Congress began its holiday recess after meeting Dec. 18, and is not scheduled to reconvene until the new year.

Before beginning its recess, along with roll call votes, the Senate also passed the Patient Access and Medicare Protection Act (S. 2425), to improve Medicare payments for complex rehabilitation technology and certain radiation therapy services; passed the Electrify Africa Act (S. 2152), to promote the development of electricity generation resources in sub-Saharan Africa; passed the GONE Act (S. 1115), to close out expired grants; passed the Coast Guard Authorization Act (H.R. 4188), to authorize fiscal 2016 and 2017 Coast Guard appropriations; and passed the Mental Health Awareness and Improvement Act (S. 1893), to reauthorize and improve programs for treating mental health and substance use disorders.

The House also passed the Global Health Innovation Act (H.R. 2241), 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 (S. 2425).

HOUSE VOTES

TAX, SPENDING PACKAGE: The House agreed to an amendment to the Consolidated Appropriations Act (H.R. 2029) 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. The vote, on Dec. 18, was 316 yeas to 113 nays.

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

NAYS: Long R-MO (7th), Smith (MO) R-MO (8th)

SENATE VOTES

WAIVING BUDGET RULES FOR TAX, SPENDING BILL: The Senate agreed to a motion to waive a budgetary point of order regarding the Consolidated Appropriations Act (H.R. 2029). The vote to waive the point of order, on Dec. 18, was 73 yeas to 25 nays.

YEAS: Blunt R-MO

NAYS: McCaskill D-MO

CLEARING TAX, SPENDING LEGISLATION: The Senate agreed to the House amendments to the Consolidated Appropriations Act (H.R. 2029). 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. The vote, on Dec. 18, was 65 yeas to 33 nays.

YEAS: Blunt R-MO

NAYS: McCaskill D-MO