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Health Care for All
Health care is a human right, NOT a privilege. The United States must do what’s right and follow the lead of every other advanced industrial nation in guaranteeing health care for every American. We must also provide the full range of necessary health care services in a culturally competent way. This includes addressing inequities within underserved and neglected communities, protecting women’s health care rights, and treating mental health care with parity.

Every person in this country should have quality, affordable health care whether they are rich or poor, whether they are Black or brown, or white or Asian American or Native American. Every zip code. Urban, suburban, or rural, it doesn’t matter. Every person in this country – EVERYONE – should have health care

I am no stranger to single payer. Unlike others, I didn’t discover single payer late in my political life. I almost didn’t enter this world because my mother was denied access to quality care and almost died while giving birth. When I was a young mother, myself, I lived in England and experienced firsthand the care they afforded to every citizen. I was amazed.

I brought those experiences with me to the California State Legislature. As an Assemblymember, I fully supported the single payer initiative Proposition 186 in 1994. If passed, Prop. 186 would have introduced a state administered program to provide every Californian with health coverage. In the Senate, I partnered with Senator Nick Petris to co-author SB 36 which would have created a payroll tax system giving all Californians – not just employees or employers – access to a universal health care system. And before leaving the State Senate, I championed SB 480, which mandated a state-sponsored study of ways to achieve universal healthcare.

As a psychiatric social worker with years of experience working in our communities, I didn’t need to be told the harm done to those who couldn’t afford a doctor’s visit or to buy their medications. People don’t just need quality health care, they need reliable health care, too. And you shouldn’t lose your health coverage just because you lose your job.

I have supported every expansion of health care access and coverage in the Congress since I was first elected in 1998. That includes the Affordable Care Act. But let me tell you why a single payer plan is the superior option and, in the long term, the only option. We NEED single payer because in order to afford extending health coverage to every person in the country, we need to cut out all the expensive waste and bureaucracy the private health insurance companies create. When everyone is in the same insurance system, we can eliminate the two-tier health care system we see in far too many of our marginalized communities.

And with a single health insurer, we will finally be able to help bring down costs in areas like prescription drug coverage. You really cannot talk about reforming health care without taking on the outrageously high cost of prescription drugs. We have made some progress with the Inflation Reduction Act, but people continue getting gouged by big drug companies. People still cannot get their prescriptions filled due to cost.And people still cut their pills in half to get by.

As a Senator, I will push to require that we negotiate the cost of every drug that is sold – ALL of them, not just a few – and that we make those lower prices available to all consumers, whether they are insured through a government program or not.

If we ensure every person has health coverage, then we need to ensure there are enough doctors and other health care professionals to serve the needs of the people. I have worked hard in Congress to increase the number of doctors, nurses, and other health care professionals trained every year. I support expanding the National Health Service Corps to provide assistance to future doctors who agree to provide care in underserved areas. I also support every effort to expand the number of slots at medical schools, nursing schools, and other training programs for health care professions.

As we make these expansions, it’s critically important to increase the number of doctors and psychiatrists who come from the same communities as those they serve. This is one of the ways we’ll be able to reduce the unconscionable health disparities we have in this country. That’s why I introduced the National Medical Corps Act. This bill would create federally-funded pathways for students from economically and educationally disadvantaged backgrounds to prepare for and attend medical school. As California’s next Senator, I will be in an even better position to advance this important legislation.

I also want to speak about an element of health care that is still inaccessible to too many – mental health care. When I was a graduate student, I founded a community based mental health clinic called the Community Health Alliance for Neighborhood Growth and Education (CHANGE.) We have to treat mental health issues like any other health issue. It’s time to get beyond the stigma. It’s time to get beyond insurance companies refusing to pay for mental health services. It’s time the mental health services that people need are available to them in their communities.

Finally, I want to address the Republican war on women. Protecting and funding women’s health care is THE central pillar of a progressive health care reform agenda. For too long, Republicans have held women hostage to the GOP’s cultural agenda. With Roe v Wade being overturned, we have to re-double our efforts to fund women’s health, to remove federal restrictions of women making the right choices for themselves and their families, and codifying a federal right to reproductive health care. Women don’t need Ted Cruz, Lindsay Graham or Republican state governments making their choices for them. In the U.S. Senate, I will continue fighting to protect and expand women’s health care. This issue is personal to me. And let me put the Republicans on notice: OUR rights are non-negotiable.

Commitment to Health Care for Everyone
Five Key Points

1. Medicare for All – we need a single payer health insurance system with no copayments and no deductibles.
2. Lowering the Cost of Prescription Drugs – we need to take on the greed and price gouging of the drug companies. People in the United States should not be paying more for the same medicines as do people in other countries.
3. Women’s Health Care – we need to increase access to the full range of reproductive health care and enact a federal right to abortion care. We cannot let politicians be America’s health care decision makers.
4. Mental Health Care – we need to ensure that there are health care resources available in every community and that people are not dissuaded from getting needed care because of cost or social stigma.
5. Expanding and Diversifying the Health Professions – we need to expand the number of doctors, nurses and other health professionals who are trained each year. We need to engage with undergraduate colleges, including community colleges, and medical/health professional schools to create federally-funded pathways for students from economically and educationally disadvantaged backgrounds to become doctors and health care professionals.

Climate Action
We MUST demand environmental justice for EVERYONE. That’s why combating climate change and ensuring opportunities for neglected communities in this fight has been so central to my work as a legislator and an activist.

The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released its final warning last March: The world is likely to surpass its most ambitious climate target — limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, or 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit, above pre-industrial temperatures — by the early 2030s.

If we don’t move now and address the climate crisis, we will condemn our planet and its inhabitants to a death sentence. We’ve already seen its effects: worsening floods, devastating droughts, millions of acres on fire, reduced agricultural yields, and entire communities destroyed by natural disasters. This often disproportionately hurts poor people and communities of color the most. These phenomena will bring food insecurity, breakdown in services, displaced communities, global conflicts, and render whole regions of our world uninhabitable.

Simply put, we must rapidly transition away from dirty fuels NOW or face dire consequences.

Our solutions must match the scale of the crisis. I have a proven track record, both in Congress and the California State Legislature, of standing in strong opposition to taxpayer-funded giveaways to Big Oil and other major polluters, while also advocating for increased investments in clean, renewable energy technologies.

As my late colleague and friend Congressman Donald McEachin often said, access to clean air, clean water, and a healthy environment should not be a luxury. That’s why we renamed theA. Donald McEachin Environmental Justice for All Act in his honor when we reintroduced it earlier this year. I am proud to take up the fight as the new co-lead of this transformative bill and will not stop until we achieve environmental justice for all—no matter where you live, what you look like, or how much you make.

The Green New Deal, which I also co-sponsored, has three core components: jobs, justice, and climate. That’s why I’m proud to stand with other progressive Members of Congress in support of it and its provisions. I have long been a fighter to ensure that good-paying union jobs created by the growing green energy sector are open to all, especially people of color, women, and military veterans.

We can’t stop there, either. We must also do a better job protecting endangered animals and preserving and increasing public access to our national parks and public lands. We must be better stewards of our environment for the sake of all those who call our planet home.

