Congressional votes for Dec. 4

Here's a look at how area members of Congress voted over the last week.

Along with roll call votes, the House also passed the Strengthening State and Local Cyber Crime Fighting Act (H.R. 3490), to authorize the National Computer Forensics Institute; and passed the Grassroots Rural and Small Community Water Systems Assistance Act (S. 611), to amend the Safe Drinking Water Act to reauthorize technical assistance to small public water systems.

HOUSE VOTES

BREAST CANCER STAMP: The House passed the Breast Cancer Research Stamp Reauthorization Act (S. 1170), sponsored by Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif. The bill would reauthorize the Postal Service's issuance of semipostal stamps, with proceeds from sale of the stamps dedicated to breast-cancer research at the National Institutes of Health and Defense Department. The vote, on Dec. 1, was 422 yeas to 1 nay.

YEAS: Clay D-MO (1st), Cleaver D-MO (5th), Graves (MO) R-MO (6th), Hartzler R-MO (4th), Long R-MO (7th), Luetkemeyer R-MO (3rd), Smith (MO) R-MO (8th), Wagner R-MO (2nd)

AUTHORIZING INTELLIGENCE SPENDING: The House passed the Intelligence Authorization Act (H.R. 4127), sponsored by Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif. The bill would authorize fiscal 2016 spending by the CIA, National Security Agency and other intelligence agencies, including both classified and unclassified activity. The vote, on Dec. 1, was 364 yeas to 58 nays.

YEAS: Clay D-MO (1st), Cleaver D-MO (5th), Graves (MO) R-MO (6th), Hartzler R-MO (4th), Long R-MO (7th), Luetkemeyer R-MO (3rd), Smith (MO) R-MO (8th), Wagner R-MO (2nd)

POWER PLANT CARBON DIOXIDE EMISSIONS: The House passed a resolution (S.J. Res. 24), sponsored by Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., to express congressional disapproval of an Environmental Protection Agency rule restricting carbon dioxide emissions from existing power plants and void the rule. The vote, on Dec. 1, was 242 yeas to 180 nays.

YEAS: Graves (MO) R-MO (6th), Hartzler R-MO (4th), Long R-MO (7th), Luetkemeyer R-MO (3rd), Smith (MO) R-MO (8th), Wagner R-MO (2nd)

NAYS: Clay D-MO (1st), Cleaver D-MO (5th)

ELECTRICITY AND GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS: The House passed a resolution (S.J. Res. 23), sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., to express congressional disapproval of an Environmental Protection Agency rule restricting greenhouse gas emissions from new and renovated power plants, and void the rule. The vote, on Dec. 1, was 235 yeas to 188 nays.

YEAS: Graves (MO) R-MO (6th), Hartzler R-MO (4th), Long R-MO (7th), Luetkemeyer R-MO (3rd), Smith (MO) R-MO (8th), Wagner R-MO (2nd)

NAYS: Clay D-MO (1st), Cleaver D-MO (5th)

NEGOTIATING TRADE BILL: The House agreed to a motion sponsored by Rep. Kevin Brady, R-Texas, to go to conference with the Senate to negotiate the two chambers' versions of the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act (H.R. 644). The bill would promote fast-track consideration of trade agreements with Asian countries, automate the processing of certain trade documents by the Customs and Border Protection agency and establish processes for investigating whether foreign countries are directly or indirectly manipulating their currency to subsidize their exports. The vote, on Dec. 1, was 252 yeas to 170 nays.

YEAS: Graves (MO) R-MO (6th), Hartzler R-MO (4th), Long R-MO (7th), Luetkemeyer R-MO (3rd), Smith (MO) R-MO (8th), Wagner R-MO (2nd)

NAYS: Clay D-MO (1st), Cleaver D-MO (5th)

REVIEWING CROSS-BORDER ENERGY PROJECTS: The House passed an amendment sponsored by Rep. Gene Green, D-Texas, to the North American Energy Security and Infrastructure Act (H.R. 8). The amendment would require the State Department, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and Energy Department to work together to develop a more transparent and efficient process for reviewing proposals to build power transmission lines and water and energy pipelines to and from Canada and Mexico. The vote, on Dec. 2, was 263 yeas to 158 nays.

YEAS: Cleaver D-MO (5th), Graves (MO) R-MO (6th), Hartzler R-MO (4th), Long R-MO (7th), Luetkemeyer R-MO (3rd), Smith (MO) R-MO (8th), Wagner R-MO (2nd)

NAYS: Clay D-MO (1st)

EDUCATION REFORM: The House agreed to the conference report for the Every Student Succeeds Act (S. 1177), sponsored by Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn. The bill would reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and expand flexibility for states to develop their own education policies, including measurements of student, teacher and school performance. The vote, on Dec. 2, was 359 yeas to 64 nays.

YEAS: Clay D-MO (1st), Cleaver D-MO (5th), Graves (MO) R-MO (6th), Hartzler R-MO (4th), Long R-MO (7th), Luetkemeyer R-MO (3rd), Wagner R-MO (2nd)

NAYS: Smith (MO) R-MO (8th)

REGULATING WOOD-BURNING HEATERS: The House passed an amendment sponsored by Rep. David Rouzer, R-N.C., to the North American Energy Security and Infrastructure Act (H.R. 8). The amendment would void an Environmental Protection Agency rule restricting emissions from new wood-burning heaters for residential use. Rouzer said cost increases resulting from the rule could make wood heaters unaffordable for households, especially those in rural areas who lack good alternatives to wood heat. The vote, on Dec. 3, was 247 yeas to 177 nays.

