How Hawai'i Reps. Neil Abercrombie and Mazie K. Hirono and Sens. Daniel Akaka and Daniel K. Inouye voted in key legislation last week.

KEY HOUSE VOTES

1. Student financial aid

The House voted 220-185 on Friday to pass legislation to increase financial aid to students by cutting $20 billion in government bank subsidies. The bill would raise the maximum Pell Grant to $5,400 by 2012 and cut the interest rate on federal loans to 3.4 percent over four years. The Senate passed the conference report earlier in the day, 79-12. The bill now goes to the president to be signed.

Hawai'i votes:

Neil Abercrombie (D) YEA
Mazie K. Hirono (D) YEA

KEY SENATE VOTES

1. Student financial aid

The Senate voted 79-12 on Friday to pass legislation to increase financial aid to students by cutting $20 billion in government bank subsidies. The bill would raise the maximum Pell Grant to $5,400 by 2012 and cut the interest rate on federal loans to 3.4 percent over four years. The bill now goes to the president to be signed.

Hawai'i Votes:

Daniel Akaka (D) YEA
Daniel K. Inouye (D) YEA

WHAT'S AHEAD

The Senate will begin debate on the $104.6 billion Transportation, Housing and Urban Development spending bill before recessing for the week on Wednesday. The House starts with a voting-machine bill to provide greater accountability and transparency, before moving to legislation that aims to update the Federal Housing Administration's mortgage lending practices as well as using agency surpluses for an affordable housing fund. Both chambers will recess for the funeral of Rep. Paul Gillmor in Ohio and to observe the Rosh Hashanah holiday.