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WASHINGTON — Here's how Arizona members of Congress voted on major roll calls last week.

House

POLICE, FIREFIGHTER UNIONS:

Voting 314 for and 97 against, the House on July 17 sent the Senate a bill (HR 980) granting limited union rights to police, firefighters, corrections officers and other public-safety personnel in all states.

At least 20 states now deny collective-bargaining rights to public employees.

The bill empowers state and local first responders to bargain over wages, benefits and working conditions but prohibits strikes by unions and lockouts by employers.

A yes vote was to pass the bill.

Yes: Rick Renzi, R-1, Ed Pastor, D-4, Harry Mitchell, D-5, Raúl Grijalva, D-7, Gabrielle Giffords, D-8

No: Trent Franks, R-2, John Shadegg, R-3, Jeff Flake, R-6

PLANNED PARENTHOOD FUNDS:

Voting 189 for and 231 against, the House on July 19 refused to block funding for Planned Parenthood in the fiscal 2008 Department of Health and Human services budget (HR 3043) because the organization supports abortion. Planned Parenthood is one of many organizations that receive federal funds for family-planning services but which are banned by law from using the money to promote or perform abortions.

A yes vote backed the amendment.

Yes: Renzi, Franks, Shadegg, Flake

No: Pastor, Mitchell, Grijalva, Giffords

SOCIAL SECURITY PRIVATIZATION:

The House on July 18 blocked, 231 for and 199 against, salary payments to Andrew Biggs, the new deputy commissioner of Social Security and an advocate of privatizing Social Security.

President Bush installed Biggs with a recess appointment to avert Senate confirmation hearings that would examine his views on privatization. This amendment to HR 3043 (above) would nullify Biggs' salary until he receives Senate confirmation.

A yes vote backed the amendment.

Yes: Pastor, Mitchell, Grijalva, Giffords

No: Renzi, Franks, Shadegg, Flake

Senate

IRAQ WITHDRAWAL MANDATE:

The Senate on July 18 failed, 52 for and 47 against, to advance a mandate that President Bush start withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq within 120 days of enactment and complete the pullout of all but a residual force by April 30, 2008.

Democrats needed 60 votes to defeat Republican blockage of the amendment to a $649 billion military budget for fiscal 2008 (HR 1585). The bill awaits further Senate debate.

A yes vote backed the mandate.

No: John McCain, R, Jon Kyl, R

STUDENT LOANS:

Voting 78 for and 18 against, the Senate on July 20 passed a bill (HR 2669) to cut taxpayer subsidies of firms that provide student loans by $18 billion over five years and allocate most of the savings to programs directly benefiting students.

The savings would be used mainly to increase Pell Grants for poor students by 26 percent to $5,400 by 2012.

The bill also would grant loan forgiveness to first responders and students preparing to teach in disadvantaged neighborhoods; cap loan repayments at 15 percent of discretionary income; and raise to $30,500 the federally backed loan limit for undergraduates. About $1 billion of the $18 billion would be allocated to deficit reduction.

A yes vote was to send the bill to negotiations with the House.

No: McCain, Kyl

BANKERS' LOAN PLAN:

Voting 35 for and 62 against, the Senate on July 19 defeated an alternative to HR 2669 (above) that was favored by bankers' groups but opposed by student organizations.

The amendment sought to reduce lenders' subsidies by $15.65 billion, compared to $18 billion in the underlying bill, and to provide lesser increases than in the base bill in Pell Grants for poor students.

A yes vote backed the amendment.

Yes: McCain, Kyl

Thomas Voting Reports