RyanRSheets
02-23-2011, 07:39 AM
Debated whether or not I wanted to post this at all
h xxp://www.politico.com/news/stories/0211/50019.html
I thought the reasoning on Planned Parenthood was solid and nothing to fault Justin for, but I hope he responds to Politico on this.
A future political foe may have a difficult time nailing down where Rep. Justin Amash stands on some issues.
The 30-year-old Michigan Republican voted “present” five times last week on substantive questions, avoiding “yes” or “no” votes on such hot-button items as funding for Planned Parenthood and the Obama administration’s policy “czars.”
His predecessor, Rep. Vern Ehlers, had voted “present” just four times in the previous eight years — excluding quorum calls that required members to be recorded present or not.
So far, Amash has offered an explanation for just one vote, posting a Facebook message to explain that he refused to render a judgment on Planned Parenthood’s funding because the singling out of one entity was, in his mind, “improper and arguably unconstitutional.”
Amash’s office did not reply to several requests for comment, and several other Republican aides were unaware of the voting habits. Amash is a cosponsor of legislation that would deny so-called Title X family-planning subsidies to any organization that performs abortions.
In addition to votes on Planned Parenthood and the “czars,” Amash lit the orangeish-yellow “present” light on the House scoreboard on New Hampshire Republican Charlie Bass’s effort to increase funding to help poor folks with heating and cooling costs; Virginia Democrat Jim Moran’s attempt to restore money for a wetlands conservation program and North Carolina Democrat David Price’s amendment making it easier to obtain fire-safety grants.
He voted “present” twice on the daily House journal, a procedural motion that it typically approved with overwhelming support.
In total, Amash has voted present on roughly 4 percent of the legislation that has come to the House floor in the 112th Congress.
To be sure, there have been far more votes early in this Congress than in previous sessions. The House is voting. For example, the House voted 112 times during its deliberation on the continuing resolution to fund the government.
h xxp://www.politico.com/news/stories/0211/50019.html
I thought the reasoning on Planned Parenthood was solid and nothing to fault Justin for, but I hope he responds to Politico on this.
A future political foe may have a difficult time nailing down where Rep. Justin Amash stands on some issues.
The 30-year-old Michigan Republican voted “present” five times last week on substantive questions, avoiding “yes” or “no” votes on such hot-button items as funding for Planned Parenthood and the Obama administration’s policy “czars.”
His predecessor, Rep. Vern Ehlers, had voted “present” just four times in the previous eight years — excluding quorum calls that required members to be recorded present or not.
So far, Amash has offered an explanation for just one vote, posting a Facebook message to explain that he refused to render a judgment on Planned Parenthood’s funding because the singling out of one entity was, in his mind, “improper and arguably unconstitutional.”
Amash’s office did not reply to several requests for comment, and several other Republican aides were unaware of the voting habits. Amash is a cosponsor of legislation that would deny so-called Title X family-planning subsidies to any organization that performs abortions.
In addition to votes on Planned Parenthood and the “czars,” Amash lit the orangeish-yellow “present” light on the House scoreboard on New Hampshire Republican Charlie Bass’s effort to increase funding to help poor folks with heating and cooling costs; Virginia Democrat Jim Moran’s attempt to restore money for a wetlands conservation program and North Carolina Democrat David Price’s amendment making it easier to obtain fire-safety grants.
He voted “present” twice on the daily House journal, a procedural motion that it typically approved with overwhelming support.
In total, Amash has voted present on roughly 4 percent of the legislation that has come to the House floor in the 112th Congress.
To be sure, there have been far more votes early in this Congress than in previous sessions. The House is voting. For example, the House voted 112 times during its deliberation on the continuing resolution to fund the government.