WASHINGTON — Congress began its holiday recess after meeting Friday, Dec. 18, and is not scheduled to reconvene until the new year. But before our representatives and senators returned home for the holiday, they wrapped up some last minute business.
Before beginning its recess, along with roll call votes, the Senate also passed the Patient Access and Medicare Protection Act, to improve Medicare payments for complex rehabilitation technology and certain radiation therapy services; passed the Electrify Africa Act, to promote the development of electricity generation resources in sub-Saharan Africa; passed the GONE Act, to close out expired grants; passed the Coast Guard Authorization Act, to authorize fiscal 2016 and 2017 Coast Guard appropriations; and passed the Mental Health Awareness and Improvement Act, to reauthorize and improve programs for treating mental health and substance use disorders.
The House also passed the Global Health Innovation Act, to require a U.S. Agency for International Development report on the development and use of the agency’s global health programs; and passed the Patient Access and Medicare Protection Act.
Both the Patient Access and Medicare Protection and Coast Guard Authorization acts have gone to the president’s desk to be signed into law.
So here’s a look at how Maine’s members of Congress voted over the previous week.
House votes
House vote 1
TAX, SPENDING PACKAGE: The House has agreed to an amendment to the Consolidated Appropriations Act that would spend $1.149 trillion on the military and discretionary government programs in fiscal 2016, extend tax credits for wind, solar and other forms of renewable energy, and repeal the ban on exports of crude oil.
An amendment supporter, U.S. Rep. Harold Rogers, R-Kentucky, called it a fair budget compromise between Republicans and Democrats that would avoid a government shutdown, prevent wasteful spending and strengthen the military and the borders.
An amendment opponent, U.S. Rep. Jim McDermott, D-Washington, said measures, such as a delay in the health insurance premium tax and reduced funding for the health insurance risk corridor program, undermined the health care reform law.
The vote was 316 yeas to 113 nays. U.S. Reps. Chellie Pingree, D-1st District, and Bruce Poliquin, R-2nd District, were among the yeas.
Senate votes
Senate vote 1
WAIVING BUDGET RULES FOR TAX, SPENDING BILL: The Senate has agreed to a motion to waive a budgetary point of order regarding the Consolidated Appropriations Act.
A supporter of applying the point of order, U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin III, D-West Virginia, said it would force Congress to do separate votes on tax and spending bills that violate the fiscal year 2016 budget agreement and add to the nation’s already formidable debt burden.
An opponent of applying the point of order, U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, called it an obstacle to the goal of passing legislation that stabilizes the tax code and puts Congress “on a path toward achieving bipartisan comprehensive tax reform.”
The vote to waive the point of order was 73 yeas to 25 nays. U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, gave a yea vote. U.S. Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, gave a nay vote.
Senate vote 2
CLEARING TAX, SPENDING LEGISLATION: The Senate has agreed to the House amendments to the Consolidated Appropriations Act. The amendments would extend or make permanent an estimated $622 billion package of tax incentives and tax credits, including the earned income and child tax credits, and spend $1.149 trillion on the military and discretionary government programs in fiscal 2016, extend tax credits for wind, solar and other forms of renewable energy, and repeal the ban on exports of crude oil.
A supporter of the amendments, U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Illinois, said the funding provided for the military will work to develop new technologies to improve national security, maintain robust funding for intelligence activities and bolster counter-Russian military efforts in Europe.
An opponent of the amendments, U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Alabama, said the tax extensions would add hundreds of billions of dollars to the government’s debt, taking the nation further away from a sound fiscal footing.
The vote was 65 yeas to 33 nays. Both Collins and King were among the yeas.