Tops in THOMAS at the August Recess of the 112th Congress

It’s that time of year again when Congress steps away from the heat and humidity of Washington during August for a short recess.  Last year at this time we completed a revamp of THOMAS before welcoming Congress back.

It seems like the perfect time to provide an update on the legislative items that have been the most popular since the 112th Congress began in January.  Back in April, I mentioned that of the top twenty at that time eight were from the 112th Congress, several related to health care, and most became public laws.

Now, a few months later, twelve of the top twenty are from the 112th Congress, crowding out a few items from the previous Congress.

1. H.R. 1 [112th]: Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2011 – Latest Major Action: Passed House, returned to the Senate Calendar
2. H.R. 1473 [112th]: Department of Defense and Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2011 – Latest Major Action: Became Public Law No: 112-10 [GPO: Text, PDF]
3. H.R. 3590 [111th]: Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act – Latest Major Action: Became Public Law No: 111-148 [GPO: Text, PDF]
4. H.R. 1363 [112th]: Further Additional Continuing Appropriations Amendments, 2011 – Latest Major Action: Became Public Law No: 112-8 [GPO: Text, PDF]
5. H.R. 4173 [111th]: Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act – Latest Major Action: Became Public Law No: 111-203 [GPO: Text, PDF]
6. S. 627 [112th]: Budget Control Act of 2011 – Latest Major Action: Passed House
7. H.R. 3 [112th]: No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act – Latest Major Action: Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 40.
8. H.R. 1540 [112th]: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 – Latest Major Action: Passed House, read twice in Senate, and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
9. H.R. 2 [112th]: Repealing the Job-Killing Health Care Law Act – Latest Major Action: Passed House, read twice in the Senate
10. H.R. 3082 [111th]: Continuing Appropriations and Surface Transportation Extensions Act, 2011 – Latest Major Action: Became Public Law No: 111-322 [GPO: Text, PDF]
11. H.R. 3200 [111th]: America’s Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009 – Latest Major Action: 10/14/2009 Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 168 (note: H.R. 3590 became the primary health care bill during the 111th Congress, and this bill died when the 111th Congress ended)
12. H.R. 2560 [112th]: Cut, Cap, and Balance Act of 2011– Latest Major Action: Passed House, Motion to table the motion to proceed to the bill agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 51 – 46.
13. H.R. 4853 [111th]:  Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010 – Latest Major Action: Became Public Law No: 111-312 [GPO: Text, PDF]
14. S. 223 [112th]: FAA Air Transportation Modernization and Safety Improvement Act – Latest Major Action: Passed Senate with amendments by Yea-Nay Vote. 87 – 8.
15. H.R. 4646 [111th]: Debt Free America Act – Latest Major Action: 2/23/2010 Referred to House Committee on Ways and Means, in addition to the Committees on the Budget, Rules, and Appropriations
16. H.R. 1380 [112th]: New Alternative Transportation to Give Americans Solutions Act of 2011 – Latest Major Action: 4/6/2011 Referred to House Subcommittee on Energy and Power.
17. H.R. 4 [112th]: Comprehensive 1099 Taxpayer Protection and Repayment of Exchange Subsidy Overpayments Act of 2011 – Latest Major Action: Became Public Law No: 112-9 [GPO: Text, PDF]
18. H.R. 4872 [111th]: Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 – Latest Major Action: Became Public Law No: 111-152 [GPO: Text, PDF]
19. H.R. 25 [112th]: Fair Tax Act of 2011 – Latest Major Action: 1/5/2011 Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means
20. H.R. 1 [111th]: American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 – Latest Major Action: Became Public Law No: 111-5 [GPO: Text, PDF]

There were eight items that were in the top twenty in April that dropped out: H.R. 514 [112th]: FISA Sunsets Extension Act of 2011, H.R. 6523 [111th]: Ike Skelton National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2011, S. 1435 [111th]: Human-Animal Hybrid Prohibition Act of 2009, H.R. 2751 [111th]: FDA Food Safety Modernization Act, H.R. 3081 [111th]: Continuing Appropriations Act, 2011, H.R. 662 [112th]: Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2011, H.R. 3962 [111th]: Preservation of Access to Care for Medicare Beneficiaries and Pension Relief Act of 2010, and H.R. 658 [112th]: FAA Air Transportation Modernization and Safety Improvement Act.

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