RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:
The 113th Congress has officially come to a close. The Senate adjourned late last night after passing a bill to extend tax breaks and confirming a slew of nominations. NPR's Ailsa Chang reports.
AILSA CHANG, BYLINE: The last night of the 113th Congress was exceedingly anti-climactic given the drama of the spending bill fight the week before.
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SENATOR HARRY REID: Senate will be in order.
CHANG: The Senate spent its last hours approving a bill that resuscitates tax breaks that had expired at the end of last year. And Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid saw to it that 12 more federal judges were confirmed.
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REID: This will be the last vote of this Congress.
CHANG: But the Senate never got around to extending a federal terrorism insurance program that expires this month. The new Republican-controlled House and Senate will have to decide whether to revisit that legislation when lawmakers return on January 6. Ailsa Chang, NPR News, Washington. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
