Action Search Scope Notes
Execute searches by clicking on a search name under one of the categories below, or use Advanced Search and select Legislative Actions. Refine search results sets by facets, changing search criteria, and using "Search Within" functionality. Find Bills by Subject and Policy Area provides additional research guidance.
Legislative Actions Scope Notes
Introduction and Referral
Introduced in House
Scope Note - All House measures. Equivalent to selecting all House measure types except amendments. Includes measures introduced, originated, and clean bills.
Search Expression - actionCode:"1000"
Introduced in Senate
Scope Note - All Senate measures. Equivalent to selecting all Senate measure types except amendments. Includes measures introduced, submitted and originated.
Search Expression - actionCode:"10000"
Bills and resolutions with introductory remarks
Scope Note - Bills and resolutions for which the sponsor made introductory remarks published in the Congressional Record. Once in the bill or resolution display find the Sponsor introductory remarks on measure action in the Actions tab for a link to the Congressional Record. Since October 2007, sponsor statements are recorded if they occur within a period of about one week around the bill's date of introduction. Previously, sponsor statements were recorded up until the bill's floor consideration, but complete coverage was not always possible. Available in the 103rd Congress and forward.
Search Expression - billAction:"sponsor introductory remarks on measure"
Referred to House Committee
Scope Note - House and Senate bills and resolutions referred to one or more House committees. Includes multiple referrals and re-referrals. Does not include bills and resolutions with motions to recommit that propose to send a measure back to a committee later in the legislative process.
Search Expression - actionCode:"2000"
Referred to Senate Committee
Scope Note - House and Senate bills and resolutions referred to one or more Senate committees. Includes multiple referrals and re-referrals. Does not include bills and resolutions with motions to recommit that propose to send a measure back to a committee later in the legislative process.
Search Expression - actionCode:"11000"
Referred to House subcommittee
Scope Note - House and Senate bills and resolutions referred to one or more House subcommittees. Data before the 97th Congress is not complete enough to support this search.
Search Expression - actionCode:"3000"
Referred to Senate subcommittee
Scope Note - House and Senate bills and resolutions referred to one or more Senate subcommittees. The Senate does not always assign a subcommittee referral status step for bills sent to subcommittees. So, for example, it is possible for a bill or resolution to show a Senate subcommittee hearing action without showing an action or a major action for the subcommittee referral. Data before the 97th Congress is not complete enough to support this search.
Search Expression - actionCode:"12000"
Committee Consideration
House committee/subcommittee actions (including hearings and markups)
Scope Note - House and Senate bills and resolutions with House committee or subcommittee hearings, markups, votes to order measures reported, or other actions. Does not include referral to subcommittee that is a separate major action. There may be some delay before actions are reported by committees for inclusion in the system. Data before the 97th Congress is not complete enough to support this search.
Search Expression - actionCode:"4000"
Senate committee/subcommittee actions (including hearings and markups)
Scope Note - House and Senate bills and resolutions with Senate committee or subcommittee hearings, markups, votes to order measures reported, or other actions. Does not include referral to subcommittee that is a separate major action. There may be some delay before actions are reported by committees for inclusion in the system. Data before the 97th Congress is not complete enough to support this search.
Search Expression - actionCode:"13000"
House committee/subcommittee hearings
Scope Note - House and Senate bills and resolutions with House committee or subcommittee hearings. Subset of House committee/subcommittee actions. There may be some delay before actions are reported by committees for inclusion in the system. Data before the 97th Congress is not complete enough to support this search.
Search Expression - actionCode:"4100"
Senate committee/subcommittee hearings
Scope Note - House and Senate bills and resolutions with Senate committee or subcommittee hearings. Subset of Senate committee/subcommittee actions. There may be some delay before actions are reported by committees for inclusion in the system. Data before the 97th Congress is not complete enough to support this search.
Search Expression - actionCode:"13100"
House committee/subcommittee markups
Scope Note - House and Senate bills and resolutions with House committee or subcommittee markups. Markups occur when specifically mentioned in actions or when a bill is ordered to be reported. Subset of House committee/subcommittee actions. There may be some delay before actions are reported by committees for inclusion in the system. Data before the 97th Congress is not complete enough to support this search.
Search Expression - actionCode:"4200"
Senate committee/subcommittee markups
Scope Note - House and Senate bills and resolutions with Senate committee or subcommittee markups. Markups occur when specifically mentioned in actions or when a bill is ordered to be reported. Subset of Senate committee/subcommittee actions. There may be some delay before actions are reported by committees for inclusion in the system. Data before the 97th Congress is not complete enough to support this search.
