Raising the Profile: House Vote on NSF Bill
It is generally agreed that the National Science Foundation has had a relatively low profile in Congress and among the general electorate. A clear sign of how that is changing is the House of Representatives’ overwhelming vote earlier this month for H.R. 4664, the Investing in America’s Future Act. This authorizing bill would begin a doubling of the foundation’s budget over five years. Constituents wishing to write to their representative about this vote can do so through a House of Representatives e-mail web site. Go to http://www.house.gov/writerep/
There were 397 yes votes in favor of the passage of this bill. Twenty-five Members voted no, and 12 Members did not vote. In the interest of space, only those Members voting against the passage of H.R. 4664 and Members who did not vote are listed below.
All Members NOT listed below voted FOR the passage of the bill.
VOTED AGAINST PASSAGE:
Collins, Michael (R-GA)
Deal, Nathan (R-GA)
Flake, Jeff (R-AZ)
Herger, Wally (R-CA)
Hostettler, John (R-IN)
Hyde, Henry (R-IL)
Jones, Walter (R-NC)
Kerns, Brian (R-IN)
Kingston, Jack (R-GA)
Miller, Gary (R-CA)
Mollohan, Alan (D-WV)
Norwood, Charles (R-GA)
Paul, Ron (R-TX)
Peterson, Collin (D-MN)
Petri, Thomas (R-WI)
Rohrabacher, Dana (R-CA)
Royce, Edward (R-CA)
Sensenbrenner, James (R-WI)
Shadegg, John (R-AZ)
Stearns, Cliff (R-FL)
Stump, Bob (R-AZ)
Tancredo, Thomas (R-CO)
Taylor, Gene (D-MS)
Terry, Lee (R-NE)
Weldon, Dave (R-FL)
MEMBERS NOT VOTING:
Blagojevich, Rod (D-IL)
Callahan, Sonny (R-AL)
Gilchrest, Wayne (R-MD)*
Hilliard, Earl (D-AL)
LaFalce, John (D-NY)
Meeks, Gregory (D-NY)
Morella, Constance (R-MD)*
Ortiz, Solomon (D-TX) #
Peterson, John (R-PA)
Riley, Bob (R-AL)
Slaughter, Louise (D-NY)
Traficant, James (D-OH)
*Rep. Wayne Gilchrist (R-MD) and Rep. Constance Morrella (R- MD) are original cosponsors of H.R. 4664.
# Note that the Congressional Record states: “Mr. ORTIZ. Mr. Speaker, on final passage of H.R. 4664, Investing in America’s Future Act, I was on the House Floor and cast an ‘aye’ vote for H.R. 4664. I later learned my vote was not recorded. I wanted to advise the House that had my vote been recorded, I would have voted ‘aye’ on final passage for H.R. 4664.”
