Congress has been pretty busy in the last week or so as they prepare to take a break for a month. HR 1, the 9/11 Commission recommendations implementation bill has had a conference vote in the House and Senate. In the conference version, all cargo bound for U.S. ports would be screened, all cargo on passenger planes would be screened (not necessarily physically inspected), and people who report suspicious activity on airplanes or in airports would be immune from civil liability.

HR 2419, the Farm Bill, passed 231-191. Notable highlights in this bill include aid for specialty crops (various types of fruits, vegetables, and nuts), money for renewable energy and conservation programs, and an increase in taxes on some international corporations that have U.S. subsidiaries.

The Senate tabled an amendment to make $300 million in funding available to states to implement the REAL ID Act of 2005 50-44. This amendment is S Amdt 2405 to S Amdt 2383 to HR 2638.

The Senate also passed an appropriations bill for the Department of Homeland Securty 89-4. The bill number is HR 2638.

HR 3093 was approved by the House 281-142. This is an appropriations bill for the Departments of Commerce and Justice. It would increase funding for the study of climate change and space science. It also would make changes to the process by which the FBI is able to gather information on suspected foreign terrorists or spies.

On August 1, the House voted 225-204 to increase funding to the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) and to use an increase on the federal tax on cigarettes to fund this expenditure.

Look here for detailed summaries of the votes on these pieces of legislation on our website in the coming days. You can always check our Recent Votes page for the most up-to-date information, or better yet, subscribe to our RSS feed!