

Citizens for Global Solutions' supporters voted AGAINST the amendment.

The amendment was rejected 30-64 (R 27-12; D 2-51; I 1-1).

10. United Nations / Multilateral Organization Funding Offset S 1963 [RC#111-351] (R- OK) W=3.

This legislation would require the State Department to offset the costs of the bill (which funds veterans' caregivers assistance) at the expense of funding for contributions to international organizations (such as the UN) and peacekeeping activities. This would burden the State Department with financial issues which would harm U.S. foreign policy and international peacekeeping efforts.

Citizens for Global Solutions' supporters voted AGAINST the bill.

The amendment was rejected 32-66 (R 31-9; D 1-55; I 0-2).

1. International Debt Relief Passage HR 2634 [RC#110-199] W=2.

Passage of the bill would require the Treasury Department to negotiate with the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund, as well as other lending nations, to forgive debt. The bill would bar all conditions on debt relief except those encouraging transparency and anti-corruption and require all relief benefits to go towards poverty reduction. Eligible countries would be required to have a good human rights record, oppose terrorism and demonstrate a record of fighting drug trafficking. It would exclude countries with excessive military spending and forbid an aid reduction with debt relief.

Citizens for Global Solutions' supporters voted FOR the bill.

The motion passed 285-132 (R 69-126; D 216-6).

2. Fiscal 2009 Defense Authorization - Reliable Replacement Warhead Program HR 5658 [RC#110-358], Pearce, (R-NM), W=2.

This amendment would increase the bill's authorization for the National Nuclear Security Administration's Reliable Replacement Warhead program by $10 million, offset by a decrease of the same amount in authorized funds for energy conservation on military installations. By moving funding for energy conservation projects to efforts to increase nuclear capabilities, the United States is sending an aggressive message about its priorities. CGS strongly advocates for nuclear disarmament, and the replacement of nuclear warheads works against this mission.

Citizens for Global Solutions' supporters voted AGAINST the amendment.

The amendment was rejected 145-271 (R 144-44; D 1-227).

3. Motion to Concur / Energy Policy H.Res. 6 [RC# 110-1140] Dingell (D-MI) W=1.

The Dingell motion requires new corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) standards of 35 miles per gallon for cars and light trucks, and requires 36 billion gallons of biofuels to be blended with gasoline by 2022. It would require electric utilities to produce at least 15 percent of their electricity from renewable energy sources by 2020 and direct the Energy Department to set new energy efficiency standards. It also includes a $21.5 billion package of tax incentives that would be offset in part by eliminating or reducing $13 billion in subsidies for major oil and gas companies.

Citizens for Global Solutions' supporters voted FOR the motion.

The motion passed 235-181 (R 14-174; D 221-7).

4. State Department Authorization - International Atomic Energy Agency Contributions HR 2410 [RC#111-321], Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) W=3.

This amendment would require the State Department to withhold $4.5 million from its contributions to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), an amount equal to the monetary value of nuclear technical cooperation the agency provided to Iran, Syria, Sudan and Cuba in 2007. This bill would require the State Department to withhold funding from the IAEA as punishment for agency decisions that have not aligned with U.S. policy, thus hindering multilateral cooperation.

Citizens for Global Solutions' supporters voted AGAINST the amendment.

The amendment was rejected 205-224 (R 174-1; D 31-223).

5. State Department Authorization - Sudan Crisis Plan HR 2410 [RC#111-322] McCaul (R-TX) W=2.

This amendment would require the President to develop a plan to address the crisis in Sudan, advance U.S. national security and humanitarian interests in the country, resolve the conflict in Darfur and combat Islamist extremism.

Citizens for Global Solutions' supporters voted FOR the bill.

The amendment passed 429-0 (R 177-0; D 252-0).

