Brian Higgins

Voting Record

Climate Change

Opposition to H.R. 1

FP4A opposed H.R. 1, the Lowering Energy Costs Act, which would have boosted fossil energy development through relaxed permitting, review, and leasing practices and repealed key provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act, the most comprehensive and impactful piece of federal clean energy legislation ever enacted. The bill, introduced by Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA), passed the House by a 225–204 vote. Foreign Policy for America scored positively those who opposed this legislation.

Democracy and Human Rights

H. Amdt. 444 to H.R. 4655

FP4A opposed H. Amdt. 444 to H.R. 4655, the FY2024 Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, which would have reduced the Economic Support Fund (ESF) by $1.8 billion to the FY18 enacted level. The ESF account includes programs to strengthen support for democracy, human rights, and governance. The measure, introduced by Rep. Scott Perry (R-PA), failed by a 133–297 vote in the House. Foreign Policy for America scored positively those who opposed this amendment.

Extreme Poverty

H. Amdt. 317 to H.R. 4368

FP4A opposed H. Amdt. 317 to H.R. 4368, the FY2024 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, which would have eliminated all funding to the McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program. The program supports efforts to improve food security and education for children around the world. The measure, introduced by Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ), failed by an 81–350 vote in the House. Foreign Policy for America scored positively those who opposed this amendment.

Gender Equity

FP4A supports intersectional approaches to addressing gender inequality and empowering women across every aspect of society. Backed by that vision, Foreign Policy for America chose to score cosponsorship of a collection of bills that address the many ways and areas in which women are either marginalized or disproportionately impacted across the world. Foreign Policy for America scored positively those who cosponsored at least three of the following six bills:

H.R. 4060, the GLOBE Act of 2023, which would protect human rights and enhance opportunities for LGBTQI people around the world. The measure, introduced by Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV), concluded the 118th Congress with 91 cosponsors in the House.
H.R. 1838, the Global Health, Empowerment and Rights Act, which would ensure that a foreign nongovernmental organization shall not be disqualified from receiving certain U.S. development assistance solely because the organization provides medical services using non-U.S. government funds, so long as the medical services do not violate the laws of the country in which they are being provided and would not violate U.S. federal law if provided in the United States. The measure, introduced by Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA), concluded the 118th Congress with 172 cosponsors in the House.
H.R. 4166, the Support UNFPA Funding Act, which would authorize contributions to the United Nations Population Fund, a reproductive health agency working in more than 150 countries to end preventable maternal deaths, the unmet need for contraception, and gender-based violence and other harmful practices. The measure, introduced by Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), concluded the 118th Congress with 123 cosponsors in the House.
H.R. 1833, the International Human Rights Defense Act of 2023, which would establish a Special Envoy for the Human Rights of LGBTQI+ Peoples in the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor at the Department of State. The measure, introduced by Rep. Robert Garcia (D-CA), concluded the 118th Congress with 205 cosponsors in the House.
H.R.4422, the Global Respect Act, which would impose sanctions on foreign persons responsible for violations of internationally recognized human rights against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex. The measure, introduced by Rep. Sara Jacobs (D-CA), concluded the 118th Congress with 161 cosponsors in the House.
H.R.1723, the Abortion is Health Care Everywhere Act, which would amend the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to authorize the use of funds for comprehensive reproductive health care services. The measure, introduced by Rep. Janice Schakowsky (D-IL), concluded the 118th Congress with 205 cosponsors in the House.

International Affairs Budget

H. Amdt. 442 to H.R. 4665

FP4A opposed H. Amdt. 442 to H.R. 4665, the FY2024 Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, which would have cut funding for the U.S. Agency for International Development by $4.5 billion. The proposed cuts included $750 million from Global Health Programs, the entire $3 billion budget from Development Assistance, and $750 million from International Disaster Assistance. The measure, introduced by Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), failed by a 115-312 vote in the House. Foreign Policy for America scored positively those who opposed this amendment.

Iran

H.R. 5961

FP4A opposed H.R. 5961, the No Funds for Iranian Terrorism Act, which would have prevented the release of frozen Iranian funds that had been negotiated in exchange for the release of five U.S. citizens detained in Iran. The measure would have undermined ongoing and delicate diplomacy between the United States and Iran to resume negotiations on Iran’s nuclear weapons program. The measure, introduced by Rep. Mike McCaul (R-TX), passed by a vote of 307-119 in the House. Foreign Policy for America scored positively those who opposed this legislation.

Migration and Refugees

H.R. 2

FP4A opposed H.R. 2, the Secure the Border Act of 2023, which would have revived and expanded border and immigration policies enacted during the first Trump administration. These policies included eliminating or curtailing humanitarian protections for asylum seekers, criminalizing the overstaying of visas, reestablishing family detention, and ending special protections for migrant children. The measure, introduced by Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, passed by a 219-211 vote in the House. Foreign Policy for America scored positively those who opposed this legislation.

Nuclear Risk Reduction

H. Amdt. 231 to H.R. 2670

FP4A supported H. Amdt. 231 to H.R. 2670, which would have struck a provision in the National Defense Authorization Act that prohibited the Department of Defense from reducing the total number of nuclear armed intercontinental ballistic missiles below 400, the current limit set in the New START Treaty, potentially hindering the flexibility needed for future nuclear arms control and disarmament efforts. The measure, offered by Rep. Rashida Tlaib, failed by a vote of 266-160 in the House. Foreign Policy for America scored positively those who supported this amendment.

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