|
HOME: Politicians >> West Virginia-WV >> Byrd >> Budget, Spending and Taxes
|
|
|
Voting Record for Byrd of West Virginia-WV
Voting Record on Legislation that Involves Budget, Spending and Taxes
|
|
|
 |
(2010) S Amdt 4326 Requiring Reports on Foreign Holdings of U.S. Debt
Outcome: Amendment Adopted (58/41)
Summary: -Requires the Secretary of the Treasury to submit annual reports on the risks posed by foreign holdings of U.S. debt to the appropriate congressional committees that include the following (Sec. X04):-The most recent data available on foreign holdings of debt of the U.S., which shall not be older than the date that is 9 months before the date of the report;
-The total amount of debt instruments of the U.S. that are held by the foreign creditors, broken out by the creditors' country of domicile and by public, quasi-public, and private creditors; and
-An analysis of the current and foreseeable risks to long-term national security and economic stability of the U.S. as a result of foreign holdings of debt of the U.S. -Requires the Comptroller General to submit annual reports on the risks posed by the federal debt of the U.S. to the appropriate congressional committees that include the following (Sec. X05):-An analysis of the current and foreseeable risks posed to the long-term national security and economic stability of the U.S. as a result of federal debt; and
-Recommendations for reducing the levels of risk resulting from the federal debt. -Requires the President, upon determining that foreign holdings of U.S. debt pose an "unacceptable risk" to the U.S., to do all of the following within 30 days of the determination (Sec. X06):-Formulate a plan of action to reduce the risk level to an "acceptable and sustainable level" by reducing federal spending;
-Submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on the plan of action that includes a time-line for the implementation of the plan and recommendations for any legislative action that would be required to fully implement the plan; and
-Move "expeditiously" to implement the plan. -Defines "appropriate congressional committees" as all of the following (Sec. X02):-Senate Committee on Armed Services;
-Senate Committee on Foreign Relations;
-Senate Committee on Finance;
-Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs;
-Senate Committee on the Budget;
-House Committee on Armed Services;
-House Committee on Foreign Relations;
-House Committee on Ways and Means;
-House Committee on Financial Services; and
-House Committee on the Budget. |
Byrd's Vote
- |
(2010) S Amdt 4302 Requiring Reports on Foreign Holdings of U.S. Debt
Outcome: Amendment Not Tabled (38/61)
Summary: -Requires the President to submit quarterly reports on the risks posed by foreign holdings of U.S. debt to the appropriate congressional committees that include the following (Sec. X04):-The most recent data available on foreign holdings of debt of the U.S., which shall not be older than the date that is 7 months before the date of the report;
-The country of domicile of all foreign creditors who hold debt instruments of the U.S.;
-The total amount of debt instruments of the U.S. that are held by the foreign creditors, broken out by the creditors' country of domicile and by public, quasi-public, and private creditors;
-An analysis of each country's purpose in holding debt of the U.S. and an analysis of the current and future risks to the U.S. posed by each country's holdings of debt of the U.S.; and
-A specific determination of whether the level of risk identified in the report is "acceptable" or "unacceptable." -Requires the Comptroller General to submit annual reports on the risks posed by the federal debt of the U.S. to the appropriate congressional committees that include the following (Sec. X05):-An analysis of the current and foreseeable risks posed to the long-term national security and economic stability of the U.S. as a result of federal debt and a determination as to whether the levels of risk identified are "sustainable;" and
-If risk levels are deemed "unsustainable," recommendations for reducing the levels of risk to "sustainable" levels in a manner that results in a reduction in federal spending. -Requires the President, upon determining that foreign holdings of U.S. debt pose an "unacceptable risk" to the U.S. or if the Comptroller General determines that the U.S. federal debt poses an "unsustainable risk," to do all of the following within 30 days of the determination (Sec. X06):-Formulate a plan of action to reduce the risk level to an "acceptable and sustainable level" by reducing federal spending;
-Submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on the plan of action that includes a time-line for the implementation of the plan and recommendations for any legislative action that would be required to fully implement the plan; and
-Move "expeditiously" to implement the plan. -Defines "appropriate congressional committees" as all of the following (Sec. X02):-Senate Committee on Armed Services;
-Senate Committee on Foreign Relations;
-Senate Committee on Ways and Means;
-Senate Committee on the Budget;
-House Committee on Armed Services;
-House Committee on Foreign Relations;
-House Committee on Ways and Means; and
-House Committee on the Budget. -Establishes the "sense of Congress," with regards to the People's Republic of China's holding of U.S. debt, that (Sec. X03):-Under "certain circumstances," China's holdings of U.S. debt could give China a tool "to manipulate the domestic and foreign policymaking of the U.S.," including the U.S. relationship with Taiwan;
-Under "certain circumstances," China could attempt to "destabilize" the U.S. economy by rapidly divesting large portions of U.S. debt; and
-China's "expansive" holdings of U.S. debt could potentially pose a direct threat to the U.S. economy and national security, and this potential threat "is a significant issue that warrants further analysis and evaluation." |
Byrd's Vote
- |
(2010) HR 4899 Fiscal Year 2009-2010 Supplemental Appropriations
Outcome: Bill Passed (67/28)
Summary: -Appropriates $33.29 billion (including appropriation increases and rescissions) for the Department of Defense for military purposes, including, but not limited to, the following (Ch. 3):-$24.59 billion for operation and maintenance;
-$4.95 billion for procurement; and
-$1.79 billion for military personnel. -Appropriates $13.38 billion for the Department of Veterans Affairs for compensation and pensions, and specifies that the funds may not be obligated or expended until the expiration of the period for Congressional disapproval of the regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a service connection between exposure of veterans to Agent Orange during service in the Republic of Vietnam during "the Vietnam era" and hairy cell leukemia, other chronic B cell leukemias, Parkinson's disease, and ischemic heart disease (Ch. 9, Sec. 902).
-Appropriates $6.18 billion for the Department of State, including, but not limited to, the following (Ch. 10):-$3.17 billion for bilateral economic assistance;
-$1.41 billion for administration of foreign affairs;
-$1.13 billion for international security assistance; and
-$96.5 million for international organizations. -Appropriates $5.1 billion for the Department of Homeland Security for the Federal Emergency Management Agency for disaster relief (Ch. 6). |
Byrd's Vote
Y |
(2010) S Amdt 4051 Prohibiting Funding of State and Local Governments to Prevent Defaulting on Debt
Outcome: Amendment Rejected (47/50)
Summary: -Prohibits the Secretary of the Treasury from directly or indirectly using general fund revenues or funds borrowed pursuant to Title 31 of U.S. Code to purchase or guarantee any asset or obligation of (or to provide any other assistance to) any state, municipal, local, or county government that has defaulted on its obligations or is at risk of doing so without such assistance from the federal government (Sec. 5).
-Prohibits the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System from directly or indirectly lending against, purchasing, or guaranteeing any asset or obligation of, or providing any other assistance to any state, municipal, local, or county government that has defaulted on its obligations or is at risk of doing so without such assistance from the federal government (Sec. 5). |
Byrd's Vote
- |
(2010) HR 4851 Unemployment Benefits Extension
Outcome: Bill Passed (59/38)
Summary: -Extends unemployment insurance provisions in the following Acts by approximately 2 months (Sec. 2):-The "Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2008;"
-The "Assistance for Unemployed Workers and Struggling Families Act;" and
-The "Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2008." -Extends the expiration date of the eligibility period for COBRA benefits from March 31, 2010 to May 31, 2010 (Sec. 3).
-Increases the Medicare physician payment update by extending the date through which the update to the single conversion factor shall be 0 percent from March 31, 2010 to May 31, 2010 (Sec. 4).
