HOW DID YOUR SENATORS AND REPRESENTATIVE VOTE LAST WEEK?

In this MegaVote for Alabama's 5th Congressional District: Recent Congressional Votes Senate: Revised Defense Authorization -- Passage Senate: Military-Construction-VA Appropriations -- Passage Senate: Surface Transportation Reauthorization -- Cloture Upcoming Congressional Bills Senate: Transportation-HUD Appropriations House: Auto Loans House: Bank Mortgage Liability House: Federal Reserve Overhaul

Recent Senate Votes

Revised Defense Authorization -- Passage - Vote Agreed to (91-3, 6 Not Voting) The Senate cleared legislation that authorizes $599 billion for the Pentagon and defense-related programs for fiscal 2016, $5 billion less than both the president's overall request and the original conference agreement. It provides $33 billion of the original $38 billion in added funds for defense, including $8 billion through the Overseas Contingency Operations account. The measure authorizes $715 million for Iraqi forces fighting the Islamic State, $406 million to train and equip Syrian opposition forces and $300 million for lethal weapons for Ukraine. It modifies the military retirement system, blocks the Pentagon from retiring the A-10 Warthog aircraft and authorizes $11 billion for the F-35 Fighter. Sen. Richard Shelby voted YES Sen. Jeff Sessions voted YES Military-Construction-VA Appropriations -- Passage - Vote Passed (93-0, 7 Not Voting) The Senate passed an amended version of the bill that funds veterans’ health programs and military bases. The measure, which contains nearly $80 billion in discretionary funding, also includes language that prohibits transfers from Guantanamo Bay to the U.S. homeland and a ban on another round of base closures. Sen. Richard Shelby voted YES Sen. Jeff Sessions voted YES Surface Transportation Reauthorization -- Cloture - Vote Agreed to (82-7, 11 Not Voting) The Senate agreed to create a conference committee with the House concerning legislation that reauthorizes surface transportation programs for six years. Sen. Richard Shelby voted NO Sen. Jeff Sessions voted YES

Upcoming Votes

Transportation-HUD Appropriations - HR2577 The bill funds the departments of Transportation and Housing and Urban Development. The measure, which contains nearly $56 billion in discretionary funding, also provides funding for such items as Amtrak and Section 8 housing vouchers. Auto Loans - HR1737 The bill nullifies the 2013 guidance issued by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) regarding fair lending practices for indirect auto lenders, after the CFPB determined that car loans provided through auto dealers were artificially high and discriminatory. Bank Mortgage Liability - HR1210 The bill creates a safe harbor from lawsuits for banks that originate non-qualified mortgages that do not comply with ability-to-repay requirements, as long as the bank retains the mortgage in its own portfolio. Federal Reserve Overhaul - HR3189 The bill modifies Federal Reserve operations and oversight in an effort to make it more accountable, including by requiring the Fed to develop detailed strategies with set goals for conducting monetary policy that would be reviewed by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) and requiring the Fed chairman to testify before Congress if GAO determines that the strategy no longer complies with bill requirements. It also provides for GAO audits of all Fed activities, including its deliberations over monetary policy. The legislation requires the Fed to conduct cost-benefit analyses of all proposed rules and limits the Fed’s emergency lending powers.