About the Initiatives and Votes
Church Letter
An X indicates representative signed onto a letter circulated by Reps. Jim McGovern (D-MA) and Jeff Flake (R-AZ) about the restrictions on religious travel to Cuba that was sent to Secretary of the Treasury John Snow.
Ed 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.
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.
Secure Fence Act
An X indicates that representative did NOT vote in favor of an amendment offered by Rep. Peter King (R-NY) to authorize the Department of Homeland Security to achieve “operational control” over the border through the use of technology and physical barriers, including the construction of 700 miles of additional fencing along the Southwest border.
Border
An X indicates representative did NOT vote in favor of HR 4437, an enforcement-only bill passed by the House on December 16, 2005. This bill included a number of negative provisions, including the construction of 700 miles of additional fencing along the Southwest border, authorization for state & local law enforcement to enforce federal immigration law, criminalize organizations and individuals who give aid to undocumented immigrants, and classify "unlawful presence" as a felony.
Refugee Assistance
An X indicates representative voted yes to an amendment to the Foreign Aid Appropriations bill on June 9, 2006 to transfer $30 million from Colombian military aid through the Andean Counterdrug Initiative to the Emergency Refugee and Migration Assistance Fund. The amendment was offered by Reps. Jim McGovern (D-MA), Jim Leach (R-IA), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Donald Payne (D-NJ), Raul Grijalva (D-AZ) and Barbara Lee (D-CA).
UNHCHR
An X indicates that representative signed on to an August 1, 2006 letter initiated by Reps. Jim McGovern (D-MA) and Jim Leach (R-IA) calling on Secretary Rice to publicly support the full renewal of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCHR) Office in Colombia.
Human Rights
An X indicates representative signed on to a December 14, 2006 letter initiated by Reps. Jim McGovern (D-MA) and Joseph Pitts (R-PA) expressing concern over the increase of attacks and threats against Colombian human rights defenders. The letter was addressed to the U.S. State Department, asking Secretary Rice and the U.S. embassy to pressure the Colombian government on this issue.
McGovern/Lantos
An X indicates representative signed onto a letter sponsored by Reps. Jim McGovern (D-MA) and Tom Lantos (D-CA) sent to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice requesting the U.S. State Department reduce tension in El Salvador after a march against increases in bus fares. During the march, several police officers were shot and the police and local politicians responded by arresting many local activists.
Women
An X indicates representative signed onto a letter sponsored by Reps. Barbara Lee (D-CA), Tom Lantos (D-CA), and Hilda Solis (D-CA) to Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs Thomas Shannon encouraging the U.S. government to provide more support for timely and thorough investigations of the deaths of women in Guatemala.
