John Carter (Texas)

John Carter

Republican Party

Candidate, U.S. House Texas District 31

U.S. House Texas District 31

Tenure

2003 - Present

Term ends

2027

Years in position

23

Prior offices:

Texas 277th District Court

Years in office: 1981 - 2001

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Report an officeholder change

Compensation

Base salary

$174,000

Net worth

(2012) $375,000

Elections and appointments

Last election

March 3, 2026

Next election

November 3, 2026

Education

High school

Bellaire High School

Bachelor's

Texas Tech University

Law

University of Texas

Personal

Religion

Christian: Lutheran

Profession

Lawyer, Judge

Contact

Official website

Official Facebook

Official X

Official Instagram

Official YouTube

Campaign Facebook

John Carter (Republican Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing Texas' 31st Congressional District. He assumed office on January 3, 2003. His current term ends on January 3, 2027.

Carter (Republican Party) is running for re-election to the U.S. House to represent Texas' 31st Congressional District. He is on the ballot in the general election on November 3, 2026. He advanced from the Republican primary on March 3, 2026.

Biography

Carter was born in Houston, Texas. He earned his B.A. from Texas Tech University in 1964 and his J.D. from the University of Texas in 1969. From 1981 to 2001, Carter served as a District Court Judge in Williamson County, Texas. He was first elected to Congress in 2002.

Committee assignments

U.S. House

2025-2026

Carter was assigned to the following committees:^[Source]

• House Committee on Appropriations
• Defense
• Commerce Justice Science and Related Agencies
• Military Construction Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies, Chair

2021-2022

Carter was assigned to the following committees:^[Source]

• House Committee on Appropriations
• Defense
• Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies, Ranking member

2017-2018

At the beginning of the 115th Congress, Carter was assigned to the following committees:

• Committee on Appropriations

2015-2016

Carter served on the following committees:

• Appropriations Committee
  • Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies
  • Subcommittee on Defense
  • Subcommittee on Homeland Security, Chairman

2013-2014

Carter served on the following committees:

• House Appropriations Committee
  • Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development
  • Subcommittee on Homeland Security (Chair)
  • Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs

2011-2012

Carter was a member of the following House committees:

• House Appropriations Committee
  • Military Quality of Life and Veterans Affairs Subcommittee
  • Transportation Subcommittee
  • Homeland Security Subcommittee

Texas' 31st Congressional District election, 2026 (March 3 Republican primary)

The content below is from the March 3 Republican primary page. Click here to read more.

Twelve-term incumbent John Carter (R) and nine other candidates ran in the Republican primary for Texas' 31st Congressional District on March 3, 2026. President Donald Trump (R) endorsed Carter for re-election on December 4, 2025.

At the time of the election, Carter was the third longest-serving member of the U.S. House, and according to the Austin American-Statesman's John C. Moritz, "Several of his GOP opponents argue that the district, which runs from Georgetown to farm and ranch country west of Waco and includes the sprawling Army post of Fort Hood, is in need of new blood."

Before his election to Congress, Carter worked as an attorney and judge. His campaign website stated, "Judge prides himself on delivering results for Texas’ 31st district no matter the political environment, and does this by following his guiding principle, 'listen more than you speak.'"

William Abel (R) was a U.S. Army veteran making his second run for the seat. Abel said, "I'm just tired of these politicians not doing what's best for the constituents and doing what's best for their own pockets. Or doing what's best for the lobbyists and donors. I just want problems solved with common sense." He told Community Impact his priorities were "Eliminate wasteful spending, decrease taxes, secure the border."

David Berry (R) was a physician whose campaign website described him as "committed to protecting Texans by standing up for small towns, rural communities, and the values that make them strong." According to his campaign website, his priorities included securing the border, growing small businesses, reforming Washington, protecting life, energy independence, and expanding veterans' benefits.

Steve Dowell (R) was a major in the U.S. Army Reserve. His campaign website said, "As the only policy focused and experienced alternative to our incumbent, Steve Dowell will work for you in D.C.—for the second time in his life—following core conservative principles of responsibility, peace through strength, and human dignity that keep America great."

Abhiram Garapati (R) was a businessman, farmer, and rancher making his fourth run for the seat. Garapati told Community Impact his priorities if elected would include "cutting wasteful spending, balancing the federal budget, reducing taxes on hard-working Americans, tackling corruption, increasing government transparency, repealing unconstitutional legislation, maintaining a secure border, strengthening national security, protecting American jobs, and delivering exceptional constituent services."

Raymond Hamden was a real estate broker and business ower. His campaign website stated, "As a candidate for U.S. Congress, Raymond Hamden is dedicated to securing our borders, ensuring fiscal responsibility, and supporting military families. He is committed to fostering economic growth, creating jobs, and empowering businesses. Raymond also aims to invest in vital water and infrastructure projects to strengthen communities and create a prosperous future for all."

Elvis Lossa (R) was a U.S. Army veteran and served as policy coordinator for the speaker of the Texas House. His campaign website stated, "Too often, leadership in Congress is focused on noise instead of outcomes. Families, veterans, and small businesses deserve representation that listens carefully and then acts decisively. I am running for Congress to bring experience, accountability, and a results-driven approach to serving Central Texas."

Valentina Gomez Noriega (R) earned a master's degree in business administration from Tulane University and was a former candidate for Missouri Secretary of State. She told Community Impact her priorities if elected would include, "Protect and defend my soldiers at Fort Hood. Kicking all the terrorists muslims, Somalians, and illegals out of Texas. Stopping the construction of Sharia schools and Sharia cities. Increasing Social Security benefits and making medication more affordable for my senior citizens."

Offer Vince Shlomi (R) was best known from the Shamwow infomercials. His campaign website stated, "My mission is simple will be a stronger economy and real opportunities for the Texas 31st and for all America. I believe that by putting God first and standing firm with our values, we can build a more perfect union for our families and for all America."

Ballotpedia did not find additional information for Ed Ewald (R).

