WASHINGTON – Here’s how Maine’s members of Congress were recorded on major roll call votes in the week ending Feb. 6.

HOUSE Jobless benefits

The House on Feb. 4 voted, 227 for and 179 against, to provide 13 additional weeks of jobless checks for an estimated two million persons exhausting earlier allotments between Dec. 21, 2003, and June 30, 2004. The extension was added to a bill (HR 3030) renewing the Community Services Block Grant program, which funds anti-poverty programs. The bill was passed on a non-record vote and now awaits Senate action.

The employer-funded Unemployment Trust Fund would pay the $6.7 billion cost of the jobless relief. Democrats said the money could be promptly released if GOP majorities in Congress wanted to do so. But Republicans said the outlay would be subject to the lengthy appropriations process, adding that many states already have unspent federal funds they could use to help the jobless.

George Miller, D-Calif., said that without this extension, “over two million unemployed workers will be left to fend for themselves” by July 1.

John Boehner, R-Ohio, called the amendment “nothing more than a hollow, empty promise, exploiting American workers for political gain.”

A yes vote backed the amendment.

Rep. Tom Allen, D-1, voted yes. Rep. Michael Michaud, D-2, voted yes.

Religion-based hiring

Voting 182 for and 231 against, the House on Feb. 4 refused to strip HR 3030 (above) of authority that allows hiring discrimination based on religion. Under the disputed provision, religious groups that receive community-development grants can reject job applicants because of their faith.

Several federal programs allow faith-based organizations to hire on the basis of religion while receiving taxpayer funds. Critics say this violates the constitutional divide between church and state and the 1964 Civil Rights Act. But supporters say the practice is consistent with Title VII of that law.

Robert Scott, D-Va., said: “This is the first time I have heard about the right of someone to discriminate. We usually talk about the right of someone to apply for a job and be free from discrimination based on employment….”

John Boehner, R-Ohio, said the amendment “would needlessly strip faith-based organizations of…rights that have been guaranteed to them by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and this has been upheld consistently since then by the courts….”

A yes vote opposed hiring based on religion.

Allen and Michaud voted yes.

SENATE

Highways, mass transit

The Senate on Feb. 2 voted, 75 for and 11 against, to begin at least two weeks of debate on a bill (S 1072) authorizing $318 billion over six years for highway and bridge construction, mass transit and transportation safety. Nearly $57 billion is for public transportation such as urban rail systems. The bill’s source of funding beyond gasoline taxes remained uncertain. Sponsors said the cost would be partially offset by closing several tax loopholes. But opponents said the Senate has already laid claim to the same loopholes to fund other programs.

James Jeffords, I-Vt., said the bill “will generate millions of well-paying jobs since every billion dollars spent on the highway program can generate up to 47,500 jobs….”

Herb Kohl, D-Wis., urged delay of the bill because “Wisconsin is a loser” under its formula for distributing federal highway dollars over the next six years.

A yes vote was to advance the bill.

Sen. Susan Collins, R, voted yes. Sen. Olympia Snowe, R, voted yes.

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