HOW DID YOUR FEDERAL SENATORS AND REPRESENTATIVE VOTE LAST WEEK?

Senator Jeff Sessions is now our Attorney General of the United States. May he be led by the Lord as he takes on this difficult task. Luther Strange has been appointed to fill Sessions' Senate seat by Governor Bentley . He started voting at the end of last week. We will have to see how he responds to the pressure cooker called Washington D.C

 Recent Senate Votes

Prohibit Sen. Elizabeth Warren to Speak on Senate Floor When Debating Sen. Sessions Nomination to be U.S. Attorney General - Vote Sustained (49-43, 8 Not Voting) The Senate voted to sustain the ruling of the presiding officer (Montana Republican Sen. Steve Daines) in which he prohibited Massachusetts Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren from speaking on the Senate floor for the remainder of the debate concerning Alabama Republican Sen. Jeff Sessions' nomination to be U.S. attorney general. The presiding officer ruled that Sen. Warren violated Senate rule 19 prohibiting senators from "imputing" one another. Sen. Richard Shelby voted YES Sen. Luther Strange voted no data Confirmation of Sen. Jeff Sessions to be U.S. Attorney General - Vote Confirmed (52-47, 1 Present) Sen. Richard Shelby voted YES Sen. Luther Strange voted no data Confirmation of Rep. Tom Price to be Secretary of Health and Human Services - Vote Confirmed (52-47, 1 Not Voting) Sen. Richard Shelby voted YES Sen. Luther Strange voted YES

Recent House Votes

Disapprove BLM Land Use Planning Rule - Vote Passed (234-186, 12 Not Voting) The joint resolution would disapprove the rule issued by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) on Dec. 12, 2016, which modified the process under which BLM develops plans for the use of the public lands it manages, including by considering a wider variety of issues and possible impacts. Rep. Mo Brooks voted YES Disapprove State Education Accountability Rule - Vote Passed (234-190, 8 Not Voting) The joint resolution would disapprove the rule issued by the Education Department on Nov. 29, 2016 which addresses implementation of a state's accountability systems when receiving federal education funding under the Elementary and Secondary School Act (ESEA). Among other things, the rule requires states to identify low-performing schools for comprehensive or targeted support and improvement, and requires that each state's statewide plan use multiple indicators of student success that are the same for all public schools (including charter schools). Rep. Mo Brooks voted YES Disapprove Teacher Education Program Rule - Vote Passed (240-181, 11 Not Voting) The joint resolution would disapprove the rule issued by the Education Department on Oct. 31, 2016, relating to teacher preparation programs that require states to annually evaluate the effectiveness of teacher preparation programs at institutions of higher education and to publicly report this information, including the job placement and retention rates of graduates. Rep. Mo Brooks voted YES

Upcoming Votes

Nomination of Steven Mnuchin to be Secretary of the Treasury - PN26 The Senate is expected to take up the nomination of Steven Mnuchin to be secretary of the Treasury. Nomination of David Shulkin to be Secretary of Veterans Affairs - PN39 The Senate is expected to take up the nomination of David Shulkin to be secretary of Veterans Affairs. Texas-Oklahoma Border Lands - HR428 The bill would require the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to pay for a private survey to identify the south boundary line along the Red River separating Texas and Oklahoma with regards to land title and ownership, with the states of Texas and Oklahoma to determine which lands are federal lands and which are private. Disapprove Unemployment Benefit Drug Testing Rule - HJRES42 The resolution would disapprove the rule issued by the Labor Department on Aug. 1, 2016, that defines the occupations for which states can require individuals applying for unemployment benefits to undergo drug testing. Disapprove State Retirement Plan ERISA Exemption Rule - HJRES66 The measure would disapprove the rule issued by the Labor Department on Aug. 30, 2016, that exempts state-administered retirement plans for workers at private sector businesses and nonprofit entities that don't offer retirement plans from certain restrictions and requirements under the federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA). Disapprove Local Government Retirement Plan ERISA Exemption Rule - HJRES67 The measure would disapprove the rule issued by the Labor Department on Dec. 20, 2016, that exempts local government-administered retirement plans for workers at private sector businesses and nonprofit entities from certain restrictions and requirements under ERISA. Disapprove Alaska Predator Control Rule - HJRES69 The resolution would disapprove the rule issued by the Interior Department on Aug. 5, 2016, that prohibits certain predator control practices in national wildlife refuges in Alaska (such as the taking of mother bears and their cubs, the killing of wolves and their pups at den sites, and aerial shooting). Disapprove HHS Planned Parenthood Funding Rule - HJRES43 The resolution would disapprove the rule issued by the Health and Human Services Department (HHS) on Dec. 19, 2016, that modifies eligibility requirements for Title X grants for family planning services to specify that states awarding funds cannot prohibit a health care provider from participating for reasons other than its ability to provide Title X services.