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    • Sep 11, 2017
    • 3 min read

Political Research Wrap-Up: Not much of a recess for Congress

While Congress was on recess, discussion over hurricanes, white supremacists, and North Korea kept them from enjoying it.


Notable Public Statements:


Check out our latest piece. Click here to read "Rising Tensions with North Korea: A Timeline."


Recent Legislation:

Health Care Amendments:

  • S Amdt 270: This amendment would have replaced the ACA with the Better Care Reconciliation Act, also known as the “repeal and replace” option.

  • S Amdt 271: Senate also voted on a bill that would have replaced the ACA with the “Obamacare Repeal Reconciliation Act of 2017,” or the “repeal-only” option.

  • S Amdt 340: This amendment would have expanded Medicare coverage, providing comprehensive health insurance for all United States residents.

  • S Amdt 667: The final health care vote to pass an amendment that would have replaced the ACA with the Health Care Freedom Act of 2017, or the “skinny repeal” option.

Additional Legislation:

  • WI AB 1: Wisconsin House members voted to pass a bill that provides tax and financial incentives for manufacturers. More specifically, it establishes an electronics and information technology manufacturing zone.

  • TX HB 214: This Texas bill requires individuals to purchase supplementary insurance for coverage of non-emergency abortions. The bill has received controversial media attention.

  • IL HB 1785: This Illinois bill simplifies the procedures for having the sex designation on an individual’s birth certificate changed.

  • IL HB 2462: This Illinois bill prohibits employers from asking job applicants their wage history. Gov. Rauner (R-IL) vetoed the legislation on 08/25/2017.

  • IL SB 81: This Illinois bill authorized an increase in the state’s minimum wage. Gov. Rauner vetoed the legislation on 08/25/2017.


Want to read more about the Senate health care votes? Read "Did the Senate vote to repeal Obamacare?" for more!


Election Results:

  • John Curtis (R) won his primary for the US House of Representatives in Utah.

  • Doug Jones (D) won his primary for US Senate in Alabama. Roy Moore (R) & Luther Strange (R) must face off in a primary runoff before heading to the general election.

  • Sandy Crawford (R) won her race for Missouri State Senate Dist. 28,

  • Sara Walsh (R) won her race for Missouri State House Dist. 50.

  • Dawn Euer (D) won her race for Rhode Island State Senate Dist. 13.

  • Vincent Migliore (R) won his race for New Hampshire State House Grafton 9.

  • Phil Miller (D) won his race for Iowa State House Dist. 82.

  • Oklahoma held a primaries for State Senate District 45.

  • South Carolina Dists. 31 and 113, New Hampshire Rockingham 4, Michigan Dists. 1 and 109, Oklahoma Dist. 76, and Florida Dist. 44 recently held State House primaries.


Upcoming Elections:


Not sure when it’s your turn to Vote Smart? Use our elections monitoring tool to find out.


Pictured are some of Vote Smart's staff getting a glimpse of the total solar eclipse. Just as their glasses protects their eyes from permanent damage, their work arms voters with the tools to see through destructive partisan politics. If you found their research helpful, consider making a tax-deductible contribution to keep the facts coming!

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