Voice Vote

Members of the union representing most newsroom, advertising and other workers at The Baltimore Sun decided with a voice vote to approve a three-year contract extension Wednesday night that will freeze wages for the first two years while raising the company's contribution to 401(k) retirement plans. Most of the Washington-Baltimore Newspaper Guild leadership had recommended approval, calling the plan a better deal than many other journalists have received during the past few years — despite the wage provision and a permanent benefit freeze under the company pension plan.

TV commercials, debates, rallies and campaign speeches are among the ways to view the presidential candidates' positions and what's important to women in this year's election. Another way is speaking to female legislators to get their perspective on issues of concern to women. I was fortunate to interview a diverse group of women legislators from Maryland and the Maryland Women's Caucus on the issues that pertain to women. Maryland women lawmakers represent the diversity of our country with members from all walks of life, ethnicities, races and sexual orientations, including African-Americans, Hispanics, whites, Asian-Americans/Pacific Islanders, Indian-Americans, Caribbean-Americans and openly gay members.

WASHINGTON - The Senate, acting within hours of President Barack Obama's inauguration, confirmed six of his Cabinet secretaries and his budget director, but postponed for one day a vote on the nomination of Hillary Clinton as secretary of state. Sen. John Cornyn, a Texas Republican, had objected to approving Clinton's nomination by voice vote - as the other nominees were yesterday - because he said he had continuing concerns about potential conflicts arising from foreign donations to the foundation of her husband, former President Bill Clinton.

Members of the union representing most newsroom, advertising and other workers at The Baltimore Sun decided with a voice vote to approve a three-year contract extension Wednesday night that will freeze wages for the first two years while raising the company's contribution to 401(k) retirement plans. Most of the Washington-Baltimore Newspaper Guild leadership had recommended approval, calling the plan a better deal than many other journalists have received during the past few years — despite the wage provision and a permanent benefit freeze under the company pension plan.

WASHINGTON - As a welcoming gift to the Bush administration, the Senate confirmed yesterday half the new president's Cabinet, giving speedy approval to Colin L. Powell as secretary of state and six other nominees. Except for one unsuccessful objection raised to the confirmation of Spencer Abraham to lead the Energy Department, all seven nominees were approved unanimously by voice vote just three hours after George W. Bush was sworn in as the 43rd president. Along with Powell, 63, who served in the Reagan and first Bush administrations, three other seasoned government veterans were confirmed: Donald H. Rumsfeld, 68, whose service dates to the Nixon administration and includes a prior stint as defense secretary, to lead the Pentagon once again; Paul H. O'Neill, 65, the recently retired chairman of Alcoa Inc., who worked for a decade at the White House's Office of Management and Budget, as treasury secretary; and Ann M. Veneman, 51, returning to lead the Agriculture Department after working there as deputy secretary for Reagan and the elder Bush.

The 52-48 Senate confirmation of Clarence Thomas yesterday brought more negative votes than any justice has ever received. Five of his future Supreme Court colleagues won unanimous Senate approval, and one won an apparently unanimous voice vote.These are the Senate votes on each of the other sitting justices:Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist1971 vote on first appointment as a justice: 68-261986 vote on his elevation to chief justice: 65-33Justice Byron R. White (1962): no recorded vote; approved by voice voteJustice Harry A. Blackmun (1970)

MOSCOW - Opposition politicians armed with sirens and megaphones blocked all action in Ukraine's parliament for the fourth consecutive day yesterday in a tense standoff over constitutional reforms that would phase out general elections for president and instead charge parliament with selecting a head of state. Calling the proposal an attempt by Ukraine's ruling powers to hold on to control of the country, opposition leaders physically blocked access to the rostrum in parliament and threatened to launch public protests over the reform measure, adopted by voice vote.

WASHINGTON -- With a nod to the active role played by servicewomen in the Persian Gulf war, the Senate voted yesterday to throw out a 43-year-old law banning Air Force and Navy women from flying combat missions.Lawmakers also voted to allow the defense secretary to test women in other combat roles.The pilots' statute was overturned on a voice vote as the Senate followed in the footsteps of the House, which has already approved a similar provision.If signed into law by the president, their action would give the Air Force and Navy authority to make their own rules on female pilots.

WASHINGTON -- The House of Representatives voted yesterday to release millions of pages of secret government documents on the 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy.The House approved the measure by a voice vote after representatives from three committees closed a loophole that had threatened passage of the bill.The Senate has already approved similar legislation, but one major hurdle remains before the movement to free the files, sparked by director Oliver Stone's controversial 1991 motion picture "JFK," claims its victory.

Blockbuster Video and the NAACP are teaming up to register voters. At Blockbuster stores across the country, volunteers with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People will register people to vote in the November presidential election. In Baltimore, NAACP volunteers will be at the Blockbuster store at 6400 Reisterstown Road from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. today through Thursday and from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday. Yesterday, 15 people registered to vote within the first two hours, said Jennifer Skipper, sales marketing manager for Blockbuster.

