Updated: December 24, 2011
The First Session of the 112th Congress has come to a close. The House is scheduled to convene the Second Session on Tuesday, January 17, 2012. The Senate is scheduled to convene on Monday, January 23, 2012.
Balanced Budget Amendment - Vote Rejected (21-79) - The Senate rejected the Democratic balanced-budget amendment that would have taken Social Security off the books and prohibited Congress from cutting taxes for millionaires if the cut increased the deficit. A two-thirds majority is needed in both chambers to send constitutional amendments to the states for ratification.
Balanced Budget Amendment - Vote Rejected (47-53) - The Senate rejected the Republican balanced-budget amendment proposal that would have required a two-thirds majority in both chambers to increase taxes and limited federal spending to 18 percent of the country's economic output. The August debt limit law required both chambers to consider balanced-budget amendments before the end of the year.
Defense Authorization, FY2012 - Vote Agreed to (86-13, 1 Not Voting) - The Senate cleared this $662 billion measure for the president that authorizes defense policies for the current fiscal year. The House passed the bill the previous day.
Reid-McConnell Amdt.; Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2011 - Vote Agreed to (89-10, 1 Not Voting) - The Senate approved this amendment to H.R.3630 that replaces the House bill with the Senate's compromise bill. The amended bill would extend by 2 months the Social Security payroll tax cut and benefits for the long-term unemployed. The deal also includes a provision directing the White House to expedite the decision on the construction of the Keystone XL oil pipeline. The bill subsequently passed by unanimous consent. It is unclear as of press time if the House will pass the Senate bill.
Disaster Relief Appropriations Act, 2012 - Vote Passed (72-27, 1 Not Voting) - The Senate cleared this bill to provide $8.6 billion in disaster relief and to combat Social Security fraud, sending it to the president for his signature. The House passed this bill the previous day.
Military Construction-VA Appropriations, FY2012 - Vote Agreed to (67-32, 1 Not Voting) - The Senate gave final approval to the conference report for this $915 billion "megabus" spending bill that provides funds for the rest of the fiscal year for the remaining nine annual appropriations bills. The nine bills are the Military Construction-VA, Defense, Energy-Water, Financial Services, Homeland Security, Interior-Environment, Labor-HHS-Education, Legislative Branch and State-Foreign Operations appropriations bills. The House passed the bill the previous day. The president is expected to sign the bill.
Cloture on the Nomination of Richard Cordray to be Director, Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection - Vote Rejected (53-45, 1 Present, 1 Not Voting) - The Senate failed to reach the sixty votes needed to move forward on the nomination of Richard Cordray to lead the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The CFPB, which was created by the Dodd-Frank financial regulatory overhaul, is responsible for overseeing financial products like home loans and credit cards.
Motion to Proceed; Middle Class Tax Cut Act of 2011 - Vote Rejected (50-48, 2 Not Voting) - The Senate rejected a motion to move forward on this Democratic proposal to reduce the employee share of the payroll tax from 4.2 to 3.1 percent for 2012. The employer share would stay at 6.2 percent. The payroll tax funds the Social Security trust fund. A law passed in December 2010 is set to expire at the end of 2011 that reduced the employee share from 6.2 to 4.2 percent.
Motion to Proceed; Temporary Tax Holiday and Government Reduction Act - Vote Rejected (22-76, 2 Not Voting) - The Senate rejected a motion to move forward on this Republican proposal to freeze the employee share of the payroll tax at 4.2 percent. The proposal offsets the cost by freezing federal pay and reducing the federal workforce by attrition.
National Defense Authorization Act, FY2012 - Vote Passed (93-7) - The Senate passed this bill authorizing $662 billion in defense spending for the current fiscal year. The bill contains provisions requiring suspected terrorists to be held in military custody and places sanctions on Iran. The House passed its version of the bill in May. A conference committee will meet to work out a compromise bill.
Fiscal 2012 Agriculture Appropriations - Vote Agreed to (70-30) - The Senate gave final approval to this "minibus" spending bill that combines the 2012 fiscal year Agriculture, Commerce-Justice-Science, and Transportation-HUD appropriations bills. The bill also contains a continuing resolution to keep the rest of the government funded through December 16. The president signed the bill into law the next day. The nine remaining annual appropriations bills may be combined into one bill after the Thanksgiving recess.
Motion to Proceed; Net Neutrality disapproval - Vote Rejected (46-52, 2 Not Voting) - The Senate rejected a move to prohibit the Federal Communications Commission’s "net neutrality" rule from taking effect on November 20. The rule will prohibit broadband service providers from blocking content or applications.
