About the Initiatives and Votes
- Farr/Taylor Letter to Armed Services Chair and Ranking Members:
These 35 members sent a letter September 20th, 2004 to the chair and ranking members of the Armed Services Committee in both chambers calling for them to accept the House version of legislation establishing the maximum number of US troops permitted in Colombia at 500, rather than the Senate's higher cap of 800. The Senate's version prevailed (it also set a higher cap on the number of contractors, at 600). Signers of the letter are marked with an X. - McGovern letter on Human Rights Defenders:
These 74 members of Congress sent a letter February 12, 2004 to Colombian President Alvaro Uribe, calling upon him to respect the role of human rights defenders in a democratic society and to provide adequate protection measures to threatened activists. Signers of the letter are marked with an X. - SOLVE Act:
A joint bill introduced by Senator Ted Kennedy (D-MA) and Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-IL) to provide for comprehensive immigration reform, both the House and Senate versions are identical. Immigration reform advocates consider this bill to set the standard in Congress. There was no vote on this bill in 2004. Co-sponsors are marked with an X. - Juarez Resolution:
A resolution to express sympathy for the families of the victims of women's murders in Ciudad Juarez and Chihuahua City, Mexico. It also outlines a number of steps the US government can take to help address the murders. The joint resolution was introduced by Rep. Hilda Solis (D-CA) in the House and by Senator Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) in the Senate. There was no vote on this bill in 2004. Co-sponsors are marked with an X. - Davis Amendment:
This amendment to the Transportation/Treasury appropriations bill sought to roll back new Bush Administration restrictions on Cuban-American family travel. The measure passed the House by a vote of 225-174, but was removed from the final version of the bill by the House/Senate conference. A positive vote is marked with an X. - Rangel Amendment:
The Rangel Amendment would have lifted the full embargo on Cuba. This amendment is an important signal of support for an end to the entire embargo, even though it lost 188-225. This was a great showing given the political climate of the early fall, when elections were weighing heavily on members’ minds. A positive vote is marked with an X. - CJS Amendment:
This measure would have rolled back restrictions on the types of packages Cuban-Americans can send to their families on the island. It passed 221-194 during the debate on the Commerce/Justice/State appropriation bill in early summer. Again the provision was stripped out of the final version of the bill by the House/Senate conference. A positive vote is marked with an X.
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