Elections

2026

See also: Texas' 31st Congressional District election, 2026

Texas' 31st Congressional District election, 2026 (March 3 Republican primary)

Texas' 31st Congressional District election, 2026 (March 3 Democratic primary)

General election

The candidate list in this election may not be complete.

General election for U.S. House Texas District 31

Incumbent John Carter and Justin Early are running in the general election for U.S. House Texas District 31 on November 3, 2026.

		Candidate
		John Carter (R)
		Justin Early (D)

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Texas District 31

Justin Early defeated Stuart Whitlow in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Texas District 31 on March 3, 2026.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Justin Early	57.6	31,852
		Stuart Whitlow	42.4	23,455

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	There were no incumbents in this race. Source 1 Source 2 Source 3	Total votes: 55,307
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Caitlin Rourk (D)
• Brian Trautner (D)

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House Texas District 31

The following candidates ran in the Republican primary for U.S. House Texas District 31 on March 3, 2026.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		John Carter	59.7	40,390
		Valentina Gomez Noriega	10.2	6,905
		Abhiram Garapati	6.6	4,456
		Raymond Hamden	6.4	4,346
		Steven Dowell	6.2	4,200
		Offer Vince Shlomi	4.1	2,791
		William Abel	2.6	1,764
		David Berry	2.4	1,623
	Submit photo	Ed Ewald	1.1	727
		Elvis Lossa	0.7	497

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. Source	Total votes: 67,699
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Jack McConnell (R)
• Mike Williams (R)

Green convention

Green convention for U.S. House Texas District 31

Greg Stoker is running in the Green convention for U.S. House Texas District 31 on April 11, 2026.

		Candidate
		Greg Stoker (G)

---

	There are no incumbents in this race.
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Endorsements

Carter received the following endorsements. To send us additional endorsements, click here.

• President Donald Trump (R)
• American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC)
• Texas Alliance For Life

2024

See also: Texas' 31st Congressional District election, 2024

Texas' 31st Congressional District election, 2024 (March 5 Democratic primary)

Texas' 31st Congressional District election, 2024 (March 5 Republican primary)

General election

General election for U.S. House Texas District 31

Incumbent John Carter defeated Stuart Whitlow in the general election for U.S. House Texas District 31 on November 5, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		John Carter (R)	64.4	229,087
		Stuart Whitlow (D)	35.6	126,470

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 355,557
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Caleb Ferrell (L)

Democratic primary runoff election

Democratic primary runoff for U.S. House Texas District 31

Stuart Whitlow defeated Brian Walbridge in the Democratic primary runoff for U.S. House Texas District 31 on May 28, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Stuart Whitlow	68.5	3,512
		Brian Walbridge	31.5	1,614

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 5,126
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Texas District 31

Stuart Whitlow and Brian Walbridge advanced to a runoff. They defeated Rick Von Pfeil in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Texas District 31 on March 5, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Stuart Whitlow	48.4	10,023
✔		Brian Walbridge	25.8	5,346
		Rick Von Pfeil	25.8	5,332

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 20,701
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House Texas District 31

The following candidates ran in the Republican primary for U.S. House Texas District 31 on March 5, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		John Carter	65.3	55,092
		Mike Williams	11.1	9,355
		Mack Latimer	7.8	6,593
		Abhiram Garapati	7.4	6,256
		William Abel	5.2	4,362
		John Anderson	3.2	2,732

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 84,390
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Libertarian convention

Libertarian convention for U.S. House Texas District 31

Caleb Ferrell advanced from the Libertarian convention for U.S. House Texas District 31 on March 23, 2024.

		Candidate
✔		Caleb Ferrell (L)

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Endorsements

Carter received the following endorsements.

• Former President Donald Trump (R)

Pledges

Carter signed the following pledges.

• Taxpayer Protection Pledge, Americans for Tax Reform

2022

See also: Texas' 31st Congressional District election, 2022

General election

General election for U.S. House Texas District 31

Incumbent John Carter won election in the general election for U.S. House Texas District 31 on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		John Carter (R)	100.0	183,185

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 183,185
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Christopher Scurry (D)
• Jonathan Hildner (D)

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House Texas District 31

Incumbent John Carter defeated Mike Williams and Abhiram Garapati in the Republican primary for U.S. House Texas District 31 on March 1, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		John Carter	71.1	50,887
		Mike Williams	19.7	14,115
		Abhiram Garapati	9.2	6,590

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 71,592
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Derrick Johns (R)
• Jason Hutson (R)

2020

See also: Texas' 31st Congressional District election, 2020

Texas' 31st Congressional District election, 2020 (March 3 Democratic primary)

Texas' 31st Congressional District election, 2020 (March 3 Republican primary)

General election

General election for U.S. House Texas District 31

Incumbent John Carter defeated Donna Imam, Clark Patterson, and Jonathan Scott in the general election for U.S. House Texas District 31 on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		John Carter (R)	53.4	212,695
		Donna Imam (D)	44.3	176,293
		Clark Patterson (L)	2.2	8,922
		Jonathan Scott (Independent) (Write-in)	0.0	147

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 398,057
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Watch the Candidate Conversation for this race!

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Jeremy Bravo (Independent)
• Moshe Schrauth (Independent)

Democratic primary runoff election

Democratic primary runoff for U.S. House Texas District 31

Donna Imam defeated Christine Eady Mann in the Democratic primary runoff for U.S. House Texas District 31 on July 14, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Donna Imam	56.6	21,026
		Christine Eady Mann	43.4	16,109

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 37,135 (100.00% precincts reporting)
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Texas District 31

The following candidates ran in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Texas District 31 on March 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Christine Eady Mann	34.7	24,145
✔		Donna Imam	30.7	21,352
		Tammy Young	14.3	9,956
	Submit photo	Michael Grimes (Unofficially withdrew)	10.8	7,542
		Eric Hanke	5.9	4,117
		Dan Janjigian	3.6	2,471

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 69,583
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Murray Holcomb (D)
• Omar Kadir (D)
• Jon Curtis (D)
• Roderick Kutch (D)
• Jeremiah Landin (D)

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House Texas District 31

Incumbent John Carter defeated Mike Williams, Christopher Wall, and Abhiram Garapati in the Republican primary for U.S. House Texas District 31 on March 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		John Carter	82.3	53,070
		Mike Williams	8.6	5,560
		Christopher Wall	4.9	3,155
		Abhiram Garapati	4.2	2,717

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 64,502
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• John Bohlin (R)

Libertarian convention

Libertarian convention for U.S. House Texas District 31

Clark Patterson advanced from the Libertarian convention for U.S. House Texas District 31 on March 21, 2020.

