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National Hispanic Leadership Agenda
Congressional Scorecard
105th Congress

Key Votes in the House of Representatives

Overview
In the section below, each key House and Senate vote is characterized by a vote number, the lead sponsor, a brief description, and identification of the "pro-Hispanic" position. There are significantly more House votes than Senate votes, a reflection of the fact that a greater volume of key votes took place in the House than in the Senate.

CIVIL RIGHTS & ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE

1. Amendment to Promote Gender Pay Equity. H.R. 1853 - Vocational-Technical Education. Mink (D-HI) amendment to require states that currently fund programs for homemakers, single parents, and pregnant women, and programs that promote gender equity, to continue to fund the programs at the same level as in FY 1997. The amendment would also establish a gender pay equity coordinator, as required under current law. Amendment rejected 207-214 (RC# 286), July 22, 1997. (PRO-HISPANIC POSITION - Y)

2. Motion to Recommit to Promote Gender Pay Equity. H.R. 1853 - Vocational-Technical Education. Mink (D-HI) motion to recommit the bill to the Education and the Workforce Committee with instructions to require states to set aside 10% of vocational education funds for programs that promote gender equity and assist displaced homemakers, single parents, and single pregnant women. Motion rejected 207-220 (RC# 288), July 22, 1997. (PRO-HISPANIC POSITION - Y).

3. Amendment to Prevent English-Only Policy in Puerto Rico. H.R. 856 - Puerto Rico Self-Determination Act. Burton (R-IN) and Miller (D-CA) offered substitute language to Solomon amendment that would declare English as the official language of the United States. Supporters of "English-Only" and official English opposed Burton substitute, which would declare that if Puerto Rico chose statehood, then it would have to abide by existing language requirements for all other states. Amendment passed 238-182 (RC #29), March 4, 1998. (PRO-HISPANIC POSITION - Y)

4. Amendment to Eliminate the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) program. H.R. 2400 - Building Efficient Surface Transportation and Equity Act. Roukema (R-NJ) amendment to eliminate the DBE program within the Department of Transportation and deny equal access to federal contracting dollars to small and disadvantaged minority- and women-owned businesses. Amendment failed 194-225 (RC# 93), April 1, 1998. (PRO-HISPANIC POSITION - N)

5. Amendment to Eliminate Affirmative Action in Higher Education. H.R. 6 - Higher Education Act Reauthorization. Riggs (R-CA) amendment to prohibit affirmative action in admissions in public colleges and universities that participate in any Higher Education Act program. This Amendment would do what the U.C. Regent's decision did in California - deny Latino students an equal opportunity to achieve a higher education. Amendment rejected 171-249 (RC# 133), May 6, 1998. (PRO-HISPANIC POSITION - N)

6. Amendment to Eliminate Affirmative Action in Science and Engineering Education. H.R. 6 - Higher Education Act Reauthorization. Campbell (R-CA) amendment to prohibit science and engineering improvement programs of the Higher Education Act to be targeted for minority students. This Amendment would limit opportunities for Latinos to succeed in these highly competitive programs. Amendment rejected 189-227 (RC# 134), May 6, 1998. (PRO-HISPANIC POSITION - N)

7. Bill to Allow Nuclear Waste Dump in Sierra Blanca. H.R. 629 - Texas Radioactive Waste Disposal Compact Conference Report. Barton (R-TX) bill to construct a nuclear waste dump near Sierra Blanca, Texas, a poor, Mexican American community which is already the site of one of the largest sewage sludge projects in the country. The dump would violate the 1983 La Paz environmental agreement between the U.S. and Mexico. In August 1998, two Texas administrative law judges recommended that the dump license be denied because of severe geological problems and unanswered questions about environmental racism. This bill would pressure local conservation commission officials to approve the license. Bill passed 305-117 (RC# 344), July 29, 1998. (PRO-HISPANIC POSITION - N)

8. Amendment to Allow Funding for Census Sampling. H.R. 4276 - FY 1999 Commerce, Justice, State Appropriations. Mollohan (D-WV) amendment to remove bill language restricting funds from being used by the Census Bureau for statistical sampling. Sampling is the best, scientifically proven method available to ensure a more accurate Census for the year 2000, which has a disparate impact on Hispanic and other minority communities living in hard-to-reach rural and urban areas. Amendment failed 201-227 (RC# 388), August 5, 1998. (PRO-HISPANIC POSITION - Y)

