How Arkansas’ congressional delegation voted

Scaled-back environmental reviews. Passed 233-170, a bill (HR348) to scale back the National Environmental Policy Act as a regulator of large construction projects in the U.S. The bill disavows the social cost of carbon emissions; sets a two-year deadline for completing environmental reviews; requires lawsuits challenging reviews to be filed within 180 days; limits the number of reviews per project; authorizes states to prepare alternative environmental assessments and allows agencies to accept secondary rather than original analyses of environmental impacts. The Congressional Budget Office says the bill would apply mainly to the three federal agencies with the largest construction budgets — the Department of Transportation, which spends about $50 billion annually on road and transit contracts; the

Department of Defense ($15 billion for military construction) and Army Corps of Engineers ($2 billion for public works). A yes vote was to send the bill to the Senate, where it is expected to die. Rick Crawford (R) French Hill (R) Steve Womack (R) Bruce Westerman (R)

Social cost of carbon. Defeated 179-229, an amendment to HR348 (above) allowing agencies to include the social cost of carbon-dioxide emissions in environmental reviews conducted under the National Environmental Policy Act. The underlying bill would require the administration to stop factoring carbon-emission costs on society into its environmental decision-making. Scott Peters, D-Calif., said that if U.S. carbon emissions are not significantly curbed, estimates are that “by 2050, between $60 billion

and $106 billion worth of coastal property will be below sea level nationwide.” Lamar Smith, R-Texas, said: “The social cost of carbon is a political tool that the Obama administration uses to impose its extreme agenda on the American people.” A yes vote was to include the social cost of carbon in environmental decision-making. Crawford (R) Hill (R) Womack (R) Westerman (R)

SENATE

Planned Parenthood funding.

Failed 47-52, to reach 60 votes for advancing a GOP-drafted bill (HJRes61) that would fund the government on a stopgap basis starting Oct. 1 while cutting funding of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America in response to its abortion practices. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget

Office projects that the bill would impose a net cut in Medicaid payments to Planned Parenthood of $235 million, or 60 percent, in fiscal 2016. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said: “I know Democrats have relied on Planned Parenthood as a political ally, but they must be moved by the horrifying images we have seen. Can they not resolve to protect women’s health instead of their powerful political friends?” Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said “inserting a meaningless, losing attack on women” in the bill “is just a waste of time. Republicans should change their tactics. When [they] took control of the Senate, we were told there would be no government shutdown.” A yes vote was to advance the bill to full debate. John Boozman (R) Tom Cotton (R) Stricter limits on abortion. Failed 54-42, to reach 60 votes needed to end a Democratic-led filibuster of a GOP-sponsored bill (HR36) that would outlaw abortions after 20 weeks of fertilization on grounds that the fetus can feel pain by then. This repudiates the medical standard in the Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade ruling, which holds that abortion is legal up to when the fetus reaches viability — usually after 24-28 weeks of pregnancy — and after viability if it is necessary to protect the health or life of the mother. Under Roe, viability occurs when the fetus can potentially survive outside the womb with or without artificial aid. This bill allows exemptions for victims of rape or incest and to save the mother’s life but not to protect her health. To qualify for the rape exemption, women must provide certification from law enforcement that they have been raped and receive counseling or medical care at least 48 hours before the procedure. Doctors who violate this proposed law could be criminally prosecuted. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., said: “In our country, founded as it is on the equal rights of mankind and the unalienable right of life, it is deeply disappointing that the laws don’t protect those most innocent lives among us, particularly when medical science now has the ability to do so.” Susan Collins, R-Maine, said: “States such as Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Louisiana, Mississippi and others that ban late-term abortions provide an exception for the health as well as the life of the woman. But the bill before us does not.” A yes vote was to advance the bill to full debate. Boozman (R) Cotton (R)