Here is how members of Maryland's delegation on Capitol Hill were recorded on important roll-call votes last week:
Y: YES N: NO X: NOT VOTING
HOUSE: GATT
By a vote of 288-146, the House passed a bill (HR 5110) to include the United States in the global free-trade pact known as GATT. The Senate (below) followed suit, clearing the way for the United States to join more than 100 countries in an expanded General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade scheduled to take effect in July. GATT is intended to stimulate global commerce by requiring nations to cut their tariffs, or taxes on imports, by more than one-third, and by forcing down the subsidies that governments use to protect favored industries. The bill includes revenue measures to offset the estimated $12 billion GATT will cost the Treasury in lost tariff revenue over five years.
/# A yes vote was to approve GATT.
Y N X Member
* N * Bentley, Helen Delich, R-2nd
Y * * Bartlett, Roscoe G., R-6th
Y * * Cardin, Benjamin L., D-3rd
Y * * Gilchrest, Wayne T., R-1st
Y * * Hoyer, Steny H. D-5th
Y * * Wynn, Albert R., D-4th
* N * Mfume, Kweisi, D-7th
Y * * Morella, Constance A., R-8th
SENATE: TRADE PACT
By a vote of 76-24, the Senate gave final Congressional approval to a bill (HR 5110, above) including the United States in the international anti-protectionist trade pact known as GATT.
/# A yes vote was to approve GATT.
Y N X Member
Y * * Mikulski, Barbara A., D
Y * * Sarbanes, Paul S., D
SENATE: BUDGET WAIVER
By a vote of 68-32, the Senate achieved the three-fifths majority required for waiving pay-as-you-go budget rules to accommodate GATT legislation (HR 5110). The waiver was needed because the trade pact is projected to increase national debt by $15 billion to $30 billion over 10 years. However, supporters of GATT say that projection ignores increased tax revenues the agreement will generate.
A yes vote was to waive pay-as-you-go budget rules and move to final approval of the GATT bill.
Y N X Member
Y * * Mikulski, Barbara A., D
Y * * Sarbanes, Paul S., D