Time on Capitol Hill

Dear Reader,

In recent weeks, Congress has acted on several controversial issues. Here's how your Representative and Senators cast their votes:

THE ISSUES

VOTE 1

BOSNIAN ARMS EMBARGO: Lingering doubts about the fairness of the U.N.-sponsored -- and U.S.-supported -- arms embargo in the Balkan war prompted the fourth Senate proposal since May to lift the ban on shipments of weapons to the beleaguered Bosnians. Fifty Senators voted for the measure, but the other 50 opposed it, which, in the case of an amendment to a bill, counts as a defeat of the measure. A similar bill passed in the House, 244 to 178, on June 9.

VOTE 2

PRODUCT LIABILITY: A backlash against stringent laws that hold manufacturers liable for the potential harm caused by their products bred a Senate effort to create national product-liability standards that would override a number of state laws. Manufacturers, insurance companies and other business interests supported legislation limiting the number of suits going to trial and restricting damage awards. Opponents, led by trial lawyers and consumer groups that argued the new law would leave consumers vulnerable, mounted a filibuster to prevent full Senate consideration of the bill. A vote to end the filibuster was defeated 51 to 47, thus blocking the attempt to relax standards.

VOTE 3 <

FUNDING THE B-2 BOMBER: Even Defense Secretary William Perry recommended that Congress cut from the Defense Department Authorization Act $150 million earmarked to keep some production lines running for the B-2 bomber, since Congress has already paid for the full contingent of these $1 billion-a-copy Stealth planes. Still, the Senate, by a vote of 55 to 45, rejected the Pentagon's advice, opting to spend the money anyway. A yes vote favored a reduction in funding.

VOTE 4

FUTURE OF THE SPACE STATION: The turbulent journey of NASA's proposed space station, whose ultimate cost is now estimated at $28 billion, passed another milestone June 29 when an amendment to cut off funding at the current $11 billion was defeated in the House, 278 to 155. A no vote favored the space station.

CHART: NOT AVAILABLE

CREDIT: Voting records provided by Congressional Quarterly Inc.

CAPTION: HOW YOU WERE REPRESENTED