Congressman Harris Vote Update – February 24 – March 24, 2021

The Congressman spent the latter part of February and much of the month of March 2021 voting no, giving credence to his reputation as an active member of what has been labeled the “far right no caucus” in the House of Representatives.  https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/03/19/emerging-far-right-no-caucus-house.   The Congressman’s official website does not explain how he believes his “no” votes reflect the values of or will benefit the citizens of the First Congressional District.

February 24, 2021.  The House passed H.R. 546 – Effective Assistance of Counsel Act on a bipartisan basis, 414 to 11. The Bill prohibits the Department of Justice from monitoring the contents of a privileged electronic communication between an incarcerated person and that person’s legal representative.  https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/546/actions.   Congressman Harris was one of the 11 voting no.  https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/202136 .  The bill is now in the Senate awaiting action by the Committee on the Judiciary.

February 27, 2021:  Congressman Harris voted no on H.R. 1319, the American Rescue Plan Act, the $1.9 trillion Covid -19 virus relief bill.  The bill passed the House of Representatives early in the morning of February 27 by a vote of 219 to 212.  210 Republicans voted no (one Republican House member did not vote); two House Democrats also voted no. Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives – Vote Details.

Congressman Harris promptly issued a press release, labelling the bill the “Biden bailout” and describing it as “nothing but a pricey liberal wish list”.  Harris Opposes Biden Bailout Bill | Congressman Andy Harris (house.gov).  According to the Congressman, there is $1 Trillion in currently unspent stimulus dollars that should be spent on reopening schools and “following the science on vaccine policy.”

The Congressman’s reference to $1 Trillion in unspent funds is misleading.  According to the Committee for A Responsible Federal Budget, much of the money from earlier COVID-19 relief is already committed and scheduled to be disbursed.   Monies already allocated include, for example, Medicaid matching payments for the states.  http://www.crfb.org/blogs/how-much-covid-relief-money-left.

March 3, 2021:  The House passed H.R. 1, the For the People Act of 2021, by a vote of 220 to 210.   The Congressman voted no. https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/202162.  According to the bill summary authored by the Congressional Research Service, the bill expands voter registration (e.g., automatic and same-day registration) and voting access (e.g., vote by mail and early voting.  The bill also limits removing voters from voter rolls.  The bill requires states to establish independent redistricting commissions and has provisions related to election security and campaign finance.  The bill also addresses ethics in all three branches of government.  https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/1.

The Congressman, however, views the bill as a “Democrat Voting Overhaul Sellout” that would “[m]andate ‘ballot harvesting’”, “[d]isregard state voter ID laws for in-person and mail-in voting” and “impair the ability of the state to correct their voter rolls,” among other things. The Congressman does not provide detail or explain the factual basis for his conclusions.  His summary public statement instead excoriates what he views as a “complete sellout to the swamp” and ends with the words “Shame on Congress.”   https://harris.house.gov/media/press-releases/harris-votes-no-democrat-voting-overhaul-sellout.

March 10, 2021: The House voted 220 to 211 to pass the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, concurring in the Senate amendment to the Act.  https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/1319/actions?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22HR+1319%22%5D%7D&r=1&s=1.  The bill was signed by the President on March 11 and became Public Law 117-2.

The Congressman voted no.  Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives – Vote Details

The Congressman’s press release describes the bill as the “Pelosi Payoff to Progressives Bill” that “spends way too much.”  His objections to the bill include his objection to “direct stimulus payments to citizens a majority of whom have experienced little or no financial loss during the pandemic” as well as his objection to providing “$350 billion to bail out mostly poorly-managed blue states….” He also asserts that “most states did not experience significant revenue loss from COVID” and that “some even experienced increased tax revenues.”  The Congressman’s press release does not provide detail or explain the factual basis or sources for his conclusions.  https://harris.house.gov/media/press-releases/harris-votes-no-pelosi-payoff-progressives-bill.

March 17, 2021:  The House passed H.R. 1651, the Covid-19 Bankruptcy Relief Extension Act on a widely bipartisan basis – 399 to 14.  https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/202188.  The bill would amend the CARES Act to extend the sunset for the definition of a small business debtor.  https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/1651/text.  Congressman Harris was one of the 14 House members voting no.  Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives – Vote Details

March 17, 2021:  The House passed H.R. 1652, described in the legislation as a “comprehensive fix” to sustain the Crime Victims Fund Act of 2021.”  https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/1652/text.  The bill passed the House widely supported by the majority of both parties, 384 to 38.  Congressman Harris was one of those who voted no.   https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/202189.

March 17, 2021:  The House of Representatives passed legislation to award the Congressional Gold Medal to the United States Capitol Police and those who protected the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.  H.R.1085 – 117th Congress (2021-2022): To award three congressional gold medals to the United States Capitol Police and those who protected the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. | Congress.gov | Library of Congress.