I grew up by the El Paso smelter. My neighbors & family were exposed to chemicals from the plant and Black & Brown people were disproportionately affected. I’ve seen what happens when polluters are allowed to spew toxins into the air and water. We must put People Over Polluters!

There’s no denying the climate crisis is here and that the threat to the safety and economic security of our communities is growing by the day. In order to ensure a healthy and safe future for our children and grandchildren,we must invest in bold policies that address the climate emergency head on, especially in communities of color and other low-income communities that have experienced generations of environmental injustice.

Commitment to Invest in the Health of Our Communities
Congresswoman Barbara Lee was an original co-sponsor of the Green New Deal resolution (GND) and reintroduced theA. Donald McEachin Environmental Justice For All Act with colleagues from both the House and Senate.

When passed, the Environmental Justice for All Act will fundamentally change how pollution is regulated, how regulations are enforced, and how communities can participate in the regulatory decision making process. EJ for All isn’t just historic for what it does, but for how it came together, as well. In order to craft this legislation, Congresswoman Lee and her colleagues invested in a multi-year process, building it around the lived experiences of frontline communities who are at the highest risk of developing short and long term medical conditions.

The most recent Green New Deal resolution envisions a 10-year national mobilization, akin to FDR’s New Deal, that would put millions of Americans, many from underserved and at-risk communities, to work in good-paying, union jobs repairing the nation’s infrastructure, reducing air and water pollution, and fighting the intertwined economic, social, racial, and climate crises crippling the country.

In the four years since the Green New Deal was first introduced, Congresswoman Lee has joined her colleagues in introducing or co-sponsoring dozens of pieces of legislation, across multiple sectors of the economy, to build on the principles from the resolution. This includes The Green New Deal for Cities and the Civilian Climate Corps, recently taken up by President Biden.

This past April, Congresswoman Lee joined colleagues from both chambers in introducing a Green New Deal Implementation Guide and in September, Congresswoman Lee co-sponsored legislation to invest $1.6 trillion to transform the U.S. public school system, creating 1.3 million jobs and eliminating 78 million metric tons of carbon emissions over ten years.

Congresswoman Lee also serves as the Congressional Representative of the U.S. to the UN General Assembly (UNGA) which oversees the Green Climate Fund (GCF) – a critical element of the historic Paris Agreement, the international treaty on climate change. The CGF is the world’s largest climate fund and is mandated to support developing countries raise and realize their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) ambitions towards low-emissions, climate-resilient pathways.

Congresswoman Lee is the current Ranking Member and former Chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs. In this capacity, Congresswoman Lee negotiated unprecedented investments worth billions in the GCF. In November, Congresswoman Lee attended the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) 27th Conference of the Parties (COP27) in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt. The delegation conveyed the commitment of the United States Congress to continuing the robust progress made to tackle the climate crisis under the leadership of President Biden.

Taking on the Fossil Fuel Industry
As a progressive, Barbara Lee has led the charge on cracking down on tax cheats and making sure the largest corporations pay their fair share. Congresswoman Lee will not stop fighting for justice and equity and will block any attempts to roll back the hard earned and historic gains made to protect our climate and the responsible stewardship of our natural resources.

While climate experts praised the Inflation Reduction Act passed by Congress last year for focusing on emissions, clean energy, and environmental justice, they also cautioned that much work remains. Our progress is threatened as Republicans attempt to use their majority in the House to give handouts to billionaires and the fossil fuel industry.

That’s why Congresswoman Lee strongly opposes any rollbacks to California Senate Bill 1137 – a bill signed into law in September 2022 that keeps new oil wells 3,200 feet away from homes, schools, and parks – and urges a “yes” vote on the California Oil and Gas Well Regulations Referendum, that will appear on the ballot in November 2024.

If we don’t act NOW, it will only get WORSE. We must END fossil fuels. DECLARE a climate emergency. SAVE our planet.

KEY LEGISLATION INTRODUCED / LED

• H.R.1705 (118th Congress): The A. Donald McEachin Environmental Justice for All Act (co-lead) – establishes several environmental justice requirements, advisory bodies, and programs to address the disproportionate adverse human health or environmental effects of federal laws or programs on communities of color, low-income communities, or tribal and indigenous communities.
• H.Res.29 (118th Congress): Resolution Supporting Teaching Climate Change in Schools (sponsor) – supports teaching climate change in schools and programs to increase public knowledge of the impacts that humans have on the climate.
• H.Res.532 (118th Congress): Third Reconstruction: Fully Addressing Poverty (sponsor) – calls to center the needs of low-wealth people around moral laws and policies. The resolution aims to dismantle the systems that have perpetuated poverty and promotes environmental justice.
• H.R.260 (117th Congress): Women and Climate Change Act (sponsor) – requires the Department of State to create and implement a strategy to prevent and respond to the effects of climate change on women.
  • The FY23 SFOPS Act imposed a requirement that the State Department develop and implement this strategy.
• H.Res.767 (117th Congress): Expressing Duty of DOD to Reduce Environmental Impact (sponsor) – expresses that it is the duty of the Department of Defense (DOD) to reduce the overall environmental impact of military activities and to monitor and report greenhouse gas emissions from all its operations.

KEY LEGISLATION SUPPORTED

• H.R.3302 (118th Congress): Protecting Moms and Babies Against Climate Change Act – creates a federal grant program to invest in community-based efforts to mitigate exposure to extreme heat, air pollution and other climate change risks that pose a threat to vulnerable pregnant and postpartum people and their infants.
• H.R.1444 (118th Congress): Preparing Superfund for Climate Change Act of 2023 – requires the consideration of factors related to climate change when selecting remedial actions for the cleanup of Superfund sites (sites contaminated with hazardous substances).
• H.R.1729 (118th Congress): Water Affordability, Transparency, Equity, and Reliability Act – takes steps to remove contaminants from water, directs grants to low-income communities to prevent water shutoffs due to unaffordable bills, and invests $35 billion into an annual trust fund for water and sewer infrastructure modernization.
• H.R.3468 (118th Congress): EVs for All Act of 2023 – covers various expenses associated with EV adoption, including the cost of purchasing EVs, installing and maintaining charging infrastructure, community education and outreach initiatives, subsidized fares, maintenance and repairs, monitoring and data collection.
• H.Con.Res.56 (118th Congress) – Recognizing that the climate crisis disproportionately affects the health, economic opportunity, and fundamental rights of children, expressing the sense that leadership by the United States is still urgently needed to address the climate crisis.
• H.R.5376 (117th Congress): Inflation Reduction Act – makes the single largest investment in fighting climate change in history by investing in clean energy technologies, putting the U.S. on a path to reducing carbon pollution by 40% by 2030.
• H.R.2238 (117th Congress): Break Free from Plastic Pollution Act – sets forth requirements and incentives to reduce the production of a variety of products and materials, including plastics, and increase efforts to collect, recycle, or compost products and materials.^[17]

Key votes: 117th Congress, 2021-2023

The117th United States Congress began on January 3, 2021 and ended on January 3, 2023. At the start of the session, Democrats held the majority in theU.S. House of Representatives (222-213), and theU.S. Senate had a 50-50 makeup. Democrats assumed control of the Senate on January 20, 2021, when PresidentJoe Biden (D) and Vice PresidentKamala Harris (D), who acted as a tie-breaking vote in the chamber, assumed office. We identified the key votes below usingCongress' top-viewed bills list and through marquee coverage of certain votes on Ballotpedia.

