Sunday, July 31, 2005
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

WASHINGTON DIGEST: Congress overwhelmingly approves transportation bill

Nevada delegation gives unanimous support

WASHINGTON -- By an overwhelming vote of 412-8, the House last week passed a $286 billion transportation bill to pay for highways, public transportation and road safety through 2009.

The Senate also passed the bill, 91-4. President Bush was expected to sign the bill into law within days.

Sponsors of the bill said it would provide much needed upkeep of the nation's infrastructure while also producing a substantial number of jobs.

Critics complained lawmakers filled the bill with pork barrel projects that will increase an already soaring federal deficit.

Reps. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev.; Jim Gibbons, R-Nev.; and Jon Porter, R-Nev.; voted for the bill.

Sens. John Ensign, R-Nev., and Harry Reid, D-Nev., voted for the bill.

Energy bill approved

Congress also approved a comprehensive energy bill designed to boost energy production from conventional and alternative sources.

The bill, which President Bush has wanted since his first year in the White House, contains a range of initiatives that include extending daylight-saving time and inventorying federal offshore oil and natural gas resources.

Advocates said the measure eventually would lessen the nation's dependence on foreign oil, which accounts for almost 60 percent of the amount consumed by Americans.

Opponents argued the bill should have focused more on energy efficiency and conservation measures. They complained the legislation contained billions of dollars in subsidies for already profitable oil companies and questionable nuclear power ventures.

The House passed the energy bill, 275-156. Gibbons and Porter voted for it. Berkley voted against it.

The Senate voted 74-26 for the bill. Ensign voted for it. Reid voted against it.

Liability limits pass

A bill that would place a $250,000 cap on damages for pain and suffering in medical malpractice cases passed the House, 230-194.

This was the ninth time the House has passed such legislation, which is likely to be defeated in the Senate.

Backers of the limits claimed high damage awards are pushing up health care costs by making doctors practice "defensive medicine."

Critics argued caps on medical damages are a sop for insurance companies and would harm patients, particularly women and children.

Gibbons and Porter voted for the caps. Berkley voted against them.

CAFTA narrowly approved

By a razor-thin margin of 217-215, the House passed the Central American Free Trade Agreement, which would remove most tariffs from goods traded between the United States and Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua.

The Senate followed suit the same day, approving the trade bill by a vote of 55-45.

CAFTA supporters said it would boost the economy of all the countries involved by removing trade barriers.

Opponents charged the United States would lose jobs because of the pact, which does not protect labor or the environment.

Gibbons and Porter voted for CAFTA. Berkley voted against it.

Ensign voted for CAFTA. Reid voted against it.

Torture debate continues

The Senate fell 10 votes shy of cutting off debate on a defense bill, delaying final passage until at least September.

The Senate voted 50-48 to end debate, but 60 votes were needed to comply with Senate procedures.

The delay resulted from a proposal by Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., that would regulate treatment of enemy prisoners held at Guantanamo Bay and other U.S. facilities.

A former prisoner of war in Vietnam, McCain said torture of detainees usually fails to produce useful information and puts captured U.S. troops at risk of retaliation.

Vice President Dick Cheney and other opponents argue McCain's proposal would interfere with the Bush administration's efforts to protect the United States from terrorist attacks.

Reid voted to continue debate on the McCain proposal. Ensign voted to cut off debate.

Gun liability removed

The Senate voted 66-32 to advance a bill to the floor that would prohibit lawsuits against manufacturers, distributors, dealers and importers of guns and ammunition.

The Senate was expected to vote on final passage by the end of the week after considering several amendments.

Advocates said gun producers should not be held liable for injuries or deaths caused by people who misuse their weapons.

Critics charged the bill is a favor for the National Rifle Association and an insult to gunshot victims.

Ensign and Reid voted for the gun manufacturers.

The Senate also voted 70-30 for an amendment that would require child safety locks to be sold with all handguns.

Sen. Herb Kohl, D-Wis., who introduced the amendment, said it would go a long way toward reducing the number of accidental shootings.

Opponents complained the Kohl amendment would be unnecessarily and unfairly expensive.

Reid voted for the Kohl amendment. Ensign voted against it.