-Prohibits the Secretary of Health and Human Services from publishing updated poverty guidelines for 2010 before May 31, 2010, and specifies that the 2009 guidelines shall be in effect until updated guidelines are published (Sec. 6).
-Appropriates $80 million to the Business Loans Program Account of the Small Business Administration for fee reductions and eliminations and loan guarantees (Sec. 10).
-Designates this Act (with the exception of Section 4) an emergency with regard to the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010 (Sec. 12). |
Byrd's Vote
Y |
(2010) HR 2847 Employment, Infrastructure, and Transportation Appropriations and Tax Credits ("Senate Jobs Bill")
Outcome: Concurrence Vote Passed (68/29)
Summary: -Specifies that most employers will not be required to pay an excise tax for the second, third, and fourth calendar quarters of 2010 on wages for employees who began employment between February 3, 2010 and December 31, 2010, with the following conditions (Sec. 101):-The employer must provide a signed affidavit that employees have not worked more than 40 hours a week in the 60 days prior to employment;
-The employee was not hired to replace a worker that was fired; and
-The employee is not a corporation, nor owns either directly or indirectly more than 50 percent of the company's capital. -Specifies that, on payroll taxes paid during the first quarter, amounts that could have otherwise been credited shall be treated as payments against first quarter payroll taxes (Sec. 101).
-Specifies that Railroad Retirement taxes shall apply to any employee who began employment between February 3, 2010 and December 31, 2010 at a rate of 1.45 percent of wages paid by the employer (Sec. 101).
-Increases the current year business tax credit for employers that have retained workers for at least 52 consecutive weeks by the lesser of the following (Sec. 102):-$1,000; or
-6.2 times the amount of wages paid by the employer to workers. -Specifies that issuers of qualified zone academy bonds and qualified school construction zone bonds may elect to apply for a tax credit, and a credit shall be the lesser of (Sec. 301):-The amount of interest payable under the bond; or
-The amount of interest that would have been payable under the bond if such interest is subject to an applicable credit rate under Section 54A of the Internal Revenue Code. -Specifies that issuers of clean energy bonds and qualified energy conservation bonds may elect to apply for a tax credit, and that the credit shall be 70 percent of the amount of interest payable under the bond (Sec. 301).
-Requires 10 percent of funds made available for projects funded under Titles I, III and V of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act (SAFETEA-LU) and any conforming provisions in this act shall go to businesses owned and controlled by "socially and economically disadvantaged individuals" (Sec. 451).
-Requires states to compile a list of businesses owned and controlled by "socially and economically disadvantaged individuals" (Sec. 451).
-Specifies that a "socially and economically disadvantaged" individual includes, but is not limited to, Native Americans, Native Hawaiians, and women (Sec. 451).
-Specifies corporate estimated tax for corporations with $1 billion or more in assets shall be calculated as follows (Sec. 561):-Any required installment that is otherwise due in July, August, or September of 2009 shall be 123.25 percent of such amount;
-Any required installment that is otherwise due in July, August, or September of 2015 shall be 121.5 percent of such amount;
-Any required installment that is otherwise due in July, August, or September of 2019 shall be 106.5 percent of such amount; and
-Any future installments shall be reduced appropriately. -Specifies that PAYGO compliance for this act is required (Sec. 562). |
Byrd's Vote
- |
(2010) HR 4213 Extending Unemployment Benefits and Certain Tax Credits
Outcome: Bill Passed (62/36)
Summary: -Postpones the expiration of unemployment compensation benefits (as originally authorized in Public Laws 110-252 and 111-5) from April 5, 2010 to December 31, 2010 (Sec. 201).
-Postpones the expiration of the eligibility period for premium assistance for COBRA benefits (as originally authorized by Public Laws 111-5 and 111-144) from March 31, 2010 to December 31, 2010 (Sec. 211).
-Extends the suspension of the Sustainable Growth Rate formula for Medicare physician payments so that the update to the single conversion factor shall be 0 percent for the period ending on September 30, 2010, rather than the existing expiration date of March 31, 2010 (Sec. 601).