EDUCATION

9. Amendment to Restrict Funding for Standardized Education Testing. H.R. 2264 - FY 1998 Labor, HHS Appropriations. Goodling (R-PA) amendment to prohibit the use of any appropriated funds for the development of national reading tests for fourth graders and national math tests for eight graders. The use of standardized national tests for high-stakes purposes, without equitable distribution of resources, can have an adverse impact on Hispanic students. Amendment passed 295-125 (RC# 398), September 16, 1997. (PRO-HISPANIC POSITION - Y)

10. Amendment to Increase Public School Improvement Bonds. H.R. 2646 - Education Savings Accounts. Rangel (D-NY) substitute amendment to increase the cap on the amount of funding that public schools may use to issue interest-free bonds for school construction and curriculum development and teacher training from $400 million to $4 billion in fiscal 1998 and 1999. Amendment rejected 199-224 (RC# 523), October 23, 1997. (PRO-HISPANIC POSITION - Y)

11. Bill to Eliminate Bilingual Education Programs. H. R. 3892 - "English Language Fluency Act." Riggs (R-CA) bill would transform the current bilingual education program into an English language acquisition program, ignoring language-minority student achievement in other core subjects, such as math, science, and history. In addition, it would set a two-year limit for public school limited-English-proficient children to learn English, after which they will be placed in English-only classrooms. H.R. 3892 would also void current compliance agreements between the Office of Civil Rights of the U.S. Department of Education and local education agencies that have failed to provide language-minority students with appropriate educational services. Bill passed 221-189 (RC# 424), September 10, 1998. (PRO-HISPANIC POSITION - N)

12. Bill to Block Grant Education Funding. H.R. 3248 - "Dollars to the Classroom Act." Pitts (R-PA) bill to collapse into a single block grant 31 federal programs designed to help raise achievement levels of and improve the quality and equity of programming for low-income and limited-English-proficient (LEP) students. The bill would repeal programs such as Goals 2000, Eisenhower Professional Development, Technology Challenge Fund, 21st Century Community Learning Centers, Comprehensive Regional Assistance Centers, and Education for Homeless Children. The bill would strip accountability requirements put in place to ensure quality and equity of programming tied to receipt of federal funding. Bill passed 212-198 (RC# 452), September 18, 1998. (PRO-HISPANIC POSITION - N)

FEDERAL BUDGET

13. Bill to Reduce Discretionary Spending. H. Con. Res. 284 - FY 1999 Budget Resolution. Kasich (R-OH) resolution, with support of House leadership, called for major reductions in domestic discretionary funds, including housing assistance programs. The resolution did not include restoration of Food Stamp benefits for legal immigrants, or increases in education, civil rights enforcement, or child care programs requested by the Administration. It provided for $101 billion in tax cuts, primarily for upper-income Americans. Although budget resolutions are not binding, they represent a "framework" or "road map" for appropriations committees, and therefore are highly influential in shaping ultimate Congressional action. Resolution passed 216-204 (RC# 210), June 5, 1998. (PRO-HISPANIC POSITION - N)

IMMIGRATION

14. Motion to Instruct Against Adjustment of Status for Legal Immigrants. H. R. 2267 - FY 1998 Commerce, Justice, State Appropriations. Rohrabacher (R-CA) motion to instruct House conferees to delete Senate language to permanently extend section 245(i) of the Immigration and Nationality Act which permits would-be immigrants who are present in the United States to remain in the country while adjusting to permanent legal status. Motion rejected 153-268 (RC# 541), October 29, 1997. (PRO-HISPANIC POSITION - N)

15. Amendment to Allow Military on the U.S.-Mexico Border. H.R. 3616 - Defense Authorization Act. Traficant (D-OH) amendment to allow Attorney General, secretary of the Treasury and the secretary of Defense to assign up to 10,000 military personnel to assist the Immigration and Naturalization Service and the Customs Service in border control activities. Similar to RC# 224 (269Y-119N) in 1997, except that the incident which killed Esequiel Hernandez had occurred since that vote, and called into question the wisdom of assigning military troops to the U.S. border. Amendment passed 288-132 (RC# 180), May 21, 1998. (PRO-HISPANIC POSITION - N)

INCOME SECURITY & FAMILY SUPPORT

16. Bill to Reform Public Housing Programs. H.R. 2 - Housing Opportunity and Responsibility Act. Lazio (R-NY) bill would repeal U.S. Housing Act of 1937, deregulate public housing and rental assistance programs for low-income households, and weaken low-income targeting requirements. Proposal would decrease the participation rates of low-income Hispanics. In 1995, HUD found 27 percent of Hispanics were below the poverty level and have the worst-case housing needs of any category of recipients. Bill passed 293-132 (RC# 127), May 14, 1997. (PRO-HISPANIC POSITION - N)

