WASHINGTON — Here's a look at how area members of Congress voted over the previous week.

House votes

House vote 1

Requiring crime reporting by cruise vessels: The House approved the Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act (H.R. 3360), sponsored by Rep. Doris Matsui, D-Calif., to create crime reporting and safety requirements for cruise vessels. Proponents said that "American families have unknowingly been at risk when embarking on cruise vacations" as cruise ships registered under foreign flags of convenience could operate outside U.S. authority. They added that by requiring crimes on cruise vessels to be reported to federal authorities, the bill would ensure a safer cruise for all passengers. The vote, on Nov. 17, was 416 yeas to 4 nays.

Yeas: Rep. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M. (1st); Rep. Ben Ray Luján, D-N.M. (3rd); Rep. Harry Teague, D-N.M. (2nd)

House vote 2

Firefighter safety standard compliance: The House passed an amendment, sponsored by Rep. Ed Perlmutter, D-Colo., to the Fire Grants Reauthorization Act (H.R. 3791), to authorize a nationwide survey to assess compliance of fire departments with best practices on firefighter safety, and to establish a task force to recommend to Congress ways to increase compliance with firefighter safety standards. Proponents said that the legislation would authorize the U.S. Fire Administration to conduct a first-of-its-kind survey of fire departments across the U.S. to measure how well they are adhering to safety standards and noted that the legislation was supported by the International Association of Firefighters, International Association of Fire Chiefs and National Fire Protection Association. The vote, on Nov. 18, was 358 yeas to 75 nays.

Yeas: Heinrich, Luján, Teague

House vote 3

Firefighting assistance grants: The House passed the Fire Grants Reauthorization Act (H.R. 3791), sponsored by Rep. Harry Mitchell, D-Ariz., to reauthorize and improve the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974. The legislation reauthorizes funding for the Assistance to Firefighters grant program, which provides funding for local fire departments to purchase equipment, vehicles and training, and the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response grant program, which provides assistance to keep local fire departments prepared and able to respond to the needs of their communities. Proponents said "this program will, go a long way towards diminishing the loss of life and the threat to [firefighters] and at the same time diminish the threat of fire overall." The vote, on Nov. 18, was 395 yeas to 31 nays.

Yeas: Heinrich, Luján, Teague

House vote 4

Medicare physician payment reform: The House passed the Medicare Physician Payment Reform Act (H.R. 3961), sponsored by Rep. John Dingell, D-Mich., to reform the Medicare Sustainable Growth Rate payment system for physicians. The program would provide for a repayment schedule for doctors providing medical care and being reimbursed under Medicaid. Proponents said the legislation "fulfills a promise to our doctors that they're going to be appropriately paid for their services, and it assures that Medicare will continue to be available to provide services for our seniors." Opponents expressed concerns that the recently passed health care legislation removed $500 billion from the Medicare program and said the Medicare Physician Payment Reform Act" does not fix our physician reimbursement problem. It simply replaces one system of cuts with another" and that it would add more than $200 billion to the Federal deficit. The vote, on Nov. 19, was 243 yeas to 183 nays.

Yeas: Heinrich, Luján, Teague

House vote 5

Native American business development: The House passed the Native American Business Development Enhancement Act (H.R. 1834), sponsored by Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick, D-Ariz., to amend the Small Business Act and improve assistance provided to Native American tribal members, Alaska Natives and Native Hawaiians. Proponents said the legislation would "require better coordination between the SBA and tribal organizations in providing technical programs" and that it would help Native Americans access technical tools and capital. It also would establish an office that would focus specifically on Native American small businesses to address their unique needs. The vote, on Nov. 19, was 343 yeas to 55 nays.

Yeas: Heinrich, Luján, Teague

Senate votes

Senate vote 1

Funds to house homeless veterans: The Senate approved an amendment, sponsored by Sen. Tim Johnson, D-S.D., to the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act (H.R. 3082), to provide $50 million to convert unused agency buildings into housing for homeless veterans. Proponents said "this amendment will allow the VA to put to good use buildings on VHA campuses currently sitting empty" by housing veterans in close proximity to the medical and mental health services veterans need to help them rebuild their lives. The vote, on Nov. 17, was 98 yeas to 1 nay.

Yeas: Sen. Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M.; Sen. Tom Udall, D-N.M.

Senate Vote 2

Guantánamo detainee housed in U.S.: The Senate tabled an amendment, sponsored by Sen. James Inhofe, R-Okla., to the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act (H.R. 3082), that would have barred funding to hold in the U.S. individuals currently held at the Guantanamo Bay facility in Cuba. Proponents said the amendment was a second chance "to try to keep terrorists from coming into the United States." Opponents said it "would prevent law enforcement officials from taking the steps that are necessary to improve security in local communities and that it would put [U.S.] security at risk." The vote to table the amendment, on Nov. 17, was 57 yeas to 43 nays.

Yeas: Bingaman, Udall

Senate Vote 3

Veterans Affairs, military construction funding: The Senate approved the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act (H.R. 3082), sponsored by Rep. Chet Edwards, D-Texas, to provide fiscal 2010 funding for the Veterans Affairs Department and military construction programs. Proponents called the bill "work that all of us, Democrats and Republicans alike, can be very proud of," as it provided expanded education and health care benefits for veterans. The bill provides for $19.2 million to increase the role of the VA Office of Inspector General in oversight of the VA to see that tax dollars are spent appropriately, $4.6 billion for the VA to continue improvements in post traumatic stress disorder and mental health care for veterans, $2.8 billion for new military hospitals, $1.4 billion for military construction to support troops in Afghanistan, $1 billion for new child care centers, $570 million in additional funding for barracks, $450 million to build new troop housing for Army trainees, $200 million for the Guard and Reserve Construction Initiative and funding to provide for 1,200 new claims processors to reduce the backlog of veterans receiving the benefits. The vote, on Nov. 17, was unanimous with 100 yeas.

Yeas: Bingaman, Udall