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To prevent across-the-board direct spending cuts, and for other purposes.

Public Law 117-7 · H.R. 1868 · 117th Congress · began in the House

Signed by Joe Biden (D) on Apr 14, 2021 · Health

Sponsor: Rep. John Yarmuth (D-KY-3)

Cosponsors (7): Rep. Richard Neal,

Passage votesYeaNay

  • HouseRecorded vote: 384 yea, 38 nay384–38
  • SenateRecorded vote: 90 yea, 2 nay90–2
Data notes

The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.

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Summary

The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.

This bill makes several budgetary and technical changes to provisions under Medicare and Medicaid.

The bill continues to exempt Medicare from sequestration until December 31, 2021. (Sequestration is a process of automatic, usually across-the-board spending reductions under which budgetary resources are permanently cancelled to enforce specific budget policy goals.)

The bill also specifically

• applies certain modified payment limits to rural health clinics that temporarily enrolled in Medicare during the public health emergency relating to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) or that applied to enroll by December 31, 2020; and

• preserves higher Medicaid disproportionate-share hospital payments for public hospitals in California under forthcoming payment methodology changes.

Who voted for it

Every House member of the 117th Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 384 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.

384 yea38 nay6 present or did not vote

ProEstablishmentAnti
Economic left–right
More liberalMore conservative

Democrats who voted yea(217)

Republicans who voted yea(167)

Data notes

The House’s recorded vote on the final version of the law (roll call 97 in Voteview), matched to the vote the record cites and checked against its totals. Positions are each member’s DW-NOMINATE score for that Congress, as on the Ideology page; left to right is more liberal to more conservative. Paired and announced yea votes count as yea. Lists follow the compass, most liberal first. A name links to a profile only for members of the current Congress. A law passed by voice vote or unanimous consent has no member list, and neither does a vote Voteview has not yet recorded.

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Committees

The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.

Data notes

A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.

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Related bills

3 bills the Library of Congress relates to this one.

  • H.R. 1885Related bill

    RUSH Protection Act of 2021

  • H.Res. 233Procedurally-relatedRelated bill

    Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 1620) to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act of 1994, and for other purposes; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 6) to authorize the cancellation of remova…

  • S. 935Related bill

    Rural Health Clinic Protection Act

Data notes

Related bills are identified by the Congressional Research Service, the House and the Senate: companion and identical bills, bills with similar text, bills that were folded into this law, and rules that brought it to the floor. A bill that is itself a public law in this site’s data links here; the others link to Congress.gov.

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Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 26 actions.

  1. Apr 14, 2021Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 117-7.
  2. Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  3. FloorFloor · Presented to President.
  4. Apr 13, 2021Resolving differencesResolving differences · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  5. Resolving differencesResolving differences · On motion that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendment Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 384 - 38 (Roll no. 98).House roll call 98
  6. Resolving differencesResolving differences · Mr. Yarmuth moved that the House suspend the rules and concur in the Senate amendment.
  7. FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on the motion to suspend the rules and concur in the Senate amendment to H.R. 1868.
  8. OtherOther · Resolving differences -- House actions: On motion that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendment Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 384 - 38 (Roll no. 98).House roll call 98
  9. Mar 26, 2021FloorFloor · Message on Senate action sent to the House.
  10. Mar 25, 2021FloorFloor · Passed Senate, having achieved 60 votes in the affirmative, with an amendment by Yea-Nay Vote. 90 - 2. Record Vote Number: 142.Senate roll call 142
  11. FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
  12. CalendarCalendar · Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 31.
  13. Mar 24, 2021CalendarCalendar · Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time.
  14. Mar 22, 2021CommitteeCommittee · Received in the Senate.
  15. Mar 19, 2021FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  16. FloorFloor · On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 246 - 175 (Roll no. 96).House roll call 96
  17. FloorFloor · On motion to recommit Failed by the Yeas and Nays: 202 - 216 (Roll no. 95).House roll call 95
  18. FloorFloor · Mr. Smith (MO) moved to recommit to the Committee on the Budget.
  19. FloorFloor · The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.
  20. FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H.R. 1868.
  21. FloorFloor · Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 1620, H.R. 6, H.R. 1603, H.R. 1868 and H.J. Res. 17. The resolution provides for one hour of general debate on H.R. 1620, H.R. 6, H.R. 1603, H.R. 1868, and H.J.Res. 17. The resolution provides that H.Res. 232 is hereby adopted.
  22. FloorFloor · Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 233.
  23. Mar 16, 2021FloorFloor · Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 233 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 1620, H.R. 6, H.R. 1603, H.R. 1868 and H.J. Res. 17. The resolution provides for one hour of general debate on H.R. 1620, H.R. 6, H.R. 1603, H.R. 1868, and H.J.Res. 17. The resoluti…
  24. CommitteeCommittee · Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
  25. Mar 12, 2021CommitteeCommittee · Referred to the Committee on the Budget, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, and Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee co…
  26. IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in House
Data notes

Every action the Library of Congress lists for the bill, from introduction to signing, plus the dated committee hearings. The source lists many steps twice (the chamber’s own entry and the Library of Congress copy, or a presidential and a became-law entry with the same words); those are shown once. Amendments are listed in their own section.

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Amendments

2 amendments offered to the bill, with the last recorded step of each.

Where each amendment ended up

  • S.Amdt. 1411SenateSen. Rick ScottR-FL· offered Mar 25, 2021Rejected

    To improve the bill.

    Mar 25, 2021: Amendment SA 1411 not agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 47 - 50. Record Vote Number: 141.

    Rejected

  • S.Amdt. 1410SenateSen. Jeanne ShaheenD-NH· offered Mar 25, 2021Agreed to

    In the nature of a substitute.

    Mar 25, 2021: Amendment SA 1410 agreed to in Senate by Voice Vote.

    Agreed to
Data notes

Amendments offered to this bill in either chamber, as the Library of Congress records them: each with a status read from its last recorded step: agreed to, rejected, withdrawn, ruled out of order, fell with another amendment, or offered with no vote recorded (most Senate amendments are only ever offered). The wording of each amendment is the source’s. Amendments to amendments and amendments to other bills are not listed.

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Official record

The bill’s full text is on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.