Editor’s Note: The 114th Congress has come to a close for anticipated legislative business. The 115th Congress will convene on Tuesday, January 3, 2017.
Recent Senate Votes
Medical Research and Associated Activities – Vote Agreed to (94-5, 1 Not Voting)
The Senate agreed to the motion to concur in the House amendment to the Senate amendment to the bill that would reauthorize the National Institutes of Health and Food and Drug Administration, and would modify the FDA’s drug and medical device review and approval process to accelerate the approval and distribution of new drugs and devices. The measure would create three dedicated offset funds within the Treasury into which $6.3 billion would be transferred over 10 years, through 2026. The accounts would include $4.8 billion for NIH medical research, $500 million for FDA approval and review modification and $1 billion for opioid addiction treatment and response. Funding for the accounts would not count against annual discretionary budget caps. Within the NIH funding, $1.8 billion would be for cancer therapy and test development, $1.5 would be for brain-related research and $1.5 billion would be for medical treatments related to genetic characteristics. The measure would also expand the Health and Human Services Department’s oversight of mental health issues, would modify the Medicare program for hospitals, and would allow small employers to provide certain reimbursement plans for employees to purchase their own health insurance. The House replaced the original text of HR 34 with an amendment that consisted of the medical research and expedited drug approval legislative provisions.
Sen. Rob Portman voted YES
Sen. Sherrod Brown voted YES
Fiscal 2017 Defense Authorization Conference Report – Vote Agreed to (92-7, 1 Not Voting)
The Senate adopted the conference report on the bill that would authorize $611.2 billion for defense programs in fiscal 2017, including $59.5 billion for overseas operations in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria. It would authorize $222.4 billion for operations and maintenance; $139.6 billion for military personnel; $7.9 billion for military construction and family housing; $10 billion for ballistic-missile defense; and $33.4 billion for defense health care programs, including $334 million from the overseas operations account. It would prohibit the use of funds for a new round of base closures. The bill would authorize a 2.1 percent pay raise for military personnel. It would elevate U.S. Cyber Command to an independent major command within the Defense Department. It would prohibit detainees at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, from being transferred to U.S. soil, and would prohibit the closing of the main base and detention facility at Guantanamo. It would extend, through fiscal 2017, the authority for several bonus and special payments for military members.
Sen. Rob Portman voted YES
Sen. Sherrod Brown voted YES
Further Continuing and Security Assistance Appropriations – Vote Agreed to (61-38, 1 Not Voting)
The Senate agreed to the motion to invoke cloture on the motion to concur in the House amendment to the Senate amendment to the original bill that would provide funding for federal government operations until April 28, 2017, at an annualized rate of $1.070 trillion. The measure would provide $170 million for repairs to the water system in Flint, Mich., $872 million for medical research, and $45 million for an extension, through April 30, 2017, of health benefits for retired coal miners. The measure would include $10.1 billion in supplemental Overseas Contingency Operations funds for the Defense Department and certain other security-related accounts. It would include $4.1 billion in natural disaster funding to address damage caused by hurricane and flooding events in 2016. The measure would also provide for expedited Senate consideration of legislation to waive the requirement that a former member of the armed forces cannot become secretary of Defense until seven years have lapsed since the person left active duty.
Sen. Rob Portman voted NO
Sen. Sherrod Brown voted NO
Further Continuing and Security Assistance Appropriations – Vote Agreed to (63-36, 1 Not Voting)
The Senate agreed to the motion to concur in the House amendment to the Senate amendment to the original bill that would provide funding for federal government operations until April 28, 2017, at an annualized rate of $1.070 trillion. The measure would provide $170 million for repairs to the water system in Flint, Mich., $872 million for medical research, and $45 million for an extension, through April 30, 2017, of health benefits for retired coal miners. The measure would include $10.1 billion in supplemental Overseas Contingency Operations funds for the Defense Department and certain other security-related accounts. It would include $4.1 billion in natural disaster funding to address damage caused by hurricane and flooding events in 2016. The measure would also provide for expedited Senate consideration of legislation to waive the requirement that a former member of the armed forces cannot become secretary of Defense until seven years have lapsed since the person left active duty.