Key votes: 117th Congress, 2021-2023
Vote	Bill and description	Status
Yea	Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act   TheInfrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (H.R. 3684) was a federal infrastructure bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on November 15, 2021. Among other provisions, the bill provided funding for new infrastructure projects and reauthorizations, Amtrak maintenance and development, bridge repair, replacement, and rehabilitation, clean drinking water, high-speed internet, and clean energy transmission and power infrastructure upgrades. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House.[85]Click here to read more.	Passed (228-206)
Yea	American Rescue Plan Act of 2021   TheAmerican Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (H.R. 1319) was a bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on March 11, 2021, to provide economic relief in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Key features of the bill included funding for a national vaccination program and response, funding to safely reopen schools, distribution of $1,400 per person in relief payments, and extended unemployment benefits. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House.[86]Click here to read more.	Passed (220-210)
Yea	Inflation Reduction Act of 2022   TheInflation Reduction Act of 2022 (H.R. 5376) was a bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on August 16, 2022, to address climate change, healthcare costs, and tax enforcement. Key features of the bill included a $369 billion investment to address energy security and climate change, an extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies, allowing Medicare to negotiate certain drug prices, a 15% corporate minimum tax, a 1% stock buyback fee, and enhanced Internal Revenue Service (IRS) enforcement, and an estimated $300 billion deficit reduction from 2022-2031. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House.[87]Click here to read more.	Passed (220-207)
Yea	Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act   The Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act (H.R. 3617) was a bill approved by the House of Representatives that sought to decriminalize marijuana, establish studies of legal marijuana sales, tax marijuana imports and production, and establish a process to expunge and review federal marijuana offenses. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House.[88]	Passed (220-204)
Yea	For the People Act of 2021   TheFor the People Act of 2021 (H.R. 1) was a federal election law and government ethics bill approved by the House of Representatives. The Congressional Research Service said the bill would "expand voter registration (e.g., automatic and same-day registration) and voting access (e.g., vote-by-mail and early voting). It [would also limit] removing voters from voter rolls. ... Further, the bill [would address] campaign finance, including by expanding the prohibition on campaign spending by foreign nationals, requiring additional disclosure of campaign-related fundraising and spending, requiring additional disclaimers regarding certain political advertising, and establishing an alternative campaign funding system for certain federal offices." The bill required a simple majority vote in the House.[89]Click here to read more.	Passed (220-210)
Yea	Assault Weapons Ban of 2022   The Assault Weapons Ban of 2022 (H.R. 1808) was a bill passed by the House of Representatives that sought to criminalize the knowing import, sale, manufacture, transfer, or possession of semiautomatic assault weapons (SAW) or large capacity ammunition feeding devices (LCAFD). The bill made exemptions for grandfathered SAWs and LCAFDs. It required a simple majority vote in the House.[90]	Passed (217-213)
Nay	National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022   The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 (S. 1605) was a bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on December 27, 2021, authorizingDepartment of Defense acitivities and programs for fiscal year 2022. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House.[91]	Passed (363-70)
Nay	James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023   The James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (H.R. 7776) was a bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on December 23, 2022, authorizing Department of Defense activities and programs for fiscal year 2023. The bill required a 2/3 majority in the House to suspend rules and pass the bill as amended.[92]	Passed (350-80)
Yea	American Dream and Promise Act of 2021   The American Dream and Promise Act of 2021 (H.R. 6) was an immigration bill approved by the House of Representatives that proposed a path to permanent residence status for unauthorized immigrants eligible for Temporary Protected Status or Deferred Enforced Departure, among other immigration-related proposals. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House.[93]	Passed (228-197)
Yea	Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act of 2022   The Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act of 2022 (S. 3373) was a bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on August 10, 2022, that sought to address healthcare access, the presumption of service-connection, and research, resources, and other matters related to veterans who were exposed to toxic substances during military service. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House.[94]	Passed (342-88)
Yea	Chips and Science Act   The Chips and Science Act (H.R. 4346) was a bill approved by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on August 9, 2022, which sought to fund domestic production of semiconductors and authorized various federal science agency programs and activities. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House.[95]	Passed (243-187)
Yea	Women’s Health Protection Act of 2021   The Women's Health Protection Act of 2021 (H.R. 3755) was a bill passed by the House of Representatives. The bill proposed prohibiting governmental restrictions on the provision of and access to abortion services and prohibiting governments from issuing some other abortion-related restrictions. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House.[96]	Passed (218-211)
Yea	SAFE Banking Act of 2021   The SAFE Banking Act of 2021 (H.R. 1996) was a bill passed by the House of Representatives that proposed prohibiting federal regulators from penalizing banks for providing services to legitimate cannabis-related businesses and defining proceeds from such transactions as not being proceeds from unlawful activity, among other related proposals. Since the House moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill in an expedited process, it required a two-thirds majority vote in the House.[97]	Passed (321-101)
Yea	Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022   The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022 (H.R. 2471) was a bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on March 15, 2022, providing for the funding of federal agencies for the remainder of 2022, providing funding for activities related to Ukraine, and modifying or establishing various programs. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House.[98]	Passed (260-171)
Yea	Equality Act   The Equality Act (H.R. 5) was a bill approved by the House of Representatives that proposed prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity in areas including public accommodations and facilities, education, federal funding, employment, housing, credit, and the jury system, among other related proposals. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House.[99]	Passed (224-206)
Yea	Respect for Marriage Act   TheRespect for Marriage Act (H.R. 8404) was a bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on December 13, 2022. The bill codified the recognition of marriages between individuals of the same sex and of different races, ethnicities, or national origins, and provided that the law would not impact religious liberty or conscience protections, or provide grounds to compel nonprofit religious organizations to recognize same-sex marriages. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House.[100]Click here to read more.	Passed (258-169)
Yea	Continuing Appropriations and Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2023   The Continuing Appropriations and Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2023 (H.R. 6833) was a bill approved by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on September 30, 2022. It provided for some fiscal year 2023 appropriations, supplemental funds for Ukraine, and extended several other programs and authorities. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House.[101]	Passed (230-201)
Yea	Consumer Fuel Price Gouging Prevention Act   The Consumer Fuel Price Gouging Prevention Act (H.R. 7688) was a bill approved by the House of Representatives that sought to prohibit individuals from selling consumer fuels at excessive prices during a proclaimed energy emergency. It would have also required the Federal Trade Commission to investigate whether the price of gasoline was being manipulated. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House.[102]	Passed (217-207)
Yea	Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2021   The Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2021 (H.R. 8) was a bill approved by the House of Representatives that sought to prohibit the transfer of firearms between private parties unless a licensed firearm vendor conducted a background check on the recipient. The bill also provided for certain exceptions to this requirement. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House.[103]	Passed (227-203)
Yea	Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act   TheFreedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act was a federal elections bill approved by the House of Representatives and voted down by the Senate in a failed cloture vote that sought to, among other provisions, make Election Day a public holiday, allow for same-day voter registration, establish minimum early voting periods, and allow absentee voting for any reason, restrict the removal of local election administrators in federal elections, regulate congressional redistricting, expand campaign finance disclosure rules for some organizations, and amend the Voting Rights Act to require some states to obtain clearance from the U.S. Department of Justice before implementing new election laws. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House.[104]Click here to read more.	Passed (220-203)
Yea	Bipartisan Safer Communities Act   TheBipartisan Safer Communities Act (S. 2938) was a firearm regulation and mental health bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on June 25, 2022. Provisions of the bill included expanding background checks for individuals under the age of 21, providing funding for mental health services, preventing individuals who had been convicted of a domestic violence misdemeanor or felony in dating relationships from purchasing firearms for five years, providing funding for state grants to implement crisis intervention order programs, and providing funding for community-based violence prevention initiatives. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House.[105]Click here to read more.	Passed (234-193)
Yea	Impeaching Donald John Trump, President of the United States, for high crimes and misdemeanors.   This was a resolution before the 117th Congress setting forth anarticle of impeachment saying thatDonald Trump (R) incited an insurrection against the government of the United States on January 6, 2021. The House of Representatives approved the article of impeachment, and the Senate adjudged that Trump was not guilty of the charges. The article of impeachment required a simple majority vote in the House.[106]Click here to read more.	Passed (232-197)
Yea	Electoral Count Reform and Presidential Transition Improvement Act of 2022   TheElectoral Count Reform and Presidential Transition Improvement Act was a bill passed by the 117th Congress in the form of an amendment to a year-end omnibus funding bill that was signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on December 23, 2022. The bill changed the procedure for counting electoral votes outlined in the Electoral Count Act of 1887. Elements of the bill included specifying that the vice president's role at the joint session of congress to count electoral votes is ministerial, raising the objection threshold at the joint session of congress to count electoral votes to one-fifth of the members of both the House of Representatives and the Senate, identifying governors as the single official responsible for submitting the certificate of ascertainment identifying that state’s electors, and providing for expedited judicial review of certain claims about states' certificates identifying their electors. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House.[107]Click here to read more.	Passed (225-201)

