Rep. Brian Higgins

Former Representative forNew York’s 26th District

pronouncedBRĪ-in // HIH-ginz

Higgins was the representative forNew York’s 26th congressional district and was a Democrat. He served from 2013 to 2024.

He was previously the representative forNew York’s 27th congressional district as a Democrat from 2005 to 2012.

Photo of Rep. Brian Higgins [D-NY26, 2013-2024]

Analysis

Ideology–Leadership Chart

Higgins is shown as a purple triangle in our ideology-leadership chart below.Each dot was a member of the House of Representativesin 2024positioned according to our ideology score (left to right) and our leadership score (leaders are toward the top).

The chart is based on the bills legislators sponsored and cosponsoredfrom Jan. 3, 2019 to Dec. 31, 2024.See fullanalysis methodology.

Enacted Legislation

Higgins was the primary sponsor of 5 bills that were enacted:

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Does 5 not sound like a lot? Very few bills are ever enacted — most legislators sponsor only a handful that are signed into law. But there are other legislative activities that we don’t track that are also important, including offering amendments, committee work and oversight of the other branches, and constituent services.

We consider a bill enacted if one of the following is true: a) it is enacted itself, b) it has a companion bill in the other chamber (as identified by Congress) which was enacted, or c) if at least about half of its provisions were incorporated into bills that were enacted (as determined by an automated text analysis, applicable beginning with bills in the 110th Congress).

Bills Sponsored

Issue Areas

Higgins sponsored bills primarily in these issue areas:

Health (38%)Taxation (22%)Social Welfare (12%)Armed Forces and National Security (12%)Government Operations and Politics (5%)Foreign Trade and International Finance (5%)Public Lands and Natural Resources (5%)

Recently Introduced Bills

Higgins recently introduced the following legislation:

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Most legislation has no activity after being introduced.

Voting Record

Key Votes

Higgins votedYea

Passed 222/190 on Sept. 14, 2023.

For other fuel options besides gasoline, scientists have designed cars that run not on gasoline, but urine or human fat. # Context 49 states aren’t …

Higgins votedYea

Higgins votedYea

Passed 229/177 on May 19, 2017.

H.R. 1039 amends the federal criminal code to authorize a probation officer to arrest a person, without warrant, if there is probable cause to believe …

Higgins votedYea

Passed 338/88 on May 13, 2015.

The USA Freedom Act (H.R. 2048, Pub.L. 114–23) is a U.S. law enacted on June 2, 2015 that restored in modified form several provisions of …

Higgins votedAye

Higgins votedNay

Higgins votedAye

Passed 215/195 on April 27, 2012.

Higgins votedAye

Passed 304/117 on June 23, 2011.

The Leahy–Smith America Invents Act (AIA) is a United States federal statute that was passed by Congress and was signed into law by President Barack …

Higgins votedYea

Passed 227/183 on Aug. 4, 2007.

The Protect America Act of 2007 (PAA), (Pub.L. 110–55, 121 Stat. 552, enacted by S. 1927), is a controversial amendment to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance …

Missed Votes

From Jan 2005 to Feb 2024, Higgins missed 465 of 12,792 roll call votes, which is 3.6%.This isworse thanthe median of 2.2%among the lifetime records of representatives serving in Feb 2024.The chart below reports missed votes over time.

We don’t track why legislators miss votes, but it’s often due to medical absences, major life events, and running for higher office.

Show the numbers...

Time PeriodVotes EligibleMissed VotesPercentPercentile
2005 Jan-Mar9044.4%61st
2005 Apr-Jun272124.4%65th
2005 Jul-Sep14642.7%68th
2005 Oct-Dec16342.5%51st
2006 Jan-Mar8111.2%38th
2006 Apr-Jun27682.9%63rd
2006 Jul-Sep15900.0%0th
2006 Nov-Dec27933.3%96th
2007 Jan-Mar213136.1%90th
2007 Apr-Jun393358.9%94th
2007 Jul-Sep317309.5%98th
2007 Oct-Dec263197.2%86th
2008 Jan-Mar14942.7%44th
2008 Apr-Jun3213210.0%90th
2008 Jul-Sep20510.5%18th
2008 Oct-Dec1500.0%0th
2009 Jan-Mar17421.1%38th
2009 Apr-Jun303113.6%76th
2009 Jul-Sep268114.1%82nd
2009 Oct-Dec246104.1%71st
2010 Jan-Mar195157.7%89th
2010 Apr-Jun219219.6%89th
2010 Jul-Sep151117.3%89th
2010 Nov-Dec9911.0%19th
2011 Jan-Mar21220.9%42nd
2011 Apr-Jun28172.5%70th
2011 Jul-Sep24741.6%53rd
2011 Oct-Dec20883.8%70th
2012 Jan-Mar15110.7%26th
2012 Apr-Jun29920.7%31st
2012 Jul-Sep15242.6%61st
2012 Nov-Dec51611.8%88th
2013 Jan-Jan 112th Congress500.0%0th
2013 Jan-Mar8900.0%0th
2013 Apr-Jun215115.1%82nd
2013 Jul-Sep2002110.5%93rd
2013 Oct-Dec1373223.4%99th
2014 Jan-Mar14810.7%24th
2014 Apr-Jun21910.5%24th
2014 Jul-Sep14710.7%30th
2014 Nov-Dec4900.0%0th
2015 Jan-Mar13964.3%77th
2015 Apr-Jun24420.8%41st
2015 Jul-Sep13942.9%75th
2015 Oct-Dec17700.0%0th
2016 Jan-Mar13785.8%66th
2016 Apr-Jun20473.4%65th
2016 Jul-Sep23220.9%41st
2016 Nov-Dec4800.0%0th
2017 Jan-Mar208104.8%83rd
2017 Apr-Jun136118.1%91st
2017 Jul-Sep19952.5%78th
2017 Oct-Dec16710.6%26th
2018 Jan-Mar12997.0%84th
2018 Apr-Jun18431.6%37th
2018 Jul-Sep10200.0%0th
2018 Nov-Dec8533.5%70th
2019 Jan-Mar13621.5%52nd
2019 Apr-Jun29462.0%65th
2019 Jul-Sep12510.8%55th
2019 Oct-Dec14610.7%31st
2020 Jan-Mar10222.0%49th
2020 Apr-Jun3100.0%0th
2020 Jul-Sep8000.0%0th
2020 Oct-Dec4025.0%66th
2021 Jan-Mar9700.0%0th
2021 Apr-Jun10721.9%69th
2021 Jul-Sep10810.9%37th
2021 Oct-Dec13710.7%34th
2022 Jan-Mar10200.0%0th
2022 Apr-Jun19721.0%62nd
2022 Jul-Sep17800.0%0th
2022 Nov-Dec7211.4%47th
2023 Jan-Mar18210.5%38th
2023 Apr-Jun10743.7%72nd
2023 Jul-Sep22452.2%79th
2023 Oct-Dec21131.4%48th
2024 Jan-Mar3113.2%71st

Primary Sources

The information on this page is originally sourced from a variety of materials, including: