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

HOUSE VOTES

House Vote 1

Troy post office designation: The House agreed to the Martin G "Marty" Mahar Post Office Designation Act (H.R. 4425), sponsored by Rep. Paul Tonko, D-N.Y., to designate a U.S. Postal Service facility in Troy, N.Y., in honor of the former Troy mayor and city councilman. Mahar, who was also president of the New York State Association of City Councils, was a World War II veteran, earning four Battle Stars, who went on work as a counselor to ensure that war veterans experienced a smooth transition back into civilian life. The vote, on Feb. 22, was unanimous with 330 yeas.

Yeas: Rep. Martin Heinrich D-N.M., Rep. Ben Ray Luján D-N.M.

Not voting: Rep. Harry Teague D-N.M.

House Vote 2

Haiti earthquake response: The House approved a resolution (H.Res. 1066) sponsored by Rep. Kendrick Meek, D-Fla., to recognize the achievements of the Armed Forces and other members of Operation Unified Response for their aid to Haiti following the country's January earthquake. Proponents said the resolution would let the response team know how much they were appreciated for their help and to express appreciation for their families' sacrifices for allowing them to serve the U.S. and be goodwill ambassadors at a time when the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere needed help. The vote, on Feb. 23, was unanimous with 406 yeas.

Yeas: Heinrich, Luján, Teague

House Vote 3

Honoring Haiti search and rescue efforts: The House approved a resolution (H.Res. 1059) sponsored by Rep. Michael McMahon, D-N.Y., to honor U.S. urban search and rescue teams for their efforts following the January earthquake in Haiti. Proponents said the teams "truly made a difference in the lives that they saved and in the other international search and rescue teams which they trained as well." The vote, on Feb. 23, was unanimous with 406 yeas.

Yeas: Heinrich, Luján, Teague

House Vote 4

Black history month: The House approved a resolution (H.Res. 1046) sponsored by Rep. Al Green, D-Texas, to recognize the significance of Black History Month. Proponents said the theme of Black History Month this year, 'The History of Black Economic Employment', "could not be more fitting as our nation continues on the road to full economic recovery. The current economic crisis has impacted all Americans, but communities of color, particularly African Americans, have been among the hardest hit. The evidence is clear—glaring disparities between African Americans and others can be found in every economic indicator and they must not be ignored." The vote, on Feb. 23, was unanimous with 402 yeas.

Yeas: Heinrich, Luján, Teague

House Vote 5

Native Hawaiian governance act: The House passed the Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act (H.R. 2314), sponsored by Rep. Neil Abercrombie, D-Hawaii, to recognize the status of Native Hawaiians as a self-governing body. Proponents said the legislation would provide Native Hawaiians the same right of self-governance and self-determination that are afforded to other indigenous peoples. Opponents said it would grant powers and authorities without the consent of the state, followed by negotiations for yet more benefits and powers to be granted to Native Hawaiians. The vote, on Feb. 23, was 245 yeas to 164 nays.

Yeas: Heinrich, Luján, Teague

House Vote 6

Honoring Anne Frank protector Miep Gies: The House passed a resolution (H.Res. 1074), sponsored by Rep. Mary Jo Kilroy, D-Ohio, to honor the life of Hermine 'Miep' Gies, a friend of Anne Frank's family, who helped hide and sustain the Frank family, among others, for two years during World War II at the risk of her own life and who is credited with preserving the diary of Anne Frank. According to the House resolution, Gies, who died on Jan. 11, is recognized for her courage in risking her own life to hide and provide for the Frank family while they were in hiding, for retrieving and preserving the diary of Anne Frank, which has served as an inspiration to countless people the world over and for her bravery during Nazi occupation of the Netherlands and her dedication to preserving the memory of Anne Frank and the Holocaust. The vote, on Feb. 23, was unanimous with 421 yeas.

