Several House members miss 40% of votes

WASHINGTON, Feb. 24 (UPI) -- Several U.S. House of Representatives members already have missed as many as 40 percent of votes taken in the 112th Congress so far, an analysis indicated.

Three congressmen missed more than half of the 103 roll call votes on amendments to the budget resolution taken last week before Congress adjourned for a week, The Washington Post analysis released Wednesday said.

Reps. Betty McCollum, D-Minn., and Ben Quayle, R-Ariz., missed 56 votes each, and Ruben Hinojosa, D-Texas, who missed 53.

Three other House members missed at least 40 percent of last week's votes on amendments to the budget measure -- Jane Harman, D-Calif., who missed 43 votes; and Ron Paul, R-Texas, and Gary Peters, D-Mich., who missed 42 votes each -- the Post analysis indicated. Harman has announced plans to retire from the House.

Quayle, Peters and McCollum had been granted leaves of absence, Quayle for his father-in-law's funeral, McCollum for travel to Yemen on official business and Peters for a family medical emergency.

A spokeswoman for Paul said he was in his district attending the funeral of the husband of his friend and district director. Offices for Harman and Hinojosa did not immediately respond.

The House took 103 roll call votes on amendments to the resolution to keep the federal government funded last week. The resolution passed at 4:40 a.m. Saturday after five days of votes on amendments, including roll call votes on 23 amendments Thursday, 35 on Friday and 21 before the vote Saturday.

Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz., has not voted since she was shot in an assassination attempt in Tucson in January, and House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio hasn't voted in keeping with his role as speaker.

The analysis said 174 House members have not missed a single vote so far during the 112th Congress.