Wisconsin's US lawmakers cast votes on hot-button issues

From sanctions on Russia and impeaching President Donald Trump to cryptocurrency regulations and ending the war in Iran, Wisconsin's U.S. lawmakers in Washington, D.C., had a schedule full of consequential votes that you're likely to hear more about as campaigns heat up ahead of November.

This week was the last chance for the U.S. House to push big legislation and get recorded votes on hot-topic issues prior to the midterms, since Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., canceled votes for the rest of the month.

With the entire month of October off to campaign, Wisconsin's U.S. representatives won't return to the nation's capital until Nov. 9. (This week was cut short too — lawmakers flew in Monday and left Wednesday night).

The U.S. Senate also returned this week, although they're still scheduled to stick around for the rest of September before leaving in October. Remember: Both chambers just had a monthlong August recess.

But enough on schedules, let's get to votes. I'm Valerie Yurk, the Washington reporter at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel based in the nation's capital. This is your D.C. Notebook, where I round up what the Wisconsin delegation did in Washington, D.C. Send your feedback and questions to VYurk@.

Let's get into it:

Congress passes bill to impose sanctions on Russia

The U.S. House cleared Senate-passed legislation aimed at ramping up pressure on Russia to end the war on Ukraine by sanctioning Russian officials, companies and institutions fueling the war. It would also extend Iran sanctions that are set to expire this year.

But some Democrats argued that other language in the bill that would give the president authority to impose tariffs on countries importing oil and natural gas from Russia, like China, acts as a "loophole" for Trump to levy new tariffs under the guise of Russia sanctions.

Wisconsin's U.S. House representative split along party lines on the bill, with both Democratic Reps. Mark Pocan and Gwen Moore, who represent the 2nd and 4th Congressional Districts, voting against it. U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, a Republican representing Wisconsin's 7th district and candidate for governor, did not vote, citing doctor's order to avoid flying after surviving a plane crash last weekend.

The Senate passed the bill in the beginning of August with support from Wisconsin's U.S. Sens. Ron Johnson, a Republican, and Tammy Baldwin, a Democrat.

Trump is expected to sign the bill into law.

U.S. House votes to end war in Iran ... again

The U.S. House for a third time voted to pass a resolution that would halt Trump's ability to continue military action in Iran without congressional approval.

This time, more Republicans joined Democrats in voting for the measure – notably, Iowa Republican U.S. Reps. Zach Nunn and Mariannette Miller-Meeks. But Wisconsin's Republican U.S. House members all voted against the resolution, with Democrats Moore and Pocan for it. Tiffany did not vote.

According to a Congressional Budget Office report, the war in Iran has cost the Defense Department an estimated $38 billion since Aug. 1. CBO said future estimates depend on whether the level of violence remains low, but the cost per month could increase to $3 billion. CBO also estimated that the war will increase inflation by 0.5 percentage points higher than previously expected in the first quarter of 2027.

The Senate has also passed similar measures to end the war in Iran, called war powers resolutions, but none of them have made it to the president's desk. In the Senate, Baldwin has supported various votes to approve Iran war powers resolutions while Johnson has opposed.

Trump would likely veto the measure, anyway. He told reporters last week that the war will end "immediately" after the midterm elections.

House votes down Trump impeachment while a Republican eyes Hegseth

The U.S. House approved a procedural vote stopping a Democrat-backed resolution to impeach Trump from coming to the floor, effectively killing it. Wisconsin's U.S. lawmakers voted along party lines, with Tiffany not voting.

The resolution introduced by outgoing Democratic U.S. Rep. Al Green of Texas sought to impeach Trump over the conduct of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection, citing the killings of U.S. citizens by federal immigration agents this year.

U.S. House Democratic leadership voted "present" on the measure, essentially refusing to take a side. They said in a statement that none of the investigations, interviews and hearings as part of the regular impeachment process have been completed.

Meanwhile, Republican U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, who lost his primary to a Trump-backed candidate earlier this year, introduced articles of impeachment against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over the war in Iran. The House did not take up the measure before leaving town.

Massie, a fellow Republican but critic of the Trump administration, said Speaker Johnson adjourned Congress early on Wednesday to avoid a vote on his resolution. While there are likely enough Republican votes to defeat it, it's likely to be a complicated vote for those in right races.

"We may only be in the majority for six more weeks, why would we be canceling days when the country is burning, the inflation is rampant? There are things we could do here," Massie said on the floor Wednesday. "But I did figure out why we canceled tomorrow ... tomorrow would be the vote on impeaching Secretary of Defense Peter Brian Hegseth."

Republican-backed crypto bill falls flat

The U.S. Senate voted down a procedural vote to take up the "Clarity Act," which aimed to set up a regulatory framework for the cryptocurrency industry. The bill represented months of bipartisan work to address concerns like beefing up oversight over the industry and strengthening protections against money laundering.

No Democrat, including Wisconsin's Baldwin, voted for the bill, while all Republicans voted for it. The bill required some support from Democrats to bypass a lengthy procedural process in the Senate called a filibuster.

Democrats criticized the bill for not being strong enough on ethics restrictions for public officials profiting from crypto ventures. They pointed to Trump, whose financial disclosures showed he made more than $1 billion from crypto last year, including his Trump meme coins.

Republican U.S. Rep. Bryan Steil, a supporter of crypto who represents Wisconsin's 1st Congressional District, said the Senate defeat was "disappointing."

"I look forward to the Senate reconvening and taking action so consumers are protected and the US is able to outcompete China," he said in a statement.

Concerned about AI? So are Wisconsin's U.S. lawmakers

Lawmakers aren't sure how to regulate artificial intelligence despite calls from within the industry to rein in its growth, members of Wisconsin's congressional delegation told the Journal Sentinel.

"When I had talked to some folks in AI like a year, two years ago, they say they want regulation, but of course they want their version of regulation," Pocan said. "I'm in the camp of Congress needs to do something. I'm not sure we are right now. … We're just not doing the heavy lifting."

However, before leaving D.C., the U.S. House did pass a bill aimed at allaying voters' concerns about data centers. Dubbed the Ratepayer Protection Act, it would require state public utility commissions to consider a strategy to make data centers pay for their own utilities rather than passing it on to surrounding communities.

Although the bill passed with overwhelming support, critics say Congress needs to do more to address regulating AI and bring transparency to data center expansion.

Republicans go head-to-head on gas tax amid high prices

Speaker Johnson was stuck in tense debates with a handful of Republicans in the party's far-right House Freedom Caucus over whether to temporarily suspend the federal gas tax while fuel prices remain high.

House Freedom Caucus Chair, Rep. Andy Harris, R-Md., led a handful of members pushing for the House to consider a gas tax holiday, which led to late-night negotiations over how Republicans should address increasing fuel prices exacerbated by the war in Iran. According to reports of the meeting, no member of Wisconsin's U.S. congressional delegation were present.

Valerie Yurk can be reached at VYurk@. Follow her on X @valerie_yurk.