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Transparency in Congress and a well-informed electorate are vital to preserving our self-governing Constitutional Republic. My constituents deserve to know how their members of Congress vote, which is why I have explained every vote I have cast in Congress since I was first elected.
To read more about my votes and see the full list with explanations of all the legislation considered this week by the House, please click here.
Monday, December 15
I voted “Yes” on S. 284, the Congressional Award Program Reauthorization Act. This bill would reauthorize the Board for the Congressional Award Program through Fiscal Year 2028. The Congressional Award Program recognizes 14 through 24-year-olds throughout the United States for their initiative, service, and achievements. By extending this important program, Congress can continue recognizing the achievements of students and young people as they serve their communities. This bill passed by a vote of 370-22, with one member voting present.
I voted “Yes” on H.R. 3187, To require the Secretary of Agriculture to convey a parcel of property of the Forest Service to Perry County, Arkansas, and for other purposes. In Perry County, Arkansas, the U.S. Forest Service has surplus land that it does not plan to use, however, the County government has sought to build an administrative building for education, conservation and youth services on this land. By transmitting this land to Perry County, the federal government can help support Perry County’s important work. This bill passed by a vote of 388-0.
Tuesday, December 16
I voted “Yes” on H.R. 4371, the Kayla Hamilton Act. This bill would enact key reforms to the placement process for unaccompanied alien children (UACs). Specifically, this bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to request the criminal records of UACs and examine them for gang-related tattoos. Additionally, this prohibits the placement of UACs with sponsors who are illegal aliens or have been convicted of certain offenses and ensures that background check information is shared with the Department of Homeland Security. H.R. 4371 was named after Kayla Hamilton, who was brutally murdered by Walter Javier Martinez, a UAC who had been released to a sponsor by the HHS before background checks were completed. It is imperative that proper vetting be conducted for those wishing to enter our country to keep our nation safe. This bill passed by a bipartisan vote of 225-201.
I voted “Yes” on H.R. 3632, the Power Plant Reliability Act of 2025. This bill gives state regulators and grid operators the authority to petition the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to keep critical power plants online when their retirement would jeopardize electric reliability. It also requires a five-year public notice before any plant closure to ensure there's enough time to assess and respond to potential threats to the grid. With energy demand rising and reliable baseload power increasingly under attack, this legislation is a vital safeguard against rolling blackouts and skyrocketing energy costs. It puts the needs of families, manufacturers, and communities first. This bill passed the House by a vote of 222-202
Wednesday, December 17
I voted “No” on H.Con.Res. 61, Directing the President, pursuant to section 5(c) of the War Powers Resolution, to remove United States Armed Forces from hostilities with presidentially designated terrorist organizations in the Western Hemisphere. This resolution would require the President to remove U.S. Armed Forces from hostilities with presidentially designated terrorist organizations in the Western Hemisphere under the War Powers Resolution. Narco-terrorists operating throughout South America and the Caribbean threaten American lives every day by trafficking fentanyl and other dangerous and illicit substances. Whereas President Biden allowed these terrorists to operate with impunity, President Trump is taking the threat they pose seriously. This resolution would recklessly prohibit all military action against foreign terrorist organizations operating in the Western Hemisphere, which would completely hamstring the military’s ability to conduct counterterrorism operations. Many legal scholars have also raised concerns about the constitutionality of the War Powers Act and argued it infringes on the President’s role as Commander in Chief, and I agree with these concerns. As such, I voted against this resolution to keep our nation safe from narcoterrorism and due to the constitutional concerns. This resolution failed to pass the House by a vote of 210-216.
I voted “No” on H.Con.Res. 64, To direct the removal of United States Armed Forces from hostilities within or against Venezuela that have not been authorized by Congress. This resolution would require the President to remove U.S. Armed Forces from hostilities with Venezuela under the War Powers Resolution. Venezuela has long been a hub for illicit activity, including human trafficking, drug trafficking, and oil trafficking which all threaten our national security. President Trump has taken serious action against the illicit smuggling from Venezuela, and this War Powers Resolution would force the President to cease these efforts and allow Venezuela to continue threatening American national security. Many legal scholars argue that the War Powers Act is unconstitutional and infringes on the President’s role as Commander in Chief, and I share that view. As such, I voted against this resolution to keep our nation safe and due to the constitutional concerns. This bill failed to pass the House by a vote of 211-213.