Key votes: 116th Congress, 2019-2021

The116th United States Congress began on January 9, 2019, and ended on January 3, 2021. At the start of the session, Democrats held the majority in theU.S. House of Representatives (235-200), and Republicans held the majority in theU.S. Senate (53-47).Donald Trump (R) was the president andMike Pence (R) was the vice president. We identified the key votes below usingCongress' top-viewed bills list and through marquee coverage of certain votes on Ballotpedia.

Key votes: 116th Congress, 2019-2021
Vote	Bill and description	Status
Yea	Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act of 2020   The Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act of 2020 (H.R. 1044) was a bill passed by the House of Representatives seeking to increase the cap on employment-based visas, establish certain rules governing such visas, and impose some additional requirements on employers hiring holders of such visas. The bill required a two-thirds majority vote in the House to suspend the rules and pass the bill as amended.[108]	Passed (365-65)
Yea	The Heroes Act   The HEROES Act (H.R. 6800) was a bill approved by the House of Representatives that sought to address the COVID-19 outbreak by providing $1,200 payments to individuals, extending and expanding the moratorium on some evictions and foreclosures, outlining requirements and establishing finding for contact tracing and COVID-19 testing, providing emergency supplemental appropriations to federal agencies for fiscal year 2020, and eliminating cost-sharing for COVID-19 treatments. This bill required a simple majority vote in the House.[109]	Passed (208-199)
Yea	For the People Act of 2019   The For the People Act of 2019 (H.R.1) was a bill approved by the House of Representatives that sought to protect election security, revise rules on campaign funding, introduce new provisions related to ethics, establish independent, nonpartisan redistricting commissions, and establish new rules on the release of tax returns for presidential and vice presidential candidates. This bill required a simple majority vote in the House.[110]	Passed (234-193)
Yea	CARES Act   The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act (H.R. 748) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump (R) on March 27, 2020, that expanded benefits through the joint federal-state unemployment insurance program during the coronavirus pandemic. The legislation also included $1,200 payments to certain individuals, funding for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, and funds for businesses, hospitals, and state and local governments. This bill required a two-thirds majority vote in the House.[111]	Passed (419-6)
Yea	Equality Act   The Equality Act (H.R. 5) was a bill approved by the House Representatives that sought to ban discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity by expanding the definition of establishments that fall under public accomodation and prohibiting the denial of access to a shared facility that is in agreement with an indiviual's gender indenitity. This bill required a simple majority vote in the House.[112]	Passed (236-173)
Yea	Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2019   The Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2019 (H.R. 8) was a bill approved by the House that sought to ban firearm transfers between private parties unless a licensed gun dealer, manufacturer, or importer first takes possession of the firearm to conduct a background check. This bill required a simple majority vote in the House.[113]	Passed (240-190)
Yea	American Dream and Promise Act of 2019   The American Dream and Promise Act of 2019 (H.R.6) was a bill approved by the House Representatives that sought to protect certain immigrants from removal proceedings and provide a path to permanent resident status by establishing streamlined procedures for permanant residency and canceling removal proceedings against certain qualifed individuals. This bill required a simple majority vote in the House.[114]	Passed (237-187)
Nay	National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020   The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 (S. 1790) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump (R) on December 20, 2019, setting policies and appropriations for the Department of Defense. Key features of this bill include appropriations for research/development, procurement, military construction, and operation/maintenence, as well as policies for paid family leave, North Korea nuclear sanctions, limiting the use of criminal history in federal hiring and contracting, military housing privatization, and paid family leave for federal personnel. This bill required a simple majority vote in the House.[115]	Passed (377-48)
Yea	Families First Coronavirus Response Act   The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (H.R. 6201) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump (R) on March 18, 2020, addressing the COVID-19 pandemic by increasing access to unemployment benefits and food assistance, increasing funding for Medicaid, providing free testing for COVID-19, and requiring employers to provide paid sick time to employees who cannot work due to COVID-19. The bill required a two-thirds majority vote in the House.[116]	Passed (363-40)
Yea	Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act of 2019   The Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act (H.R. 1994) was a bill passed by the House Representatives that sought to change the requirements for employer provided retirement plans, IRAs, and other tax-favored savings accounts by modfying the requirements for things such as loans, lifetime income options, required minimum distributions, the eligibility rules for certain long-term, part-time employees, and nondiscrimination rules. The bill also sought to treat taxable non-tuition fellowship and stipend payments as compensation for the purpose of an IRA, repeal the maximum age for traditional IRA contributions, increase penalties for failing to file tax returns, allow penalty-free withdrawals from retirement plans if a child is born or adopted, and expand the purposes for which qualified tuition programs may be used. This bill required a simple majority vote in the House.[117]	Passed (417-3)
Yea	Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act   The Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act (H.R. 3) was a bill approved by the House Representatives that sought to address the price of healthcare by requiring the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to negotiate prices for certain drugs, requiring drug manufactures to issue rebates for certain drugs covered under Medicare, requiring drug price transparency from drug manufacturers, expanding Medicare coverage, and providing funds for certain public health programs. This bill required a simple majority vote in the House.[118]	Passed (230-192)
Yea	Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020   The Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020 (H.R. 1865) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump (R) on December 20, 2019, providing appropriations for federal agencies in fiscal year 2020. This bill required a simple majority vote in the House.[119]	Passed (297-120)
Yea	Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act of 2019   The Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act of 2019 (S. 1838) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump (R) on November 27, 2019, directing several federal departments to assess Hong Kong's unique treatment under U.S. law. Key features of the bill include directing the Department of State to report and certify annually to Congress as to whether Hong Kong is sufficiently autonomous from China to justify its unique treatment, and directing the Department of Commerce to report annually to Congress on China's efforts to use Hong Kong to evade U.S. export controls and sanctions. This bill required a two-thirds majority vote in the House.[120]	Passed (417-1)
Yea	MORE Act of 2020   The MORE Act of 2020 (H.R. 3884) was a bill approved by the House of Representatives that sought to decriminalize marijuana by removing marijuana as a scheduled controlled substance and eliminating criminal penalties for an individual who manufactures, distributes, or possesses marijuana. This bill required a simple majority vote from the House.[121]	Passed (228-164)
Yea	Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2020   The Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2020 (H.R. 6074) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump on March 6, 2020, providing emergency funding to federal agencies in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. Key features of the bill include funding for vaccine research, small business loans, humanitarian assistance to affected foreign countries, emergency preparedness, and grants for public health agencies and organizations. This bill required a two-thirds majority vote in the House to suspend the rules and pass the bill.[122]	Passed (415-2)
Yea	Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2019   The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2019 (H.J.Res. 31) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump on February 15, 2019, providing approrations for Fiscal Year 2019. This bill required a simple majority vote in the House.[123]	Passed (300 -128)
Yea	John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act   The John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act (S. 47) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Doanld Trump on March 12, 2019. This bill sought to set provisions for federal land management and conservation by doing things such as conducting land exchanges and conveyances, establishing programs to respond to wildfires, and extending and reauthorizing wildlife conservation programs. This bill required a two-thirds majority vote in the House.[124]	Passed (363-62)
Nay	William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (On passage)   The William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (H.R. 6395) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and vetoed by President Donald Trump on December 23, 2020. Congress voted to override Trump's veto, and the bill became law on January 1, 2021. The bill set Department of Defense policies and appropriations for Fiscal Year 2021. Trump vetoed the bill due to disagreement with provisions related to Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, the renaming of certain military installations, limits on emergency military construction fund usage, and limits on troop withdrawals. This bill required a simple majority vote in the House on passage, and a two-thirds majority vote in the House to override Trump's veto.[125]	Passed (335-78)
Nay	William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (Overcoming veto)   The William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (H.R. 6395) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and vetoed by President Donald Trump on December 23, 2020. Congress voted to override Trump's veto, and the bill became law on January 1, 2021. The bill set Department of Defense policies and appropriations for Fiscal Year 2021. Trump vetoed the bill due to disagreement with provisions related to Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, the renaming of certain military installations, limits on emergency military construction fund usage, and limits on troop withdrawals. This bill required a simple majority vote in the House on passage, and a two-thirds majority vote in the House to override Trump's veto.[126]	Passed (322-87)
Yea	Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019   The Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019 (S.24) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump on January 16, 2019, that requires federal employees who were furloughed or compelled to work during a lapse in government funding to be compensated for that time. The bill also required those employees to be compensated as soon as the lapse in funding ends, irregardless of official pay date. This bill required a two-thirds majority vote in the House to suspend the rules and pass the bill.[127]	Passed (411-7)
Yea	Impeaching Donald John Trump, President of the United States, for high crimes and misdemeanors. (Article 1)   The 2020 impeachment of Donald Trump (R) was a resolution before the 116th Congress to set forth two articles of impeachment saying that Trump abused his power and obstructed congress. The first article was related to allegations that Trump requested the Ukrainian government investigate former Vice President Joe Biden (D) and his son, Hunter Biden, in exchange for aid, and the second was related to Trump's response to the impeachment inquiry. The House of Representatives approved both articles of impeachment, and the Senate adjudged that Trump was not guilty of either charge. The articles of impeachment required a simple majority vote in the House.[128]	Guilty (230-197)
Yea	Impeaching Donald John Trump, President of the United States, for high crimes and misdemeanors. (Article 2)   The 2020 impeachment of Donald Trump (R) was a resolution before the 116th Congress to set forth two articles of impeachment saying that Trump abused his power and obstructed congress. The first article was related to allegations that Trump requested the Ukrainian government investigate former Vice President Joe Biden (D) and his son, Hunter Biden, in exchange for aid, and the second was related to Trump's response to the impeachment inquiry. The House of Representatives approved both articles of impeachment, and the Senate adjudged that Trump was not guilty of either charge. The articles of impeachment required a simple majority vote in the House.[129]	Guilty (229-198)

