By Jan Worth-Nelson
Last night’s Senate passage of the Water Infrastructure Improvement for the Nation (WiiN) Act, S.612, with a vote of 78-21 drew a mix of Republications and Democrats on each side.
Runner-up primary presidential candidate Bernie Sanders of Vermont, back to voting as an independent, and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, both voted against it.
Sen. Bernie Sanders voted against the water infrastructure bill.
As expected, “yea” votes included the Michigan delegation, Sen. Debbie Stabenow and Sen. Gary Peters, along with 29 other Democrats. Other yea votes came from Cory Booker(NJ), Dianne Feinstein(CA) Al Franken (MN), Clinton vice-
presidential running mate Tim Kaine (VA), Claire McCaskill (MO) and Barbara Mikulski(MD), among others.
Significant Republican votes for the bill included outgoing New Hampshire Sen. Kelly Ayotte, Susan Collins(ME), Ted Cruz(TX), Lindsey Graham(SC), House Majority Leader Mitch McConnell(KY), and Rob Portman(OH).
Among the “nay” votes, in addition to Sanders and Elizabeth Warren were the following Democrats: Barbara Boxer (CA), Maria Cantwell (WA), Dick Durbin(IL), Kirsten Gillibrand(NY), Mazie Hirono(HI), Jeff Merkley(OR), Patty Murray(WA), Jack Reed (RI), Harry Reid(NV), Chuck Schumer(NY), Sheldon Whitehouse(RI)and Ron Wyden(OR).
Sen. Elizabeth Warren voted against water infrastructure bill
Republicans who voted against the bill were Jeff Flake(AZ), Mike Lee (UT), John McCain (AZ), Rand Paul (KY), Ben Sasse(NE), President-elect Donald Trump’s attorney general pick Jeff Sessions(AL), and Richard Shelby(AL).
A full list of the Senate votes cast on S.612 can be found here. It is described as “A bill to designate the Federal building and United States courthouse located at 1300 Victoria Street in Laredo, Texas, as the ‘George P. Kazen Federal Building and United States Courthouse'”; the water bill was attached to the courthouse naming bill as an amendment in the House of Representatives version.
Inquiries from East Village Magazine to Sen. Sanders and Sen. Warren about why they opposed the bill are awaiting replies.
EVM Editor Jan Worth can be reached at janworth1118@gmail.com.
You must be logged in to post a comment.