Yeas: Heinrich, Luján, Teague

House Vote 7

House expresses sense of religious minorities in Iraq: The House has passed a resolution (H.Res. 944), sponsored by Rep. Gary Peters, D-Mich., to express a sense of the House pertaining to religious minorities living in Iraq noting that "there are grave threats to religious freedom in Iraq, particularly for members of the smallest, most vulnerable religious minority communities" and that members of non-Muslim religious minority communities in Iraq do not receive adequate official protection, and are legally, politically, and economically marginalized. Because of this, the House stated their concern and said that the Secretary of State should develop and report to Congress on a comprehensive strategy to encourage the protection of the rights of members of vulnerable religious and ethnic minority communities in Iraq. The resolution says the U.S. government should also continue to work with the government of Iraq to integrate religious and ethnic minorities and that that U.S. should en

courage Iraq to work with members of vulnerable religious and ethnic minority communities to develop and implement tangible, effective measures to protect their rights and measures to reverse the legal, political and economic marginalization of religious minorities in Iraq. The vote, on Feb. 23, was 415 yeas to 3 nays.

Yeas: Heinrich, Luján, Teague

House Vote 8

Anti-trust exemption for health insurance: The House passed the Health Insurance Industry Fair Competition Act (H.R. 4626), sponsored by Rep. Thomas Perriello, D-Va., to restore the federal antitrust laws to health insurance companies, thereby promoting competition and protecting consumers. Proponents said that this would increase competition in the insurance industry and would result in lower prices and other benefits for consumers and that a healthy and competitive health insurance market would serve to drive prices. Opponents said that the reason the antitrust exemption had survived for 65 years was because it encouraged competition by allowing smaller insurers to access the same data that larger insurers are able to amass and that if smaller insurers can't access actuarial data then they would risk being absorbed by larger insurers. The vote, on Feb. 24, was 406 yeas to 19 nays.

Yeas: Heinrich, Luján, Teague

House Vote 9

Celebrating African American contributions in U.S. transportation: The House passed a resolution (H.Res. 1085), sponsored by Rep. Corrine Brown, D-Fla., to honor the contributions of African-Americans to the transportation infrastructure in the U.S. According to the resolution, African-Americans have had significant and far-reaching impacts on modern transportation systems, including airways, highways, and railways, and have led to momentous improvements to transportation safety and security including and have also played important roles in shaping the Nation's highways, bridges, and transit and rail systems throughout the country's history through innovation, pioneering new technologies, and building the infrastructure that connects the U.S. and enables economic growth and prosperity. The vote, on Feb. 23, was unanimous with 419 yeas.

Yeas: Heinrich, Luján, Teague

House Vote 10

Medicare physician payment reform: The House agreed to Senate amendments to the Medicare Physician Payment Reform Act (H.R. 3961), sponsored by Rep. John Dingell, D-Mich., to amend the Social Security Act to reform Medicare's Sustainable Growth Repayment System, the system used to calculate physician payments for providing services to Medicare patients. Proponents said the legislation would fulfill a promise to doctors that they would be paid appropriately paid for their services, and that it would assure that Medicare would continue to be available to provide services for senior citizens. Opponents said the legislation was a good idea, but that they would not be able to support it unless there would be a clear way to pay for it. The vote, on Feb. 25, was 315 yeas to 97 nays.

Yeas: Heinrich, Teague

Nays: Luján



SENATE VOTES

Senate Vote 1

Amending appropriations bill: The Senate approved a House version of the Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (H.R. 2847) that would provide $64.9 billion for counter-terrorism, fighting violent crimes and crimes against children, research, education, climate change and competitiveness for the Departments of Commerce and Justice, Science and related agencies for fiscal 2010. This amount is $313 million above the President's budget request. Proponents said the payroll tax relief would help create jobs and employ those who have been out of work for too long a time. Opponents said the bill violated the recently passed pay-go rules to the tune of $12 billion and would eventually result in $140 billion of new debt being imposed on future generations. The vote, on Feb. 24, was 70 yeas to 28 nays.

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