		Candidate
✔		Clark Patterson (L)

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified.
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2018

See also: Texas' 31st Congressional District election, 2018

General election

General election for U.S. House Texas District 31

Incumbent John Carter defeated Mary Jennings Hegar and Jason Hope in the general election for U.S. House Texas District 31 on November 6, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		John Carter (R)	50.6	144,680
		Mary Jennings Hegar (D)	47.7	136,362
	Submit photo	Jason Hope (L)	1.7	4,965

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 286,007
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary runoff election

Democratic primary runoff for U.S. House Texas District 31

Mary Jennings Hegar defeated Christine Eady Mann in the Democratic primary runoff for U.S. House Texas District 31 on May 22, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Mary Jennings Hegar	62.2	8,843
		Christine Eady Mann	37.8	5,371

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified.	Total votes: 14,214
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Texas District 31

Mary Jennings Hegar and Christine Eady Mann advanced to a runoff. They defeated Mike Clark and Richard Kent Lester in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Texas District 31 on March 6, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Mary Jennings Hegar	44.9	13,803
✔		Christine Eady Mann	33.5	10,305
		Mike Clark	11.2	3,449
		Richard Kent Lester	10.3	3,178

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 30,735
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House Texas District 31

Incumbent John Carter defeated Mike Sweeney in the Republican primary for U.S. House Texas District 31 on March 6, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		John Carter	65.5	34,513
		Mike Sweeney	34.5	18,184

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 52,697
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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2016

See also: Texas' 31st Congressional District election, 2016

Heading into the election, Ballotpedia rated this race as safely Republican. Incumbent John Carter (R) defeated Mike Clark (D) and Scott Ballard (L) in the general election on November 8, 2016. Carter defeated Mike Sweeney in the Republican primary on March 1, 2016, while Clark faced no opposition in the Democratic primary.

U.S. House, Texas District 31 General Election, 2016

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	John Carter Incumbent	58.4%	166,060
	Democratic	Mike Clark	36.5%	103,852
	Libertarian	Scott Ballard	5.2%	14,676
Total Votes				284,588
Source: Texas Secretary of State

U.S. House, Texas District 31 Republican Primary, 2016

Candidate	Vote %	Votes
John Carter Incumbent	71.3%	62,817
Mike Sweeney	28.7%	25,306
Total Votes		88,123
Source: Texas Secretary of State

2014

See also: Texas' 31st Congressional District elections, 2014

Carter won re-election to the U.S. House in 2014. He won the Republican nomination in the primary election on March 4, 2014, with no opposition. He defeated Louie Minor (D) and Scott Ballard (L) in the general election on November 4, 2014.

U.S. House, Texas District 31 General Election, 2014

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	John Carter Incumbent	64%	91,607
	Democratic	Louie Minor	32%	45,715
	Libertarian	Scott Ballard	4%	5,706
Total Votes				143,028
Source: Texas Secretary of State

2012

See also: Texas' 31st Congressional District elections, 2012

Carter won re-election in the 2012 election for the U.S. House, representing Texas' 31st District. He defeated Eric Klingemann in the Republican primary on May 29, 2012. He then defeated Stephen Wyman (D) and Ethan Garofolo (L) in the general election on November 6, 2012.

U.S. House, Texas District 31 General Election, 2012

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	John R. Carter Incumbent	61.3%	145,348
	Democratic	Stephen M. Wyman	35%	82,977
	Libertarian	Ethan Garofalo	3.7%	8,862
Total Votes				237,187
Source: Texas Secretary of State "Official Election Results, 2012 General Election"

U.S. House, Texas District 31 Republican Primary, 2012

Candidate	Vote %	Votes
John Carter Incumbent	76%	32,917
Eric Klingemann	24%	10,400
Total Votes		43,317

Full history

To view the full congressional electoral history for John Carter, click [show] to expand the section.

2010 On November 2, 2010, John Carter won re-election to the United States House. He defeated Bill Oliver (L) in the general election. U.S. House, Texas District 31 General Election, 2010 Party Candidate Vote % Votes      Republican John Carter incumbent 82.5% 126,384      Libertarian Bill Oliver 17.5% 26,735 Total Votes 153,119 2008 On November 4, 2008, John Carter won re-election to the United States House. He defeated Brian Ruiz (D) and Barry Cooper (L) in the general election. U.S. House, Texas District 31 General Election, 2008 Party Candidate Vote % Votes      Republican John Carter incumbent 60.3% 175,563      Democratic Brian Ruiz 36.6% 106,559      Libertarian Barry Cooper 3.2% 9,182 Total Votes 291,304 2006 On November 7, 2006, John Carter won re-election to the United States House. He defeated Mary Beth Harrell (D) and Matt McAdoo (L) in the general election. U.S. House, Texas District 31 General Election, 2006 Party Candidate Vote % Votes      Republican John Carter incumbent 58.5% 90,869      Democratic Mary Beth Harrell 38.8% 60,293      Libertarian Matt McAdoo 2.7% 4,221 Total Votes 155,383 2004 On November 2, 2004, John Carter won re-election to the United States House. He defeated Jon Porter (D) and Celeste Adams (L) in the general election. U.S. House, Texas District 31 General Election, 2004 Party Candidate Vote % Votes      Republican John Carter incumbent 64.8% 160,247      Democratic Jon Porter 32.5% 80,292      Libertarian Celeste Adams 2.8% 6,888 Total Votes 247,427 2002 On November 5, 2002, John Carter won election to the United States House. He defeated David Bagley (D), Clark Simmons (L), John Petersen (G) and R. C. Crawford (I) in the general election. U.S. House, Texas District 31 General Election, 2002 Party Candidate Vote % Votes      Republican John Carter 69.1% 111,556      Democratic David Bagley 27.4% 44,183      Libertarian Clark Simmons 1.3% 2,037      Green John Petersen 1.2% 1,992      Independent R. C. Crawford 1.1% 1,716 Total Votes 161,484

Campaign themes

2026

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

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2024

John Carter did not complete Ballotpedia's 2024 Candidate Connection survey.