Motion to Proceed; Cross-border air pollution rule disapproval - Vote Rejected (41-56, 3 Not Voting) - The Senate rejected this move to nullify an Environmental Protection Agency rule on cross-state air pollution targeting emissions from power plants.
Government Contractor Withholding Repeal Act - Vote Passed (95-0, 1 Present, 4 Not Voting) - The Senate voted to repeal a requirement that government agencies withhold 3 percent of payments to government contractors. The chamber amended the bill to give tax credits to companies that hire unemployed veterans. The House is expected to take up the amended bill after the Veterans Day recess.
Fiscal 2012 Agriculture Appropriations - Vote Passed (69-30, 1 Not Voting) - The Senate passed this “minibus” bill making appropriations for the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Justice, Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development. The bill provides the five departments with $128 billion in discretionary funds for the 2012 fiscal year, which began on October 1, 2011. House and Senate conferees have begun meeting to work out a compromise bill.
Motion to Proceed; Rebuild America Jobs Act - Vote Rejected (51-49) - The Senate fell short of the 60 vote threshold needed to move forward on this part of the president’s jobs bill that would have provided $60 billion for transportation projects and created a national infrastructure bank.
Motion to Proceed; Long-Term Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2011 - Vote Rejected (47-53) - The Senate also fell short of the 60 votes needed to move forward on the Republican alternative that would have reauthorized highway programs for two years and overhauled certain regulations.
Confirmation of John Edgar Bryson to be Secretary of Commerce - Vote Confirmed (74-26) - The Senate confirmed John Bryson as Secretary of Commerce. Bryson succeeds Gary Locke, who is now the ambassador to China.
Teachers and First Responders Back to Work Act of 2011 - Vote Rejected (50-50) - Last week the Senate rejected consideration of this bill that would allocate $30 billion in grants to state and local governments to pay to hire or retain teachers and $5 billion in grants to governments and other groups to pay for law enforcement officers and emergency personnel. This was one component of the president’s broader jobs bill that was rejected earlier in the month.
Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2012 - Vote Agreed to (82-16, 2 Not Voting) - The Senate reached the necessary 60 votes to end debate on a legislative package that combines the fiscal 2012 Agriculture, Commerce-Justice-Science (S 1572) and Transportation-HUD (S 1596) appropriations bills. When they return from a weeklong recess, senators will resume consideration of the bill.
Currency Exchange Rate Oversight Reform Act of 2011 - Vote Passed (63-35, 2 Not Voting) - The Senate passed this bill last week that would allow economic sanctions to be placed on China for keeping its currency value artificially low. The House is unlikely to vote on the measure. Sen. Charles Schumer voted YES Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand voted YES
American Jobs Act of 2011 - Vote Rejected (50-49, 1 Not Voting) - The Senate did not reach the necessary 60 votes to end debate on the president’s comprehensive $447 billion jobs bill, effectively tabling the legislation. Parts of the bill will likely be considered in multiple smaller bills.
United States-Korea Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act - Vote Passed (83-15, 2 Not Voting) - On Wednesday, the Senate voted to implement a trade pact with South Korea. The House approved the bill earlier in the day and the president is expected to sign the bill into law.
United States-Panama Trade Promotion Agreement Implementation Act - Vote Passed (77-22, 1 Not Voting) - The Senate approved a trade pact with Panama. The House passed the bill earlier the same day and the president is expected to sign it into law.
United States-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement Implementation Act - Vote Passed (66-33, 1 Not Voting) - The Senate passed this bill to implement a trade agreement with Colombia. The House approved the bill earlier in the day and the president is expected to sign it into law.
Trade Adjustment Assistance Extension Act of 2011 - Vote Passed (70-27, 3 Not Voting) -The Senate passed this bill that would provide additional assistance to workers affected by foreign trade agreements. It would also revive the Generalized System of Preferences program that is intended to help developing countries expand their trade. Speaker John Boehner said the House will consider the bill if the president submits trade agreements with Colombia, Panama and South Korea to Congress.
Emergency Supplemental Disaster Relief Appropriations Resolution, 2011 - Vote Agreed to (62-37, 1 Not Voting) - The Senate agreed to add supplemental disaster relief funding to legislation extending the trade sanctions on Myanmar, still commonly known as Burma. The bill, later passed by unanimous consent, would provide $6.9 billion in immediate aid. The vote came after the Senate rejected two proposals to offset the cost of the funding.
