About the Initiatives and Votes
- Pitts/McGovern: An X indicates representative signed on to a July 26, 2005 letter initiated by Reps. Joseph Pitts (R-PA) and Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA) to Colombian President Alvaro Uribe, asking him to protect civilians from the conflict, calling special attention to attacks against religious leaders by all armed actors.
- McGovern/McCollum/Moore: An X indicates representative voted “yes” to an amendment to the foreign aid appropriations bill on June 28, 2005 to reduce the Andean Counterdrug Initiative by $100 million; initiative intended to reduce military aid to Colombia. Amendment was offered by Rep. McGovern, Rep. Dennis Moore (D-KS) and Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN).
- Lee Educ Travel: An X indicates representative voted in favor of an amendment to Transportation-Treasury Appropriations bill offered by Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA) to end funding for enforcing restrictions on educational travel to Cuba.
- Rangel End Embargo: An X indicates representative voted in favor of an amendment to Transportation-Treasury Appropriations bill offered by Rep. Charles Rangel (D-NY) to end funding for enforcement of the full embargo on Cuba.
- Davis Cuban Am Travel: An X indicates representative voted in favor of an amendment to Transportation-Treasury Appropriations bill offered by Rep. Jim Davis (D-FL) to end funding for enforcing restrictions on Cuban-American family travel to Cuba.
- REAL ID: An X indicates representative voted against the REAL ID, an anti-immigrant bill passed by the House in February. The bill included a number of provisions including waivers of federal, state and local laws to complete fencing projects on the border, denial of drivers' licenses to undocumented workers, and a curtailment of migrant eligibilities for asylum to the United States. There was no vote on this bill in the Senate even though it was passed into law.
- Juárez Resolution: An X indicates that representative or senator was a co-sponsor to the resolution to express sympathy for the families of the victims of women's murders in Ciudad Juárez and Chihuahua City, Mexico. It also outlines a number of steps the U.S. 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 2005.
- Murtha: An X indicated representative voted to instruct the House of Representatives conferees to cooperate with the Senate language on torture in the 2006 defense spending bill. John Murtha (D-PA) introduced the legislation to support Senator McCain’s anti-torture amendment, which bans prisoner torture and limits interrogation tactics in U.S. detention facilities.
