Voting 203 for and 227 against, members on July 20 rejected a Democratic request that President Bush set public benchmarks for measuring U.S. progress in Iraq in areas such as defeating the insurgency, establishing democratic institutions and bringing U.S. troops home. This occurred during debate on a bill (HR 2601, later passed) authorizing State Department activities and other foreign operations in fiscal 2006.

A yes vote backed the Democratic motion to set benchmarks for the war.

Voting 291 for and 137 against, members on July 20 approved a GOP-sponsored amendment to HR 2601 (above) declaring that the United States should withdraw its force from Iraq only when it is clear "national security and foreign policy goals relating to a free and stable Iraq have been or are about to be achieved."

A yes vote backed the GOP amendment to withdraw only when goals will be achieved.

Voting 124 for and 302 against, members on July 20 defeated an amendment to HR 2601 (above) requiring the United States to begin negotiations on an international treaty to ban weapons in space. The Pentagon is studying a possible U.S. launch of space weapons.

A yes vote backed a treaty to pacify space.

Voting 223 for and 205 against, the House on July 19 removed birth control from the list of services funded by HR 2601 (above) for coping with obstetric fistula in the developing world. Girls are most susceptible to the condition, which occurs when soft pelvic tissue is damaged during labor, leading to incontinence and social isolation. The bill authorizes $7.5 million in U.S. aid for fistula programs in Africa, Asia and elsewhere.

A yes vote was to remove contraceptive services from U.S.-funded fistula programs.

Voting 37 for and 62 against, senators on July 19 refused to bar Export-Import Bank financing of a bid by Westinghouse Electric Co. to build four nuclear reactors in China. The bank, which is backed by U.S. taxpayers, has tentatively provided Westinghouse, a property of the British government, with $5 billion in credit backing in its competition against French and Russian firms for the work. This vote occurred during debate on a foreign operations spending bill for fiscal 2006 (HR 3057). The bill was sent to conference with a House version that prohibits the Ex-Im Bank financing.

A yes vote backed the amendment to bar financing of the deal to build reactors in China.

The House on Friday passed, 257 for and 171 against, a bill (HR 3199) to renew the USA Patriot Act and convert most of its key antiterrorism provisions to permanent status. Like the original law, the renewal expands the power of police and intelligence agencies to keep watch on and detain individuals suspected of terrorism and related activities, with less judicial review than before Sept. 11, 2001. The only key provisions not made permanent by the renewal are ones authorizing roving wiretaps and secret searches of library and bookstore records, both of which would expire after 10 years. The bill awaits Senate action

A yes vote was to pass the bill.

Voting 209 for and 218 against, members on Thursday defeated a Democratic bid to extend the USA Patriot Act temporarily, subject to congressional renewal after four years. The House then passed HR 3199 (above).

A yes vote backed temporary status for the Patriot Act.

Members on Thursday voted, 402 for and 26 against, to require the FBI director to personally approve library and bookstore searches under HR 3199 (above). The bill renews authority for law enforcement agents, bearing secret warrants, to obtain customer records from libraries, bookstores and other entities.

A yes vote backed the amendment to require the FBI director to personally approve library and bookstore searches.

Senators on July 21 voted 78-19 to streamline the Nunn-Lugar law, which pays Russia to destroy stockpiles of Soviet-era nuclear warheads and chemical and biological arms in order to keep them from terrorists. The amendment was added to the defense bill (S 1042, still in debate) that authorizes $415 million for Nunn-Lugar projects in fiscal 2006.

A yes vote backed the amendment to streamline the Nunn-Lugar law.

Robert Menendez, D-N.J., urged benchmarks "so we know exactly what we need to do to achieve success in Iraq. Up to this point, Congress has abdicated its responsibility on Iraq. The Republican leadership has provided the administration with a blank check when it comes to Iraq."

Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Fla., said the amendment "cautions against withdrawing prematurely, calling for withdrawal to take place when U.S. national security and foreign policy goals relating to Iraq have been or are about to be achieved."

Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio, said: "Moving forward with (U.S.) plans to weaponize space would create an arms race in space. It would be counterproductive to U.S. national security to give potential adversaries reasons to accelerate development of space-weapons technology. Pursuing space weapons would also bankrupt our nation, with a hefty price tag of up to $1 trillion...."

Christopher Smith, R-N.J., said that if "inclusion of contraception is absolutely mandatory," faith-based hospitals will not participate in fistula programs. "There are at least four hospitals...in Uganda, Congo, Ethiopia, and in Bangladesh, that would be denied fistula funding," he said.

Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., said: "Why should we use American taxpayer dollars for this risky investment? Again, the beneficiary is not an American company but a subsidiary of a British Government-owned company. The Brits are great allies.... But let them put their taxpayers on the line."

In part, the Patriot Act expands government power to monitor phone, e-mail and Internet usage; permits secret, no-warrant searches; allows extended jailing of noncitizens without charges; allows prosecutors to release secret grand jury testimony to intelligence agencies; treats those who conspire in terrorist crimes or harbor terrorists as severely as it does perpetrators; allows the FBI to issue subpoenas on a limited basis without prior court review; and makes it a federal crime to possess large quantities of biological agents.

Critics of the bureaucratic rules imposed by members of Congress leery of sending funds to Russia without strict controls say the rules foster delay and imperil U.S. security.

Henry Hyde, R-Ill., said the administration "has been crystal clear in presenting its plan for victory....One, defeat the enemy, working with the coalition and Iraqi forces; two, train the Iraqi security forces so they can take on the burden of protecting themselves; and three, set the conditions for political and economic growth in Iraq."

Jim McDermott, D-Wash., said: "We have the best soldiers and the best military commanders in the world. They do not need an inflammatory amendment by a Republican Party behaving like armchair generals while the fighting and dying and chaos goes on in Iraq."

Terry Everett, R-Ala., said space assets are key to America's economy and national security. "It would be irresponsible not to ensure that we have the means to protect these assets and our troops. We should not be forced to enter into an agreement that would prematurely tie our hands from the ability to freely and peacefully operate in space."

Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., said: "We are talking about 11 (years), 10, 9, 12, 13, 14, very young women. And it is important that contraception be used to prevent them from getting pregnant and having fistula from having a child too young."

Rick Santorum, R-Pa., said: "This technology is commercial technology. This is not a technology that is any threat from a national security point of view. This is commercial nuclear power technology....The idea that this is a national security issue is not a relevant one."

Defenders of the rules, being against streamlining them, say they are designed to impose accountability on Russia and protect U.S. taxpayer dollars.