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Mike Thompson Watch
Mike Thompson voted for the Redeployment from Iraq Act, H.R. 2237, which failed by a wide margin (171-255, with 7 not voting). This was a symbolic ritual in which Democrats who have anti-war constituencies were allowed to show their commitment to peace while not actually endangering the ongoing occupation of Iraq or their political careers. If it had passed (and passed by the Senate, and not vetoed by the President) it would have required all U.S. troops to withdraw from Iraq in six months. See my Dem Pols Just Can't Stop the War
for more insight.
Mike Thompson did vote on May 10 for the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations, amended H.R. 2006, providing for funding of fiscal year 2007 appropriations for U.S. military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan and various other issues, notably credits to "small" businesses. The vote was 219 for, 195 against, with 7 not voting. A Senate amendment has since been added that expresses the sense of the Congress that no action should be taken to undermine the safety of the Armed Forces of the United States or impact their ability to complete their assigned or future missions. Even if those missions involve war crimes or crimes against humanity, as the Iraq war does. So this is Representative Thompson putting our money into the continued illegal occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan.
In related War on Terror news, Thompson voted for the Homeland Security Authorization Act, which authorizes $39.8 billion for the Department of Homeland Security to spend in fiscal 2008. H.R. 1684 passed 296-126 with 10 not voting. He also voted for the Intelligence Authorization Act (H.R. 2082) which gives U.S. intelligence agencies a classified (secret) amount of money for fiscal year 2008 (passed 225-197, 10 not voting).
Mike also voted for the $2.9 trillion budget plan for the upcoming fiscal year, which passes 212-207 along party lines. He joined almost everyone in the House in voting for the Student Loan Sunshine Act (passed 414-3, 15 not voting). He also voted for the Agricultural Disaster Assistance Appropriations Act which provides $3.5 billion to farmers who had economic losses due to weather between 2005 and 2007.
Mike Thomspon is the current elected member of the United States House of Representatives for California's 1st Congressional District.