Votes

The House voted Wednesday in favor of a bill that would require the Executive Branch to issue a single set of rules relating to derivatives trades between U.S. and non-U.S. entities.

Members passed H.R. 1256, the Swap Jurisdiction Certainty Act, in a 301-124 vote — Democrats split 73-122 in the vote. The bill has both Republican and Democratic cosponsors, but many House Democrats opposed it vigorously during an hour-long debate.

The House passed three bills Wednesday that would ease federal regulations related to the use of financial "swaps," and to how data on these swaps is shared internationally.

The changes are non-controversial and reflect bipartisan cooperation on a narrow set of issues — they are a far cry from more dramatic proposals to Republicans to gut the Dodd-Frank financial reform law.

The House approved a bill governing floor debate for the 2014 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), even as Democrats warned that they would look to add tougher language to help reverse the rising tide of sexual assault in the military.

Members voted 239-184 in favor of the rule; only 10 Democrats supported it. The rule calls for an hour of debate on the bill, H.R 1960, which will take place later Wednesday.

The House on Wednesday quickly and easily approved legislation aimed at helping the federal government avoid taking on excessive debt through a reverse mortgage program.

By voice vote, members approved H.R. 2167, the Reverse Mortgage Stabilization Act. This bill would allow the secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to make critical changes to the reverse mortgage program under the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) without having to wait 18 months or longer to issue regulations.

The House late Tuesday passed two more land use bills in the last votes of the day.

In a 409-0 vote, the House passed H.R. 1157, the Rattlesnake Mountain Public Access Act, which requires the government to provide road access to the top of Washington state's Rattlesnake Mountain, for reasons related to tourism, scientific research and other purposes.

The House on Tuesday approved three federal land use bills by voice vote, and set up votes on two other bills later in the evening.

The first of these was H.R. 993, the Fruit Heights Land Conveyance Act. This bill would convey 100 acres of National Forest System land to Fruit Heights, Utah, so that town of about 5,000 people can build a cemetery.

The legislation appears to have strong momentum after Speaker Boehner predicted reform would become law this year.

More than 15 Republicans joined most Democrats in supporting the bill.

The Senate on Thursday failed to move forward with two rival bills aimed at preventing an interest rate hike on student loans. 

The House on Thursday passed its second 2014 spending bill of the year, one that would provide $38.9 billion in discretionary funds for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

The bill, which includes funding for disaster aid, counterterrorism programs and border protection, was approved in a 245-182 vote. Twenty-five Democrats supported it, and 10 Republicans opposed it.