Search Expression - actionCode:"13200"
House committee time extension
Scope Note - House and Senate bills and resolutions for which a House committee has been granted an extension of time for further consideration. Data before the 97th Congress is not complete enough to support this search.
Search Expression - actionCode:"4900"
Senate committee time extension
Scope Note - House and Senate bills and resolutions for which a Senate committee has been granted an extension of time for further consideration. Data before the 97th Congress is not complete enough to support this search.
Search Expression - actionCode:"13900"
Reported/Committee discharged
Scope Note - Bills and resolutions that have been reported by or discharged from committees. This includes reporting of original and clean bills and resolutions from committee. Bills and resolutions reported or discharged are subsequently eligible for floor consideration but can also be brought to the floor by other means.
Search Expression - actionCode:(5000 OR 5500 OR 14000 OR 14500)
Reported to House
Scope Note - House and Senate bills and resolutions reported by House committees.
Search Expression - actionCode:"5000"
Reported to Senate
Scope Note - House and Senate bills and resolutions reported by Senate committees.
Search Expression - actionCode:"14000"
House discharge petition filed
Scope Note - House and Senate bills and resolutions where a motion has been filed to discharge a House committee from further consideration. A discharge petition requires 218 Member signatures for further action. Data before the 97th Congress is not complete enough to support this search.
Search Expression - actionCode:"4950"
House committee discharged
Scope Note - House and Senate bills and resolutions discharged from House committees.
Search Expression - actionCode:"5500"
Senate committee discharged
Scope Note - House and Senate bills and resolutions discharged from Senate committees.
Search Expression - actionCode:"14500"
House preparation for the floor
Scope Note - House and Senate bills and resolutions with post-committee or pre-floor actions, such as being placed on House calendars or adoption of special rules for consideration. Also includes actions after bills and resolutions are passed in the Senate, received in the House, not referred to one or more House committees, but not yet taken up by the House, e.g., held at desk in House. Data before the 97th Congress is not complete enough to support this search.
Search Expression - actionCode:"6000"
Senate preparation for the floor
Scope Note - House and Senate bills and resolutions with post-committee or pre-floor actions, such as being placed on Senate legislative calendar. Also includes actions after bills and resolutions are passed in the House, received in the Senate, not referred to one or more Senate committees, but not yet taken up by the Senate.
This search misses some wanted results. Some Senate actions can be at either the floor or preparation for floor level. Sometimes it is not possible to distinguish whether the action is a floor or floor preparation action, so these actions have been marked as floor actions. For example, in the Senate, a cloture motion can be offered on a motion to proceed to consideration of a bill or resolution or on an amendment in the middle of floor consideration of the bill or resolution. The cloture motion has the same code in either case. Both the motions to proceed and cloture motions are marked as floor actions and are not returned by this search. Data before the 97th Congress is not complete enough to support this search.
Search Expression - actionCode:"15000"
Floor Consideration
House floor actions
Scope Note - House and Senate bills and resolutions with House floor consideration, such as taking up, amending, debate, voting, passage, amendments between the chambers, and conference actions. Excludes House printing actions (e.g., star prints) because they can happen at any time in the legislative process. Excludes House message actions (e.g., message on House action sent to the Senate) because the data entry of this action sometimes occurs after subsequent non-floor actions.
Search Expression - actionCode:"7000"
Senate floor actions
Scope Note - House and Senate bills and resolutions with Senate floor consideration, such as taking up, amending, debate, voting, passage, amendments between the chambers, and conference actions. Excludes Senate printing actions (e.g., star prints) because they can happen at any time in the legislative process. Excludes Senate message actions (e.g., message on Senate action sent to the House) because the data entry of this action sometimes occurs after subsequent non-floor actions.
This search returns some unwanted results. Some Senate actions can be at either the floor or preparation for floor level. Sometimes it is not possible to distinguish whether the action is a floor or floor preparation action, so these actions have been marked as floor actions. For example, in the Senate, a cloture motion can be offered on a motion to proceed to consideration of a bill or resolution or on an amendment in the middle of floor consideration of the bill or resolution. The cloture motion has the same code in either case. Both the motions to proceed and cloture motions are marked as floor actions and are returned by this search.