WASHINGTON - The Senate, acting within hours of President Barack Obama's inauguration, confirmed six of his Cabinet secretaries and his budget director, but postponed for one day a vote on the nomination of Hillary Clinton as secretary of state. Sen. John Cornyn, a Texas Republican, had objected to approving Clinton's nomination by voice vote - as the other nominees were yesterday - because he said he had continuing concerns about potential conflicts arising from foreign donations to the foundation of her husband, former President Bill Clinton.

In a unanimous voice vote last night, about 50 of the city Fire Department's top brass said they had no confidence in embattled Chief William J. Goodwin Jr. The call by members of the Baltimore Fire Officers' Union, representing 325 lieutenants, captains and battalion chiefs, follows a similar voice vote for the chief to step down by the union for 1,300 rank-and-file firefighters. Goodwin has faced an onslaught of criticism since a live-fire training exercise at a vacant Baltimore rowhouse on Feb. 9 burned out of control and claimed the life of fire cadet Racheal M. Wilson.

WASHINGTON -- The House voted yesterday to strip Democratic Rep. William J. Jefferson of Louisiana of a powerful committee assignment, while an effort by the embattled Democrat to fight a search of his Capitol Hill office ran into a skeptical federal judge. The voice vote - without debate or dissent - to expel Jefferson from the tax-writing Ways and Means Committee appears to be the first time the House has taken such a step against a member who has not been charged with a crime. The vote against Jefferson, who is the target of a federal bribery investigation, was infused with issues of race and election-year politics, as well as the reality of Justice Department investigations that have snagged members of both parties.

WASHINGTON - "The past is never dead," William Faulkner once wrote. "It's not even past." Senate leaders found that out the hard way when they decided to take up a piece of long-unfinished business, a Senate apology for failing to outlaw lynching. Even in this enlightened era of Oprah and Obama, the dawn of America's most tolerant, egalitarian multiracial and multicultural century, even the august Senate has no easy time coming to grips with its troubled racial past. The resolution, sponsored by Democrat Mary L. Landrieu of Louisiana and Republican George Allen of Virginia, apologizes to "the victims of lynching and the descendants of those victims for the failure of the Senate to enact anti-lynching legislation."

MOSCOW - Opposition politicians armed with sirens and megaphones blocked all action in Ukraine's parliament for the fourth consecutive day yesterday in a tense standoff over constitutional reforms that would phase out general elections for president and instead charge parliament with selecting a head of state. Calling the proposal an attempt by Ukraine's ruling powers to hold on to control of the country, opposition leaders physically blocked access to the rostrum in parliament and threatened to launch public protests over the reform measure, adopted by voice vote.

WASHINGTON - The Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee engaged in an odd voting maneuver yesterday that signaled their disapproval of one of President Bush's judicial nominees even as they cleared the way for his confirmation. They first allowed the nominee, Judge Dennis Shedd, to be approved by a voice vote. Then, one by one, each of the Democrats present asked to be recorded as having voted against him. Senate Democratic leaders decided not to impede the Shedd nomination, and one other, in recognition that they would be approved anyway when the Republicans take over in January and to enhance their credibility when they oppose other nominees.

The Baltimore City Council last night passed the first measure in a package of three bills aimed at limiting and regulating adult entertainment businesses.The bill -- passed by voice vote -- requires the downtown urban renewal area that includes The Block to phase out within three years all adult entertainment businesses located outside the 400 and 500 blocks of E. Baltimore St.Affected are the Dynasty Show Bar and Oasis Nite Club in the 300 block of E. Baltimore St. and the Ellwest Stereo Theatre around the corner on Guilford Avenue.

WASHINGTON - The Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee engaged in an odd voting maneuver yesterday that signaled their disapproval of one of President Bush's judicial nominees even as they cleared the way for his confirmation. They first allowed the nominee, Judge Dennis Shedd, to be approved by a voice vote. Then, one by one, each of the Democrats present asked to be recorded as having voted against him. Senate Democratic leaders decided not to impede the Shedd nomination, and one other, in recognition that they would be approved anyway when the Republicans take over in January and to enhance their credibility when they oppose other nominees.

Turning back an aggressive push from out-of-state finance companies, a Senate committee killed last night a bill that would have legalized high-interest "payday lending" in Maryland. On a unanimous voice vote, the Senate Finance Committee voted to reject the bill, but also to study the issue of short-term loans after the General Assembly adjourns in April. Many committee members objected to a practice that some community activists have likened to legalized loan-sharking because of the high annual interest rates.

WASHINGTON - As a welcoming gift to the Bush administration, the Senate confirmed yesterday half the new president's Cabinet, giving speedy approval to Colin L. Powell as secretary of state and six other nominees. Except for one unsuccessful objection raised to the confirmation of Spencer Abraham to lead the Energy Department, all seven nominees were approved unanimously by voice vote just three hours after George W. Bush was sworn in as the 43rd president. Along with Powell, 63, who served in the Reagan and first Bush administrations, three other seasoned government veterans were confirmed: Donald H. Rumsfeld, 68, whose service dates to the Nixon administration and includes a prior stint as defense secretary, to lead the Pentagon once again; Paul H. O'Neill, 65, the recently retired chairman of Alcoa Inc., who worked for a decade at the White House's Office of Management and Budget, as treasury secretary; and Ann M. Veneman, 51, returning to lead the Agriculture Department after working there as deputy secretary for Reagan and the elder Bush.