-Extends the expiration date from December 31, 2009 to December 31, 2010 for an alternative motor vehicle tax credit for new qualified hybrid motor vehicles purchased in 2010 (Sec. 101).
-Extends the expiration date from December 31, 2009 to December 31, 2010 for tax credits for biodiesel and renewable diesel sold or used in 2010 (Sec. 102).
-Extends the expiration date from December 31, 2009 to December 31, 2010 for new energy efficient home credits for homes purchased in 2010 (Sec. 107).
-Extends the expiration date from January 1, 2010 to January 1, 2011 for deductions of certain state and local sales taxes (Sec. 113).
-Authorizes for each state's housing credit agency, a credit equal to each state's 2010 low-income housing refundable credit election amount (Sec. 121).
-Extends from December 31, 2009 to December 31, 2010, the employer wage credit for employees who are active duty members of the uniformed services (Sec. 136).
-Appropriates an additional $7.5 million for fiscal year 2009 and $6 million for fiscal year 2010 to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Program Management account (Sec. 229).
-Appropriates an additional $17.5 million for fiscal year 2009 and $14 million for fiscal year 2010 to the Administration on Aging for various programs (Sec. 229).
-Appropriates $560 million to the Small Business Administration Business Loans Program Account for the cost certain fee reductions, small business loans, and loan guarantees, to remain available through December 31, 2010 (Sec. 246).
-Decreases appropriations to the Medicare Improvement Fund for fiscal year 2013-2014 from $20.74 billion to $12.74 billion (Sec. 431).
-Requires the establishment, no later than 90 days after the enactment of this bill, a page on the official senate website entitled "Information on the Budgetary Effects of Legislation Considered by the Senate' which should include (Sec. 616):-Links to appropriate pages on the Congressional Budget Office website that contain cost estimates of legislation passed by the Senate; and
-Links to any other pages with information produced by the Congressional Budget Office that further explain budgetary effects. -Requires the following information be posted "prominently" on the front page of the Senate's official website (Sec. 617):-The total amount of direct and discretionary spending passed by the Senate that has not been paid for;
-The total amount of net spending authorized in legislation passed by the Senate;
-The number of new government programs created by legislation passed by the Senate; and
-The totals of the previous three requirements as passed by both Houses of Congress and signed into law. |
Byrd's Vote
- |
(2010) S Amdt 3353 Payment to Social Security Recipients
Outcome: Motion Rejected (47/50)
Summary: -Specifies that no payments for calendar year 2009, as authorized in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (HR 1, the "Stimulus" Act), shall be dispersed after December 31, 2010, and no payment authorized in this amendment for calendar year 2010 shall be dispersed after December 31, 2011, regardless of entitlement or eligibility.
-Appropriates an additional $11.43 million to carry out the administrative costs of this amendment as follows:-$5.2 million to the Secretary of the Treasury;
-$5 million to the Commissioner of Social Security;
-$600,000 to the Railroad Retirement Board; and
-$625,000 to the Secretary of Veteran Affairs. |
Byrd's Vote
Y |
(2010) HR 2847 Employment, Infrastructure, and Transportation Appropriations and Tax Credits ("Senate Jobs Bill")
Outcome: Concurrence Vote Passed (70/28)
Summary: -Specifies that most employers will not be required to pay an excise tax on wages for employees who began employment between February 3, 2010 and December 31, 2010, with the following conditions (Sec. 101): -The employer must provide a signed affidavit that employees have not worked more than 40 hours a week in the 60 days prior to employment;
-The employee was not hired to replace a worker that was fired; and
-The employee is not a corporation, nor owns either directly or indirectly more than 50 percent of the company's capital. -Increases the current year business tax credit for employers that have retained workers for at least 52 consecutive weeks in the amount of $1,000 times the amount of workers retained in the taxable year, only if during the last 26 weeks of the taxable year retained employees were paid at least 80 percent of what they were paid in the first 26 weeks of the taxable year (Sec. 102).