Key votes: 115th Congress, 2017-2018

For detailed information about each vote, clickhere.

• Votes on domestic policy (click to expand)

  VotedYea on: Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018 (Conference report) (HR 2)

   Bill Passed (369-47) on December 12, 2018

  Proposed providing funding for commodity support, conservation, trade and international food aid, nutrition assistance, farm credit, rural development, research and extension activities, forestry, horticulture, and crop insurance through fiscal year 2023.^[130]

  VotedNay on: Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018 (HR 2 (second vote))

   Bill Passed (213-211) on June 21, 2018

  Proposed providing funding for commodity support, conservation, trade and international food aid, nutrition assistance, farm credit, rural development, research and extension activities, forestry, horticulture, and crop insurance. It also proposed modifying the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, previously known as the food stamp program.^[131]

  VotedNay on: Securing America’s Future Act of 2018 (HR 4760)

   Bill Failed (193-231) on June 21, 2018

  Proposed funding a border wall, limiting legal immigration, a mandatory worker verification program, allowing DACA recipients to apply for legal status, and preventing separation of families at the border.^[132]

  VotedYea on: Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018 (HR 2)

   Bill Passed (369-47) on December 12, 2018

  Reauthorizes through FY2023 and modifies some Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs.^[133]

  VotedNay on: Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act (HR 36)

   Bill Passed (237-189) on October 3, 2017

  Proposed amending the federal criminal code to make it a crime for any person to perform or attempt to perform an abortion if the probable post-fertilization age of the fetus was 20 weeks or more. The bill provided exceptions for an abortion: (1) that was necessary to save the life of the pregnant woman, or (2) when the pregnancy was the result of rape or incest.^[134]

  VotedNay on: Kate's Law (HR 3004)

   Bill Passed (257-167) on June 29, 2017

  Proposed increasing criminal penalties for individuals in the country illegally who were convicted of certain crimes, deported, and then re-entered the U.S. illegally.^[135]

  VotedNay on: No Sanctuary for Criminals Act (HR 3003)

   Bill Passed (228-195) on June 29, 2017

  Proposed withholding federal funds from states and localities that chose not to follow federal immigration laws.^[136]

  VotedNay on: American Health Care Act of 2017 (HR 1628)

   Bill passed (217-213) on May 4, 2017

  Proposed modifying the budgetary and fiscal provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare.^[137]

• Votes on economic affairs and regulations (click to expand)

  VotedYea on: Department of Defense and Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Act, 2019 (Conference report) (HR 6157)

   Bill Passed (361-61) on September 26, 2018

  Proposed authorizing FY2019 appropriations and policies for the Departments of Defense, Health and Human Services (HHS), Labor, and Education.^[138]

