This week's congressional votes

WASHINGTON — Here's a look at how area members of Congress voted over the previous week.

This week, the Senate also passed these pieces of legislation without a roll call vote: the GAO Database Modernization Act (S. 679), to require federal agencies to submit to the Comptroller General of the United States a report on rules that are revoked, suspended, replaced, amended, or otherwise made ineffective; the Airport and Airway Extension Act (H.R. 6503), to extend into early March authorization for several Federal Aviation Administration programs, including taxes that fund the Airport and Airway Trust Fund; the NWR Modernization Act (S. 1416), to provide guidance for and investment in the upgrade and modernization of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Weather Radio All Hazards Network; the National Weather Service Communications Improvement Act (S. 1414), to improve the instant messaging service used by the National Weather Service; and the Reuse Excess Property Act (S. 2685), to make data and internal guidance on excess personal property publicly available.

It also confirmed, by voice vote, the nomination of John David Russell to be a judge on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma.

There were no key votes in the House this week.

SENATE VOTES:

Senate Vote 1:

SOCIAL SECURITY HEAD: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Martin O'Malley to be Social Security Commissioner for a term ending in January 2025. O'Malley was the governor of Maryland from 2007 through 2014, after having been mayor of Baltimore for 7 years. A supporter, Sen. Benjamin Cardin, D-Md., said O'Malley would be focused on improving public interactions with the Social Security Administration and improving morale among agency workers, and cited O'Malley's experience handling the diverse, difficult challenges that a mayor and governor face. The vote, on Dec. 18, was 50 yeas to 11 nays.

YEAS: Grassley R-IA

NOT VOTING: Ernst R-IA

Senate Vote 2:

ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Christopher Fonzone to be the Justice Department's Assistant Attorney General of the Office of Legal Counsel (OLC). Fonzone has been the general counsel for the Office of the Director of National Intelligence since 2021; he was a legal official in the Obama administration, and in the military and at the Justice Department before then. A supporter, Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said Fonzone's "demonstrated track record advising the U.S. government and clients on a range of complex legal issues will serve him well when he is confirmed to lead OLC." The vote, on Dec. 19, was 50 yeas to 17 nays.

NAYS: Grassley R-IA

NOT VOTING: Ernst R-IA

Senate Vote 3:

OKLAHOMA JUDGE: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Sara Hill to be a judge on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma. Hill was a lawyer for the Cherokee Nation Indian tribe in Oklahoma from 2003 to this year. The vote, on Dec. 19, was 52 yeas to 14 nays.

YEAS: Grassley R-IA

NOT VOTING: Ernst R-IA

Senate Vote 4:

COUNTERTERRORISM: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Elizabeth Richard to be the State Department's Coordinator for Counterterrorism. A career member of the Senior Foreign Service at State, Richard has been a diplomat in Italy, Southeast Asia, Ecuador, and the Middle East, including a stint as ambassador to Lebanon. The vote, on Dec. 19, was 49 yeas to 15 nays.

NAYS: Grassley R-IA

NOT VOTING: Ernst R-IA