The bill directs the Speaker of the House and the President pro tempore of the Senate to arrange for the award of three Congressional Gold Medals to the U.S. Capitol Police (USCP) and other law enforcement agencies that protected the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. One medal is to be given to the USCP, one medal is to be given to the Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia, and one medal is to be given to the Smithsonian Institution and displayed with a plaque listing all law enforcement agencies that participated in protecting the Capitol on January 6, 2021.

The vote in favor was widely supported by both parties with 413 members of the House voting yes and only 12 voting no.  Congressman Harris was one those who voted no, Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives – Vote Details

The Congressman has reportedly stated he objected to legislation that was a publicity stunt. Rep. Harris votes against Congressional Gold Medal for Capitol Police (delmarvanow.com). He reportedly also objected to use of the word “insurrectionists” in the wording of the bill.  A dozen Republicans voted against Congressional Gold Medals for police who protected them on Jan. 6 – The Washington Post.   The Congressman does not explain his vote on his website. In The News | Congressman Andy Harris (house.gov)

For the record, Websters defines insurrection as an “act or instance of revolting against civil authority or an established government.”  https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/insurrection.  For its part, the U.S. Department of Justice has repeatedly used the word to describe the violence and riot that occurred at the Capitol on January 6.   Thirteen Charged in Federal Court Following Riot at the United States Capitol | OPA | Department of Justice U.S. Attorney, District Attorney Warn Violence Won’t be Tolerated During Inauguration Protests | USAO-SDCA | Department of Justice

March 18, 2021:  The House of Representatives passed H.R. 1603 by a bipartisan vote of 247 to 174.  H.R.1603 – 117th Congress (2021-2022): Farm Workforce Modernization Act of 2021 | Congress.gov | Library of Congress.  The bill, originally sponsored by Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) and Dan Newhouse (R-WA), is titled the Farm Workforce Modernization Act of 2021.  The bill, which had 13 Republican co-sponsors, establishes a program for agricultural workers in the U.S. to earn legal status through continued agricultural employment and contribution to the U.S. agricultural economy.  The bill also reforms the H-2A program to provide more flexibility for employers to make the program more responsive and user friendlier for employers.  The sponsors of the legislation explain that due to the diminishing supply of U.S. workers willing to provide migrant farm labor, the nation’s famers are increasingly dependent on foreign workers to meet labor demands. The bill establishes a mandatory, nationwide E-verify system for all agricultural employment. https://lofgren.house.gov/media/press-releases/lofgren-newhouse-introduce-farm-workforce-modernization-act-2021

Congressman Harris voted no.  https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/202193.  The Congressman did not provide an explanation for his vote on his website.

March 18. 2021:  Representative Kevin McCarthy submitted H.Res. 243 to remove Representative Eric Swalwell from his committee assignment on the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.  Representative Steny Hoyer moved to table the resolution.  The motion to table passed Hare’s on a vote of 218 to 200.  Congressman Harris voted no, i.e., not to table the vote.  Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives – Vote Details .

March 19, 2021:  The bill was introduced in the House by action of the House of Representatives.  According to the summary authored by the Congressional Research Service, H.R. 1868 makes several budgetary and technical changes to provisions under Medicare, Medicaid and the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 which provided additional relief to address the ongoing impact of Covid-19.  H.R.1868 – 117th Congress (2021-2022): To prevent across-the-board direct spending cuts, and for other purposes. | Congress.gov | Library of Congress.   Specifically, the bill exempts the budgetary effects of the American Rescue Plan of 2021 and the other technical and budgetary changes referenced in the bill  from the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010.  The Statutory Pay as You go Act of 2010 had established budget enforcement mechanisms to require that all new legislation changing taxes fees or mandatory expenditures not increase projected deficits.  The Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010: A Description | The White House (archives.gov).  H.R. 1868 passed the house by a vote of 246-175.  Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives – Vote Details.   Congressman Harris voted no. The Congressman’s website does not explain his vote.  Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives – Vote Details.

March 19, 2021:  The resolution condemns the military coup in Burma, the Burmese military detention of civilian leaders and calls for the release of all those detained and for those elected to serve in Parliament to resume their duties.  The Bill drew wide bipartisan support passing 398 -14.  https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-resolution/134https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-resolution/134.     The Congressman voted no on H. Res. 134.  Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives – Vote Details.  The Congressman’s website does not explain the reasons for his vote.

On March 19, 2021, the Baltimore Sun Editorial Board issued an editorial questioning Congressman’s Harris votes and actions and encouraging voters in the First Congressional District to hold him to his pledge to leave Congress after six terms.  The editorial noted that “[h]is district – home to Salisbury State University, University of Maryland Eastern Shore and Washington College, cradle of the state’s farming and seafood industries, birthplace of Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman – deserves far, far better.”  Andy Harris: Maryland’s anti-police, anti-intellectual poseur of a congressman | COMMENTARY – Baltimore Sun.