Congressional votes for Dec. 18

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

Along with roll call votes last week, the Senate also passed the Higher Education Extension Act (H.R. 3594), to temporarily extend the Federal Perkins Loan program; passed a resolution (H.J. Res. 78), to provide further continuing appropriations for the government, through Dec. 22; and passed a resolution (S. Res. 310), condemning ongoing sexual violence against women and children by members of the Islamic State group.

The House also concurred in the Senate amendment to the Higher Education Extension Act (H.R. 3594), to temporarily extend the Federal Perkins Loan program; passed a resolution (H.J. Res. 78), to provide further continuing appropriations for the government, through Dec. 22; passed the Strengthening Cybersecurity Information Sharing and Coordination in Our Ports Act (H.R. 3878); and passed the Combat Terrorist Use of Social Media Act (H.R. 3654), to require a report on U.S. strategy concerning use of social media by terrorists.

HOUSE VOTES

FINALIZING TRADE BILL: The House approved the conference report for the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act (H.R. 644), sponsored by Rep. Tom Reed, R-N.Y. 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. 11, was 256 yeas to 158 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)

PRESS FREEDOM IN LATIN AMERICA: The House passed a resolution (H. Res. 536), sponsored by Rep. Albio Sires, D-N.J., stating support of free speech and freedom of the press in Caribbean and Latin American countries and condemning government harassment and violence against journalists in the two regions. The vote, on Dec. 15, was 399 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)

UMBILICAL BLOOD TRANSFUSIONS: The House concurred in the Senate amendment to the Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Reauthorization Act (H.R. 2820), sponsored by Rep. Christopher H. Smith, R-N.J. The bill would reauthorize through fiscal 2020 government programs for storing and distributing for transplant umbilical cord blood to patients needing blood infusions. The vote, on Dec. 16, was unanimous with 421 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)

BANKRUPTCY AND MILITARY MEMBERS: The House passed the National Guard and Reservist Debt Relief Extension Act (H.R. 4246), sponsored by Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tenn. The bill would extend by four years an exemption from the means test presumption of abuse for National Guard members and members of the Armed Forces reserves who file for chapter 7 bankruptcy. The vote, on Dec. 16, was 419 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)

COMBATING HEZBOLLAH: The House concurred in the Senate amendment to the Hezbollah International Financing Prevention Act (H.R. 2297), sponsored by Rep. Edward R. Royce, R-Calif. The bill would require the Treasury Department and State Department to take measures to block financing of the Iran-backed Hezbollah terrorist group and identify all the nations that support Hezbollah. The vote, on Dec. 16, was unanimous with 425 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)

TERRORIST SAFE HAVENS: The House passed the Tracking Foreign Fighters in Terrorist Safe Havens Act (H.R. 4239), sponsored by Rep. Frank A. LoBiondo, R-N.J. The bill would require the director of National Intelligence to report to Congress estimates of the number of U.S. citizens who have joined terrorist safe havens in Syria, Iraq and elsewhere, the number and national origin of foreigners in the safe havens, and how many of them have left the safe havens. The vote, on Dec. 16, was unanimous with 423 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)

EXTENDING TAX CUTS: The House passed an amendment to the Consolidated Appropriations Act (H.R. 2029), that 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 a credit for business research and development spending. It also would suspend for two years the medical device excise tax included in the health-care reform law. The vote, on Dec. 17, was 318 yeas to 109 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)

SENATE VOTES

ARMY GENERAL COUNSEL: The Senate confirmed the nomination of Alissa M. Starzak to serve as the Army's general counsel. The vote, on Dec. 14, was 45 yeas to 34 nays.

YEAS: McCaskill D-MO

NAYS: Blunt R-MO