Bryanwatch: Feb 2022
Steil Against Sustainable Development
The House was relatively busy during the first weeks of February, casting 30 votes.Of the 21 party line votes, Steil almost answered at his party’s call, voting with the Republicans 20 of 21 times.
Steil's one good vote was RC 29, in which he supported Amendment 260 by Rep. Levin (D_MI) to the Bioeconomy R and D bill. Steil was one of 24 Republicans to support the Levin amendment. (Feb 4; Republicans 24-186). Levin’s amendment would expand Pell Grant eligibility for students seeking job training and new skills.
Rep. Steil actually cast two votes that were MORE EXTREME than the House Republican caucus. On February 7, Steil voted against HR 4445, the Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assualt and Sexual Harassment Act, which Republicans supported 113 to 97. (RC 33) And the next day, Steil voted against HR 3076, the Postal Service Reform Act, which Republicans supported 120 to 92. *RC 38)
February Week 1
The big bill under discussion the first week of February was HR 4521, the Bioeconomy Research and Development Act, which seeks to create a new National Engineering Biology Research and Development Initiative. Almost every Republicans (with the exception of Adam Kinzinger from Illinois) voted against it (RC 31, Feb 4)
Steil, as usual, voted for a motion to recommit by Rep. McCaul that would have sent the bill back to the Committee on Science (RC 30, Feb 4)
As with most economic development bills, there were tons of amendments. Here are some of the changes sought in HR 4521.
Amendment 184: Rep. Perry (R-PA) seeks to end US participation in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.. Most Republicans (196 to 14), including Steil, side with climate denialism (RC 27, Feb 3)
Amendment 239: Rep Michelle Steel (R-CA) seeks to challenge the Chinese government on emissions targets. Republicans, including Steil, vote YES (200-10). 65 Democrats voted with Steel (RC 28, Feb 4)
Amendment 56: Rep Dan Crenshaw (R-TX) also wants to keep track of China’s record on emission standards. Republicans, including Steil, are on board (194-13); 70 Democrats side with him. (RC 23, Feb 3)
Amendment 43: Rep. Castro (TX) sought to add media and entertainment jobs to the list of apprenticeship opportunities. Republicans, including Steil, voted against it (RC 22, Feb 3) A big shout out to Fitzpatrick and Katkop, who helped the amendment pass 216 to 214.
Rep.Pramila Jayapal, a leader of the House Progressive Caucus, had two amendments fail: Amendment 124, seeking to analyze the impact of US policies in Afghanistan (RC 25, failed 175-255) and Amendment 22. seeking to analyze the impact of US policies on innovation, climate cooperation and economic justice (RC 21, failed 181-248)
Steil and all other Republicans voted against Jayapal’s efforts to seek accountability from government officials.
Finally, there were three “En Bloc” amendments considering a wide range of amendments. For sake of brevity, I will not that Steil voted against the Bonamici amendment (RC 19, Feb 3) and the Johnson of Texas amendment (RC 18, Feb 3) which contained multiple Democratic improvements to the Bioeconomy bill.
The en bloc amendment by Rep. Lofgren (CA) contained the Republican amendments, which Steil voted for (RC 20, Feb 3). Among the ideas Rep. Steil supported:
• No less than (x) attacks on the United Nations Green Climate Fund: Amendments 6 (Balderson), 13 (Bice). 28 (Burgess). 37 (Carmack), 106 (Grothman), 121 (Ronny Jackson), 185 (Boebert and Perry), 188 (Pfluger).
• Poison pill amendments that basically gut the effectiveness of the bill (Amendments 92 amd 94, Garca, Burgess and Gimenez)
• Efforts to kill or cripple the Economic Development Administration (Amendments 181 and 182, Perry, Boebert)
February Week 2
During the second week of February, Steil voted against preventing a government shutdown when he refused to pass HR 6617, the Continuing Appropriations bill which extended government funding to March 11 (RC 39, Feb 8)
Steil struck a major blow for injustice and repression on February 9, when he voted against HR 3485, the Global Respect Act (RC 43). The bill would allow the US State Department to sanction foreign leaders who violate the human rights of their citizens based on sexual orientation and gender identity Only six Republicans stood up for the rights of LGBTQ citizens around the world.
Steil also voted against an amendment by Rep. David Cicilline (RI) which made several improvements in HR 3485 (RC 42, Feb 9). The only Republicans to support it were Brian Fitzpatrick (PA) and John Katko (NY).
And as usual, Steil joined in with all the rest of the Republicans to even consider Democratic legislation. On Feb 8, he voted against considering HR 3076 and HR 6617 (RC 35 and 36). And on February 2, he voted against considering HR 3485, HR 4445 and HR 4521 (RC 16 and 17)
NON PARTY LINE VOTES
There were only a handful of non party line amendments.
One was an amendment by Rep. Joe Buck to HR 4445, the sexual assault and harassment bill, which clarified the language in the bill (Amendment 1, passed 427-0. RC 32, Feb 7)
The other was an amendment by Rep. John Garamendi to the Bioeconomy bill which added H.R. 4996, the Ocean Shipping Reform Act, to bill. (RC 24, Feb 3, passed 367-59; Steil voted YES)
POST OFFICES
Post Offices tend to be the least controversial things that Congress does. They are generally approved by wide margins. So it is rare when a post office naming fails.
On Feb 9, colleagues of former Rep. Lynn Woolsey (1993-2012) attempted to name a post office in Petaluma, California in her honor. The bill, HR 2842, failed on a vote of 245-167 (Republicans 29-167) because a two-thirds vote was required. Steil voted against the Lynn Woolsey post office bill (RC 45) Interestingly, Republicans gave no explanation of why the voted against honoring a veteran member of the House.
One former member who was honored with no problems was Rep. John Lewis. The post office in Atlanta was named after him on a vote of 421 to zero. (RC 15, Feb 1, HR 5577)
The other post office bills passed by wide margins:
HR 3539, the Atanasio Taitano Perez post office in Hagatna, Guam (RC 44, Feb 9, passed 417-1; Tom Massie)
HR 735, the Arthur Luis Ibleto post office in Cotati, California (RC 41, Feb 8, passed 422-4)
HR 2324, the D Edwina Stephens post office in Tallahassee, Florida (RC 40, Feb 8, passed 428-1; Tom Massie)
S 656, the Specialist Matthew Turcotte post office in Slatersville, Rhode Island (RC 37, Feb 8, passed 432-0). Turcotte died during a training accident at Fort Carson in August 2017.
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