Surface and Air Transportation Programs Extension Act of 2011 - Vote Passed (92-6, 2 Not Voting) - On Thursday, the Senate approved this bill to extend FAA programs through January 2012 and surface transportation authorization through March 2012. The House had passed the bill by voice vote earlier in the week. Aviation programs were scheduled to expire on September 16, and highway programs would have expired this week. The president signed the bill on Friday.
Leahy-Smith America Invents Act - Vote Passed (89-9, 2 Not Voting) - The Senate gave final approval to this bill that would change the way patents are awarded from “first to invent” to “first to file.” The overhaul is intended to speed up the process of awarding patents. The House passed the bill in June. President Obama is expected to sign it into law.
Motion to Proceed; Debt limit disapproval - Vote Rejected (45-52, 3 Not Voting) - The Senate rejected this motion to take up a resolution that would have disapproved a $500 billion debt limit increase. Under the budget law enacted on August 2, the debt limit was increase by $400 billion. A second increase of $500 billion will take effect unless Congress passes a disapproval measure.
Confirmation of Robert S. Mueller III to be Director of the FBI - Vote Confirmed (100-0) - The Senate agreed to extend the term of Federal Bureau of Investigation director Robert S. Mueller III through September 4, 2013. The FBI director is limited to one 10-year term and Mueller’s term began in August 2001. The president signed legislation earlier in the week to allow Mueller to serve an additional two years.
Budget Control Act of 2011 - Vote Agreed to (74-26) - The Senate gave final approval to this bill to raise the debt limit by at least $2.1 trillion and cut spending by as much as $2.4 trillion over the next ten years. President Obama signed the bill into law a short time later.
Military Construction-VA Appropriations, FY2012 - Vote Passed (97-2, 1 Not Voting) - The Senate passed its version of the military construction and Department of Veterans Affairs appropriations bill for the upcoming fiscal year. The $144 billion bill differs slightly from the House version that passed on June 14. A conference committee will work out a final bill.
Motion to Table; Cut, Cap, and Balance Act of 2011 - Vote Agreed to (51-46, 3 Not Voting) - The Senate agreed to this motion to table the House-passed "Cut, Cap and Balance" debt ceiling and balanced-budget plan. The move essentially kills the bill.
Presidential Appointment Efficiency and Streamlining Act of 2011 - Vote Passed (79-20, 1 Not Voting) - This bill would reduce the number of executive branch appointees requiring Senate approval. Its future in the House is unclear.
Confirmation of David H. Petraeus to be Director of the Central Intelligence Agency - Vote Confirmed (94-0, 6 Not Voting) - Army Gen. David H. Petraeus was confirmed to be the new CIA director. Petraeus, currently the commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, is expected to begin work in September.
Confirmation of Leon E. Panetta to be Secretary of Defense - Vote Confirmed (100-0) - Current CIA Director Leon E. Panetta was confirmed to be the next Secretary of Defense. Panetta succeeds Secretary Robert Gates, who is retiring at the end of June.
Ethanol subsidies amendment - Vote Agreed to (73-27) - During work on the Economic Development Administration bill, the Senate adopted this amendment to eliminate a tax credit refiners receive for adding ethanol to gasoline and a tariff on imported ethanol.
FY2012 House Budget Resolution - Vote Rejected (40-57, 3 Not Voting) - The Senate rejected a motion to proceed to consideration of the House-passed 2012 fiscal year budget resolution.
President’s FY2012 Budget Resolution - Vote Rejected (0-97, 3 Not Voting) - The Senate rejected a motion to proceed to consideration of the president’s budget proposal for the upcoming fiscal year.
Patriot Act Extensions - Vote Agreed to (72-23, 5 Not Voting) - The Senate passed this bill extending certain provisions of the Patriot Act until June 1, 2015. The bill, S. 990, originally reauthorized some small business programs but with the Patriot Act provisions due to expire at the end of the day, the Senate used it as the vehicle to pass the extension. The House passed the bill a few hours later and President Obama signed it into law before the end of the day.
Motion to Proceed; Close Big Oil Tax Loopholes Act - Vote Rejected (52-48) - The Senate fell short of the 60 votes needed to proceed to consideration of this bill that would end certain tax breaks for large oil companies. The bill may resurface as part of the upcoming budget negotiations.
Motion to Proceed; Offshore Production and Safety Act of 2011 - Vote Rejected (42-57, 1 Not Voting) - The Senate fell short of the 60 votes needed to take up this bill intended to increase offshore oil production. The bill is similar to the offshore oil bills passed in the House earlier this month.