6. State Department Authorization Passage HR 2410 [RC#111-328] W=3.

Passage of this bill would authorize $18 billion in fiscal 2010 and unspecified sums in 2011 for programs at the State Department and Peace Corps, for United Nations peacekeeping dues and other diplomatic programs. Of the funds the bill would authorize for 2010, it would allocate $7.3 billion for the State Department's operating budget; $2.3 billion for U.S.-assessed contributions to the U.N. and regional organizations for international peacekeeping activities; $1.8 billion for embassy security, construction and maintenance to U.S. missions abroad; $1.8 billion for assessed contributions to international organizations; and $1.6 billion for general migration and refugee assistance. It would allow the State Department to hire more than 1,500 additional entry-level Foreign Service officers, require the President to conduct a review of the U.S. arms export controls system and allow children to accompany their parents into the United States as refugees.

Citizens for Global Solutions' supporters voted FOR the bill.

The bill passed 235-187 (R 7-169; D 228-18).

7. Fiscal 2010 Defense Authorization - Interrogation Videotaping HR 2647 [RC#111-457] Holt (D-NJ) W=2.

This amendment would require the videotaping of all intelligence interrogations of persons in the custody of the Defense Department, excluding tactical questioning as defined by the Army Field Manual on Human Intelligence Collector Operations. It would require the department to submit to Congress, no later than 30 days after the bill's enactment, a report containing guidelines for interrogation videotaping. This legislation would ensure that the U.S. remains committed to the prohibition of torture and the maintenance of basic human rights.

Citizens for Global Solutions' supporters voted FOR the amendment.

The amendment passed 224-193 (R 10-162; D 214-31).

8. Greenhouse Emissions (allows for purchasing emissions) Rule HR 2454 HRES 587 [RC#111-466] W=2.

Adoption of the rule (H.Res. 587) that would provide for House floor consideration of a bill that would establish a system in which greenhouse gases would be limited and allowances for the emissions could be purchased. This vote promotes efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that affect global climate change.

Citizens for Global Solutions supporters voted FOR the rule.

The bill passed 217-205 (R 0-175; D 217-30).

9. Fiscal 2010 State-Foreign Operations Appropriations - Diplomatic and Consular Programs HR 3081 [RC#111-517] Buyer (R-IN) W=2.

This amendment would reduce the amount provided for the State Department and Foreign Service diplomatic and consular programs by $1.2 billion, USAID by $330 million and global health activities by $670 million. The objective of the legislation was to decrease the funding, and thus the capabilities, of the diplomatic and consular arm of the State Department, which is key to engaging with the international community.

Citizens for Global Solutions supporters voted AGAINST the amendment.

The amendment was rejected 156-271 (R 150-25; D 6-246).

10. Fiscal 2010 State-Foreign Operations Appropriations Passage HR 3081 [RC#111-525] W=3.

This bill would appropriate $49 billion in fiscal year 2010 for the State Department, foreign assistance and other international activities. It also includes $2.1 billion in funding for contributions to international peacekeeping activities. As amended, it would also bar the Treasury Department from using funds appropriated in the bill to negotiate an agreement in contravention of certain requirements relating to U.S. participation in the International Monetary Fund and World Bank imposed by Congress in the fiscal 2009 war supplemental. This legislation also eliminates the Nethercutt amendment, which had since 2004 threatened to impose sanctions on nations who had ratified the International Criminal Court (ICC), which would have resulted in deep cuts in foreign assistance to these countries.

Citizens for Global Solutions' supporters voted FOR the bill.

The bill passed 318-106 (R 76-97; D 242-9).

11. Global Press Freedom Passage HR 3714 [RC#111-989] Berman (D-CA) W=1.

Motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill that would require the State Department to include information on the freedom of the press in country reports and authorize necessary sums to establish a Freedom of the Press Grant Program to promote global press freedom. This bill relates to CGS's mission of advocating for human rights, including the right to free speech.

Citizens for Global Solutions' supporters voted FOR the motion.

The motion passed 403-12 (R 157-12; D 246-0).