United States Senate

Total Senate votes

Passage of $154.2 Billion Spending Package

Voting 92 for and six against, the Senate on Aug. 1 passed a bill (HR 6147) combining four of the 12 appropriations bills that fund the government into a single package totaling $154.2 billion. In part, the bill would fund the departments of Interior, Agriculture, Transportation and Housing and Urban Development; the Treasury Department and federal judiciary; numerous agencies including the Small Business Administration and Environmental Protection Agency and the federally funded share of the District of Columbia

A yes vote was to send the bill to a House-Senate conference committee.

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

Total Senate votes

Refusal to Fund Election-Security Grants

Voting 50 for and 47 against, the Senate on Aug. 1 failed to reach 60 votes needed to expand HR 6147 to include $250 million for election-security grants to states. The underlying bill “zeroed out” funding in the new fiscal year for these grants, which help states upgrade voting equipment and fortify electoral systems against outside attacks and internal breakdowns. A yes vote was to add electoral funds for states to a pending appropriations bill.

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

Total Senate votes

Approval of $717 Billion For Military

Voting 87 for and 10 against, the Senate on August 1 approved the conference report on a bill (HR 5515) that would authorize a $717 billion military budget for fiscal 2019, including $69 billion for war-fighting overseas and $57 billion for active-duty and retiree health care. A yes vote was to send the bill to President Trump.

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

Total Senate votes

Temporary Extension of Flood Insurance

Voting 88 for and 12 against, the Senate on July 31 passed a bill (S 1182) that would extend the National Flood Insurance Program through Nov. 30. This would give Congress more time to consider proposed reforms of a program that is running a deficit of more than $20 billion even after having received a $16 billion taxpayer bailout. A yes vote was to send the bill to President Trump.

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

–Recap of Illinois Representatives’ Congressional Votes Week of July 30–