[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 12]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 16064-16065]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                          PERSONAL EXPLANATION

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. EARL BLUMENAUER

                               of oregon

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 15, 2004

  Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, had I been present for the following 
votes on Wednesday July 7, 2004, I would have voted as follows:
  Rollcall vote No. 329, I would have voted ``yea'' on the Flake 
Amendment, to prohibit the use of funds in the appropriations bill to 
implement the Commerce Department's new restrictions on gift parcels to 
Cuba and the amount of personal baggage allowed for travelers to Cuba.
  Rollcall vote No. 330, I would have voted ``yea'' on the Weiner 
Amendment which would have increased COPS funding but at the expense of 
the U.S. Census Bureau.
  Rollcall vote No. 331, I would have voted ``nay'' on the Hefley 
Amendment, an amendment to eliminate funding for the re-engineered 
design process for the 2010 Short-Form Only census.
  Rollcall vote No. 332, I would have voted ``yea'' on the Kucinich 
amendment, to expand the membership of the President's ``Manufacturing 
Council'' to include representatives from unions and the steel 
industry.
  Rollcall vote No. 333, I would have voted ``nay'' on the Paul 
amendment, an amendment to prohibit the use of funds in the bill to pay 
expenses for any U.S. contribution to the United National Educational, 
Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
  Rollcall vote No. 334, I would have voted ``yea'' on the Farr 
amendment, directing that none of the funds in the appropriations bill 
may be used to prevent the states of Alaska, California, Colorado, 
Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Nevada, Oregon, Vermont or Washington from 
implementing state laws authorizing the use of medical marijuana.
  Rollcall vote No. 335, I would have voted ``nay'' on the Paul 
amendment, which would have prohibited the use of funds to pay any 
United States contribution to the United Nations or any affiliated 
agency of the United Nations.
  Had I been present for the following votes on Thursday July 8, 2004, 
I would have voted as follows:
  Rollcall vote No. 336, I would have voted ``nay'' on the rules of 
debate for H.R. 4755.
  Rollcall vote No. 337, I would have voted ``nay'' on the rules of 
debate for H.R. 3598.
  Rollcall vote No. 338, I would have voted ``yea'' on H.R. 3980 to 
establish a National Windstorm Impact Reduction Program.
  Rollcall vote No. 339, I would have voted ``yea'' on the Sanders 
amendment, which would have restricted the investigative powers of the 
FBI and homeland security, and restored some of the basic civil 
liberties revoked by the PATRIOT Act.
  The Sanders amendment would have repealed some of the most dangerous 
provisions of the PATRIOT Act, which allow the government to monitor 
the reading and research habits of citizens in libraries and 
bookstores. It is clear that there is potential for abuse of individual 
rights in every community across the nation, and there has been 
mistreatment in my own. I am appalled by the behavior of the House 
leadership in administering this vote. It was made clear that even if I 
had been present to cast my vote of support, the vote would have been 
held open for as long as it would have taken to strong arm enough 
members into defeating the legislation.
  Rollcall vote No. 340, I would have voted ``nay'' on the Akin 
amendment, which prohibits funds in the appropriations bill for HIV/
AIDS programs that do not explicitly oppose legalizing sex trafficking 
and prostitution.
  Rollcall vote No. 341, I would have voted ``nay'' on the King (IA) 
amendment, providing $1 million for the enforcement of provisions of 
the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act 
regarding receiving and providing information to the federal government 
on the citizenship or immigration status of an individual.
  Rollcall vote No. 342, I would have voted ``nay'' on the Smith (MI) 
amendment, which increases funding for scientific and technical 
research and services of the National Institute of Standards and 
Technology by $20 million. The amendment offsets the increase by 
reducing funding for U.S. contributions to international organizations 
by $20 million.
  Rollcall vote No. 343, I would have voted ``nay'' on the Hefley 
amendment, an amendment to reduce funding for the U.S. Court of Federal 
Claims by 50 percent.
  Rollcall vote No. 344, I would have voted ``nay'' on the Hefley 
amendment, an amendment to cut total appropriations in the bill by 1 
percent.
  Rollcall vote No. 345, 1 would have voted ``yea'' on the motion to 
recommit with instructions H.R. 4754.
  Rollcall vote No. 346, I would have voted ``yea'' on the passage of 
H.R. 4754, to make appropriations to the Departments of Commerce, 
Justice, State, the Judiciary, and other related agencies for the 
fiscal year 2005.
  Rollcall vote No. 347, I would have voted ``nay'' on the motion to 
adjourn.
  Had I been present for the following votes on Friday July 9, 2004, I 
would have voted as follows:
  Rollcall vote No. 348, I would have voted ``nay'' on the motion to 
table the appeal of the ruling of the Chair.
  Rollcall vote No. 349, I would have voted ``nay'' on the motion to 
adjourn.
  Rollcall vote No. 350, I would have voted ``nay'' on ordering the 
previous question.
  Rollcall vote No. 351, I would have voted ``nay'' on the resolution 
providing for consideration of H.R. 2828.
  Rollcall vote No. 352, I would have voted ``nay'' on the motion to 
reconsider.
  Rollcall vote No. 353, I would have voted ``nay'' on the motion to 
adjourn.
  Rollcall vote No. 354, I would have voted ``yea'' on the motion to 
recommit with instructions H.R. 2828.
  Rollcall vote No. 355, I would have voted ``yea'' on the amendment to 
authorize $120.6 million for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership 
program and 10 percent yearly increases for FY06-08 and to allow the 
Federal cost-share for MEP Centers in the FY05-08 to increase up to 
one-half on a case-by-case basis as determined by the Administration.
  Rollcall vote No. 356, I would have voted ``yea'' on the amendment to 
prohibit funds authorized from being used to require centers 
participating in the Manufacturing Extension Partnership program to re-
compete for funds that already have been approved.
  Rollcall vote No. 357, I would have voted ``yea'' on the amendment to 
establish a Manufacturing and Technology Administration within the 
Commerce Department and to direct the President to appoint, with the 
consent of the Senate, an Under Secretary of Commerce for Manufacturing 
and Technology, an Assistant Secretary for Manufacturing and an 
Assistant Secretary for Technology.
  Rollcall vote No. 358, I would have voted ``yea'' on the motion to 
recommit with instructions H.R. 3598.

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