I voted “Yes” on H.R. 6703, the Lower Health Care Premiums for All Americans Act. This bill properly funds Cost-Sharing Reduction (CSR) payments to reduce premiums for ACA silver plans by 12%, saving enrollees roughly $900 a year while cutting federal spending by over $30 billion. It also expands affordable health insurance options for small businesses and the self-employed through Association Health Plans (AHPs), gives workers flexibility and options through CHOICE arrangements, and reins in pharmacy benefit managers to bring transparency and competition to prescription drug pricing. Crucially, it protects self-funded employer plans and stop-loss insurance from costly state mandates, preserving the tools employers use to keep health care costs down for more than 60% of covered workers. Hardworking families deserve lower premiums and more affordable coverage, not more bureaucratic waste that raises the cost of coverage. This bill passed the House by a vote of 216-211
I voted “Yes” on H.R. 3616, the Reliable Power Act. This bill requires federal agencies to evaluate how their regulations impact grid reliability before finalizing new rules, which will prevent reckless, one-size-fits-all mandates that have accelerated the shutdown of dependable baseload power. As electricity demand climbs more and more each year, Americans should be able to rely on a stable grid to power their homes and businesses. We must ensure that federal rulemaking supports energy reliability instead of sabotaging it. The Reliable Power Act puts commonsense guardrails in place, so families aren’t faced with skyrocketing energy bills due to bureaucratic overreach. This bill passed the House by a vote of 225-203.
I voted “Yes” on H.R. 3492, the Protecting Children’s Innocence Act. This bill would make performing gender mutilation surgeries on minors a Class C felony. For too long, we have witnessed efforts to promote radical gender ideologies and gender affirming care on children, risking lifelong physical harm with no scientific evidence supporting its use. I cosponsored and voted for this important legislation because performing these genital mutilation surgeries on our children is unconscionable, and we must hold individuals performing these dangerous surgeries on our children accountable. This bill passed by a vote of 216-211.
Thursday, December 18
I voted “Yes” on H.R. 4776, the SPEED Act. This legislation narrows the scope of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) and its review procedures for major federal actions to make the review process more efficient. NEPA is a procedural law that sets guidelines for assessing and disclosing the environmental impacts of large federal actions. Initially aimed at balancing environmental protection and economic growth, it has evolved into a complex, often burdensome regulatory framework, resulting in lengthy documents, delays, and stoppage of critical projects. The SPEED Act would modernize the authorization review process, increase certainty and predictability in the permitting process, cut red tape and regulatory burdens for project sponsors, and prevent NEPA from being weaponized against critical energy and infrastructure projects. This bill passed by a vote of 221-196.
I voted “Yes” on H.R. 1366, the Mining Regulatory Clarity Act. This bill would create a new category of mill sites to ensure that operators can use federal lands, whether mineral or non-mineral in character, for activities ancillary to mining. The bill would establish the Abandoned Hardrock Mine Fund within the Treasury, and this Fund would be comprised of money collected from claim-maintenance fees from new mill site claims created under the legislation. Additionally, this bill would direct the Treasury Secretary to use those funds to conduct reclamation of abandoned hardrock mines. As President Trump and Congress work to increase domestic mineral production, ensuring clarity in mining regulations is critical to both energy and national security. This bill passed by a vote of 219-198.
I voted “Yes” on H.R. 845, the Pet and Livestock Protection Act. This bill would require the Secretary of the Interior to reissue the November 2020 Final Rule delisting the gray wolf under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Although the gray wolf population is now thriving, the existing ESA listing constrains economic and land management activities under the guise of species preservation, which could be better managed by state, local, and private stakeholders. The gray wolf has a long history of being listed and delisted under the ESA. Since 2003, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has issued several rules designating Distinct Population Segments (DPS) of gray wolves and downlisting or delisting the populations in certain areas. Furthermore, listing the gray wolf as an endangered species prevents farmers and ranchers from protecting their livestock and pets from attacks by grey wolves. This commonsense approach to wolf management returns decision-making to states and protects livestock, pets, and rural communities while maintaining healthy ecosystems. This bill passed by a vote of 211-204.
I voted “Yes” on H.R. 498, the Do No Harm in Medicaid Act. This bill ensures that Medicaid dollars go toward real health care, not experimental treatments pushed by activist agendas. Taxpayer dollars should never be used to fund irreversible gender-transition procedures on children. Minors deserve protection, not radical procedures that cause irreversible harm that can leave lasting physical and emotional scars before they’re even old enough to vote. House Republicans are taking a clear stand that we will protect kids, safeguard parents’ rights, and defend the integrity of the Medicaid program. The bill passed the House by a vote of 215-201.
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