2022

John Carter did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.

2020

Candidate Conversations

Moderated by journalist and political commentator Greta Van Susteren, Candidate Conversations is a virtual debate format that allows voters to easily get to know their candidates through a short video Q&A. Click below to watch the conversation for this race.

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2016

The following issues were listed on Carter's campaign website. For a full list of campaign themes, click here.

“	Creating Jobs: The American people want to know, “Where are the jobs?” Forty-nine percent of jobs over the last decade have been created in Texas! Texas is leading our country out of this sluggish economy the President and Senate Democrats continue champion. Obama Culture of Cover-ups: Our great country is being lead down a dangerous path. President Obama’s “Culture of Cover-ups” must be stopped. From Benghazi, the IRS, Fast and Furious, the VA and even the Fort Hood shooting, this President and those working for him continue to lie and cover-up their mistakes. Cut Spending: Our Texas economy is a model for the rest of the country to get back to work! The President and the Democrat Senate need to cut spending, tighten the budget and demand regulators to loosen their vice-grip on our economy! Pro-Life: I believe that life begins at conception and that all life is a precious gift from God. Just as we have fought for freedom and justice throughout our nation’s history, we must fight for the lives of the hundreds of thousands of unborn children who are aborted in the U.S. every year. Protecting Our Borders: It’s important we fix the broken immigration system that continues to encourage the drug cartels to sneak people and drugs into this country illegally. We must create a system that encourages immigrate legally and punishes those who enter illegally!	”
—John Carter's campaign website, http://www.johncarterforcongress.com/issues/

Campaign finance summary

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Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.

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John Carter campaign contribution history

Year	Office	Status	Contributions	Expenditures
2026*	U.S. House Texas District 31	On the Ballot general	$1,111,903	$827,395
2024	U.S. House Texas District 31	Won general	$1,217,908	$1,587,961
2022	U.S. House Texas District 31	Won general	$1,339,836	$1,128,750
2020	U.S. House Texas District 31	Won general	$2,168,868	$2,223,167
2018	U.S. House Texas District 31	Won general	$1,820,253	$1,968,957
2016	U.S. House, Texas District 31	Won	$1,032,187	N/A**
2014	U.S. House (Texas, District 31)	Won	$996,110	N/A**
2012	U.S. House Texas District 31	Won	$885,683	N/A**
2010	U.S. House Texas District 31	Won	$997,508	N/A**
2008	U.S. House Texas District 31	Won	$947,701	N/A**
2006	U.S. House Texas District 31	Won	$876,895	N/A**
2004	U.S. House Texas District 31	Won	$1,086,204	N/A**
2002	U.S. House Texas District 31	Won	$802,789	N/A**
** Data on expenditures is not available for this election cycle
Note: Totals above reflect only available data.

Notable endorsements

See also: Ballotpedia: Our approach to covering endorsements

This section displays endorsements this individual made in elections within Ballotpedia's coverage scope.

Notable candidate endorsements by John Carter

Endorsee	Election	Stage	Outcome
Donald Trump  source  (Conservative Party, R)	President of the United States (2024)	Primary	Won General
Mitt Romney  source  (R)	President of the United States (2012)	Primary	Lost General

Personal finance disclosures

Members of the House are required to file financial disclosure reports. You can search disclosure reports on the House’s official website here.

Analysis

Below are links to scores and rankings Ballotpedia compiled for members of Congress. We chose analyses that help readers understand how each individual legislator fit into the context of the chamber as a whole in terms of ideology, bill advancement, bipartisanship, and more.

If you would like to suggest an analysis for inclusion in this section, please email editor@ballotpedia.org.

119th Congress (2025-2027)

Rankings and scores for the 119th Congress

• GovTrack Ideology scores

Ideological scores for members of Congress based on patterns of co-sponsorship

• Center for Effective Lawmaking scores

Effectiveness scores based on bills sponsored, actions taken on sponsored bills, and substantiveness of bills

• Lugar - McCourt Bipartisan Index

Bipartisan rankings based on cross-party bill co-sponsorship

118th Congress (2023-2025)

Rankings and scores for the 118th Congress

• GovTrack Ideology scores

Ideological scores for members of Congress based on patterns of co-sponsorship

• Center for Effective Lawmaking scores

Effectiveness scores based on bills sponsored, actions taken on sponsored bills, and substantiveness of bills

• Lugar - McCourt Bipartisan Index

Bipartisan rankings based on cross-party bill co-sponsorship

117th Congress (2021-2023)

Rankings and scores for the 117th Congress

• GovTrack Ideology scores

Ideological scores for members of Congress based on patterns of co-sponsorship

• Center for Effective Lawmaking scores

Effectiveness scores based on bills sponsored, actions taken on sponsored bills, and substantiveness of bills

• Lugar - McCourt Bipartisan Index

Bipartisan rankings based on cross-party bill co-sponsorship

116th Congress (2019-2021)

Rankings and scores for the 116th Congress

• Voting alignment with the president

Analysis of percentage of votes that aligned with the president's positions

• GovTrack Ideology scores

Ideological scores for members of Congress based on patterns of co-sponsorship

• Center for Effective Lawmaking scores

Effectiveness scores based on bills sponsored, actions taken on sponsored bills, and substantiveness of bills

• Lugar - McCourt Bipartisan Index

Bipartisan rankings based on cross-party bill co-sponsorship

115th Congress (2017-2019)

