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Protecting Medicare and American Farmers from Sequester Cuts Act

Public Law 117-71 · S. 610 · 117th Congress · began in the Senate

Signed by Joe Biden (D) on Dec 10, 2021 · Health

Sponsor: Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA)

Cosponsors (29): Sen. Todd Young,

Passage votesYeaNay

  • HouseRecorded vote: 222 yea, 212 nay222–212
  • SenateRecorded vote: 59 yea, 35 nay59–35
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.

Protecting Medicare and American Farmers from Sequester Cuts Act

This bill makes several budgetary, technical, and procedural changes, particularly in relation to Medicare and increasing the debt limit.

Specifically, the bill continues to exempt Medicare from sequestration until March 31, 2022. (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 establishes expedited Senate procedures for considering legislation to increase the debt limit. The procedures limit debate, waive points of order, and prohibit amendments. The procedures may only be used once and expire after January 16, 2022.

Additionally, the bill (1) temporarily extends other provisions under Medicare, including a payment increase under the physician fee schedule; and (2) requires any debits recorded for FY2022 on the statutory pay-as-you-go (PAYGO) scorecards to be deducted from the scorecards for 2022 and added to the scorecards for 2023.

Who voted for it

Every senator of the 117th Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 59 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.

59 yea35 nay6 present or did not vote

ProEstablishmentAnti
Economic left–right
More liberalMore conservative

Democrats who voted yea(49)

  • Sen. Bernie SandersD-VT
  • Sen. Elizabeth WarrenD-MA
  • Sen. Ed MarkeyD-MA
  • Sen. Cory BookerD-NJ
  • Sen. Mazie HironoD-HI
  • Sen. Tammy BaldwinD-WI
  • Sen. Jon OssoffD-GA
  • Sen. Jeff MerkleyD-OR
  • Sen. Tina SmithD-MN
  • Sen. Bob MenendezD-NJ
  • Sen. Brian SchatzD-HI
  • Sen. Martin HeinrichD-NM
  • Sen. Ben LujánD-NM
  • Sen. Alex PadillaD-CA
  • Sen. Patrick LeahyD-VT
  • Sen. Sherrod BrownD-OH
  • Sen. Raphael WarnockD-GA
  • Sen. Patty MurrayD-WA
  • Sen. Kirsten GillibrandD-NY
  • Sen. Jack ReedD-RI
  • Sen. Maria CantwellD-WA
  • Sen. Chris Van HollenD-MD
  • Sen. Sheldon WhitehouseD-RI
  • Sen. Richard BlumenthalD-CT
  • Sen. Ron WydenD-OR
  • Sen. Debbie StabenowD-MI
  • Sen. Tammy DuckworthD-IL
  • Sen. Christopher MurphyD-CT
  • Sen. Richard DurbinD-IL
  • Sen. Thomas CarperD-DE
  • Sen. Amy KlobucharD-MN
  • Sen. Bob CaseyD-PA
  • Sen. Dianne FeinsteinD-CA
  • Sen. Benjamin CardinD-MD
  • Sen. Michael BennetD-CO
  • Sen. Gary PetersD-MI
  • Sen. Mark WarnerD-VA
  • Sen. Tim KaineD-VA
  • Sen. Jacky RosenD-NV
  • Sen. Christopher CoonsD-DE
  • Sen. Chuck SchumerD-NY
  • Sen. Catherine Cortez MastoD-NV
  • Sen. Jeanne ShaheenD-NH
  • Sen. John HickenlooperD-CO
  • Sen. Mark KellyD-AZ
  • Sen. Maggie HassanD-NH
  • Sen. Jon TesterD-MT
  • Sen. Kyrsten SinemaD-AZ
  • Sen. Joe ManchinD-WV

Republicans who voted yea(10)

Data notes

The Senate’s recorded vote on the final version of the law (roll call 491 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

4 bills the Library of Congress relates to this one.

  • H.R. 1667 · became Public Law 117-105Identical bill

    Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act

  • H.R. 6143Related bill

    Supporting Health Care Providers During the COVID–19 Pandemic Act

  • H.Res. 838Procedurally-related

    Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 5314) to protect our democracy by preventing abuses of presidential power, restoring checks and balances and accountability and transparency in government, and defending ele…

  • S. 3344Related bill

    Protecting the American Taxpayer and Medicare 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. 37 actions.

