THE HOUSE

Nuclear Test Ban

By a vote of 224 to 151, the House gave final congressional approval of a phase-out of U.S. nuclear testing, provided the former Soviet republics continue to pacify their arsenals. The vote during debate on HR 5373 accepted a Senate measure, drafted by Democrats, that would suspend testing until next August. Limited testing to assure warhead safety would be resumed until January, 1997, at which time a permanent ban would kick in.

The Administration also wants to curtail testing, but at a slower pace because, it says, it does not want to weaken presidential strength in arms negotiations, undermine the country’s military strength or jeopardize the reliability of U.S. missiles.

A yes vote was in favor of the nuclear test ban in 1997.

How They Voted Yea Nay No vote Rep. Moorhead (R) x Rep. Roybal (D) x Rep. Waxman (D) x

Death Penalty Referendum

By a vote of 264 to 129, the House gave final congressional approval of a requirement that the District of Columbia hold a citywide referendum on whether to impose the death penalty. The issue could be on the Nov. 3 ballot. The vote occurred during debate on the fiscal 1993 appropriations bill (HR 5517) for the federal city. Supporter George F. Allen Jr. (R-Va.) said rising violence in the nation’s capital has been accompanied by “ineptitude and ineffective response from the D.C. Council.”

Californian Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco), an opponent, said Congress should defer to an ongoing grass-roots petition drive in behalf of a D.C. death penalty referendum.

A yes vote supported the death penalty referendum.

How They Voted Yea Nay No vote Rep. Moorhead (R) x Rep. Roybal (D) x Rep. Waxman (D) x

Health Insurance for Gays

By a vote of 235 to 173, the House denied funding for a “domestic partners” law in the District of Columbia. The vote gutted a new law extending taxpayer-provided health insurance to same-sex partners of city employees, in the same way that heterosexual spouses of D.C. workers are covered. The vote occurred during debate on HR 5517. Thomas J. Bliley Jr. (R-Va.) objected to using tax dollars from throughout the country “to grant official status to these illicit relationships.”

Democrat Eleanor Holmes Norton, the D.C. delegate to Congress, said, “All we in the District of Columbia ask you to do is to let us run our own affairs.”

A yes vote was to deny funding for the D.C. domestic partners law.

How They Voted Yea Nay No vote Rep. Moorhead (R) x Rep. Roybal (D) x Rep. Waxman (D) x