Search Expression - actionCode:"16000"
Passed/agreed to in House
Scope Note - House and Senate bills and resolutions passed or agreed to in House. Excludes Senate simple resolutions that are not sent to the House.
Search Expression - actionCode:"8000"
Passed/agreed to in Senate
Scope Note - House and Senate bills and resolutions passed or agreed to in Senate. Excludes House simple resolutions that are not sent to the Senate.
Search Expression - actionCode:"17000"
Failed of passage/not agreed to in House
Scope Note - House and Senate bills and resolutions not passed or agreed to in House. Excludes Senate simple resolutions that are not sent to the House. Bills and resolutions can fail passage or not be agreed to, and subsequently be passed, as was [107] H.R. 3479.
Search Expression - actionCode:"9000"
Failed of passage/not agreed to in Senate
Scope Note - House and Senate bills and resolutions not passed or agreed to in Senate. Excludes House simple resolutions that are not sent to the Senate. Bills and resolutions can fail passage or not be agreed to, and subsequently be passed. In the 93rd Congress Senate votes on motions failed, but no votes on passage failed, so there are no results for the 93rd Congress.
Search Expression - actionCode:"18000"
Amendment Actions
House amendment actions
Search Expression - actionCode:"70000"
House amendment offered/reported by
Search Expression - actionCode:"71500"
House amendment offered
Scope Note - House amendments offered in the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union or in the full House. Equivalent to selecting the House amendments bill type.
Amendments that are printed in the Congressional Record but never offered on the floor are not assigned permanent House amendment numbers and are not sent by the House for inclusion in Congress.gov. The House uses several numbering systems for the same House amendment.
Data before the 97th Congress is not complete enough to support this search.
Search Expression - actionCode:"71000"
House amendment agreed to
Scope Note - House amendments that were agreed to in the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union or in the full House.
Most amendments are considered first in the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union. After the Committee has acted on amendments, it rises and reports bills and resolutions with their amendments back to the House. The Committee only reports the amendments it has adopted, so if an amendment is not agreed to in the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, it will not be voted on again in the House.
Amendments that were agreed to in the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union must be voted on again in the full House. Generally the House agrees to all the amendments en gros by one single voice vote, but any Member may demand a separate vote on an amendment previously agreed to in the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union. So an amendment could be included in the House amendment agreed to major action because it was agreed to in the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and also in the House amendment not agreed to major action because it was not agreed to in the full House. An example is [106] H.Amdt. 113.
Some amendments are only considered in the full House. These include amendments to House rules reported by the Rules Committee.
Data before the 97th Congress is not complete enough to support this search.
Search Expression - actionCode:"72000"
House amendment not agreed to
Scope Note - House amendments that were offered, but not agreed to in the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union or in the full House.
Amendments that were agreed to in the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union must be voted on again in the full House. Generally the House agrees to all the amendments en gros by one single voice vote, but any Member may demand a separate vote on an amendment previously agreed to in the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union. So an amendment could be included in the House amendment agreed to major action because it was agreed to in the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and also in the House amendment not agreed to major action because it was not agreed to in the full House. An example is [106] H.Amdt. 113.
Data before the 97th Congress is not complete enough to support this search.
Search Expression - actionCode:"73000"
Other House amendment actions
Scope Note - House amendments that underwent action other than being agreed to or not agreed to. Examples of other actions include the withdrawal of an amendment and the action where an amendment that fell when a point of order was sustained.
Data before the 97th Congress is not complete enough to support this search.
Search Expression - actionCode:"74000"
Amendment agreed to Committee of the Whole
Scope Note - House amendments agreed to in the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, regardless of their final disposition in the House. Data before the 101st Congress is not complete enough to support this search.
Search Expression - actionCode:"76000"
Amendment failed in Committee of the Whole
Scope Note - House amendments not agreed to in the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, that therefore cannot be voted on in the House. Data before the 101st Congress is not complete enough to support this search.
Search Expression - actionCode:"77000"
Other amendment action in Committee of the Whole
Search Expression - actionCode:"78000"
Amendment agreed to by House
Search Expression - actionCode:"79000"
Amendment failed by House
Search Expression - actionCode:"80000"
Other amendment action by House
Search Expression - actionCode:"81000"
Senate amendment actions
Search Expression - actionCode:"90000"
Senate amendment submitted
Scope Note - Senate amendments submitted for printing in the Congressional Record under the heading Amendments Submitted (but not necessarily ever proposed on the floor) plus Senate amendments proposed on the floor even if they were not submitted for prior printing. Equivalent to selecting the Senate amendments bill type.