  VotedYea on: Energy and Water, Legislative Branch, and Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act, 2019 (Conference report) (HR 5895)

   Bill Passed (377-20) on September 13, 2018

  Proposed authorizing FY2019 appropriations and policies for the Department of Energy, water resources, the legislative branch, military construction, and the Department of Veterans Affairs, among other programs.^[139]

  VotedNay on: Department of Defense and Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Act, 2019 (HR 6157)

   Bill Passed (359-49) on June 28, 2018

  Proposed authorizing FY2019 appropriations and policies for the Departments of Defense, Health and Human Services (HHS), Labor, and Education.^[140]

  VotedNay on: Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2019 (HR 5895)

   Bill Passed (235-179) on June 8, 2018

  Proposed authorizing FY2019 appropriations and policies for the Department of Energy, water resources, the legislative branch, military construction, and the Department of Veterans Affairs, among other programs.^[141]

  VotedNay on: Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act (S 2155)

   Bill Passed (258-159) on May 22, 2018

  Proposed exempting some banks from the Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act^[142]

  VotedNay on: Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 (HR 1625)

   Bill Passed (256-167) on March 22, 2018

  Proposed providing appropriations for fiscal year 2018, and for other purposes.^[143]

  VotedNay on: The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 (HR 1892)

   Bill Passed (240-186) on February 9, 2018

  Proposed providing appropriations through March 23, 2018.^[144]

  VotedNay on: Further Extension Of Continuing Appropriations Act, 2018 (HR 1892)

   Bill Passed (245-182) on February 6, 2018

  Proposed providing appropriations through March 23, 2018.^[145]

  VotedNay on: Making further continuing appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2018, and for other purposes. (HR 195)

   Bill Passed (266-150) on January 22, 2018

  Proposed providing further continuing appropriations through February 8, 2018.^[146]

  VotedNay on: Making further continuing appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2018, and for other purposes. (HR 195)

   Bill Passed (230-197) on January 18, 2018

  Proposed providing further continuing appropriations through February 16, 2018.^[147]

  VotedNay on: Further Additional Continuing Appropriations Act, 2018 (HR 1370)

   Bill Passed (231-188) on December 21, 2017

  Proposed providing further continuing appropriations through January 19, 2018.^[148]

  VotedNay on: Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (HR 1)

   Bill Passed (227-203) on December 19, 2017

  Proposed providing for reconciliation pursuant to titles II and V of the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2018.^[149]

  VotedNay on: Making further continuing appropriations for fiscal year 2018, and for other purposes (HJ Res 123)

   Bill Passed (235-193) on December 7, 2017

  Proposed funding the government until December 22, 2017.^[150]

  VotedNay on: Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (HR 1)

   Bill Passed (227-205) on November 16, 2017

  Proposed amending the Internal Revenue Code to reduce tax rates and modify policies, credits, and deductions for individuals and businesses.^[151]

  VotedNay on: Establishing the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2018 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2019 through 2027. (H Con Res 71)

   Bill Passed (216-212) on October 26, 2017

  Proposed establishing the congressional budget for the federal government for FY2018 and setting forth budgetary levels for FY2019-FY2027. (This bill proposed adopting the Senate's budget resolution.)^[152]

  VotedNay on: Establishing the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2018 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2019 through 2027. (H Con Res 71)

   Bill Passed (219-206) on October 5, 2017

  Proposed establishing the congressional budget for the federal government for FY2018 and setting forth budgetary levels for FY2019-FY2027.^[153]

  
  

  VotedNay on: Make America Secure and Prosperous Appropriations Act, 2018 (HR 3354)

   Bill Passed (211-198) on September 14, 2017

  Proposed providing FY2018 appropriations for the federal government. It combined 12 appropriations bills.^[154]

  VotedYea on: Disaster Relief Appropriations Act, 2017 (Included amendments to suspend the debt ceiling and fund the government) (HR 601)

   Bill Passed (316-90) on September 8, 2017

  Proposed suspending the debt ceiling and funding the government until December 8, 2017, and providing funding for Hurricanes Harvey and Irma relief efforts.^[155]

  Disaster Relief Appropriations Act, 2017 (HR 601)

   Bill Passed (419-3) on September 6, 2017

  Proposed providing $7.85 billion for disaster relief requirements, including response and recovery efforts from Hurricane Harvey.^[156]

  VotedNay on: Financial CHOICE Act of 2017 (HR 10)

   Bill passed (233-186) on June 8, 2017

  Proposed amending the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, among other acts.^[157]

  VotedYea on: Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2017 (HR 244)

   Bill passed (309-118) on May 3, 2017

  Proposed a $1.2 trillion budget to fund the government through the end of the fiscal year on September 30, 2017.^[158]

• Votes on foreign policy and national security issues (click to expand)

  VotedNay on: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (HR 5515)

   Bill Passed (351-66) on May 24, 2018

  Proposed authorizing FY2019 appropriations and policies for Department of Defense (DOD) programs and activities^[159]

  VotedNay on: Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2018 (HR 695)

   Bill Passed (250-166) on January 30, 2018

  Proposed providing appropriations for military functions administered by the Department of Defense and for other purposes, for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2018.^[160]

  
  

  VotedNay on: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018—Conference report (HR 2810)

   Bill Passed (356-70) on November 14, 2017

  Proposed authorizing FY2018 appropriations and setting forth policies for Department of Defense (DOD) programs and activities, including military personnel strengths.^[161]

  VotedNay on: Make America Secure Appropriations Act, 2018 (HR 3219)

   Bill Passed (235-192) on July 27, 2017

  Proposed making appropriations for defense, military construction, Veterans Affairs, the Legislative Branch, energy and water development, and for other purposes for the fiscal year ending on September 30, 2018.^[162]

  VotedYea on: Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (HR 3364)

   Bill Passed (419-3) on July 25, 2017

  Proposed providing congressional review and measures to counter aggression by the governments of Iran, the Russian Federation, and North Korea, and for other purposes.^[163]

  VotedNay on: Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 (HR 3180, second vote)

   Bill Passed (380-35) on July 28, 2017

  Proposed authorizing appropriations for fiscal year 2018 for intelligence and intelligence-related activities of the United States Government, the Community Management Account, and the Central Intelligence Agency Retirement and Disability System, and for other purposes.^[164]

  VotedNay on: Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 (HR 3180)

   Bill Failed (241-163) on July 24, 2017

  Proposed authorizing appropriations for fiscal year 2018 for intelligence and intelligence-related activities of the United States Government, the Community Management Account, and the Central Intelligence Agency Retirement and Disability System, and for other purposes.^[165]

  VotedNay on: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 (HR 2810)

   Bill Passed (344-81) on July 14, 2017

  Proposed authorizing fiscal year 2018 appropriations and setting forth policies for Department of Defense (DOD) programs and activities, including military personnel strengths. It did not provide budget authority.^[166]

  VotedNay on: Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2017 (HR 1301)

   Bill passed (371-48) on March 8, 2017

  The $577.9 billion fiscal year 2017 defense spending bill proposed $516.1 billion in base budget funding and $61.8 billion for Overseas Contingency Operations/ Global War on Terrorism funding.^[167]