Cloture Motion; Nomination of Goodwin Liu to be U.S. Circuit Judge for the Ninth Circuit - Vote Rejected (52-43, 1 Present, 4 Not Voting) - The Senate rejected this cloture motion on the nomination of Goodwin Liu to be a federal appeals court judge. A cloture motion requires 60 votes to end debate and move on to a final vote.
Cloture Motion; James M. Cole to be Deputy Attorney General - Vote Rejected (50-40, 10 Not Voting) - The Senate fell short of the 60 votes needed to end debate and move to a final vote on the nomination of James M. Cole to be deputy attorney general. Cole was given a recess appointment in December 2010.
Confirmation John J. McConnell, Jr. of Rhode Island, to be U.S. District Judge - Vote Confirmed (50-44, 5 Not Voting) - The Senate confirmed attorney John J. McConnell to be a district court judge in Rhode Island.
Fiscal 2011 Health Care Overhaul Funding - Vote Rejected (47-53) - The Senate rejected this enrollment correction resolution that would have blocked funding for the implementation of the health care law in the 2011 fiscal year spending bill. The House adopted the resolution. Both chambers had to pass the resolution for it to be included in the final spending bill.
Fiscal 2011 Planned Parenthood Funding - Vote Rejected (42-58) - The Senate rejected this enrollment correction resolution that would have blocked funding for Planned Parenthood in the 2011 fiscal year spending bill. The House adopted the resolution. Both chambers had to pass the resolution for it to be included in the final spending bill.
Fiscal 2011 Spending Agreement - Vote Passed (81-19) - The Senate gave final approval to this bill funding the government through the end of the current fiscal year. Based on the agreement negotiated to prevent a government shutdown, the bill provides $1.055 trillion in federal spending. The president signed the bill into law on Friday, April 15.
Small Business Paperwork Mandate Elimination Act of 2011 - Vote Passed (87-12, 1 Not Voting) -The Senate gave final approval to this bill repealing a provision of the 2010 health care bill requiring businesses to report payments to vendors over $600 to the Internal Revenue Service. The House passed the bill last month. The president is expected to sign it into law.
To ban EPA regulation of greenhouse gas emissions - Vote Rejected (50-50) - During work on the small business bill, the Senate fell short of the 60 votes required to pass this amendment that would prevent the Environmental Protection Agency from regulating greenhouse gases for the purpose of addressing climate change. The House passed a stand-alone bill later in the week, but its future is unclear at this time.
Additional Continuing Appropriations, 2011 - Vote Agreed to (87-13) - The Senate gave final approval to the latest short-term continuing resolution, which funds government operations through April 8, 2011. The president signed it into law the next day.
Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2011 - Vote Rejected (44-56) - The Senate rejected this House-passed continuing resolution that would have reduced spending by $57.5 billion over the remainder of the 2011 fiscal year. The current, short-term continuing resolution expires on March 18, 2011.
Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2011 - Vote Rejected (42-58) -The Senate also rejected a Democratic alternative to the full-year continuing resolution that would have reduced spending by $4.7 billion over the remainder of the 2011 fiscal year.
Short-term Continuing Resolution - Vote Agreed to (91-9) - The Senate gave final approval to this continuing resolution funding government operations through March 18, 2011. Passage of the CR gives lawmakers time to work out a long-term solution to the 2011 fiscal year budget. The president signed it into law later that day.
FISA Sunsets Extension Act of 2011 - Vote Passed (86-12, 2 Not Voting) - The Senate passed this bill extending some expiring provisions of the Patriot Act for 90 days. The extension allows both chambers more time to work on long-term bills. The House cleared the measure for the president two days later.
FAA Air Transportation Modernization and Safety Improvement Act - Vote Passed (87-8, 5 Not Voting) - This $34.6 billion bill reauthorizes the Federal Aviation Administration for two years and sets aviation policies. The House is working on its own version of the bill that would cover four years.
Health Care Repeal - Vote Rejected (47-51, 2 Not Voting) - During the debate over the Federal Aviation Administration bill, the Senate rejected this amendment that would have repealed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The text was similar to the bill the House passed on January 19, 2011.
Secret Holds Elimination - Vote Agreed to (92-4, 4 Not Voting) - The Senate spent much of the week debating procedural rules. One of the rule changes the chamber passed was this one that ends the practice of “secret holds,” where a senator anonymously blocks legislation or a nomination. The rule change requires a senator to notify his or her party leader within 2 days of placing a hold.