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The Vote Ledger
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Thomas Fisher Railsback

Representative from Illinois
HOUSEREPUBLICAN1967–1983ID R000012
Compare
LegislationHEADLINE
43%with Dems
of 2,558 votes
Nominations
—with Dems
of 0 · confirmations only
All contested
43%with Dems
of 2,558 · both combined
Steepest move
+10 pts
1967 → 1969
still a Republican

Career arc

Legislation leads. Each point is one Congress: how often they sided with the Democratic majority on contested bills, resolutions and amendments.

100%75%50%25%0%sides with Democrats ↑sides with Republicans ↓196719731979
1981–8297th Congress
Sat as a Republican
47.8%with Democrats
of 251 contested votes
Votes for this Congress are open below
Steepest move: 1967 → 1969, +10 pts — within one party label.
Sat as a DemocratSat as a RepublicanVotes available below

Votes

9 of these 9 roll calls have no description. About 25% of roll calls since 1989 are blank in the source too. Some also lack a bill number.

DateBillVoteTypeCastSided with
Dec 18, 1982H.R. 7356No description in the source recordLEGISLATIONYEABOTH · NOT SCORED
Dec 18, 1982noneNo description in the source recordLEGISLATIONYEABOTH · NOT SCORED
Dec 17, 1982H.Res. 621No description in the source recordLEGISLATIONYEADEM MAJORITY
Full textNo description in the source record. What survives: the date, the bill number (H.Res. 621), how they voted and which side that matched.Party majoritiesDemocrats Yea · Republicans NayCounts toward scoreYes — the parties split.
Where this lands
YEASided with the Democratic majority
Dec 17, 1982H.R. 7144No description in the source recordLEGISLATIONYEADEM MAJORITY
Dec 17, 1982H.R. 7144No description in the source recordLEGISLATIONYEABOTH · NOT SCORED
Dec 17, 1982H.R. 7397No description in the source recordLEGISLATIONYEAREP MAJORITY
Dec 17, 1982H.R. 7397No description in the source recordLEGISLATIONNAYREP MAJORITY
Dec 16, 1982H.R. 7019No description in the source recordLEGISLATIONYEABOTH · NOT SCORED
Dec 16, 1982S. 1965No description in the source recordLEGISLATIONYEABOTH · NOT SCORED
9 most recent roll calls shown · 251 contested votes scored in the 97th CongressAll votes this Congress →

By policy area

career · legislation
Economics and Public Finance42.1% · 466 votes
Congress36.8% · 258 votes
Government Operations and Politics45% · 160 votes
International Affairs71.2% · 156 votes
Energy25% · 132 votes
Armed Forces and National Security55.1% · 69 votes
Labor and Employment50.9% · 57 votes
Transportation and Public Works35.7% · 56 votes
Taxation29.2% · 48 votes
Agriculture and Food42.6% · 47 votes
Foreign Trade and International Finance63.4% · 41 votes
Education45% · 40 votes
Law80% · 40 votes
Public Lands and Natural Resources39.5% · 38 votes
Environmental Protection20.7% · 29 votes
Commerce35.7% · 28 votes
Health53.8% · 26 votes
Science, Technology, Communications47.8% · 23 votes
Crime and Law Enforcement52.4% · 21 votes
Housing and Community Development55% · 20 votes
Finance and Financial Sector61.1% · 18 votes
Social Welfare37.5% · 16 votes
District of Columbia50% · 14 votes
Industrial relations50% · 14 votes
Mines and mineral resources27.3% · 11 votes
Too few contested votes to score
Congressional-Presidential relations— · 9 votes
Independent regulatory commissions— · 9 votes
Lobbying— · 9 votes
Private Legislation— · 9 votes
Vietnamese Conflict— · 9 votes
Arts, Culture, Religion— · 8 votes
Depletion allowances— · 7 votes
Electronic surveillance— · 7 votes
Black lung— · 6 votes
Home repair and improvement— · 5 votes
Native Americans— · 5 votes
Public works— · 5 votes
Congressional-executive relations— · 4 votes
Constitutional amendments— · 4 votes
Government securities— · 4 votes
Income tax— · 4 votes
Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues— · 3 votes
Coins and coinage— · 3 votes
Commemorations— · 3 votes
Credit— · 3 votes
Embargo— · 3 votes
Families— · 3 votes
Financial disclosure— · 3 votes
Indian claims— · 3 votes
International economic relations— · 3 votes
Petroleum industry— · 3 votes
Political participation— · 3 votes
Postal rates and revenues— · 3 votes
Revenue sharing— · 3 votes
Water Resources Development— · 3 votes
Contested elections— · 2 votes
Immigration— · 2 votes
Life insurance— · 2 votes
Monuments and memorials— · 2 votes
Mortgages— · 2 votes
Municipal finance— · 2 votes
Museums— · 2 votes
Power resources— · 2 votes
Printing— · 2 votes
Real property— · 2 votes
Youth— · 2 votes
Aquaculture— · 1 vote
Barber and beauty shops— · 1 vote
Chemicals— · 1 vote
Conferences— · 1 vote
Congressional oversight— · 1 vote
Day care— · 1 vote
Disabled— · 1 vote
Domestic relations— · 1 vote
Droughts— · 1 vote
Earthquakes— · 1 vote
Emergency Management— · 1 vote
Executive reorganization— · 1 vote
Government corporations— · 1 vote
Heating— · 1 vote
Impeachments— · 1 vote
Intergovernmental relations— · 1 vote
Lakes— · 1 vote
Livestock— · 1 vote
Motor vehicles— · 1 vote
Noise— · 1 vote
Political representation— · 1 vote
Reclamation of land— · 1 vote
Refugees— · 1 vote
Rehabilitation— · 1 vote
Right to counsel— · 1 vote
Rivers— · 1 vote
Social Sciences and History— · 1 vote
Sports and Recreation— · 1 vote
Territories (U.S.)— · 1 vote