  1. Dec 10, 2021Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 117-71.
  2. Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  3. FloorFloor · Presented to President.
  4. FloorFloor · Message on Senate action sent to the House.
  5. Dec 9, 2021Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to the House amendment to S. 610 by Yea-Nay Vote. 59 - 35. Record Vote Number: 491.Senate roll call 491
  6. FloorFloor · Motion by Senator Schumer to concur in the House amendment to S. 610 with an amendment (SA 4871) withdrawn in Senate by Unanimous Consent.
  7. FloorFloor · Motion by Senator Schumer to refer to Senate Committee on Finance the House message to accompany S. 610 with instructions to report back forthwith with the following amendment (SA 4873) fell when cloture invoked on the motion to concur in the House amendment to S. 610 in Senate.
  8. FloorFloor · Cloture on the motion to concur in the House amendment to S. 610 invoked in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 64 - 36. Record Vote Number: 490. (CR S9057)Senate roll call 490
  9. FloorFloor · Considered by Senate (Message from the House considered).
  10. OtherOther · Resolving differences -- Senate actions: Senate agreed to the House amendment to S. 610 by Yea-Nay Vote. 59 - 35. Record Vote Number: 491.Senate roll call 491
  11. Dec 7, 2021FloorFloor · Motion by Senator Schumer to refer to Senate Committee on Finance the House message to accompany S. 610 with instructions to report back forthwith with the following amendment (SA 4873) made in Senate. (CR S8956)
  12. FloorFloor · Motion by Senator Schumer to concur in the House amendment to S. 610 with an amendment (SA 4871) made in Senate. (CR S8956)
  13. FloorFloor · Cloture motion on the motion to concur in the House amendment to S. 610 presented in Senate.
  14. FloorFloor · Motion by Senator Schumer to concur in the House amendment to S. 610 made in Senate. (CR S8956)
  15. FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
  16. FloorFloor · Message on House action received in Senate and at desk: House amendment to Senate bill.
  17. FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  18. FloorFloor · On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 222 - 212 (Roll no. 404).House roll call 404
  19. FloorFloor · Considered as unfinished business.
  20. FloorFloor · POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on S. 610, the Chair put the question on passage of S. 610 and by voice vote, announced that the ayes had prevailed. Mr. Brady demanded the yeas and nays and the Chair postponed further proceedings on on S. 610 until a time to …
  21. FloorFloor · The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.
  22. FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House proceeded with one hour of debate on S. 610.
  23. FloorFloor · Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 5314, S. 1605 and S. 610 with 1 hour of general debate. Previous question shall be considered as ordered without intervening motions except motion to recommit. Measure will be considered read. Specified amendments are in order. Rule makes …
  24. FloorFloor · Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 838.
  25. FloorFloor · Rule H. Res. 838 passed House.
  26. FloorFloor · Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 838 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 5314, S. 1605 and S. 610 with 1 hour of general debate. Previous question shall be considered as ordered without intervening motions except motion to recommit. Measure will be consi…
  27. Aug 10, 2021FloorFloor · Held at the desk.
  28. FloorFloor · Received in the House.
  29. Aug 9, 2021FloorFloor · Message on Senate action sent to the House.
  30. Aug 6, 2021FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Voice Vote.
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

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

Where each amendment ended up

  • S.Amdt. 4885SenateSen. Bill HagertyR-TN· offered Dec 9, 2021No vote recorded

    Dec 9, 2021: Senate amendment submitted

    Offered, no vote recorded

  • S.Amdt. 4878SenateSen. Josh HawleyR-MO· offered Dec 8, 2021No vote recorded

    Dec 8, 2021: Senate amendment submitted

    Offered, no vote recorded

  • S.Amdt. 4877SenateSen. Lindsey GrahamR-SC· offered Dec 8, 2021No vote recorded

    Dec 8, 2021: Senate amendment submitted

    Offered, no vote recorded

  • S.Amdt. 4876SenateSen. Maggie HassanD-NH· offered Dec 8, 2021No vote recorded

    Dec 8, 2021: Senate amendment submitted

    Offered, no vote recorded

  • S.Amdt. 4875SenateSen. Chuck SchumerD-NY· offered Dec 7, 2021Fell

    To modify the effective date.

    Dec 9, 2021: SA 4875 fell when SA 4874 fell.

    Fell

  • S.Amdt. 4874SenateSen. Chuck SchumerD-NY· offered Dec 7, 2021Fell

    To modify the effective date.

    Dec 9, 2021: SA 4874 fell when SA 4873 fell.

    Fell

  • S.Amdt. 4873SenateSen. Chuck SchumerD-NY· offered Dec 7, 2021Fell

    To add an effective date.

    Dec 9, 2021: SA 4873 (the instructions of the motion to refer) fell when cloture invoked on the motion to concur in the House amendment to S. 610.

    Fell

  • S.Amdt. 4872SenateSen. Chuck SchumerD-NY· offered Dec 7, 2021Fell

    To modify the effective date.

    Dec 9, 2021: SA 4872 fell when SA 4871 withdrawn.

    Fell

  • S.Amdt. 4871SenateSen. Chuck SchumerD-NY· offered Dec 7, 2021Withdrawn

    To add an effective date.

    Dec 9, 2021: Proposed amendment SA 4871 withdrawn in Senate.

    Withdrawn

  • S.Amdt. 2622SenateSen. Patty MurrayD-WA· offered Aug 5, 2021Agreed to

    To improve the bill with respect to review of program effectiveness.

    Aug 6, 2021: Amendment SA 2622 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.

    Agreed to

  • H.Amdt. 143HouseRules Committee· offered Dec 7, 2021Agreed to

    Dec 7, 2021: On agreeing to the Rules amendment (A001) Agreed to without objection.

    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.