Last week in Congress: How our representatives voted with analysis from News Washington Bureau Chief Jerry Zremski
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WASHINGTON — For the first time this year, major legislation passed both chambers of Congress last week -- and the major bill that passed the House showed two local Democrats siding, surprisingly, with Republicans.
By a vote of 267-159, the House passed a bill repealing the "CLASS" program, the long-term care effort included in the 2010 health reform law. Republicans argued that the government just can't afford to start a long-term care program of its own -- and Reps. Brian Higgins, D-Buffalo, and Kathleen C. Hochul, D-Amherst, agreed with the GOP on the vote.
“While originally intended to expand options for disabled seniors or those who require long-term care, this legislation has become unsustainable, with no options for successful implementation," Hochul said.
All this just goes to show that neither Hochul nor Higgins are guaranteed Democratic votes. They're centrist Democrats willing to buck the party line. Rep. Louise M. Slaughter, D-Fairport, opposed the repeal of the long-term care program.
Meanwhile in the Senate, both Sens. Kirsten E. Gillibrand and Charles E. Schumer backed the STOCK Act, which bans insider stock trading among members of Congress and their staffs.
That's no surprise, given that Gillibrand was an original sponsor of the bill and Schumer has supported it strongly.
Interestingly, though, the two New York Democrats opposed an amendment by Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., which would banned executive-branch employees with oversight responsibility from making decisions about companies or industries in which they or their spouse have an investment interest. Gillibrand and Schumer agreed with Democrats who said existing law already puts major restrictions on what executive-branch employees can or cannot do.
--Jerry Zremski
