Congressional votes for Dec. 11

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

Along with roll call votes, the Senate also passed the Further Continuing Appropriations Act (H.R. 2250), to authorize appropriations for government agencies through Dec. 16; passed the Child Nicotine Poisoning Prevention Act (S. 142), to require special packaging for liquid nicotine containers; passed the Comprehensive Justice and Mental Health Act (S. 993), to facilitate collaboration among the criminal justice, juvenile justice, veterans treatment services, mental health treatment and substance abuse systems; and passed the Foreclosure Relief and Extension for Servicemembers Act (S. 2393), to temporarily extend protection against foreclosure and eviction for members of the military.

The House also passed the Foreign Aid Transparency and Accountability Act (H.R. 3766), to require the president to establish guidelines for foreign development and economic assistance programs; and passed the Coast Guard Authorization Act (H.R. 4188), to authorize Coast Guard appropriations for fiscal 2016 and 2017.

HOUSE VOTES

REQUIREMENTS FOR VISA REVIEWS: The House passed the Visa Waiver Program Improvement Act (H.R. 158), sponsored by Rep. Candice S. Miller, R-Mich. The bill would require the Homeland Security Department to consider terrorism risks when reviewing a foreigner's application for a visa to the U.S., adopt tighter application reviews for travelers from Syria, Iraq, Sudan and Iran, and require a Homeland Security report on measures to improve the electronic system for travel authorization by foreigners to better safeguard against terrorism. The vote, on Dec. 8, was 407 yeas to 19 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)

TRAINING FOR RESPONSE TO TERRORIST ATTACKS: The House passed the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers Reform and Improvement Act (H.R. 3842), sponsored by Rep. Buddy Carter, R-Ga. The bill would change the government's Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers program by authorizing its use to train federal, state and local law enforcement to prevent and respond to terrorist attacks. The vote, on Dec. 8, was 420 yeas to 2 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)

INDIAN TRIBES AND RED RIVER LAND: The House passed an amendment sponsored by Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla., to the Red River Private Property Protection Act (H.R. 2130). The amendment would state Indian tribes in Oklahoma and Texas have the right of first refusal to purchase lands along the Red River to be sold by the government, and state tribes would maintain their surface and mineral interests no matter the result of the sale of the lands in question. The vote, on Dec. 9, was 246 yeas to 183 nays.

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

NAYS: 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)

RED RIVER LAND DISPUTE: The House passed the Red River Private Property Protection Act (H.R. 2130), sponsored by Rep. Mac Thornberry, R-Texas. The bill would cease the Bureau of Land Management's claim to ownership of some lands along the south bank of the Red River on the border between Texas and Oklahoma, and require the BLM to conduct a new survey of the lands. The vote, on Dec. 9, was 253 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)

TECHNOLOGY AT HOMELAND SECURITY: The House passed the DHS Science and Technology Reform and Improvement Act (H.R. 3578), sponsored by Rep. John Ratcliffe, R-Texas. The bill would expand the Homeland Security Department's Directorate of Science and Technology by increasing the directorate's responsibility for researching and evaluating technologies related to homeland security. The vote, on Dec. 10, was unanimous with 416 yeas.

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)

TERRORISM AND FIRST RESPONDERS: The House passed the First Responder Identification of Emergency Needs in Disaster Situations Act (H.R. 2795), sponsored by Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas. The bill would require the Government Accountability Office to submit a report to Congress on how policies at state and local governments could affect the ability of first responders to be available to respond to terrorist attacks. The vote, on Dec. 10, was 396 yeas to 12 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

FINALIZING EDUCATION REFORM BILL: The Senate 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. 9, was 85 yeas to 12 nays.

YEAS: McCaskill D-MO

NAYS: Blunt R-MO