WASHINGTON - Here's how New Hampshire's members of Congress were recorded on major roll call votes in the week ending Friday.

House

V Iraq benchmarks: Voting 203 for and 227 against, members on Wednesday rejected a Democratic request that President Bush set public benchmarks for measuring U.S. progress in Iraq in areas such as defeating the insurgency, establishing democratic institutions and bringing U.S. troops home. This occurred during debate on a bill authorizing State Department activities and other foreign operations in fiscal 2006.

Rep. Robert Menendez, a Democrat from New Jersey, urged benchmarks "so we know exactly what we need to do to achieve success in Iraq. Up to this point, Congress has abdicated its responsibility on Iraq. The Republican leadership has provided the administration with a blank check when it comes to Iraq."

Rep. Henry Hyde, a Republican from Illinois, said the administration "has been crystal clear in presenting its plan for victory. . . . One, defeat the enemy, working with the coalition and Iraqi forces; two, train the Iraqi security forces so they can take on the burden of protecting themselves; and three, set the conditions for political and economic growth in Iraq."

A yes vote backed the Democratic motion.

Voting no: Reps. Jeb Bradley and Charlie Bass, both Republicans.

V Iraq commitment: Voting 291 for and 137 against, members on Wednesday approved a GOP-sponsored amendment to the State Department and foreign operations bill declaring that the United States should withdraw its force from Iraq only when it is clear "national security and foreign policy goals relating to a free and stable Iraq have been or are about to be achieved."

Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, a Republican from Florida, said the amendment "cautions against withdrawing prematurely, calling for withdrawal to take place when U.S. national security and foreign policy goals relating to Iraq have been or are about to be achieved."

Rep. Jim McDermott, a Democrat from Washington, said: "We have the best soldiers and the best military commanders in the world. They do not need an inflammatory amendment by a Republican Party behaving like armchair generals while the fighting and dying and chaos goes on in Iraq."

A yes vote backed the GOP amendment.

Voting yes: Bradley, Bass.

V Weapons in space: Voting 124 for and 302 against, members on Wednesday defeated an amendment to the State Department and foreign operations bill requiring the United States to begin negotiations on an international treaty to ban weapons in space. The Pentagon is studying a possible U.S. launch of space weapons.

Rep. Dennis Kucinich, a Democrat from Ohio, said: "Moving forward with (U.S.) plans to weaponize space would create an arms race in space. It would be counterproductive to U.S. national security to give potential adversaries reasons to accelerate development of space-weapons technology. Pursuing space weapons would also bankrupt our nation, with a hefty price tag of up to $1 trillion"

Rep. Terry Everett, a Republican from Alabama, said space assets are key to America's economy and national security. "It would be irresponsible not to ensure that we have the means to protect these assets and our troops. We should not be forced to enter into an agreement that would prematurely tie our hands from the ability to freely and peacefully operate in space."

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