Russian war crimes

Last week, the House of Representatives voted 419-6 to require the President to report to Congress on atrocities committed during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Specifically, the report must describe in detail (1) U.S. government efforts to collect, analyze, and preserve evidence related to war crimes and other atrocities committed during the invasion; (2) media, public diplomacy, and information operations to make the Russian people, including their military and political leaders, aware of efforts to identify and prosecute those responsible for such atrocities; and (3) the process for a domestic, foreign, or international court or tribunal to obtain information from the U.S. government related to such atrocities.

The bill, H.R.7276, declares the Russian invasion “premeditated, unprovoked, unjustified, and unlawful,” and declares that “Vladimir Putin has a long record of committing acts of aggression, systematic abuses of human rights, and acts that constitute war crimes or other atrocities both at home and abroad”.

Reps. Andy Biggs (AZ), Warren Davidson (OH), Paul Gosar (AZ), Marjorie Taylor Greene (GA), Thomas Massie (KY), and Scott Perry (PA) were the only lawmakers to vote against the bill. Note that the roll call vote shows Rep. Liz Cheney voted against the bill due to an error; she later changed her vote.

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NATO

The House also voted on a resolution reaffirming “unequivocal support for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization as an alliance founded on democratic principles” last week in a 362-63 vote. The bill also “calls on the President to use the voice and vote of the United States to establish a Center for Democratic Resilience within NATO headquarters.”

All the ‘no’ votes were Republican lawmakers:

• Aderholt (AL)
• Allen (GA)
• Babin (TX)
• Biggs (AZ)
• Bishop (NC)
• Boebert (CO)
• Buck (CO)
• Burchett (TN)
• Burgess (TX)
• Cammack (FL)
• Carter (TX)
• Cawthorn (NC)
• Cline (VA)
• Cloud (TX)
• Clyde (GA)
• Davidson (OH)
• DesJarlais (TN)
• Donalds (FL)
• Estes (KS)
• Fulcher (ID)
• Gaetz (FL)
• Gohmert (TX)
• Good (VA)
• Gooden (TX)
• Gosar (AZ)
• Granger (TX)
• Green (TN)
• Greene (GA)
• Harris (MD)
• Harshbarger (TN)
• Hern (OK)
• Herrell (NM)
• Higgins (LA)
• Hollingsworth (IN)
• Jordan (OH)
• Keller (PA)
• LaMalfa (CA)
• Lesko (AZ)
• Long (MO)
• Loudermilk (GA)
• Massie (KY)
• Mast (FL)
• Miller (IL)
• Moolenaar (MI)
• Mullin (OK)
• Murphy (NC)
• Nehls (TX)
• Norman (SC)
• Perry (PA)
• Posey (FL)
• Rose (TN)
• Rosendale (MT)
• Roy (TX)
• Sessions (TX)
• Smith (MO)
• Smith (NJ)
• Steube (FL)
• Tiffany (WI)
• Van Drew (NJ)
• Walberg (MI)
• Weber (TX)
• Webster (FL)
• Wenstrup (OH)

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Decriminalizing marijuana

The House earlier this month voted to decriminalize marijuana in a 220-204 vote. Not only would the bill remove marijuana from the list of scheduled substances under the Controlled Substances Act, it would also: (1) prevent federal agencies from denying federal workers security clearances for cannabis use, (2) allow the Veterans’ Administration to recommend medical marijuana to veterans living with posttraumatic stress disorder (3) authorizes a sales tax on marijuana sales, and (4) expunges the record of people convicted of non-violent cannabis offenses.

Two Democrats opposed the vote: Henry Cuellar (TX) and Chris Pappas (NH).

The only Republicans to vote in favor of the bill were Reps. Tom McClintock (CA), Brian Mast (FL), and Matt Gaetz (FL). All the rest voted nay.

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Affordable insulin

Finally, earlier this month, the House passed a bill capping the monthly cost of insulin at $35 for insured patients. The Affordable Insulin Now Act succeeded in a 232-193 vote.

Only 12 Republicans voted in favor of the bill:

• Bacon (NE)
• Fitzpatrick (PA)
• Harris (MD)
• Herrera Beutler (WA)
• Hudson (NC)
• Katko (NY)
• Malliotakis (NY)
• Meuser (PA)
• Miller-Meeks (IA)
• Posey (FL)
• Smith (NJ)
• Upton (MI)