Rankings and scores for the 115th Congress

• Voting alignment with the president

Analysis of percentage of votes that aligned with the president's positions

• GovTrack Ideology scores

Ideological scores for members of Congress based on patterns of co-sponsorship

• Center for Effective Lawmaking scores

Effectiveness scores based on bills sponsored, actions taken on sponsored bills, and substantiveness of bills

• Lugar - McCourt Bipartisan Index

Bipartisan rankings based on cross-party bill co-sponsorship

114th Congress (2015-2017)

Rankings and scores for the 114th Congress

• GovTrack Ideology scores

Ideological scores for members of Congress based on patterns of co-sponsorship

• Center for Effective Lawmaking scores

Effectiveness scores based on bills sponsored, actions taken on sponsored bills, and substantiveness of bills

• Lugar - McCourt Bipartisan Index

Bipartisan rankings based on cross-party bill co-sponsorship

• Open Congress' "Votes most/least often with" and "Voting with party"

List of members of Congress this legislator voted most and least often with and percentage of votes aligned with their party

113th Congress (2013-2015)

Rankings and scores for the 113th Congress

• GovTrack Ideology scores

Ideological scores for members of Congress based on patterns of co-sponsorship

• Center for Effective Lawmaking scores

Effectiveness scores based on bills sponsored, actions taken on sponsored bills, and substantiveness of bills

• Lugar - McCourt Bipartisan Index

Bipartisan rankings based on cross-party bill co-sponsorship

• Open Congress' "Votes most/least often with" list and "Voting with party" percentage

List of members of Congress this legislator voted most and least often with and percentage of votes aligned with their party

• National Journal vote ratings

Ideological scores based on members' voting record

Noteworthy events

Electoral vote certification on January 6-7, 2021

See also: Counting of electoral votes (January 6-7, 2021)

Congress convened a joint session on January 6-7, 2021, to count electoral votes by state and confirm the results of the 2020 presidential election. Carter voted against certifying the electoral votes from Arizona and Pennsylvania. The House rejected both objections by a vote of 121-303 for Arizona and 138-282 for Pennsylvania.

Key votes

See also: Key votes

Ballotpedia monitors legislation that receives a vote and highlights the ones that we consider to be key to understanding where elected officials stand on the issues. To read more about how we identify key votes, click here.

Key votes: 118th Congress, 2023-2025

The 118th United States Congress began on January 3, 2023, and ended on January 3, 2025. At the start of the session, Republicans held the majority in the U.S. House of Representatives (222-212), and Democrats held the majority in the U.S. Senate (51-49). Joe Biden (D) was the president and Kamala Harris (D) was the vice president. We identified the key votes below using Congress' top-viewed bills list and through marquee coverage of certain votes on Ballotpedia.

