How Hawai'i Reps. Neil Abercrombie and Mazie K. Hirono and Sens. Daniel Akaka and Daniel K. Inouye voted in key legislation last week.

KEY HOUSE VOTES

1. Honest Leadership and Open Government Act

The House overwhelmingly passed, 411-8, lobbying and ethics reform legislation on Tuesday that would require lawmakers to disclose more about money lobbyists collect for them and special-project money lawmakers are seeking. It also would bar gifts from lobbyists, among other provisions. The legislation passed in the Senate on Thursday and will go to the president, who hasn't decided whether he'll sign it.

Hawai'i votes:

Neil Abercrombie (D) NAY
Mazie K. Hirono (D) YEA

2. Wage Discrimination Legislation

The House voted, 225-199, on Tuesday to pass legislation reversing a May 29 Supreme Court decision clarifying the amount of time an employee has to sue an employer for discrimination. In the Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. case, the court ruled that an employee had 180 days to sue while this bill states the time limit begins each time a paycheck is issued. The White House has threatened a veto. The bill has not yet seen action in the Senate.

Hawai'i votes:

Neil Abercrombie (D) YEA
Mazie K. Hirono (D) YEA

3. State Children's Health Insurance Program

By a vote of 225-204, the House passed legislation on Wednesday to add 6 million low-income children to the State Children's Health Insurance Program, despite critics who say the program is being abused by adults. The bill adds $50 billion to the program, financed by cuts to Medicare and taxes on cigarettes. This bill must be reconciled with a smaller Senate-passed version. The White House has threatened a veto.

Hawai'i votes:

Neil Abercrombie (D) YEA
Mazie K. Hirono (D) YEA

4. Iraq Time-off Legislation

The House passed, 229-194, a bill that would require troops deployed in Iraq to get certain amounts of time off at home before being redeployed. The measure would give active-duty troops time off equal to their deployment while Guard and Reserve troops would get three times their deployment. The White House has threatened a veto, but the bill may not make it through the Senate to the president.

Hawai'i votes:

Neil Abercrombie (D) YEA
Mazie K. Hirono (D) YEA

KEY SENATE VOTES

1. Children's Insurance Legislation

The Senate voted 68-31 on Thursday for a $35 billion expansion of the state program (SCHIP) for insuring low-income children. The measure would add 3 million children who aren't poor enough for Medicaid and pay for that by raising cigarette taxes. Unlike the House bill, it makes no changes to Medicare. It must be reconciled with the House-passed $50 billion expansion. President Bush proposed spending $5 billion more on the program and has threatened a veto.

Hawai'i Votes:

Daniel Akaka (D) YEA
Daniel K. Inouye (D) YEA

2. Ethics and Lobbying Reform

The Senate voted, 83-14, on Thursday to pass an overhaul of lobbying and ethics rules that would ban senators and staff from receiving gifts from lobbyists. The measure would require sponsors of special-project funding, or earmarks, to be identified and posted 48 hours before being voted on.

Hawai'i Votes:

Daniel Akaka (D) YEA
Daniel K. Inouye (D) YEA

WHAT'S AHEAD

Congress goes on a month-long break and returns after the Labor Day holiday.