How area members of Congress voted on nuclear waste, federal judge, other issues

May 12--WASHINGTON -- How St. Louis-area members of Congress voted on key issues during the week of May 7-11.

House

Storage of Nuclear Waste --The House on May 10 passed, 340-72, a bill to revive a long-dormant federal plan for permanently storing tens of thousands of metric tons of radioactive waste from active and retired nuclear power plants in 39 states and government weapons sites in at least six states in a repository at Nevada's Yucca Mountain. A yes vote was to send HR 3053 to the Senate.

Yes --William Lacy Clay, D-St. Louis; Ann Wagner, R-Ballwin; Jason Smith, R-Salem, Mo.; Blaine Luetkemeyer, R-St. Elizabeth, Mo.; Rodney Davis, R-Taylorville, Ill.; Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro, Ill.; John Shimkus, R-Collinsville.

Local Veto of Waste Storage --Voting 80-332, the House on May 10 defeated an amendment to HR 3053 (above) that sought to require the federal government to obtain approvals from an array of state and local jurisdictions before it could designate Yucca Mountain in Nevada as the permanent repository for tens of thousands of metric tons of spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste. A yes vote was to adopt the amendment.

Yes --Wagner, Luetkemeyer, Clay, Smith, Davis, Bost, Shimkus.

Auto Lending Bias --Voting 234-175, the House on May 8 approved repeal of a Consumer Financial Protection Bureau action against "third party" car and truck loans that impose interest rates on minority borrowers that are higher than those offered other similarly qualified borrowers. Under third-party lending, finance companies originate loans that dealers arrange for their customers, with dealers adding a markup to the interest rate and sharing in interest proceeds. The measure is now before President Trump. A yes vote backed repeal on grounds the bureau is prohibited by law from regulating auto dealers.

Yes --Shimkus, Bost, Davis, Smith, Luetkemeyer, Wagner.

No --Clay.

Limiting Antitrust Enforcement --The House on May 9 passed, 230-185, a bill that would repeal the Federal Trade Commission's authority to use in-house administrative judges as well as federal courts to adjudicate proposed corporate mergers and acquisitions. A yes vote was to pass HR 5645, which would strip the FTC of an antitrust enforcement resource it has used throughout its 104-year history.

Yes --Luetkemeyer, Smith, Wagner, Bost, Davis, Shimkus.

No --Clay.

Corporate Mergers, Rising Drug Costs --The House on May 9 defeated, 193-220, a bid by Democrats to prevent a pending antitrust bill (HR 5645, above) from applying to proposed corporate mergers that would lead to unreasonable increases in the cost of prescription drugs. A yes vote was to adopt a motion concerning rising pharmaceutical prices.

Yes --Clay.

No --Smith, Shimkus, Davis, Bost, Wagner, Luetkemeyer.

Senate

Michael Brennan Confirmation --Voting 49-46, he Senate on May 10 confirmed Michael B. Brennan, 54, a lawyer in private practice and former Milwaukee County Circuit Court judge, for a lifetime appointment to the Chicago-based 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Backers noted that Brennan had received American Bar Association approval, while critics said he was too far to the right on issues including gender equity, abortion rights and incarceration reform.

Yes --Roy Blunt, R-Mo.

No --Claire McCaskill, D-Mo,; Dick Durbin, D-Ill.

Not voting --Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill. (on maternity leave).

KEY VOTES AHEAD

The House will take up a five-year farm bill in the week of May 14, while the Senate will debate judicial nominations.

The votes and descriptions are compiled by "Voterama in Congress" a legislative tracking organization.

___

(c)2018 the St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Visit the St. Louis Post-Dispatch at www.stltoday.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.