-Increases the expensing allowance for depreciable business assets for taxable years beginning after 2007 and before 2011 from $125,000 to $250,000 (Sec. 201).
-Specifies that issuers of clean energy bonds, qualified energy conservation bonds, qualified zone academy bonds, and qualified school construction zone bonds may elect to apply for a tax credit, and may be credited as follows (Sec. 301):-If a small bond issuer, 65 percent of the amount of payable interest; and
-If any other bond issuer, 45 percent of the amount of payable interest. -Establishes obligation ceilings for amounts made available from the Highway Trust Fund as follows (Sec. 437):-$10.51 billion for fiscal year 2010; and
-$2.63 billion for the period between October 1, 2010 and December 31, 2010. -Requires any individual with more than $50,000 to report any funds held in a depository or custodial account that is maintained by a foreign financial institution (Sec. 511).
-Requires United States shareholders of a passive foreign investment companies to file annual informational returns (Sec. 521).
-Specifies that a foreign trust has a United States beneficiary if the following applies (Sec. 531):-The beneficiary's interest in the trust is contingent on a future event; or
-The beneficiary directly or indirectly transfers property to a foreign trust or uses trust property without paying compensation. -Appropriates $528.03 million to the Federal-aid highway program for fiscal year 2010 (Sec. 412).
-Appropriates $1.71 billion for the extension of National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Programs (Sec. 421).
-Appropriates $795.28 million for the extension of Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Programs (Sec. 422).
-Appropriates $43.22 billion for Public Transportation Programs (Title IV, Subtitle C). |
Byrd's Vote
Y |
(2010) HR 2847 Employment, Infrastructure, and Transportation Appropriations and Tax Credits ("Senate Jobs Bill")
Outcome: Cloture Invoked (62/30)
Summary: -Specifies that most employers will not be required to pay an excise tax on wages for employees who began employment between February 3, 2010 and December 31, 2010, with the following conditions (Sec. 101): -The employer must provide a signed affidavit that employees have not worked more than 40 hours a week in the 60 days prior to employment;
-The employee was not hired to replace a worker that was fired; and
-The employee is not a corporation, nor owns either directly or indirectly more than 50 percent of the company's capital. -Increases the current year business tax credit for employers that have retained workers for at least 52 consecutive weeks in the amount of $1,000 times the amount of workers retained in the taxable year, only if during the last 26 weeks of the taxable year retained employees were paid at least 80 percent of what they were paid in the first 26 weeks of the taxable year (Sec. 102).
-Increases the expensing allowance for depreciable business assets for taxable years beginning after 2007 and before 2011 from $125,000 to $250,000 (Sec. 201).
-Specifies that issuers of clean energy bonds, qualified energy conservation bonds, qualified zone academy bonds, and qualified school construction zone bonds may elect to apply for a tax credit, and may be credited as follows (Sec. 301):-If a small bond issuer, 65 percent of the amount of payable interest; and
-If any other bond issuer, 45 percent of the amount of payable interest. -Establishes obligation ceilings for amounts made available from the Highway Trust Fund as follows (Sec. 437):-$10.51 billion for fiscal year 2010; and
-$2.63 billion for the period between October 1, 2010 and December 31, 2010. -Requires any individual with more than $50,000 to report any funds held in a depository or custodial account that is maintained by a foreign financial institution (Sec. 511).
-Requires United States shareholders of a passive foreign investment companies to file annual informational returns (Sec. 521).
-Specifies that a foreign trust has a United States beneficiary if the following applies (Sec. 531):-The beneficiary's interest in the trust is contingent on a future event; or
-The beneficiary directly or indirectly transfers property to a foreign trust or uses trust property without paying compensation. -Appropriates $528.03 million to the Federal-aid highway program for fiscal year 2010 (Sec. 412).
-Appropriates $1.71 billion for the extension of National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Programs (Sec. 421).
