HOUSE VOTES:

ENERGY, TAXES, HEALTH CARE PROGRAMS: The House has agreed to the Senate amendment to a tax and spending bill (H.R. 5376), sponsored by Rep. John A. Yarmuth, D-Ky. The bill’s spending measures include changes to Medicare prescription drug programs and various subsidies for non-fossil fuel sources of energy and energy efficiency programs, while its tax policy changes include a 15 percent alternative minimum tax on large companies and about $80 billion of increased funding for the Internal Revenue Service. Yarmuth said it “will lower healthcare costs and energy costs for American families” and also “makes the biggest corporations start paying their fair share in taxes.” An opponent, Rep. Jason Smith, R-Mo., called the bill “welfare for the wealthy environmentalists and big corporations, paid for by increased taxes and audits on middle- and low-income taxpayers.” The vote, on Aug. 12, was 220 yeas to 207 nays.

YEAS: Chellie Pingree D-1st District, Jared Golden D-2nd District


There were no key votes in the Senate this week.