Methodology
This methodology examines the Roll Call Votes where Speaker Pelosi has actually cast a vote (28 votes – See Table I). The Speaker of the House rarely votes, instead usually only casting a vote on a symbolic measure, a policy of great importance, or a close vote. These are, generally speaking, the revealing and defining votes and issues of the House Democrat Majority. The first six months of the 116th Congress includes votes on trillion-dollar appropriations, pay raises for federal employees, President Trump’s national emergency declaration on border security, expanded background checks for individuals purchasing firearms, campaign finance reform, gender pay discrimination, transgender service in the military, maintaining Obamacare, regulation of the Internet, U.S. forces serving in Yemen, prohibiting the Trump Administration from withdrawing from the Paris Agreement on climate change, illegal immigration, and enforcing congressional subpoenas, (among other votes).
If a Member missed a vote when Pelosi voted, the vote was removed from the Member’s profile.
If a Member missed a vote when Ocasio-Cortez voted, the vote was removed from the Member’s profile. Ocasio-Cortez has only missed one vote in the 116th Congress, RC Vote #421; this vote was removed from the study. Additionally, Roll Call Vote #1, the Quorum for the 116th Congress was omitted because all Members voted present.
*Editor’s Note: Because all Roll Call Votes from the first 6 months of the 116th Congress were evaluated, this analysis includes a significant number of votes that are outside of the Club for Growth issue matrix. However, Club for Growth believes it is important to educate the public on the first 6 months of the House Democratic Majority, so we examined all votes.