They also voted in 73 areas where the parties never split, so there is nothing to score — never on a contested question: Age and employment, Agriculture in foreign trade, American Revolution Bicentennial, Animals, Auditing, Aviation insurance, Awards, medals, prizes, Broadcasting, Cemeteries and funerals, Checks, Child abuse, Child welfare, Citizenship, Clergy, Climate, Clothing industry, Commodity control, Conservation of natural resources, Contempt of legislative bodies, Corporations, Cultural centers, Customs administration, Dairy industry, Disaster relief, Economic stabilization, Emigration, Federal advisory bodies, Federal-state relations, Fire fighters, Fishes, Gambling, Gold, Government life insurance, Government property, Government publications, Human rights, Import restrictions, Insect control, Interest, Intergovernmental fiscal relations, International agencies, Leases, Libraries, Lotteries, Marine mammal protection, Marine resources conservation, Minorities, Municipal budgets, Municipal home rule, Municipal politics and government, Narcotics, National emblems, Nuclear facilities, Nuclear weapons, Photovoltaic power systems, Political prisoners, Postal service, Prices, Public records, Real estate business, Recall of officials, Recreation areas, Referendum, Right of privacy, Rural conditions, Salaries, Solar energy, Strategic materials, Terrorism, Tobacco, Volunteer workers, Water conservation, Witnesses.

Blue is the share of votes siding with the Democratic majority; the tick marks 50%.

Service record

8 Congresses
90th · 196797th · 1981
Republican · House · IL90th–97th
Term datesexact
Members · Illinois
TR

Thomas Fisher Railsback

Representative from Illinois
HOUSER1967–19838 CONGRESSES
Compare
LegislationHEADLINE
43.1%with Democrats
of 2,558 votes · 56.9% with Republicans
Nominations—of 0 votes
All contested43%of 2,558 · combined
Steepest move+10 pts1967→69, as a Republican

Career arc

10050019671981
1981–82 · 97th · Republican · of 251 votes47.8%

Legislation leads. Tap a point to read that Congress.

