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U.S. Representative — Massachusetts's 2nd District

James McGovern

Democrat · Massachusetts

Democrat U.S. Representative for Massachusetts's 2nd congressional district. Member of the 119th Congress in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Legislative Record

Recently sponsored bills (50 on record)

  • H.R.9681 — Fair Seeds for Farmers Act (Introduced, Jul 14, 2026)
  • H.R.9586 — Delivering Priority Legislation Act (Introduced, Jul 2, 2026)
  • H.R.9226 — Connecticut River Watershed Partnership Act (Introduced, Jun 9, 2026)
  • H.R.8982 — Assuring the Future of Tibet Act of 2026 (Introduced, May 21, 2026)
  • H.R.7521 — United States-Cuba Trade Act of 2026 (Introduced, Feb 12, 2026)
    United States-Cuba Trade Act of 2026 This bill repeals the trade embargo on Cuba and other provisions restricting trade and travel to Cuba. Specifically, the bill (1) removes restrictions on certain transactions related to trademarks used in connection with a confiscated business or asset, (2)…
  • H.R.7546 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide coverage for wigs as durable medical equipment under the Medicare program, and for other purposes. (Introduced, Feb 12, 2026)
    This bill includes medically necessary cranial prostheses (e.g., wigs) as covered durable medical equipment under the Medicare program.
  • H.J.Res.143 — Resolution Act. (Introduced, Jan 22, 2026)
  • H.R.7007 — Governing for the People Act (Introduced, Jan 12, 2026)

Recent floor votes (100 on record)

  • Voted Nay on H.R.8884 — Removing Barriers to Work for Disabled Americans Act (Passed, Jul 23, 2026)
  • Voted Yea on H.Con.Res.89 — Directing the President, pursuant to section 5(c) of the War Powers Resolution, to remove United States Armed Forces from hostilities with Iran (Passed, Jul 23, 2026)
  • Voted Nay on H.Con.Res.113 — Establishing the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2027 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2028 through 2036 (Passed, Jul 22, 2026)
  • Voted Nay on H.R.7008 — Stop Insider Trading Act (Passed, Jul 22, 2026)
  • Voted Yea on H.R.7008 — Stop Insider Trading Act (Failed, Jul 22, 2026)
  • Voted Nay on H.R.8800 — National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2027 (Passed, Jul 22, 2026)
  • Voted Yea on H.R.8800 — National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2027 (Failed, Jul 22, 2026)
  • Voted No on H.R.8800 — On Agreeing to the Amendment (Failed, Jul 22, 2026)

Recently cosponsored bills (12 on record)

  • H.R.9939 — No AI Data Centers on Federal Lands Act (Introduced, Jul 23, 2026)
  • H.R.9941 — Right to IVF Act of 2026 (Introduced, Jul 23, 2026)
  • H.R.9944 — TPS Review Act (Introduced, Jul 23, 2026)
  • H.R.9874 — Get Foreign Money Out of United States Elections Act (Introduced, Jul 22, 2026)
  • H.R.4395 — Stephanie Tubbs Jones Uterine Fibroid Research and Education Act of 2025 (Introduced, Jul 22, 2026)
  • H.R.9803 — Protecting Immigrants From Legal Exploitation Act of 2026 (Introduced, Jul 21, 2026)
  • H.R.3415 — Nurse Staffing Standards for Hospital Patient Safety and Quality Care Act of 2025 (Introduced, Jul 20, 2026)
  • H.R.5867 — Plant-Powered School Meals Pilot Act (Introduced, Jul 20, 2026)

Voting analysis

James McGovern has added his name to more bills than any other member measured on this site. He is also ranking member of the Rules committee — the panel that decides the terms on which anything reaches the House floor — and he did not miss a vote.

439
Bills sponsored
11895
Bills cosponsored

Of the 50 most recent of those, 49 currently sit at Introduced.

0.0%
Roll calls recorded as not voting
220
Roll calls eligible to vote on
0
Recorded as not voting

Refusing from the left

His departures are overwhelmingly refusals rather than crossings. He voted against a children's online safety bill, a community bank deposit measure, a military construction and veterans appropriations bill, an organised retail crime bill, a shrimping measure and a surveillance extension — every one of them carried by his own caucus alongside Republicans.

Two go the other way: he supported a war powers resolution and a fuel retailing bill most Democrats declined. The overall shape is a member to the left of his caucus withholding support from its bipartisan output, which is the mirror image of the frontline Democrats elsewhere in these rankings who cross rightward.

6.4%
Votes against the Democrat majority
220
Roll calls where a party majority formed
25 of 212
Rank among House Democrats, most defections first
The 10 most recent of 14 roll calls where James McGovern voted against the House Democrat majority.
Roll callDateOutcomeTheir vote
H.R.8800
On Agreeing to the Amendment
roll call 275		Jul 22, 2026Agreed toAye (party: Nay)
H.R.7757
KIDS Act
On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended · roll call 228		Jun 29, 2026PassedNay (party: Yea)
H.Con.Res.84
Directing the President pursuant to section 5(c) of the War Powers Resolution to remove United States Armed Forces from Lebanon
On Agreeing to the Resolution · roll call 201		Jun 4, 2026FailedYea (party: Nay)
H.R.5317
Community Bank Deposit Access Act
On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended · roll call 179		May 20, 2026PassedNay (party: Yea)
H.R.8469
Making appropriations for military construction, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2027, and for other purposes
On Passage · roll call 175		May 15, 2026PassedNay (party: Yea)
H.R.1346
Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act
On Motion to Recommit · roll call 163		May 13, 2026FailedYea (party: Nay)
H.R.2853
Combating Organized Retail Crime Act
On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended · roll call 157		May 12, 2026PassedNay (party: Yea)
H.R.2071
Save Our Shrimpers Act
On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended · roll call 156		May 12, 2026PassedNay (party: Yea)
S.4465
To amend the FISA Amendments Act of 2008 to extend the authorities of title VII of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978, and for other purposes
On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass · roll call 155		Apr 30, 2026PassedNay (party: Yea)
H.R.7567
On Agreeing to the Amendment
roll call 146		Apr 30, 2026Agreed toNo (party: Yea)

Above the Massachusetts Democrats

The all-Democratic Massachusetts delegation votes tightly together, and McGovern sits above its internal average — which in a group this cohesive is a more visible position than the raw gap suggests.

Among the 9 Democrats in the Massachusetts delegation, the average rate of voting against the party majority is 2.8%. James McGovern is above that average at 6.4%.

What he legislates on

International affairs lead the classification. The bills pair local watershed work with foreign policy: fair seeds for farmers, a priority legislation measure, a Connecticut River watershed partnership, a bill on the future of Tibet, and one on trade with Cuba.

Sponsored bills carry the Congressional Research Service's own subject classification. James McGovern's cluster into: International Affairs (12), Agriculture and Food (8), Government Operations and Politics (6), Health (6), Public Lands and Natural Resources (4), Environmental Protection (3).

Tenure

He has held the seat since the late nineteen-nineties, under one party throughout.

First elected in 1997, now serving across 15 terms. James McGovern falls in the veteran cohort.

By the numbers

In the 119th Congress, James McGovern has 439 bills sponsored, 11895 cosponsored, 100 recent floor votes recorded.

Committee assignments

  • House Committee on Agriculture
  • House Committee on Rules (Ranking Member)
  • House Committee on Agriculture: Nutrition and Foreign Agriculture
  • House Committee on Rules: Rules and Organization of the House

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