Every year, the House of Representatives holds thousands of votes on a number of different issues. As your Representative in Congress, I believe it is important for my constituents to be aware of the issues being presented in the House of Representatives; an informed public is critical for transparency and accountability. Here are just some of the bills I have voted on recently, and how I've voted on them.

Date	Bill Number	Bill Description	How I Voted
May 19, 2009	S 896	Helping Families Save Their Homes Act	YEA
May 19, 2009	H.R. 1089	Veterans Employment Rights Realignment Act	YEA
May 14, 2009	H.R. 2187	21st Century Green High-Performing Public School Facilities Act	YEA
May 7, 2009	H.R. 1728	Mortgage Reform and Anti-Predatory Lending Act	YEA
April 23, 2009	H.R. 1139	COPS Improvement Act of 2009	YEA

To see how I've voted on other legislation, and to see the votes of other Members of Congress, please click here to go to the Clerk's voting website. The Clerk of the United States House of Representatives officially maintains voting records for all Members of Congress.

Mike's Tips for Legislative Votes

Deciphering the hundreds, if not thousands, of votes cast by Members of Congress each year can be confusing. Here are some tips to assist you in navigating the votes of the House of Representatives.

Bill Types

There are two main types of legislation that originates from each house of Congress: bills and resolutions. Bills, if passed by the House and Senate and signed by the President, become binding law and part of the United States Code. Resolutions are not laws; rather they are expressions of the sentiments of the particular chamber of Congress as a whole.

H.R. stands for the U.S. House of Representatives, and any legislation with this prefix is considered to be a bill. These bills originate from the House of Representatives; if passed by the House, they then move on to the Senate.

H.Res. stands for a resolution of the House of Representatives. House resolutions are not binding law; rather, they express the collective sentiment of the House on a particular issue, person, or event. House committees may also be formed through the passage of a House resolution.

S. stands for Senate, and any legislation with this prefix indicates that the bill has originated from the United States Senate. If passed by the Senate, the bill then moves on to the House of Representatives.

S.Res. stands for a resolution of the United States Senate. Senate resolutions are not binding law; rather, they express the collective sentiment of the Senate on a particular issue, person, or event. Senate committees may also be formed through the passage of a Senate resolution.

H.Con.Res. and S.Con.Res. stand for concurrent resolutions, taken up by both the House and Senate. These resolutions do not become law, but must be passed by both chambers of Congress.

H.J.Res. and S.J.Res. stand for joint resolutions, taken up by both the House and Senate. These resolutions also require the approval of both chambers and upon passage, are submitted to the President for approval.

Bills are often brought forward by House resolutions. The Rules Committee brings forward a resolution which asks the House to consider the bill (or bills) contained within the body of the rules resolution. These rules also put forward the guidelines for debate between Members, and governs the ability to bring forward amendments on the legislation.

What's in a motion?

A motion to recommit sends a bill back to the committee which referred it to the House floor. This indefinitely stalls the legislation that is successfully recommitted. However, a motion to recommit with instructions is a last opportunity to amend the considered legislation.