Votes

About 25% of roll calls since 1989 are blank too. These rows carry a date, a bill number where one exists, how they voted and which side that matched.
Democratic majorityYea
Republican majorityNay
Counts toward scoreYes
Open roll call
Latest 6 shown · 251 contested votes scored in the 97th

By policy area

career
Economics and Public Finance42.1% · 466
Congress36.8% · 258
Government Operations and Politics45% · 160
International Affairs71.2% · 156
Energy25% · 132
Armed Forces and National Security55.1% · 69
Labor and Employment50.9% · 57
Transportation and Public Works35.7% · 56
Taxation29.2% · 48
Agriculture and Food42.6% · 47
Foreign Trade and International Finance63.4% · 41
Education45% · 40
Law80% · 40
Public Lands and Natural Resources39.5% · 38
Environmental Protection20.7% · 29
Commerce35.7% · 28
Health53.8% · 26
Science, Technology, Communications47.8% · 23
Crime and Law Enforcement52.4% · 21
Housing and Community Development55% · 20
Finance and Financial Sector61.1% · 18
Social Welfare37.5% · 16
District of Columbia50% · 14
Industrial relations50% · 14
Mines and mineral resources27.3% · 11
Congressional-Presidential relations— · 9
Independent regulatory commissions— · 9
Lobbying— · 9
Private Legislation— · 9
Vietnamese Conflict— · 9
Arts, Culture, Religion— · 8
Depletion allowances— · 7
Electronic surveillance— · 7
Black lung— · 6
Home repair and improvement— · 5
Native Americans— · 5
Public works— · 5
Congressional-executive relations— · 4
Constitutional amendments— · 4
Government securities— · 4
Income tax— · 4
Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues— · 3
Coins and coinage— · 3
Commemorations— · 3
Credit— · 3
Embargo— · 3
Families— · 3
Financial disclosure— · 3
Indian claims— · 3
International economic relations— · 3
Petroleum industry— · 3
Political participation— · 3
Postal rates and revenues— · 3
Revenue sharing— · 3
Water Resources Development— · 3
Contested elections— · 2
Immigration— · 2
Life insurance— · 2
Monuments and memorials— · 2
Mortgages— · 2
Municipal finance— · 2
Museums— · 2
Power resources— · 2
Printing— · 2
Real property— · 2
Youth— · 2
Aquaculture— · 1
Barber and beauty shops— · 1
Chemicals— · 1
Conferences— · 1
Congressional oversight— · 1
Day care— · 1
Disabled— · 1
Domestic relations— · 1
Droughts— · 1
Earthquakes— · 1
Emergency Management— · 1
Executive reorganization— · 1
Government corporations— · 1
Heating— · 1
Impeachments— · 1
Intergovernmental relations— · 1
Lakes— · 1
Livestock— · 1
Motor vehicles— · 1
Noise— · 1
Political representation— · 1
Reclamation of land— · 1
Refugees— · 1
Rehabilitation— · 1
Right to counsel— · 1
Rivers— · 1
Social Sciences and History— · 1
Sports and Recreation— · 1
Territories (U.S.)— · 1

Also voted in 73 areas where the parties never split — never on a contested question: Age and employment, Agriculture in foreign trade, American Revolution Bicentennial, Animals, Auditing, Aviation insurance, Awards, medals, prizes, Broadcasting, Cemeteries and funerals, Checks, Child abuse, Child welfare, Citizenship, Clergy, Climate, Clothing industry, Commodity control, Conservation of natural resources, Contempt of legislative bodies, Corporations, Cultural centers, Customs administration, Dairy industry, Disaster relief, Economic stabilization, Emigration, Federal advisory bodies, Federal-state relations, Fire fighters, Fishes, Gambling, Gold, Government life insurance, Government property, Government publications, Human rights, Import restrictions, Insect control, Interest, Intergovernmental fiscal relations, International agencies, Leases, Libraries, Lotteries, Marine mammal protection, Marine resources conservation, Minorities, Municipal budgets, Municipal home rule, Municipal politics and government, Narcotics, National emblems, Nuclear facilities, Nuclear weapons, Photovoltaic power systems, Political prisoners, Postal service, Prices, Public records, Real estate business, Recall of officials, Recreation areas, Referendum, Right of privacy, Rural conditions, Salaries, Solar energy, Strategic materials, Terrorism, Tobacco, Volunteer workers, Water conservation, Witnesses.

Service record

90th · 196797th · 1981
Republican90th–97th

Party switchers

John Alexander LoganD→R · IL · 40thWesley Wade WatkinsD→R · OK · 105thBen Nighthorse CampbellD→R · CO · 104th
AD320 × 50 · Anchor