[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 65 (Tuesday, May 23, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E941]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          PERSONAL EXPLANATION

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BART STUPAK

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 23, 2006

  Mr. STUPAK. Mr. Speaker, last week I could not be present for votes 
on May 17-19 due to my son's graduation from a California law school.
  If I had been present on May 17, I would have voted ``no'' on 
amendments to the Forest Emergency Recovery and Research Act, H.R. 4200 
(rollcall votes 147, 148, 149, and 150). As a cosponsor of H.R. 4200, I 
would have voted ``yes'' on final passage of the bill (rollcall vote 
151).
  I would have voted ``no'' on the Marshall Rule to consider the budget 
(rollcall vote 152), ``no'' on the previous question (rollcall vote 
153), and ``no'' on the rule to consider the Republican budget 
(rollcall vote 154). I would have voted ``no'' on the Watt Substitute 
(rollcall vote 155).
  On May 18, I would have voted ``no'' on the Hensarling Substitute 
(rollcall vote 156).
  I would have voted ``yes'' on the Spratt Democratic Substitute, which 
would have accumulated smaller deficits and less debt than the 
Republican budget, provided $6.5 billion more for Homeland Security and 
$8.6 billion more for veterans' health care over the next five years. 
In addition the substitute, would have provided $150 billion for middle 
class tax relief such as child tax credit, marriage penalty, and 
extension of 10% tax bracket (rollcall vote 157).
  I would have voted ``no'' on final passage of the irresponsible 
Republican budget, which passed 218-210 (rollcall vote 158).
  I would have voted ``yes'' on H. Res. 740, calling on the Government 
of the United Kingdom to immediately establish a full, independent 
public judicial inquiry into the murder of Northern Ireland defense 
attorney Pat Finucane (rollcall vote 159).
  I would have voted against the previous question and rule to consider 
the Interior Appropriations bill (rollcall votes 160 and 161).
  I would have voted for H. Res. 795, which condemns the terrorist 
attacks in Dahab and Northern Sinai, Egypt (rollcall vote 162).
  I would have voted for the Weiner Amendment to reopen the Statue of 
Liberty to the public, which passed 266-152 (rollcall vote 163). I 
would have voted ``no'' on the Poe Amendment to open the outer 
continental shelf to oil and natural gas drilling (rollcall vote 164). 
I would have voted for the Pallone Amendment to prohibit the EPA from 
finalizing changes to the Toxins Release Inventory, which collects and 
reports information on toxic substances (rollcall vote 165). I would 
have voted ``no'' on the Beauprez Amendment (rollcall vote 166). I 
would have voted ``yes'' on the Hinchey Amendment, which would require 
that any new leases for offshore oil and gas drilling include royalty 
payments if the price of oil or gas is over a certain threshold 
(rollcall vote 167).
  I would have voted against the Chabot Amendment, which would prohibit 
funds for new logging roads in the Tongass National Forest in Alaska 
(rollcall vote 168).
  I would have voted for the Oberstar Amendment to prohibit the EPA 
from enforcing guidelines set 3 years ago that significantly limit the 
applicability of the Clean Water Act to streams, ponds, and wetlands 
(rollcall vote 169).
  I would have voted ``yes'' on the Putnam/Capps amendment to reinstate 
the bipartisan moratorium on drilling in the Outer Continental Shelf 
(rollcall vote 170).
  I would have voted ``no'' on the Hefley Amendment, which would 
provide a one percent across-the-board cut to all programs funded in 
the Interior Appropriations bill (rollcall vote 171).
  I would have voted for final passage of the Interior Appropriations 
bill given the significant improvements made to the bill by the passage 
of the Hinchey, Oberstar, and Putnam/Capps amendments (rollcall vote 
172).
  On May 19, I would have voted ``no'' on the Previous Question and 
passage of the rule for consideration of the Military Construction and 
Quality of Life Appropriations bill (rollcall votes 173 and 174). I 
would have voted ``no'' on the Blumenauer Amendment which would have 
cut $440 million from the BRAC Base Closure account (rollcall vote 
175).
  I would have voted for final passage of the Military Construction and 
Quality of Life Appropriations bill (rollcall vote 176).

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