How Virginia's members of Congress voted last week

HOUSE VOTES

Electronic records

Voting 286-137, the House on Wednesday passed a bill (HR5811) requiring federal agencies, including the White House, to preserve all e-mail messages and other electronic records under the purview of the National Archives.

A yes vote was to pass the bill.

Voting yes Scott

Voting no Wittman, Drake, Forbes

SENATE VOTES

Spy powers

Voting 69-28, the Senate on Wednesday sent President Bush a bill (HR6304) to renew the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act through 2012 and grant retroactive immunity to telecommunications firms that helped the government spy on Americans after Sept. 11, 2001, without court warrants.

A yes vote was to pass the bill.

Voting yes Warner, Webb

Telecoms' immunity

Voting 32-66, the Senate on Wednesday refused to strip HR6304 (above) of retroactive immunity for companies such as AT&T, Sprint Nextel and Verizon that have been sued over their helping the administration spy on Americans without court warrants after Sept. 11.

A yes vote was to deny telecom immunity.

Voting no Warner, Webb

Medicare payments

Voting 69-30, the Senate on Wednesday advanced a bill (HR6331) to rescind the administration's 10.6 percent cut in Medicare payments to doctors that took effect July 1, with the $20 billion multi-year cost offset mainly by cuts in the privately run, federally subsidized Medicare Advantage program.

A yes vote was to pass the bill.

Voting yes Warner, Webb

Gen. Petraeus

Voting 95-2, the Senate on Thursday approved the appointment of Army Gen. David H. Petraeus as commander of the U.S. Central Command, which conducts U.S. military operations in the Middle East, East Africa and Central Asia.

A yes vote was to confirm.

Voting yes Warner, Webb

Housing bill

The Senate on Thursday voted, 84-12, to advance a housing-recovery bill (HR3221) that, in part, would enable lenders to refinance hundreds of thousands of at-risk mortgages in return for government backing of the reworked loans.

A yes vote was to advance the bill.

Voting yes Warner, Webb

Key votes ahead

This week, the House will take up the 2009 intelligence budget and a bill on highway and bridge inspections. The Senate will debate housing relief and possibly global AIDs funding.