Sen. Rob Portman voted YES
Sen. Sherrod Brown voted NO
Water Infrastructure Conference Report – Vote Agreed to (69-30, 1 Not Voting)
The Senate agreed to the motion to invoke cloture on the motion to concur in the House amendment to the bill that would authorize new water projects for construction by the Army Corps of Engineers, allow for the Corps to conduct feasibility studies for additional projects and deauthorize certain existing projects. It also would modify numerous Corps water resources authorities and seek to ensure that Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund spending levels are sustained. It would authorize $170 million in aid to Flint, Mich., to repair its lead-contaminated drinking water system, including $100 million to replace its water pipes and other infrastructure, and it would establish several new programs to promote safe drinking water and reduce any concentrations of lead, as well as to test for lead in schools and child care centers. The measure also would take several actions to help California deal with its years-long drought, including by requiring that more northern water be diverted south to drought-stricken areas.
Sen. Rob Portman voted YES
Sen. Sherrod Brown voted NO
Water Infrastructure Conference Report – Vote Agreed to (78-21, 1 Not Voting)
The Senate agreed to the motion to concur in the House amendment to the bill that would authorize new water projects for construction by the Army Corps of Engineers, allow for the Corps to conduct feasibility studies for additional projects and deauthorize certain existing projects. It also would modify numerous Corps water resources authorities and seek to ensure that Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund spending levels are sustained. It would authorize $170 million in aid to Flint, Mich., to repair its lead-contaminated drinking water system, including $100 million to replace its water pipes and other infrastructure, and it would establish several new programs to promote safe drinking water and reduce any concentrations of lead, as well as to test for lead in schools and child care centers. The measure also would take several actions to help California deal with its years-long drought, including by requiring that more northern water be diverted south to drought-stricken areas.
Sen. Rob Portman voted YES
Sen. Sherrod Brown voted YES
Recent House Votes
International Insurance Standards – Vote Passed (239-170, 24 Not Voting)
The House passed a bill that would prohibit the United States from agreeing to any proposed international insurance standards until the government had publicly published the proposal, and would prohibit the adoption of any international insurance capital standards until the Federal Reserve had issued domestic capital standards for insurance companies. The measure also would specify objectives for U.S. officials negotiating international insurance standards, and would reduce, from $50 million to $43 million, the maximum amount of money that the Securities and Exchange Commission could deposit into its reserve fund during fiscal 2017.
Rep. Jim Jordan voted YES
Further Continuing and Security Assistance Appropriations – Vote Passed (326-96, 11 Not Voting)
The House agreed to concur in the Senate amendment with an additional amendment that would provide funding for federal government operations until April 28, 2017, at an annualized rate of $1.070 trillion. The measure would provide $170 million for repairs to the water system in Flint, Mich., $872 million for medical research, and $45 million for an extension, through April 30, 2017, of health benefits for retired coal miners. The measure would include $10.1 billion in supplemental Overseas Contingency Operations funds for the Defense Department and certain other security-related accounts. It would include $4.1 billion in natural disaster funding to address damage caused by hurricane and flooding events in 2016. The measure would also provide for expedited Senate consideration of legislation to waive the requirement that a former member of the armed forces cannot become secretary of Defense until seven years have lapsed since the person left active duty. The House replaced the amended text of HR 2028 with an amendment that consisted of the continuing appropriations legislative provisions.
Rep. Jim Jordan voted YES
Water Infrastructure Conference Report – Vote Passed (360-61, 12 Not Voting)
The House passed a measure that would authorize new water projects for construction by the Army Corps of Engineers, allow for the Corps to conduct feasibility studies for additional projects and deauthorize certain existing projects. It also would modify numerous Corps water resources authorities and seek to ensure that Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund spending levels are sustained. It would authorize $170 million in aid to Flint, Mich., to repair its lead-contaminated drinking water system, including $100 million to replace its water pipes and other infrastructure, and it would establish several new programs to promote safe drinking water and reduce any concentrations of lead, as well as to test for lead in schools and child care centers. The measure also would take several actions to help California deal with its years-long drought, including by requiring that more northern water be diverted south to drought-stricken areas. The House replaced the original text of S 612 with an amendment that consisted of the water infrastructure legislative provisions.
Rep. Jim Jordan voted NO
