The House

Uniform Poll Closing

By a 208-189 vote, the House passed and sent to the Senate a bill (HR 435) requiring voting places in the continental United States to close in unison at 9 p.m. Eastern Standard Time in presidential election years.

While the purpose of the bill is to keep network television reports based on Eastern results from curbing voter turnout in the Pacific time zone, it makes no demands on news organizations. The networks told Congress they would not project presidential results until after the uniform closing time.

Supporter Thomas A. Luken (D-Ohio) said, “No one wants to go and (vote) in an election contest that has already been decided.”

Opponent Bob Whittaker (R-Kan.) said the legislation “would invade the states’ voting responsibility without increasing voter participation.”

Members voting yes supported uniform poll closing.

How They Voted Yea Nay No vote Rep. Anderson (D) x Rep. Dornan (R) x Rep. Dreier (R) x Rep. Dymally (D) x Rep. Hawkins (D) x Rep. Martinez (D) x Rep. Torres (D) x

Gephardt Amendment

By a 175-239 vote, the House rejected a GOP attempt to remove the so-called Gephardt amendment from a trade bill (HR 3) now in House-Senate conference. Republicans see the amendment as protectionist. Democratic Rep. Richard Gephardt of Missouri, its sponsor and a presidential candidate, missed the debate and vote because he was on the campaign trail.

His amendment requires the government to force reductions in U. S. trade deficits with countries that have used allegedly unfair tactics to build trade surpluses over the United States.

Don Sundquist (R-Tenn.), who supported the GOP motion, asked, “Will the stock market melt while Gephardt campaigns?”

Opponent Beryl Anthony Jr. (D-Ark.) praised the Gephardt amendment “as a jobs issue, a vote-getting issue.”

Members voting yes wanted to kill the Gephardt amendment.

How They Voted Yea Nay No vote Rep. Anderson (D) x Rep. Dornan (R) x Rep. Dreier (R) x Rep. Dymally (D) x Rep. Hawkins (D) x Rep. Martinez (D) x Rep. Torres (D) x

Converting Crop Land

By a 362-29 vote, the House passed and sent to the Senate a bill (HR 2752) encouraging growers to turn crop land into wildlife habitat. Farmers would not lose money in the conversion because wheat, feed grain, upland cotton and rice acreage set aside for wildlife still would be counted in the crop base used to determine government farm subsidies.

Supporters said the bill would trim crop surpluses while benefiting nature. No opponent spoke during debate.

Members voting yes favored the bill.

How They Voted Yea Nay No vote Rep. Anderson (D) x Rep. Dornan (R) x Rep. Dreier (R) x Rep. Dymally (D) x Rep. Hawkins (D) x Rep. Martinez (D) x Rep. Torres (D) x

Wild and Scenic River

The House passed, 363 to 26, and sent to the Senate a bill (S 247) including the Kern River north of Bakersfield in the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. The bill, which was sent to President Reagan, would protect nearly all of the river’s north and south forks against despoilment.

Supporter Robert J. Lagomarsino (R-Ojai) said the bill “will provide Southern California with its first wild and scenic river” designation. Opponents did not speak.

Members voting yes supported the bill.

How They Voted Yea Nay No vote Rep. Anderson (D) x Rep. Dornan (R) x Rep. Dreier (R) x Rep. Dymally (D) x Rep. Hawkins (D) x Rep. Martinez (D) x Rep. Torres (D) x