All Senate amendments are numbered sequentially and uniquely throughout the Congress and printed in the Congressional Record, in the Amendments Submitted section or when the amendment is proposed on the floor. Data before the 97th Congress is not complete enough to support this search.
Search Expression - actionCode:"91000"
Senate amendment referred to committee
Scope Note - Senate amendments referred to a Senate committee. Data before the 97th Congress is not complete enough to support this search.
Search Expression - actionCode:"92000"
Senate amendment proposed (on the floor)
Scope Note - Senate amendments offered on the floor of the Senate. Data before the 97th Congress is not complete enough to support this search.
Search Expression - actionCode:"93000"
Senate amendment agreed to
Scope Note - Senate amendments that were agreed to. Data before the 97th Congress is not complete enough to support this search.
Search Expression - actionCode:"94000"
Senate amendment not agreed to
Scope Note - Senate amendments that were proposed, but not agreed to. Data before the 97th Congress is not complete enough to support this search.
Search Expression - actionCode:"95000"
Other Senate amendment actions
Scope Note - Senate amendments that underwent action other than being agreed to and not agreed to. Examples of other actions include the withdrawal of an amendment, the action where an amendment that fell when a point of order was sustained, and the action of agreeing to a motion to table an amendment. Data before the 97th Congress is not complete enough to support this search.
Search Expression - actionCode:"96000"
Roll call Votes
All roll call votes
Scope Note - Measures with roll call votes in the House or the Senate, where individual member votes are recorded by name.
Search Expression - actionCode:(25000 OR 26000)
Roll call votes on measures in House
Scope Note - Measures with roll call votes in the House, where individual member votes are recorded by name.
Search Expression - actionCode:"25000"
Roll call votes on measures in Senate
Scope Note - Measures with roll call votes in the Senate, where individual member votes are recorded by name.
Search Expression - actionCode:"26000"
Roll call votes on amendments in House
Scope Note - House amendments with roll call votes, where individual member votes are recorded by name. Data before the 97th Congress is not complete enough to support this search.
Search Expression - actionCode:"75000"
Roll call votes on amendments in Senate
Scope Note - Senate amendments with roll call votes, where individual member votes are recorded by name. Data before the 97th Congress is not complete enough to support this search.
Search Expression - actionCode:"97000"
Resolving Differences
Resolving differences -- House actions
Search Expression - actionCode:"19000"
Resolving differences -- Senate actions
Search Expression - actionCode:"20000"
Conference committee actions
Scope Note - Bills, joint resolutions, and concurrent resolutions with conference committee actions, including conference scheduled, conference held, and conferee agreement to file a conference report. Data before the 97th Congress is not complete enough to support this search.
Search Expression - actionCode:"20800"
Conference report filed
Scope Note - Bills, joint resolutions, and concurrent resolutions that had conferees appointed by both chambers, the conferees have met at least once, and a conference report has filed by the conference committee. The conference report may or may not have been agreed to.
Search Expression - actionCode:"20900"
Conference report agreed to in House
Scope Note - Bills, joint resolutions, and concurrent resolutions that had conferees appointed by both chambers, the conferees have met at least once, a conference report has been filed and agreed to in House.
Search Expression - actionCode:"21000"
Conference report disagreed to in House
Scope Note - Bills, joint resolutions, and concurrent resolutions that had conferees appointed by both chambers, the conferees have met at least once, a conference report has been filed but disagreed to in House.
Search Expression - actionCode:"22000"
Conference report agreed to in Senate
Scope Note - Bills, joint resolutions, and concurrent resolutions that had conferees appointed by both chambers, the conferees have met at least once, a conference report has been filed and agreed to in Senate.
Search Expression - actionCode:"23000"
Conference report disagreed to in Senate
Scope Note - Bills, joint resolutions, and concurrent resolutions that had conferees appointed by both chambers, the conferees have met at least once, a conference report has been filed but disagreed to in Senate.
Search Expression - actionCode:"24000"
To President
Presented to President
Scope Note - Bills and joint resolutions passed by both the House and Senate where agreement has been reached on identical language and have been enrolled and presented to the President for signature.
Search Expression - actionCode:"28000"
Signed by President
Scope Note - Bills and joint resolutions that have been signed into law by the President.
