United States House of Representatives

Total House of Representatives votes

Renewal of Federal Fisheries Law

Voting 222 for and 193 against, the House on July 11 passed a GOP-drafted bill (HR 200) that would extend through fiscal 2022 the main law for regulating commercial and recreational fishing in federal coastal waters ranging from three to 200 miles offshore. The 1976 Magnuson-Stevens law is designed to conserve stocks and prevent overfishing while protecting declining species and fragile habitats and providing economic and recreational opportunities. This bill would clear the way for increased commercial and sport fishing by steps such as scaling back science-based catch limits and conservation measures, shortening time frames for restocking populations and expanding from three to nine miles the zone for sport fishing of species including red snapper off the Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana coasts. A yes vote was to send the bill to the Senate.

• Voting yes: Roskam, Bost, Rodney Davis, Hultgren, Shimkus, Kinzinger, LaHood
• Voting no: Kelly, Lipinski, Gutierrez, Quigley, Danny Davis, Krishnamoorthi, Schakowsky, Schneider, Foster, Bustos
• Not voting: Rush

Total House of Representatives votes

Constitutional Amendment To Nullify Citizens United

Voting 228 for and 184 against, the House on July 11 blocked a bid by Democrats for floor debate on a proposed constitutional amendment (HJ Res 31) that would restore broad congressional and state powers to regulate money in politics. This would nullify the Supreme Court’s 2010 Citizens United ruling, which equated political spending with free speech in a way that allows corporations, unions, super PACs and other groups to anonymously spend unlimited, undisclosed sums to advocate the election or defeat of specific candidates. A yes vote was in opposition to calling the measure up for debate.

• Voting yes: Roskam, Bost, Rodney Davis, Hultgren, Shimkus, Kinzinger, LaHood 
• Voting no: Kelly, Lipinski, Gutierrez, Quigley, Danny Davis, Krishnamoorthi, Schakowsky, Schneider, Foster, Bustos
• Not voting: Rush

United States Senate

Total Senate Votes

Defense Of Nato Against Trump Barbs

Voting 97 for and two against, the Senate on July 10 adopted a measure intended to bolster the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) against President Trump’s verbal assaults on the 69-year-old Western alliance. Trump has charged that member countries fail to pay their fair share of the cost defending Europe, among other criticisms. The motion was offered in relation to a military spending bill (HR 5515) for fiscal 2019. A yes vote was to adopt the motion.

• Voting yes:
  Richard Durbin, Tammy Duckworth
• Voting no:
  None
• Not voting:
  None

–Recap of Illinois Representatives’ Congressional Votes week of July 9–