WASHINGTON – Here’s how Maine’s members of Congress were recorded on major roll call votes in the week ending Nov. 21.

HOUSE Energy policy

Voting 246 for and 180 against, the House on Nov. 18 approved the conference report on a package of tax breaks, regulatory relief and other policy changes designed to increase domestic energy production and conservation and shore up the nation’s aging electricity grid.

The bill (HR 6) provides at least $23.5 billion over 10 years in tax credits and incentives crafted mainly to promote oil and gas exploration, coal production and a revival of nuclear energy. It provides $18 billion in loan guarantees to subsidize construction of a natural gas pipeline from Alaska to Chicago.

The bill mandates increased use of the corn-based gasoline additive ethanol and of biodiesel fuel, a soybean product. It gives MTBE manufacturers retroactive immunity from suits such as those by New Hampshire and other states alleging the additive has polluted groundwater.

Environmentalists criticized the measure, in part, for its MTBE immunity, easing of clean-air standards in certain metropolitan areas and failure to increase vehicle mileage standards or require electricity producers to use significantly more renewable fuels. They praised its rejection of President Bush’s bid to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) to drilling

The bill imposes reliability standards on the regional systems for transmitting electricity and empowers the federal government to override state and local authorities in the siting of major transmission lines.

The bill repeals the Public Utilities Holding Company Act of 1935 to permit mergers of individual gas and electric companies.

Rep. Tom Allen, D-1, voted no. Rep. Michael Michaud, D-2, voted no.

2004 spy budget

Voting 264 for and 163 against, the House on Nov. 20 approved the conference report on a fiscal 2004 budget for U.S. intelligence agencies unofficially reported at about $40 billion. The bill (HR 2417) drew criticism over its expansion of federal investigative powers in terrorism probes. For example, it broadens the definition of businesses whose records can be seized without a court order.

In other provisions, the bill emphasizes greater reliance on human intelligence and upgrades the ability of the FBI and CIA to communicate digitally.

A yes vote was to approve the conference report.

Allen and Michaud voted no.

Iraq intelligence

Voting 404 for and 12 against, the House on Nov. 18 urged a faster Central Intelligence Agency timetable for providing Congress with a report on how to prevent a recurrence of U.S. intelligence failures both before the U.S. invasion of Iraq and during the occupation.

The fiscal 2004 intelligence budget (HR 2417, above) requires the CIA to produce the “lessons learned” critique.

A yes vote backed the non-binding motion.

Allen and Michaud voted yes.

Mutual funds

Voting 418 for and two against, the House on Nov. 19 passed a bill (HR 2420) that addresses some of the illegal or improper management practices associated with unfolding scandal in the $7 trillion mutual-fund industry. The bill awaits Senate action next year.

In part, the bill outlaws after-hours trading in fund shares; seeks to discourage market-timing by requiring higher fees on short-term trades; requires fund managers to disclose holdings in their own funds; bans managers and other insiders from short-term trading of their own shares; prohibits an individual from managing both a mutual fund and a hedge fund; requires funds to provide clearer data on fees and cost comparisons with competing funds; requires that two-thirds of board members be independent directors and requires funds to hire compliance officers who would report directly to independent directors.

No member spoke against the bill.

A yes vote was to pass the bill.

Allen and Michaud voted yes.

SENATE

Energy filibuster

Voting 57 for 40 against against, the Senate on Nov. 21 failed to reach the 60 votes needed to end a filibuster against a House-passed energy bill (HR 6, above). Six Republicans joined 33 Democrats and one independent in voting to block the measure.

A yes vote was to advance HR 6.

Sen. Olympia Snowe, R, voted no. Sen. Susan Collins, R, voted no.

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