17. Amendment to Extend SSI Payments for Elderly and Disabled Legal Immigrants. H.R. 1469 - Supplemental Fiscal 1997 Appropriations. Diaz-Balart (R-FL) amendment to postpone the scheduled termination of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments to legal immigrants until the end of fiscal 1997. Under the 1996 welfare system overhaul (PL 104-193) such payments to legal immigrants would end on August 22, 1997. Amendment passed 345-74 (RC# 133), May 15, 1997. (PRO-HISPANIC POSITION - Y)

18. Rule to Prohibit Restoration of Food Stamps for Legal Immigrants. H.RES. 446 - Agricultural Research Bill. Solomon (R-NY) rule for debate of the Conference Report would have prohibited the provisions in S. 1150 that restore $818 million in funding for food stamps for legal permanent residents who entered the United States before enactment of welfare reform (8/22/96) and who are either elderly, disabled, or under age 18; and certain other immigrants, refugees, and asylees. Resolution failed 120-289 (RC# 188), May 22, 1998. (PRO-HISPANIC POSITION - N)

VOTING RIGHTS

19. Bill to Create Voter Verification System. H.R. 1428 - Voter Eligibility Verification Act. Horn (R-CA) bill to establish a pilot program in the five largest states, under which state and local officials could require Social Security numbers from voting applicants. It also directs the Justice Department, in consultation with the Social Security Administration and the Immigration and Naturalization Service, to set up a system whereby local officials could seek verification of the citizenship of those attempting to vote. A two-thirds majority of those present and voting (273 in this case) is required for passage under suspension of the rules. Motion rejected 210-200 (RC# 17), February 12, 1998. (PRO-HISPANIC POSITION - N)

20. Amendment to Prohibit Campaign Contributions by Legal Immigrants. H.R. 2183 - Campaign Finance Reform. Fossella (R-NY) amendment to the Shays/Meehan substitute to ban legal permanent residents (LPRs) from making campaign contributions and/or expenditures in federal, state, and local elections. It attacks the First Amendment rights of legal immigrants, and it encourages political discrimination against ethnic minorities, especially new Americans - those U.S. citizens who speak with an accent or "look foreign." Amendment passed 282-126 (RC# 276), July 14, 1998. (PRO-HISPANIC POSITION - N)

21. Amendment to Repeal "Motor-Voter" Law. H.R. 2183 - Campaign Finance Reform. Goodlatte (R-VA) amendment to the Shays/Meehan substitute to repeal mail-in voter registration, require proof of citizenship and full Social Security numbers when registering to vote, and require photo ID at the polls. This amendment would undo Motor-Voter legislation, threaten individual privacy rights, and increase the likelihood of voting rights violations against Hispanic Americans. Amendment failed 165-260 (RC# 358), July 30, 1998. (PRO-HISPANIC POSITION - N)

22. Amendment to Require Photo ID at Polling Booths. H.R. 2183 - Campaign Finance Reform. Wicker (R-MS) amendment to the Shays/Meehan substitute to allow states to require photo ID at the polls without Voting Rights Act protections against discrimination. The amendment would have affected states with high minority populations and a history of violating their voting rights. It would have had a disparate impact on the Latino community. Amendment failed 192-231 (RC# 359), July 30, 1998. (PRO-HISPANIC POSITION - N)

23. Amendment to Create Voter Verification System. H.R. 2183 - Campaign Finance Reform. Peterson (R-PA) amendment to the Shays/Meehan substitute to amend the Social Security Act and the Immigration and Naturalization Act to establish a voter verification program through a federal pilot program. It would have threatened the privacy and voting rights of ethnic minorities, and would have had a chilling effect on voter participation. Similar language to previously-defeated H.R. 1428 (see vote 19). Amendment failed 165-260 (RC# 366), July 30, 1998. (PRO-HISPANIC POSITION - N)

24. Amendment to Prohibit Bilingual Voting Assistance. H.R. 2183 - Campaign Finance Reform. Barr (R-GA) amendment to the Shays/Meehan substitute to repeal the language assistance provisions of the Voting Rights Act of 1964 as amended in 1994. It would prohibit the use of bilingual ballots and bilingual assistance, and deny equal access to the vote for language-minority citizens. Amendment failed 142-267 (RC# 367), July 31, 1998. (PRO-HISPANIC POSITION - N)