Key votes: 118th Congress, 2023-2025
Vote	Bill and description	Status
Nay	National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024   The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (H.R. 2670) was a bill passed by the 118th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on December 22, 2023, authorizing Department of Defense activities and programs for fiscal year 2024. The bill required a two-thirds majority vote in the House to pass the bill as amended by a Senate and House conference report.	Passed (310-118)
Yea	To terminate the requirement imposed by the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for proof of COVID-19 vaccination for foreign travelers, and for other purposes.   H.R. 185 (To terminate the requirement imposed by the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for proof of COVID-19 vaccination for foreign travelers, and for other purposes.) was a bill approved by the House of Representatives that sought to nullify a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) order restricting the entry of foreign citizens to the United States unless the individual was vaccinated against the coronavirus or attested they would take public health measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House.	Passed (227-201)
Yea	Limit, Save, Grow Act of 2023   The Limit, Save, Grow Act of 2023 (H.R. 2811) was a bill approved by the House of Representatives that sought to raise the federal debt limit before a June 5, 2023, deadline. The bill also sought to repeal certain green energy tax credits, increase domestic natural gas and oil production, expand work requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) program, and nullify President Joe Biden's (D) proposed student loan debt cancellation program. This bill was not taken up in the Senate, and the debt limit was instead raised through the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023. This bill required a simple majority vote in the House.	Passed (217-215)
Yea	Denouncing the horrors of socialism.   H.Con.Res. 9 (Denouncing the horrors of socialism.) was a resolution approved by the House of Representatives denouncing socialism and opposing the implementation of socialist policies in the United States. The resolution required a simple majority vote in the House.	Passed (328-86)
Yea	Lower Energy Costs Act   The Lower Energy Costs Act (H.R. 1) was a bill approved by the House of Representatives that sought to increase domestic energy production and exports by increasing the production of oil, natural gas, and coal, reducing permitting restrictions for pipelines, refineries, and other energy projects, and increase the production of minerals used in electronics, among other energy production-related policies. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House.	Passed (225-204)
Yea	Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Labor relating to "Prudence and Loyalty in Selecting Plan Investments and Exercising Shareholder Rights".   H.J.Res. 30 (Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Labor relating to "Prudence and Loyalty in Selecting Plan Investments and Exercising Shareholder Rights".) was a joint resolution of disapproval under the terms of the Congressional Review Act (CRA) passed by the 118th Congress and vetoed by President Joe Biden (D) on March 20, 2023. This was Biden's first veto of his presidency. The resolution sought to nullify a Department of Labor rule that amended the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) to allow retirement plans to consider certain environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) factors in investment-related decisions. The resolution required a simple majority vote in the House. Click here to read more.	Passed (219-200)
Yea	Relating to a national emergency declared by the President on March 13, 2020.   H.J.Res. 7 (Relating to a national emergency declared by the President on March 13, 2020.) was a joint resolution of disapproval under the terms of the Congressional Review Act (CRA) passed by the 118th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on April 10, 2023. The resolution ended the national coronavirus state of emergency, which began on March 13, 2020. The resolution required a simple majority vote in the House. Click here to read more.	Passed (229-197)
Nay	Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023   The Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 (H.R. 3746) was a bill passed by the 118th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on June 3, 2023. The bill raised the federal debt limit until January 2025. The bill also capped non-defense spending in fiscal year 2024, rescinded unspent coronavirus relief funding, rescinded some Internal Revenue Service (IRS) funding, enhanced work requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families program (TANF), simplified environmental reviews for energy projects, and ended the student loan debt repayment pause in August 2023. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House. Click here to read more.	Passed (314-117)
Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.)	Speaker of the House election (January 2023) - 15th vote   In January 2023, the House of Representatives held its regular election for Speaker of the House at the start of the 118th Congress. Voting began on January 3, and ended on January 7. Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) was elected speaker of the House in a 216-212 vote during the 15th round of voting. In order to elect a Speaker of the House, a majority of votes cast for a person by name was required. Click here to read more.	Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) (216-212)
Not Voting	Declaring the office of Speaker of the House of Representatives to be vacant.   H.Res. 757 (Declaring the office of Speaker of the House of Representatives to be vacant.) was a resolution passed by the House of Representatives that removed Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) from his position as Speaker of the House. The resolution required a simple majority vote in the House. Click here to read more.	Passed (216-210)
Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.)	Speaker of the House election (October 2023) - 4th vote   In October 2023, following Rep. Kevin McCarthy's (R-Calif.) removal as Speaker of the House, the House of Representatives held another election for the position. Voting began on October 17 and ended on October 25. Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.) was elected Speaker of the House in a 220-209 vote in the fourth round of voting. In order to elect a Speaker of the House, a majority of votes cast for a person by name was required. Click here to read more.	Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.) (220-209)
Yea	Directing certain committees to continue their ongoing investigations as part of the existing House of Representatives inquiry into whether sufficient grounds exist for the House of Representatives to exercise its Constitutional power to impeach Joseph Biden, President of the United States of America, and for other purposes.   H.Res. 918 (Directing certain committees to continue their ongoing investigations as part of the existing House of Representatives inquiry into whether sufficient grounds exist for the House of Representatives to exercise its Constitutional power to impeach Joseph Biden, President of the United States of America, and for other purposes.) was a resolution passed by the House of Representatives that formally authorized an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden (D). The inquiry focused on allegations that Biden used his influence as vice president from 2009 to 2017 to improperly profit from his son Hunter Biden's business dealings. The resolution required a simple majority vote in the House. Click here to read more.	Passed (221-212)
Nay	Providing for the expulsion of Representative George Santos from the United States House of Representatives.   H.Res. 878 (Providing for the expulsion of Representative George Santos from the United States House of Representatives.) was a resolution passed by the House of Representatives that removed Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) from office following a House Ethics Committee investigation that determined there was substantial evidence that Santos violated the law during his 2020 and 2022 campaigns. The resolution required a simple majority vote in the House.	Passed (311-114)
Yea	The Social Security Fairness Act of 2023   The Social Security Fairness Act of 2023 (H.R. 82) was a bill passed by the 118th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on January 5, 2025, that reduced Social Security benefits for individuals who received other pensions from state or local governments. It also eliminated an offset that would reduce benefits for spouses and widows of individuals with government pensions. It also eliminated a provision that reduced benefits for an individual who received a pension or disability benefit from an employer that did not withhold Social Security taxes. This bill required a 2/3rds majority vote to pass.	Passed (327-75)
Yea	Secure the Border Act of 2023   The Secure the Border Act of 2023 (H.R. 2) was passed by the U.S. House on May 11, 2024. This bill would have introduced limits to asylum eligibility and required employers to use electronic verification of employee's legal eligibility to work. This bill required a simple majority vote.	Passed (219-213)
Yea	Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024   The Consolidated Appropriations Act 2024 (H.R. 4366) was a bill passed by the 118th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on March 9, 2024, authorizing appropriations for various government departments for the fiscal year 2024. The bill required a majority vote to pass.	Passed (219-211)
Yea	Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act of 2024   The Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act of 2024 (H.R. 7024) was a bill passed by the U.S. House on January 31, 2024, that would have modified the U.S. tax code, increasing how much money can be given back in credits and what is exempt. This bill required a 2/3rds majority vote to pass.	Passed (357-70)
Yea	Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025   The Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025 (H.R. 8070) was passed by the U.S. House on June 14, 2024. The bill would have modified defense spending in the fiscal year 2025. The bill required a two-thirds majority vote in the House to pass the bill as amended by a Senate and House conference report.	Passed (217-199)
Yea	Antisemitism Awareness Act of 2023   The Antisemitism Awareness Act of 2023 (H.R. 6090) was passed by the U.S. House on May 1, 2024. This bill made it so the Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights could have the authority to use the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's definition of antisemitism when investigating cases of discrimination. This bill required a simple majority vote to pass.	Passed (320-91)
Yea	FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024   The FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 (H.R.3935) was a bill passed by the 118th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on May 16, 2024, that reauthorized Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) funding until fiscal year 2028. The bill also made other modifications to address various department-related issues. The bill required a two-thirds majority vote in the House to pass the bill as amended by a Senate and House conference report.	Passed (387-26)
Yea	Stop Terror-Financing and Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act   The Stop Terror-Financing and Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act (H.R. 9495) was passed by the U.S. House on November 21, 2024. The bill would have postponed U.S. tax deadlines for citizens who were wrongfully detained abroad. This bill required a simple majority to pass.	Passed (219-184)
Yea	Impeaching Alejandro Nicholas Mayorkas, Secretary of Homeland Security, for high crimes and misdemeanors.   H.Res.863, Impeaching Alejandro Nicholas Mayorkas, Secretary of Homeland Security, for high crimes and misdemeanors, passed the U.S. House on February 13, 2024. The resolution impeached U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas (D) for high crimes and misdemeanors. The motion to impeach required a majority in the House and a 2/3rds vote in the Senate.	Passed (214-213)
Yea	Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025   H.R.9747, the Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025, was passed by the 118th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on September 26, 2024, providing funding to federal agencies, including the Secret Service, and federal programs for the 2025 fiscal year. The bill required a two-thirds majority vote in the House to pass the bill as amended by a Senate and House conference report.	Passed (341-82)