Search Expression - actionCode:"29000"
Became Law
Public laws
Public bills and joint resolutions passed or agreed to by both the House and Senate where agreement has been reached on identical language and become public law. This includes public bills and resolutions signed by the President, unsigned by the President (but not vetoed), and enacted over veto. Where a Public Law has not yet been printed by the Government Printing Office (GPO), use the enrolled version to see the final official text of the bill.
Search Expression - actionCode:"36000"
Private Laws
Scope Note - Private bills passed by both the House and Senate where agreement has been reached on identical language and has become private law. Potentially includes bills signed by the President, unsigned by the President (but not vetoed), or enacted over veto.
Search Expression - actionCode:"41000"
Public Law enacted over veto
Scope Note - Public bills and joint resolutions passed or agreed to by both the House and Senate where agreement has been reached on identical language, vetoed by the President, and subsequently passed over veto in both chambers. Become public law over veto.
Search Expression - actionCode:"39000"
Veto Consideration
Vetoes and Pocket Vetoes
Scope Note - Bills and joint resolutions that have been vetoed by the President or received pocket vetoes.
Search Expression - actionCode:(30000 OR 31000)
Pocket vetoed by President
Scope Note - Bills and joint resolutions that have received pocket vetoes.
Search Expression - actionCode:"30000"
Vetoed by President
Scope Note - Bills and joint resolutions vetoed by the President.
Search Expression - actionCode:"31000"
Passed House over veto
Scope Note - Bills and joint resolutions where the House has acted to override a veto and passed or agreed to the bill or resolution over the President's veto. The Senate may or may not vote to override the President's veto.
Search Expression - actionCode:"32000"
Passed Senate over veto
Scope Note - Bills and joint resolutions where the Senate has acted to override a veto and passed or agreed to the bill or joint resolution over the President's veto. The House may or may may or may not vote to override the President's veto.
Search Expression - actionCode:"34000"
Failed of passage in House over veto
Scope Note - Bills and joint resolutions where the House has acted to override a veto and failed to pass the bill over the President's veto. If an override attempt fails in the measure's house of origin, the veto stands and the bill or joint resolution does not become law.
Search Expression - actionCode:"33000"
Failed of passage in Senate over veto
Scope Note - Bills and joint resolutions where the Senate has acted to override a veto and failed to pass the bill over the President's veto. If an override attempt fails in the measure's house of origin, the veto stands and the bill or joint resolution does not become law.
Search Expression - actionCode:"35000"
Other Prepared Searches
Subject – Landmark Legislation
Congressional term limits
Proposals limiting the term or number of years a Congressional Member may hold office. Also finds proposals to limit service on committees.
Legislative Process
Conferees appointed in the House or Senate
Search Expression – billAction:("speaker appointed conferees" OR "senate appointed conferees"~15)
Scope Note – Bills and resolutions that had conferees appointed by either chamber. A conference may or may not be held.
Coverage – Data to support this search is available for 1981-present (since 97th Congress).
Subjects
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
Search Expression – title:ANWR or title:"arctic national wildlife refuge" or billSummary:ANWR or billSummary:"arctic national wildlife refuge" or billText:ANWR or billText:"arctic national wildlife refuge"
Scope Note – Legislation with "Arctic National Wildlife Refuge" or "ANWR" in the title, summary or full text of the bill.
Coverage – Data to support this search is available for 1977-present (since 95th Congress).
Cybersecurity
Search Expression – allBillSubjects:"Computer security and identity theft"
Scope Note – Legislation to which the "Computer security and identity theft" legislative subject term has been assigned.
Coverage – Data to support this search is available for 2007-present (since 110th Congress).
OPIC (Overseas Private Investment Corporation)
Search Expression – title:OPIC OR title:"overseas private investment corporation" OR billSummary:OPIC OR billSummary:"overseas private investment corporation" OR billText:OPIC OR billText:"overseas private investment corporation"
Scope Note – Legislation with "Overseas Private Investment Corporation" or "OPIC" in the title, summary or full text of the bill.
Coverage – Data to support this search is available for 1973-present (since 93rd Congress).
Searching Congress.gov
- Search Tools
- Introduction to Search
- How to Pick a Search Page
- Advanced Search
- Refining Search Results with Facets
- Using Search Within
- Word Variants and Case
- Navigating Search Results
- Action Search Scope Notes
- Field Value Lists
Congress.gov Resources
A gateway to research tools and finding aids.
Help
Search tools, research guides, and resources about legislative information.
Visit Help or Contact Us for assistance.