Bryan Watch: November 2021

Note: I am starting with Week 3, as it contained the biggest vote of the month, on Build Back Better. Overall, there were a total of 44 votes in November, 14 were party line, 30 non-party line. Rep. Steil voted with the Republicans 100 percent of the time in November, never thinking for himself at all.

November Week 3 (Nov 15-19)

The biggest vote in November was on HR 5376, the Build Back Better Act, President Biden’s $2 trillion spending plan. It makes massive investments in infrastructure, and dramatic changes in the tax code. Republicans, who want to deny Biden a win at any costs, voted unanimously against the legislation. (RC 385, Nov 19).

A half hour after the bill passed, Republicans attempt to reconsider the vote. Most Republicans (108) did not bother voting. Steil stuck around and was one of the 105 who voted again Build Back Better again (RC 386, Nov 19) Steil also supported an effort by Kevin Brady (TX) to send HR 5376 back to the Budget Committee.

And as usual, Republicans including Steil voted against even considering HR 5376 for a vote – and they did it THREE TIMES (RC 382 and 383, Nov 18; RC 371 and 372, Nov 6; RC 368, Nov 5)

The other partisan issue that came up in mid-November was the censure of Rep. Paul Gosar of Arizona. Gosar, who is a regular member of the Crazy Caucus, got into some trouble for posting a video calling for violence against Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and President Biden on a social media site. Democrats sought to punish Gosar by removing him from the Committee on Natural Resources and Committee on Oversight and Reform.

Republicans stood by their man, voting against censuring Gosar 2 to 207, with the notable exceptions of Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger. (Passage House Res 789, RC 379; Consideration of H Res 789, RC 377 and 378, all Nov 17)

There were half a dozen non-party line votes mid-November, covering a variety of issues. Steil voted with the sensible majority on all of them. They were:

HR 5574, the TRANSLATE Act, which requires the TSA to provide information in different languages so it can be understood by international travelers, and which passed 369 to 49. The 49 were all Republicans, and a good index of the most rabid xenophobes in the party (RC 381, Nov 18)

HR 3730, which creates an advisory committee in the Veterans Administration for issues of concern to vets in US territories, including American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, Micronesia, the Marshall Island and Palau. (RC 380, Nov 18)

HR 147, Bringing Registered Apprenticeships to Veterans Education (BRAVE) Act, which requires the Department of Labor to provide recently separated members of the armed forces with opportunities for apprenticeships (RC 376, Nov 16)

HR 4233, Student Veterans Counseling Centers Eligibility Act, which provides assistance to veterans seeking a higher education using federal education benefits including the GI Bill (RC 375, Nov 16)

S 796: Protecting Moms Who Served Act, which provides training for medical personnel in the special needs of female veterans who are pregnant. Nine Republicans thought this was a bad idea. They are basically the core of the Crazy Caucus: Biggs (AZ), Boebert (CO), Good (VA),. Greene (GA), Hice (GA), McClintock (CA), Norman (SC), Rosendale (MT), and Chip Roy (TX). (RC 374, Nov 16)

S 1095: Colonel John M. McHugh Tuition Fairness for Survivors Act, which seeks to use the clout of the Defense Department to force universities to give those eligible for Survivors and Dependents education benefits to receive in-state tuition rates. (RC 373, Oct 15, Passed 424-0)

November Week 1 (Nov 2-6)

The big major vote in early November was on HR 3684, the Investing in a New Vision for the Environment and Surface Transportation in America Act (Invest in America Act), President Biden’s smaller infra-structure package. In a change of pace, 13 Republicans actually voted for Biden’s proposal; Steil was not one of them. (RC 369, Nov 5).

Steil also supported an effort by Rep, Kelly (IL) to reconsider the vote (RC 370, Nov 5). He also sided with Republicans who attempted to stop consideration of HR 3684 by adjourning the House (RC 367, Nov 5)

In bad news for seniors, Republicans voted against HR 3992, the Protect Older Job Applicants Act, which establishes federal protections against age discrimination, by a vote of 7 to 200. Steil was one of the 200.

Steil also supported an amendment by Fred Keller of Pennsylvania which would have effectively gutted HR 3992 (H Amdt 138, RC 357, Nov 4) and opposed an amendment by Chris Pappas (NH) that would have required the EEOC to actually determine how much age discrimination is going on in American workplaces. (H Amdt 137, RC 356, Nov 4)

Non Party Line Votes in Early November

Much of early November focused a series of non-controversial bills, which basically came in four groups. Steil voted with the sensible majority of all of these bills as well

The first was a set of naming bills:

- HR 4660 named a courthouse in Wheeling WV after Frederick P Stamp, a retired federal judge (RC 366, Nov 4)

- HR 4679 named a federal building in Washington DC after Norman Mineta, former congressman and Secretary of Transportation (RC 365, Nov 4)

- HR 390 named the federal building in Memphis TN after Odell Horton, a retired federal judge (RC 364, Nov 4)

The second were a set of largely technical bills:

- HR 2220 regards buying property at below market prices (RC 363, Nov 4)

- HR 3709, Preliminary Damage Assessment Improvement Act, seeks to review damage assessment policies by FEMA (RC 362, Nov 4)

- HR 3193, the Eliminating Barriers to Rural Internet Development Grant Eligibility Act (E-BRIDGE), which creates grants in the Commerce Department to help rural areas improvement internet service (RC 361, Nov 4)

- HR 1339, the Advanced Air Mobility Coordination and Leadership Act, which lets the Department of Transportation improve cargo transportation around the United States (RC 360, Nov 4)HR 1917, Hazard Eligibility and Local Projects Act

- HR 1917, Hazard Eligibility and Local Projects Act, which provides grants to local governments seeking to mitigate hazards in their area (RC 359, Nov 4)

- - HR 4515, the Small Business Development Center Cyber Training Act of 2021, which provides cybersecurity assistance to small businesses (you probably could have figured that out from the title). (RC 353, Nov 2)

- -HR 4531 and HR 4481 both dealt with 7(a) loans, a program under the Small Business Administration (RC 351 and 352, Nov 2)

- - HR 3462, SBA Cyber Awareness Act, which requires the SBA to report on how small businesses are complying with cybersecurity regulations (RC 350, Nov 2)

- HR 4256, Investing in Main Street Act, which requires banks to invest up to 15 percent of capital in local small businesses (RC 349, Nov 2)

- HR 3469, Veteran Entrepreneurship Training Act of 2021, which creates the Boots to Business program, which allows the Small Business Administration to assist veteran and military personnel in establishing new businesses (RC 348, Nov 2)

The third set were political grandstanding:

- H Res 670, which is a routine Cuba bashing resolution, which Republicans backed 100 percent. 40 members of the Progressive Caucus opposed it, including Mark Pocan and Gwen Moore. (RC 355, Nov 3)

- S 1064, the Reinforcing Nicaragua's Adherence to Conditions for Electoral Reform Act of 2021, which bashes the Ortega government. While most of the votes against were from the Progressive Caucus, six were from the ultra-conservative wing of the Republicans (RC 354, Nov 3)

The fourth set dealt with Native America issues, including several land transfers:

- HR 5221, the Urban Indian Health Confer Act, which would require the Department of Health and Human Services to confer with Native American organizations regarding health care in the community (RC 343, Nov 2)

- HR 2088, Eastern Band of Cherokee Historic Lands Reacquisition Act, which transfers land in Tennessee to the Cherokee tribe (RC 347, Nov 2)

- HR 4881, Old Pascua Community Land Acquisition Act, which transfers land in Arizona to the Pascua Yaqui tribe (RC 346, Nov 2)

- S 108, which allows land transfers by the Seminole tribe in Florida (RC 345, Nov 2)

- HR 3616, Bear River National Heritage Area Study Act, which would create a new National Heritage Area in Idaho and Utah (RC 344, Nov 2)

- HR 1975, Pala Band of Mission Indians Land Transfer Act, which would transfer land in San Diego CA to the Pala Band of Mission tribe (RC 342, Nov 2)

- HR 2758, Lumbee Recognition Act, which establishes the Lumbee tribe of North Carolina as a federally recognized tribe, allowing them government benefits (RC 341, Nov 1). 59 Republicans actually voted against this.

- HR 1619, Catawba Indian Nation Lands Act, which establishes land in trust for the Catawba tribe in Cleveland County NC (RC 340, Nov 11)