Politics & Government

Fiscal Cliff: How Congress Voted

The U.S. House went along with a Senate plan Tuesday to address expiring Bush-era tax cuts while delaying spending cuts.

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The U.S. House of Representatives voted late Tuesday night 257-167 to endorse a Senate vote early Tuesday morning on a bill to avert the so-called "Fiscal Cliff", as tax cuts passed when George W. Bush was President expired January 1, in addition to automatic spending cuts which were delayed.

A complete list of the yeas and nays can be found on the website for the House of Representatives.

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Of those who represent the greater St. Louis region, Democrats William Lacy Clay and Russ Carnahan, along with Republicans Blaine Luetkemeyer and Jo Ann Emerson voted yes, while Todd Akin voted no. Kansas City area Congressman Sam Graves was one of six House members who did not vote. 

The Senate legislation passed early Tuesday 89-8.

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U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (R-MO) posted comments he made on the Senate Floor Monday on YouTube.

Having worked hard to pass these tax policies in 01 & 03 I'm glad this vote protects middle class families & #smallbiz owners from tax hikes

This bill permanently protects 99% of taxpayers from a tax increase & provides permanent tax relief & economic certainty for every American.

This bill also ensures the vast majority of farm families & small businesses in Missouri will not face the unfair death tax.

U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill (D-MO) issued a statement late Monday night:

“This deal isn’t perfect, but it achieves what’s most important here by protecting middle class families, and it’s a down-payment toward a more realistic economic policy. It also represents a fact that too many in Washington seem to have forgotten—that compromise requires give-and-take. That’s a value Missouri voters strongly endorsed just a few weeks ago. Starting now, Congress has got to do better. We have hard work ahead to address the budget deficit in the type of broader, balanced package I have long fought for. And we need to put an end to these eleventh-hour stalemates that do nothing but endanger our economy.”


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