Key votes: Previous sessions of Congress

Key votes (click "show" to expand or "hide" to contract)

Key votes: 117th Congress, 2021-2023 The 117th 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 the U.S. House of Representatives (222-213), and the U.S. Senate had a 50-50 makeup. Democrats assumed control of the Senate on January 20, 2021, when President Joe Biden (D) and Vice President Kamala Harris (D), who acted as a tie-breaking vote in the chamber, assumed office. We identified the key votes below using Congress' top-viewed bills list and through marquee coverage of certain votes on Ballotpedia. Key votes: 117th Congress, 2021-2023 Vote Bill and description Status Nay Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act   The Infrastructure 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. Click here to read more. Passed (228-206) Nay American Rescue Plan Act of 2021   The American 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. Click here to read more. Passed (220-210) Nay Inflation Reduction Act of 2022   The Inflation 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. Click here to read more. Passed (220-207) Nay 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. Passed (220-204) Nay For the People Act of 2021   The For 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. Click here to read more. Passed (220-210) Nay 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. Passed (217-213) Yea 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, authorizing Department of Defense acitivities and programs for fiscal year 2022. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House. Passed (363-70) Yea 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. Passed (350-80) Nay 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. Passed (228-197) Nay 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. Passed (342-88) Nay 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. Passed (243-187) Nay 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. Passed (218-211) Nay 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. 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. Passed (260-171) Nay 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. Passed (224-206) Nay Respect for Marriage Act   The Respect 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. Click here to read more. Passed (258-169) Nay 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. Passed (230-201) Nay 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. Passed (217-207) Nay 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. Passed (227-203) Nay Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act   The Freedom 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. Click here to read more. Passed (220-203) Nay Bipartisan Safer Communities Act   The Bipartisan 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. Click here to read more. Passed (234-193) Nay Impeaching Donald John Trump, President of the United States, for high crimes and misdemeanors.   This was a resolution before the 117th Congress setting forth an article of impeachment saying that Donald 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. Click here to read more. Passed (232-197) Nay Electoral Count Reform and Presidential Transition Improvement Act of 2022   The Electoral 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. Click here to read more. Passed (225-201) Key votes: 116th Congress, 2019-2021 The 116th 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 the U.S. House of Representatives (235-200), and Republicans held the majority in the U.S. Senate (53-47). Donald Trump (R) was the president and Mike Pence (R) was the vice president. We identified the key votes below using Congress' 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. Passed (365-65) Not Voting 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. Passed (208-199) Nay 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. 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. Passed (419-6) Nay 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. Passed (236-173) Nay 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. Passed (240-190) Nay 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. Passed (237-187) Yea 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. 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. 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. Passed (417-3) Nay 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. 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. Passed (297-120) Not Voting 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. Passed (417-1) Not Voting 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. 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. 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. Passed (300 -128) Nay 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. Passed (363-62) Not Voting 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. Passed (335-78) Not Voting 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. Passed (322-87) Not Voting 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. Passed (411-7) Nay 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. Guilty (230-197) Nay 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. Guilty (229-198) Key votes: 115th Congress, 2017-2018 For detailed information about each vote, click here. Votes on domestic policy (click to expand) Voted Yea 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. Voted Yea 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. Voted Yea 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. Voted Yea 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. Voted Yea 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. Voted Yea 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. Voted Yea 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. Voted Yea 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. Votes on economic affairs and regulations (click to expand) Voted Yea 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. Voted Yea 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. Voted Yea 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. Voted Yea 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. Voted Yea 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 Voted Yea 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. Voted Yea on: The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 (HR 1892)  Bill Passed (240-186) on February 9, 2018 Proposed providing appropriations through March 23, 2018. Voted Yea 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. Voted Yea 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. Voted Yea 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. Voted Yea 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. Voted Yea 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. Voted Yea 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. Voted Yea 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. Voted Yea 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.) Voted Yea 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. Voted Yea 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. Voted Yea 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. Voted Yea on: 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. Voted Yea 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. Voted Yea 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. Votes on foreign policy and national security issues (click to expand) Voted Yea 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 Voted Yea 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. Voted Yea 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. Voted Yea 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. Voted Yea 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. Voted Yea 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. Voted Yea 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. Voted Yea 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. Voted Yea 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. 