-Appropriates $795.28 million for the extension of Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Programs (Sec. 422).
-Appropriates $43.22 billion for Public Transportation Programs (Title IV, Subtitle C). |
Byrd's Vote
Y |
(2010) HJR 45 Increasing the Public Debt Limit and Reinstating PAYGO
Outcome: Bill Passed (60/39)
Summary: -Reinstates the Pay-As-You-Go (PAYGO) budget rule, a rule that applies to bills or joint resolutions that affect direct spending or revenue relative to the baseline and that requires such bills to be budget-neutral (Sec. 2).
-Requires PAYGO legislation to include an estimate of its budgetary effects, as provided by the Congressional Budget Office, at one of the following times (Sec. 4):-Prior to a vote on passage in a chamber;
-Prior to the first action by a chamber on a conference report or an amendment between the chambers; or
-Upon enactment of the legislation. -Requires the Office of Management and Budget to maintain and make public on every piece of PAYGO legislation two sets of scorecards, which shall measure the budgetary effects of such legislation over 5 years and over 10 years (Sec. 4).
-Requires the Office of Management and Budget at the end of every Congressional session to publish and make public a PAYGO report, which shall include the following (Sec. 5):-Current PAYGO scorecards on all PAYGO legislation;
-Any current policy adjustments;
-Information about any emergency legislation;
-Sequestration orders that show how direct spending will be adjusted to offset any costs shown on PAYGO scorecards; and
-Other data that would "enhance public understanding" of the above items. -Requires the Office of Management and Budget to calculate the uniform percentage of funds that are to be seized in order to balance spending, and specifies that any uniform percentage exceeding 4 percent shall result in Medicare spending reductions of 4 percent, as well as spending reductions in other nonexempt direct spending programs (Sec. 6).
-Lists several federal programs and activities that would be exempt from payment reductions, including, but not limited to, Social Security Benefits and Tier I Railroad Retirement Benefits, Veterans Programs, and Refundable Income Tax Credits (Sec. 11).
-The text of this resolution was replaced by a substitute amendment sponsored by Sen. Harry Reid. |
Byrd's Vote
Y |
(2010) S Amdt 3302 Establishing a Federal Budget Deficit Commission
Outcome: Amendment Rejected (53/46)
Summary: -Establishes the "Bipartisan Task Force for Responsible Fiscal Action," a task force that shall analyze projected federal revenues and expenditures, assess the current and long-term financial condition of the federal government, and whose membership shall consist of:-Eight Senators, four to be selected by the Senate majority leader and another four to be selected by the Senate minority leader;
-Eight Representatives, four to be selected by the Speaker of the House and another four to be selected by the House minority leader;
-The Secretary of the Treasury; and
-Another officer of the Executive branch, to be appointed by the President. -Requires the Task Force to submit a report no later than November 15, 2010 detailing its findings, conclusions, and recommendations, as well proposed legislative language to carry out the recommendations, to be submitted to the President, the Vice President, the Speaker of the House, and the majority and minority leaders of both chambers of Congress.
-Authorizes "expedited consideration" of a bill incorporating the proposed legislative language recommended in the Task Force report, subject to, but not limited to, the following requirements:-The bill must be introduced no later than November 23, 2010, and shall proceed to consideration two days after being reported from committee;
-Congress is prohibited from amending, postponing, or recommitting the bill;
-The bill requires a three-fifths majority vote to pass; and
-The bill must receive a vote on passage in both chambers of Congress no later than December 23, 2010. -Specifies that members of the Task Force shall not receive any additional compensation for their participation and that the Task Force shall terminate 90 days after submitting the report. |
Byrd's Vote
N |
(2010) S Amdt 3301 Ending the Troubled Asset Relief Program
Outcome: Amendment Rejected (53/45)
Summary: -Specifies that the national debt limit shall be lowered to correspond with TARP repayments. |
Byrd's Vote
- |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
