WASHINGTON — Unable to reach agreement on larger spending bills during the current session, the House of Representatives approved a continuing resolution on Thursday that provides enough funding to keep the government operating for another six months. For the most part, the bill keeps funding at the levels set by last year’s Budget Control Act, the deal struck last summer to avert a crisis over raising the debt ceiling. However, the bill also includes $800 million for the Forest Service and the Department of the Interior specifically for fighting wildfires, some of which will help the Forest Service replenish accounts it raided after it exhausted its firefighting budget for this year. The measure passed by a 329-91 margin, with 70 Republicans and 21 Democrats voting against the measure.
U.S. House vote
• Continuing resolution on federal spending
Walden (R) Y
Bonamici (D) Y
Blumenauer (D) Did not vote
DeFazio (D) Y
Schrader (D) N
The House also passed a five-year extension of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) Amendments Reauthorization Act, which allows the U.S. to collect information on suspected terrorists abroad, including monitoring phone calls and emails, without first getting a court-issued warrant. Critics maintain that the law doesn’t include enough protections to ensure that innocent Americans’ civil rights are protected, but supporters counter the American intelligence community needs broad powers to counter those who would covertly attack America. The measure passed, 301-118, with 227 Republicans and 74 Democrats voting for it and seven Republicans and 111 Democrats voting against it.
U.S. House vote
• Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) Amendments Reauthorization Act extension
Walden (R) Y
Bonamici (D) N
Blumenauer (D) N
DeFazio (D) N
Schrader (D) N
On Friday, the House passed the No More Solyndras Act, which seeks to rein in a Department of Energy program that loaned $535 million to a solar panel manufacturer that soon went bankrupt. Under the law, which is unlikely to pass the Democratic-controlled Senate, the Energy Department could not approve any application for a loan submitted after 2011. Earlier applications would be subject to review by the Treasury Department. Twenty Democrats voted with the Republican majority and four Republicans voted against the measure, which passed 245-161.
U.S. House vote
• No More Solyndras Act
Walden (R) Y
Bonamici (D) N
Blumenauer (D) Did not vote
DeFazio (D) Y
Schrader (D) N
— Andrew Clevenger, The Bulletin