United States Senate

Senate total votes

$854 Billion Spending Bill For 2019

Voting 85 for and seven against, the Senate on Aug. 23 approved an $854 billion catchall appropriations bill (HR 6157) that would provide $675 billion for the Department of Defense, $90.1 billion for the Department of Health and Human Services, $71.4 billion for the Department of Education, $12.1 billion for the Department of Labor and nearly $6 billion for other agencies and programs in fiscal 2019. The military outlay, accounting for nearly 70 percent of the government’s discretionary spending, would fund a 2.6 percent pay raise for those in uniform while providing $68.1 billion for combat operations abroad and $57 billion-plus for active-duty, family and retiree health care. The bill also would appropriate $3.7 billion for the prevention and treatment of opioid addiction; $445 million for charter schools; another $445 million for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and $95 million in grants to help K-12 schools prevent and recover from classroom shootings. A yes vote was to send the bill to conference with the House.

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

Senate total votes

Defunding Planned Parenthood

By a vote of 45 for and 48 against, the Senate on Aug. 23 failed to advance an amendment that would delete $400 million in Planned Parenthood funding from a bill (HR 6157) providing fiscal 2019 appropriations for the departments of Defense, Education, Labor and Health and Human Services. A yes vote was to remove Planned Parenthood funding from the bill.

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

Senate total votes

Suicide Prevention Hotline

Voting 95 for and none against, the Senate on Aug. 21 adopted an amendment to HR 6157 that would increase the 2019 budget for the National Suicide Prevention Hotline by $2.8 million or about 4 percent. Funded by all levels of government and other sources, the hotline is a nationwide network of crisis centers that provides 24/7 confidential support to persons in emotional distress. A yes vote backed the spending increase.

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