114th Congress The first session of the 114th Congress enacted into law six out of the 2,616 introduced bills (0.2 percent). Comparatively, the 113th Congress had 1.3 percent of introduced bills enacted into law in the first session. In the second session, the 114th Congress enacted 133 out of 3,159 introduced bills (4.2 percent). Comparatively, the 113th Congress had 7.0 percent of introduced bills enacted into law in the second session. For more information pertaining to Carter's voting record in the 114th Congress, please see the below sections. Economic and fiscal Trade Act of 2015 See also: The Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, 2015 Trade adjustment assistance On June 12, 2015, the House rejected the trade adjustment assistance (TAA) measure in HR 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 with trade 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. Carter was one of 158 Republicans to vote against TAA. Trade promotion authority On June 12, 2015, the House passed the trade promotion authority (TPA) measure in HR 1314—the Trade Act of 2015 —by a vote of 219-211. TPA gives the president fast-track authority to negotiate trade agreements sent to Congress 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 including trade adjustment assistance (TAA), which was rejected earlier the same day. Carter was one of 191 Republicans to support the measure. Trade promotion authority second vote After the trade adjustment assistance (TAA) and trade promotion authority (TPA) did not pass the House together on June 12, 2015, representatives voted to authorize TPA alone as an amendment to HR 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 their original positions on TPA except for Ted Yoho (R-Fla.). Carter was one of 190 Republicans to vote in favor of the amendment. Trade adjustment assistance second vote The House passed HR 1295—the Trade Preferences Extension Act of 2015—on June 25, 2015, by a vote of 286-138. The Senate packaged trade adjustment assistance (TAA) in this bill after the House rejected the TAA measure in HR 1314—the Trade Act of 2015. Along with trade promotion authority (TPA), which Congress passed as part of HR 2146—the Defending Public Safety Employees' Retirement Act—TAA became law on June 29, 2015. Carter was one of 111 Republicans to vote in favor of HR 1295. Defense spending authorization On May 15, 2015, the House passed HR 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." Carter voted with 227 other Republicans and 41 Democrats to approve the bill. The Senate passed the bill on June 18, 2015, by a vote of 71-25. President Barack Obama vetoed the bill on October 22, 2015. On November 5, 2015, the House passed S 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. Carter voted with 234 other Republicans and 135 Democrats to approve the bill. On November 10, 2015, the Senate passed the bill by a vote of 91-3, and President Barack Obama signed it into law on November 25, 2015. 2016 Budget proposal On April 30, 2015, the House voted to approve SConRes11, 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 183 Democrats who voted, voted against the resolution. Carter voted with 225 other Republicans to approve the bill. 2015 budget On October 28, 2015, the House passed HR 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. Carter voted with 78 Republicans and 187 Democrats in favor of the bill. It passed the Senate on October 30, 2015. President Barack Obama signed it into law on November 2, 2015. Foreign Affairs Iran nuclear deal See also: Iran nuclear agreement, 2015 On May 14, 2015, the House approved HR 1191—the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015—by a vote of 400-25. The bill required President Barack 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. Carter voted with 222 other Republican representatives to approve the bill. Approval of Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action On September 11, 2015, the House rejected HR 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 approving the nuclear agreement with Iran. Carter voted with 243 Republicans and 25 Democrats against the bill. Suspension of Iran sanctions relief On September 11, 2015, the House approved HR 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." Carter voted with 244 Republicans and two Democrats for the bill. Presidential non-compliance of section 2 On September 10, 2015, the House passed H 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 the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015 required the president to submit all materials related to the nuclear agreement for congressional review. House Republicans introduced the resolution because two agreements between the International Atomic Energy Agency and Iran were not submitted to Congress. Carter voted with 244 Republicans for the resolution. Export-Import Bank On October 27, 2015, the House passed HR 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. Carter voted with 116 Republicans and one Democrat against the bill. Domestic USA FREEDOM Act of 2015 On May 13, 2015, the House passed HR 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 revised HR 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 the Foreign 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." Carter voted with 195 Republicans and 142 Democrats to approve the legislation. It became law on June 2, 2015. Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act On May 13, 2015, the House passed HR 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. Carter voted with 237 Republicans in favor of the bill. Cyber security On April 23, 2015, the House passed HR 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. Carter voted with 219 Republicans and 135 Democrats to approve the bill. On April 22, 2015, the House passed HR 1560—the Protecting Cyber Networks Act—by a vote of 307-116. The bill proposed procedures that would allow federal agencies and private entities to share information about cyber threats. Carter voted with 201 Republicans and 105 Democrats in favor of the bill. Immigration On November 19, 2015, the House passed HR 4038—the American SAFE Act of 2015—by a vote of 289-137. The bill proposed instituting additional screening processes for refugees from Iraq and Syria who applied for admission to the U.S. Carter voted with 241 Republicans and 47 Democrats in favor of the bill. 113th Congress The second session of the 113th Congress enacted into law 224 out of the 3215 introduced bills (7 percent). Comparatively, the 112th Congress had 4.2 percent of introduced bills enacted into law in the second session. For more information pertaining to Carter's voting record in the 113th Congress, please see the below sections. National security NDAA Carter voted for 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. DHS Appropriations Carter voted for 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. CISPA (2013) Carter voted for 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. Economy Farm bill On January 29, 2014, the U.S. House approved the Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 2013, H.R. 2642, also known as the Farm Bill. The bill passed by a vote of 251-166. The nearly 1,000-page bill reformed and continued various 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. It also cut the food stamp program an average of $90 per month for 1.7 million people in 15 states. Carter voted with 161 other Republican representatives in favor of the bill. 2014 Budget On January 15, 2014, the Republican-run House approved H.R. 3547, a $1.1 trillion spending bill to fund the government through September 30, 2014. The House voted 359-67 for the 1,582-page bill, with 64 Republicans and three Democrats voting against the bill. The omnibus package included 12 annual spending bills to fund federal operations. It increased the paychecks of federal workers and military personnel by 1 percent, increased Head Start funding for early childhood education by $1 billion, reduced funding to the Internal Revenue Service and the Environmental Protection Agency, and protected the Affordable Care Act from any drastic cuts. Carter voted with the majority of the Republican Party in favor of the bill. 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. 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. Carter voted in favor of the stopgap spending bill that would have delayed the individual mandate. The shutdown ended on October 16, 2013, when the House took a vote on HR 2775 after it was approved by the Senate. 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 by Senate Democrats was to require income verification for Obamacare subsidies. The House passed the legislation shortly after the Senate, by a vote of 285-144, with all 144 votes against the legislation coming from Republican members. Carter voted against HR 2775. Federal Pay Adjustment Elimination Carter voted for 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. Immigration Morton Memos Prohibition Carter voted for 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. The vote largely followed party lines. Healthcare Healthcare Reform Rules Carter voted for 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. Social issues Abortion Carter voted for 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. Government affairs HR 676 See also: Boehner's lawsuit against the Obama administration On July 30, 2014, the U.S. House approved a resolution 225 to 201 to sue President Barack Obama for exceeding his constitutional authority. Five Republicans—Thomas Massie of Kentucky, Paul Broun of Georgia, Scott Garrett of New Jersey, Walter Jones of North Carolina and Steve Stockman of Texas—voted with Democrats against the lawsuit. Carter joined the other 224 Republicans in favor of the lawsuit. All Democrats voted against the resolution. Previous congressional sessions Fiscal Cliff Carter voted against 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. He was 1 of 151 Republicans that voted against the bill. The bill was passed in the House by a 257 - 167 vote on January 1, 2013.

Personal

Carter and his wife, Erika, have four children.

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Preceded by -	U.S. House Texas District 31 2003-Present	Succeeded by -
Preceded by -	Texas 277th District Court 1981-2001	Succeeded by -

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Texas' current delegation to the United States Congress

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