Bailout vote switchers & House goodbyes

October 4, 2008

In my post yesterday about the passage of the financial services bailout bill, I included some links showing how lawmakers voted.

If you haven’t yet had a chance to contrast and compare the House’s rejection of the measure on Sept. 29 to its passage of a revised bill on Oct. 3, don’t worry. Politico’s blog The Crypt has compiled lists, by party, of the vote switchers.

In all, 58 Representatives changed their votes from "no" on Monday to "yes" on Friday.

One House member, Jim McDermott (D-Wash.), went the other way, going from "yes" to "no." Jerry Weller (R-Ill.) didn’t participate in the first vote.

Buh-bye House: Having spent an extra week in D.C. to deal with the bailout, the House left for good on Friday.

The 110th Congress formally adjourned until Jan. 3, 2009. Representatives could reconvene if there’s a need, but  that’s unlikely since the now-law Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 took care of the alternative minimum tax and extenders.

The Senate, however, is expected back on Nov. 17.

That lame-duck session will focus on passing a package of more than 150 largely noncontroversial land bills that Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Oklahoma) has held up or, in the view of many Senators, held hostage, for months. Coburn’s penchant for stalling legislation has earned him the nickname of the Dr. No.

But other measures also might be considered, according to Roll Call. A Senate Democratic leadership aide told the Capitol Hill newspaper that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) "wants to keep his options open."

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The ol’ blog is here to help you finish up your extended Form 1040. You can start with January’s tax tips page, which has links to the rest of the year’s tips by-month collections. You also can peruse various tax categories for more tailored advice by clicking on the More Tax Posts drop-down menu at the top of this (and every) page.

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