YEAS: Graves (MO) R-MO (6th), Hartzler R-MO (4th), Long R-MO (7th), Luetkemeyer R-MO (3rd), Smith (MO) R-MO (8th), Wagner R-MO (2nd)

NAYS: Clay D-MO (1st), Cleaver D-MO (5th)

ENERGY BILL: The House passed the North American Energy Security and Infrastructure Act (H.R. 8), sponsored by Rep. Fred Upton, R-Mich. The bill would speed the permitting process for proposed natural gas pipelines and other energy infrastructure projects, repeal the ban on exports of crude oil and require the Energy Department to study potential changes to the Strategic Petroleum Reserve program. The vote, on Dec. 3, was 249 yeas to 174 nays.

YEAS: Graves (MO) R-MO (6th), Hartzler R-MO (4th), Long R-MO (7th), Luetkemeyer R-MO (3rd), Smith (MO) R-MO (8th), Wagner R-MO (2nd)

NAYS: Clay D-MO (1st), Cleaver D-MO (5th)

FINALIZING HIGHWAY BILL: The House agreed to the conference report for the Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act (H.R. 22), sponsored by Rep. Rodney Davis, R-Ill. The bill would authorize the federal highway program through fiscal 2021, with an increase in funding for bridge repairs, and authorize a grant program for funding major new transportation projects. The vote, on Dec. 3, was 359 yeas to 65 nays.

YEAS: Clay D-MO (1st), Cleaver D-MO (5th), Graves (MO) R-MO (6th), Hartzler R-MO (4th), Long R-MO (7th), Luetkemeyer R-MO (3rd), Smith (MO) R-MO (8th), Wagner R-MO (2nd)

SENATE VOTES

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATOR: The Senate confirmed the nomination of Gayle Smith to serve as administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development. Smith, currently an aide to the Obama administrator and a senior director at the National Security Council, previously served in the Clinton administration and as an aid official in Africa. The vote, on Nov. 30, was 79 yeas to 7 nays.

YEAS: McCaskill D-MO

NAYS: Blunt R-MO

TAX ON EMPLOYER HEALTH CARE PLANS: The Senate passed an amendment sponsored by Sen. Dean Heller, R-Nev., to the Restoring Americans' Healthcare Freedom Reconciliation Act (H.R. 3762). The amendment would block the reinstatement of a tax on so-called Cadillac employer health insurance plans that provide generous coverage and benefits to employees. The vote, on Dec. 3, was 90 yeas to 10 nays.

YEAS: Blunt R-MO

NAYS: McCaskill D-MO

SUSPECTED TERRORISTS AND GUNS: The Senate rejected a motion to waive a budgetary point of order against an amendment sponsored by Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., to the Restoring Americans' Healthcare Freedom Reconciliation Act (H.R. 3762). The amendment would have authorized the U.S. Attorney General to bar individuals who are known or suspected terrorists from obtaining guns or explosives. The vote, on Dec. 3, was 45 yeas to 54 nays.

YEAS: McCaskill D-MO

NAYS: Blunt R-MO

CLOSING GUN SHOW LOOPHOLE: The Senate rejected a motion to waive a budgetary point of order against an amendment sponsored by Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., to the Restoring Americans' Healthcare Freedom Reconciliation Act (H.R. 3762). The amendment would have expanded mandatory background checks for gun sales to private party sales at gun shows and other venues. The vote, on Dec. 3, was 48 yeas to 50 nays.

YEAS: McCaskill D-MO

NAYS: Blunt R-MO

SENIORS AND HEALTH CARE TAXES: The Senate passed an amendment sponsored by Sen. Daniel Coats, R-Ind., to the Restoring Americans' Healthcare Freedom Reconciliation Act (H.R. 3762). The amendment would extend for seven years a provision allowing taxpayers at least 65 years of age to deduct medical-care expenses amounting to at least 7.5 percent of their gross income from their income taxes. The vote, on Dec. 3, was 60 yeas to 39 nays.

YEAS: Blunt R-MO, McCaskill D-MO

REPEALING OBAMACARE PROVISIONS: The Senate passed the Restoring Americans' Healthcare Freedom Reconciliation Act (H.R. 3762), sponsored by Rep. Tom Price, R-Ga. The bill would repeal the health-care reform law's medical device excise tax, repeal the employer health insurance mandate, repeal the individual health insurance mandate and block funding for Planned Parenthood. The vote, on Dec. 3, was 52 yeas to 47 nays.

YEAS: Blunt R-MO

NAYS: McCaskill D-MO

APPROVING HIGHWAY BILL: The Senate agreed to the conference report for the Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act (H.R. 22), sponsored by Rep. Rodney Davis, R-Ill. The bill would authorize the federal highway program through fiscal 2021, with an increase in funding for bridge repairs, and authorize a grant program for funding major new transportation projects. The vote, on Dec. 3, was 83 yeas to 16 nays.

YEAS: Blunt R-MO, McCaskill D-MO