2017: Fitzpatrick Voted For A One-Week Continuing Resolution . In
April 2017, Fitzpatrick voted for a one-week continuing resolution.
According to Congressional Quarterly, the legislation would have
"extend[ed] continuing appropriations for federal government
operations through May 5, 2017. It would also [have] provide[d] for
an extension, through May 5, of health care benefits for retired coal
miners." The vote was on passage. The House passed the joint resolution
by a vote of 382 to 30. The Senate later agreed to the legislation by
voice vote and the president signed it into law. [House Vote 236,
4/28/17; Congressional
Quarterly, 4/28/17; Congressional
Actions, H.J. Res.
99]
2017: Fitzpatrick Voted Against A Budget Resolution Designed To Begin
The Process Of Repealing The Affordable Care Act, Which Also Assumes A
$9 Trillion Increase In The Federal Debt Over The Next Ten Years. In
January 2017, Fitzpatrick voted against a budget resolution designed to
begin reconciliation instructions to repeal the Affordable Care Act.
According to Congressional Quarterly, "the proposed 10-year spending
framework culminates in a $1 trillion annual deficit and adds about $9
trillion to the national debt." The vote was on passage. The House
passed the budget resolution by a vote of 227 to 198. The Senate had
already passed the resolution. [House Vote 58,
1/13/17; Congressional
Quarterly,
1/4/17;
Congressional Actions, S. Con. Res.
3]
2017: Fitzpatrick Voted For The May 2017 FY 2017 Omnibus
Appropriations Bill . In May 2017, Fitzpatrick voted for the FY 2017
omnibus appropriations bill that would keep much of the government open
and would have provided $1.16 trillion in discretionary spending.
According to Congressional Quarterly, the legislation would have
"provide[d] $1.16 trillion in discretionary appropriations through
Sept. 30, 2017 for federal departments and agencies covered by the
remaining 11 fiscal 2017 spending bills. [...] The measure would also
[have] provide[d] $608 million for health benefits for retired coal
miners, $296 million for Medicaid payments to Puerto Rico, and $341
million to replace 40 miles of existing fencing along the southwestern
border, though the designs of the fencing must have been 'previously
deployed'." The vote was on a motion to concur in the Senate amendments.
The House agreed to the motion by a vote of 309 to 118. The Senate later
also agreed to the legislation, sending the bill to the president, who
signed it into law. [House Vote 249,
5/3/17; Congressional
Quarterly, 5/4/17; Congressional
Actions, H.R.
244]
Funding For The Federal Government Would Have Expired On May 5.
According to Congressional Quarterly, "With the April 28 expiration
of government funding approaching, Congress late last week enacted a
one-week extension of the CR through Friday, May 5, to give
negotiators time to work out remaining issues and for Congress to
consider the omnibus measure." [Congressional Quarterly,
5/2/17]
The Legislation Did Not Include '160 Poison Pill Riders.'
According to Roll Call, "Appearing with Schumer on Monday afternoon,
Leahy said the way Democrats 'were able to knock out 160 poison pill
riders --- 160 --- in [the GOP's] proposal demonstrates that, at
least among the grown-ups in both parties, in both bodies, they
wanted to get down to doing it the way we are supposed to.'" [Roll
Call,
5/2/17]
Legislation Did Not Include A Dollar For Dollar Increase In
Defense And Non-Defense Spending. According to The Hill, "Speaker
Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) is touting this week's budget deal for breaking
the rule that Democrats enforced under President Obama: Every dollar
in increased defense spending had to be matched by a dollar increase
for nondefense discretionary programs. 'Under the Obama rules, if
you wanted to help the military, if you wanted a pay raise for the
soldiers, if you wanted to buy new airplanes and new ships and more
munitions, a dollar for that, you had to have a dollar domestic
spending. We just broke that parity,' Ryan said at a press
conference Tuesday morning. 'That's the biggest victory we could
have had --- $25 billion year over year for our military, to begin
to rebuild our military, without that kind of corresponding increase
in domestic discretionary spending. That, to me, is very important,'
he added." [The Hill,
5/2/17]