114th Congress

The first session of the114th Congress enacted into law six out of the 2,616 introduced bills (0.2 percent). Comparatively, the113th Congress had 1.3 percent of introduced bills enacted into law in the first session. In the second session, the114th Congress enacted 133 out of 3,159 introduced bills (4.2 percent). Comparatively, the113th Congress had 7.0 percent of introduced bills enacted into law in the second session.^[168][169] For more information pertaining to Lee's voting record in the 114th Congress, please see the below sections.^[170]

Economic and fiscal

Trade Act of 2015

See also:The Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, 2015

Trade adjustment assistance
On June 12, 2015, theHouse rejected thetrade adjustment assistance (TAA) measure inHR 1314—the Trade Act of 2015—by a vote of 126-302.Trade adjustment assistance (TAA) is a federal program providing American workers displaced by foreign trade agreements with job training and services. The measure was packaged withtrade promotion authority (TPA), also known as fast-track authority. TPA is a legislative procedure that allows Congress to define "U.S. negotiating objectives and spells out a detailed oversight and consultation process for during trade negotiations. Under TPA, Congress retains the authority to review and decide whether any proposed U.S. trade agreement will be implemented," according to the Office of the United States Trade Representative. Lee was one of 144 Democrats to vote against the bill.^[171][172]
Trade promotion authority
On June 12, 2015, theHouse passed thetrade promotion authority (TPA) measure inHR 1314—the Trade Act of 2015 —by a vote of 219-211. TPA gives thepresident fast-track authority to negotiate trade agreements sent toCongress without the opportunity for amendment or filibuster. Although the House approved TPA, it was a largely symbolic vote given the measure was part of a package trade bill includingtrade adjustment assistance (TAA), which was rejected earlier the same day. Lee was one of 157Democrats to vote against the measure.^[173][174]
Trade promotion authority second vote
After thetrade adjustment assistance (TAA) andtrade promotion authority (TPA) did not pass theHouse together on June 12, 2015, representatives voted to authorize TPA alone as an amendment toHR 2146—the Defending Public Safety Employees' Retirement Act—on June 18, 2015. The amendment passed by a vote of 218-208, with all voting members of the House maintaining his or her original position on TPA except forTed Yoho (R-Fla.). Lee was one of 158Democrats to vote against the amendment.^[175][176]
Trade adjustment assistance second vote
TheHouse passedHR 1295—the Trade Preferences Extension Act of 2015—on June 25, 2015, by a vote of 286-138. TheSenate packagedtrade adjustment assistance (TAA) in this bill after the House rejected the TAA measure inHR 1314—the Trade Act of 2015. Along withtrade promotion authority (TPA), whichCongress passed as part ofHR 2146—the Defending Public Safety Employees' Retirement Act—TAA became law on June 29, 2015. Lee was one of 175Democrats to vote in favor of HR 1295.^[177][178]

Defense spending authorization

On May 15, 2015, theHouse passedHR 1735—the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016—by a vote of 269-151. The bill "authorizes FY2016 appropriations and sets forth policies for Department of Defense (DOD) programs and activities, including military personnel strengths. It does not provide budget authority, which is provided in subsequent appropriations legislation." Lee voted with 142 otherDemocrats and eightRepublicans against the bill.^[179] The Senate passed the bill on June 18, 2015, by a vote of 71-25. PresidentBarack Obamavetoed the bill on October 22, 2015.^[180]

On November 5, 2015, theHouse passedS 1356—the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016—by a vote of 370-58. The second version of the $607 billion national defense bill included $5 billion in cuts to match what was approved in the budget and language preventing the closure of the Guantanamo Bay military prison.^[181][182] Lee voted with 48 otherDemocrats and nineRepublicans against the bill.^[183] On November 10, 2015, theSenate passed the bill by a vote of 91-3, and PresidentBarack Obama signed it into law on November 25, 2015.^[184]

2016 Budget proposal

On April 30, 2015, theHouse voted to approveSConRes11, a congressional budget proposal for fiscal year 2016, by a vote of 226-197. The non-binding resolution was designed to create 12 appropriations bills to fund the government. All 183Democrats who voted, including Lee, voted against the resolution.^{[185][186][187]}

2015 budget

On October 28, 2015, theHouse passedHR 1314—the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015—by a vote of 266-167. The bill increased military and domestic spending levels and suspended the debt ceiling until March 2017.^[188] Lee voted with 186Democrats and 79Republicans in favor of the bill.^[189] It passed theSenate on October 30, 2015.^[190] PresidentBarack Obama signed it into law on November 2, 2015.

Foreign Affairs

Iran nuclear deal

See also:Iran nuclear agreement, 2015

On May 14, 2015, theHouse approvedHR 1191—the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015—by a vote of 400-25. The bill required PresidentBarack Obama to submit the details of the nuclear deal with Iran for congressional review.Congress had 60 days to review the deal and vote to approve, disapprove, or take no action on the deal. During the review period, sanctions on Iran could not be lifted. Lee voted with 176Democrats to approve the bill.^[191][192]

Approval of Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action
On September 11, 2015, theHouse rejectedHR 3461—To approve the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, signed at Vienna on July 14, 2015, relating to the nuclear program of Iran—by a vote of 162-269. The legislation proposed approvingthe nuclear agreement with Iran. Lee voted with 161Democrats for the bill.^[193][194]

Suspension of Iran sanctions relief
On September 11, 2015, theHouse approvedHR 3460—To suspend until January 21, 2017, the authority of the President to waive, suspend, reduce, provide relief from, or otherwise limit the application of sanctions pursuant to an agreement related to the nuclear program of Iran—by a vote of 247-186. HR 3460 prohibited "the President, prior to January 21, 2017, from: limiting the application of specified sanctions on Iran or refraining from applying any such sanctions; or removing a foreign person (including entities) listed in Attachments 3 or 4 to Annex II of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPA) from the list of designated nationals and blocked persons maintained by the Office of Foreign Asset Control of the Department of the Treasury." Lee voted with 185Democrats against the bill.^[195][196]

Presidential non-compliance of section 2
On September 10, 2015, theHouse passedH Res 411—Finding that the President has not complied with section 2 of the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015—by a vote of 245-186. Section 2 of theIran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015 required the president to submit all materials related to the nuclear agreement for congressional review. HouseRepublicans introduced the resolution because two agreements between the International Atomic Energy Agency and Iran were not submitted to Congress. Lee voted with 185Democrats against the resolution.^[197][198]

Export-Import Bank

On October 27, 2015, theHouse passedHR 597—the Export-Import Bank Reform and Reauthorization Act of 2015—by a vote of 313-118. The bill proposed reauthorizing the Export-Import Bank and allowing it to resume offering assistance in the form of loans and insurance to foreign companies that wanted to buy U.S. goods.^[199] Lee voted with 185Democrats and 127Republicans in favor of the bill.^[200]

Domestic

USA FREEDOM Act of 2015

On May 13, 2015, theHouse passedHR 2048—the Uniting and Strengthening America by Fulfilling Rights and Ensuring Effective Discipline Over Monitoring Act of 2015 or the USA FREEDOM Act of 2015—by a vote of 338-88. The legislation revisedHR 3199—the USA PATRIOT Improvement and Reauthorization Act of 2005—by ending the bulk collection of metadata under Sec. 215 of the act, requiring increased reporting from theForeign Intelligence Surveillance Court, and requiring the use of "a specific selection term as the basis for national security letters that request information from wire or electronic communication service providers, financial institutions, or consumer reporting agencies." Lee voted with 40Democrats and 47Republicans against the legislation. It became law on June 2, 2015.^[201][202]

Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act

On May 13, 2015, theHouse passedHR 36—the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act—by a vote of 242-184. The bill proposed prohibiting abortions from being performed after a fetus was determined to be 20 weeks or older. The bill proposed exceptions in cases of rape, incest, or to save the life of the mother. Lee voted with 179Democrats against the bill.^[203][204]

Cyber security

On April 23, 2015, theHouse passedHR 1731—the National Cybersecurity Protection Advancement Act of 2015—by a vote of 355-63. The bill proposed creating an information sharing program that would allow federal agencies and private entities to share information about cyber threats. It also proposed including liability protections for companies.^[205] Lee voted with 43Democrats and 19Republicans against the bill.^[206]

On April 22, 2015, theHouse passedHR 1560—the Protecting Cyber Networks Act—by a vote of 307-116.^[207] The bill proposed procedures that would allow federal agencies and private entities to share information about cyber threats. Lee voted with 78Democrats and 37Republicans against the bill.^[208]

Immigration

On November 19, 2015, theHouse passedHR 4038—the American SAFE Act of 2015—by a vote of 289-137.^[209] The bill proposed instituting additional screening processes for refugees from Iraq and Syria who applied for admission to the U.S. Lee voted with 134Democrats and twoRepublicans against the bill.^[210]

113th Congress

The second session of the113th Congress enacted into law 224 out of the 3215 introduced bills (7 percent). Comparatively, the112th Congress had 4.2 percent of introduced bills enacted into law in the second session.^[211] For more information pertaining to Lee's voting record in the 113th Congress, please see the below sections.^[212]

National security

HR 644

See also:Bowe Bergdahl exchange

On September 9, 2014, theRepublican-runHouse approvedH.R. 644, a resolution criticizing PresidentBarack Obama's act of exchanging five Guantanamo Bay prisoners forSgt. Bowe Bergdahl.^[213][214] The House voted 249-163 for resolution, with allRepublicans and22 Democrats supporting the bill. Fourteen Democrats and five Republicans did not vote on the resolution, while all other Democrats opposed its passage.^[214] Lee did not vote on the resolution.^[213][214]

NDAA

Lee voted against HR 1960 - the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014. The bill passed the House on June 14, 2013, with a vote of 315 - 108. Both parties were somewhat divided on the vote.^[215]

DHS Appropriations

Lee voted against HR 2217 - the DHS Appropriations Act of 2014. The bill passed the House on June 6, 2013, with a vote of 245 - 182 that was largely along party lines.^[216]

CISPA (2013)

Lee voted against HR 624 - the CISPA (2013). The bill passed the House on April 18, 2013, with a vote of 288 - 127. The bill permitted federal intelligence agencies to share cybersecurity intelligence and information with private entities and utilities. The bill was largely supported by Republicans, but divided the Democratic Party.^[217]

Economy

Farm bill

On January 29, 2014, theU.S. House approved the Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 2013,H.R. 2642, known as theFarm Bill.^[218] The bill passed by a vote of 251-166. The nearly 1,000-page bill provides for the reform and continuation of agricultural and other programs of the Department of Agriculture through 2018. The $1 trillion bill expanded crop insurance for farmers by $7 billion over the next decade and created new subsidies for rice and peanut growers that would kick in when prices drop.^[219][220] However, cuts to the food stamp program cut an average of $90 per month for 1.7 million people in 15 states.^[220] Lee voted with 102 otherDemocraticrepresentatives against the bill.

2014 Budget

On January 15, 2014, theRepublican-runHouse approvedH.R. 3547, a $1.1 trillion spending bill to fund the government through September 30, 2014.^[221][222] The House voted 359-67 for the 1,582 page bill, with 64Republicans and threeDemocrats voting against the bill.^[222] The omnibus package included 12 annual spending bills to fund federal operations.^[223] It included a 1 percent increase in the paychecks of federal workers and military personnel, a $1 billion increase in Head Start funding for early childhood education, reduced funding to the Internal Revenue Service and the Environmental Protection Agency, and the protection of theAffordable Care Act from any drastic cuts. Lee joined with the majority of theDemocratic party and voted in favor of the bill.^[221][222]

Government shutdown

See also:United States budget debate, 2013

On September 30, 2013, the House passed a final stopgap spending bill before the shutdown went into effect. The bill included a one-year delay of the Affordable Care Act's individual mandate and would have also stripped the bill of federal subsidies for congressional members and staff. It passed through the House with a vote of 228-201.^[224] At 1 a.m. on October 1, 2013, one hour after the shutdown officially began, the House voted to move forward with going to a conference. In short order, Sen.Harry Reid rejected the call to conference.^[225] Lee voted against the stopgap spending bill that would have delayed the individual mandate.^[226]

The shutdown ended on October 16, 2013, when the House took a vote on HR 2775 after it was approved by theSenate. The bill to reopen the government lifted the $16.7 trillion debt limit and funded the government through January 15, 2014. Federal employees also received retroactive pay for the shutdown period. The only concession made bySenate Democrats was to require income verification forObamacare subsidies.^[227] The House passed the legislation shortly after the Senate, by a vote of 285-144, with all 144 votes against the legislation coming fromRepublican members. Lee voted for HR 2775.^[228]

Federal Pay Adjustment Act

Lee voted against HR 273 - Eliminates the 2013 Statutory Pay Adjustment for Federal Employees. The bill passed the House on February 15, 2013, with a vote of 261 - 154. The bill called for stopping a 0.5 percent pay increase for all federal workers from taking effect. The raises were projected to cost $11 billion over 10 years.^[229]

Immigration

Morton Memos Prohibition

Lee voted against House Amendment 136 - Prohibits the Enforcement of the Immigration Executive Order. The amendment was adopted by the House on June 6, 2013, with a vote of 224 - 201. The purpose of the amendment as stated on the official text is to "prohibit the use of funds to finalize, implement, administer, or enforce the Morton Memos." These memos would have granted administrative amnesty to certain individuals residing in the United States without legal status.^[230] The vote largely followed party lines.^[231]

Healthcare

Healthcare Reform Rules

Lee voted against House Amendment 450 - Requires Congressional Approval for Any Rules Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The amendment was adopted by the House on August 2, 2013, with a vote of 227-185. The amendment requires that all changes to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act be approved by Congress before taking effect. The vote was largely along party lines.^[232]

Social issues

Abortion

Lee voted against HR 1797 - Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act. The resolution passed the House on June 18, 2013, with a vote of 228 - 196 that largely followed party lines. The purpose of the bill was to ban abortions that would take place 20 or more weeks after fertilization.^[233]

Previous congressional sessions

Fiscal Cliff

Lee voted for the fiscal cliff compromise bill, which made permanent most of the Bush tax cuts originally passed in 2001 and 2003 while also raising tax rates on the highest income levels. She was 1 of 172 Democrats that voted in favor of the bill. The bill was passed in the House by a 257 - 167 vote on January 1, 2013.^[234]