Voterama in Congress for the week ending April 20, 2012

How Illinois lawmakers voted in Congress Week ending April 20

Updated: April 27, 2012 3:27PM

Business Tax Cuts: Members voted, 235-173, to cut taxes by 20 percent for one year for firms with under 500 workers at a cost of $46 billion in deficit spending. The GOP bill would encourage but not require firms to use the savings to hire workers. A yes vote was send HR 9 to the Senate.

Golf Clubs, Lobbyists: Members defeated, 179-229, a bid by Democrats to deny tax cuts under HR 9 (above) to firms that ship jobs abroad or engage in pornography, lobbying or illegal prostitution. A yes vote backed a motion also denying cuts to golf clubs with discriminatory membership rules.

100-Percent Write-Offs: Members defeated, 175-236, a Democratic bid to replace the GOP’s 20-percent tax cut in HR 9 (above) with “100-percent bonus depreciation,” which enables manufacturers to depreciate the total cost of plants and equipment in one year. A yes vote backed the bid.

“Buffett Rule” on Taxes: Senators failed, 51-45, to reach 60 votes needed to end GOP blockage of a bill to add the so-called “Buffett Rule” to tax law. A yes vote was to set a 30-percent minimum tax for those with investment and earned income of more than $1 million. A yes vote backed S 2230.

Postal Service Overhaul: Voting 74-22, senators started debate on a bill aimed at putting the U.S. Postal Service on a profitable basis by Sept. 30, 2015. A yes vote was to take up S 1789, which, in part, would cut payroll and health-care costs, close many post offices and end Saturday deliveries.

Key votes ahead

In the week of April 23, the House will take up bills on cyber-security and government transparency, while the Senate will debate a renewal of the Violence Against Women Act and an overhaul of the U.S. Postal Service.

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