Broadcast Decency Enforcement Act of 2005
Public Law 109-235 · S. 193 · 109th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by George W. Bush (R) on Jun 15, 2006 · Science, Technology, Communications
Sponsor: Sen. Sam Brownback (R-KS)
Cosponsors (27): Sen. Lindsey Graham, Sen. George Allen,
Passage votesYeaNay
- HouseRecorded vote: 379 yea, 35 nay379–35
- SenateUnanimous consent
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Broadcast Decency Enforcement Act of 2005 - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to provide that, if the violator of the terms and conditions of any Federal Communications Commission (FCC) license, permit, or certificate is either a broadcast station licensee or permittee or an applicant for a broadcast license, permit, or certificate, and such violator is determined by the FCC to have broadcast obscene, indecent, or profane language, the amount of forfeiture penalty shall not exceed $325,000 for each violation or day of such violation, to a maximum of $3 million for any single act or failure to act.
Who voted for it
Every House member of the 109th Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 379 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.
379 yea35 nay18 present or did not vote
Democrats who voted yea(160)
- Rep. Cynthia McKinneyD-GA-4
Rep. John LewisD-GA-5
Rep. Alcee HastingsD-FL-23
Rep. Tammy BaldwinD-WI-2- Rep. Major OwensD-NY-11
Rep. George MillerD-CA-7
Rep. Michael CapuanoD-MA-8
Rep. Ed MarkeyD-MA-7
Rep. Jim McGovernD-MA-3
Rep. Nydia VelázquezD-NY-12
Rep. Jesse JacksonD-IL-2- Rep. Stephanie JonesD-OH-11
Rep. Hilda SolisD-CA-32
Rep. Sam FarrD-CA-17
Rep. Carolyn KilpatrickD-MI-13
Rep. Eddie JohnsonD-TX-30
Rep. John TierneyD-MA-6
Rep. Sheila Jackson LeeD-TX-18
Rep. Tom UdallD-NM-3
Rep. Danny DavisD-IL-7
Rep. Charlie RangelD-NY-15
Rep. Ed PastorD-AZ-4- Rep. Julia CarsonD-IN-7
Rep. Ed TownsD-NY-10
Rep. Gwen MooreD-WI-4
Rep. Luis GutiérrezD-IL-4
Rep. Rush HoltD-NJ-12
Rep. Dave ObeyD-WI-7
Rep. Bobby RushD-IL-1
Rep. Gary AckermanD-NY-5
Rep. Bennie ThompsonD-MS-2- Rep. Marty MeehanD-MA-5
Rep. Peter DeFazioD-OR-4
Rep. John DingellD-MI-15
Rep. Lois CappsD-CA-23
Rep. John LarsonD-CT-1
Rep. Frank PalloneD-NJ-6
Rep. Nancy PelosiD-CA-8
Rep. Grace NapolitanoD-CA-38
Rep. Chaka FattahD-PA-2
Rep. Lloyd DoggettD-TX-25
Rep. Robert BradyD-PA-1
Rep. David WuD-OR-1
Rep. Richard NealD-MA-2
Rep. Betty McCollumD-MN-4
Rep. Al GreenD-TX-9
Rep. Rosa DeLauroD-CT-3
Rep. Emanuel CleaverD-MO-5
Rep. Doris MatsuiD-CA-5- Rep. Lane EvansD-IL-17
Rep. Michael McNultyD-NY-21
Rep. Diana DeGetteD-CO-1
Rep. Nita LoweyD-NY-18
Rep. Corrine BrownD-FL-3
Rep. Anthony WeinerD-NY-9
Rep. Carolyn MaloneyD-NY-14
Rep. Bart StupakD-MI-1
Rep. Elijah CummingsD-MD-7
Rep. Sherrod BrownD-OH-13
Rep. Dale KildeeD-MI-5- Rep. Juanita Millender-McDonaldD-CA-37
Rep. Lucille Roybal-AllardD-CA-34- Rep. Ted StricklandD-OH-6
Rep. Patrick KennedyD-RI-1
Rep. Marcy KapturD-OH-9
Rep. Jerry CostelloD-IL-12
Rep. Michael DoyleD-PA-14
Rep. Gregory MeeksD-NY-6
Rep. Joe CrowleyD-NY-7
Rep. Jim ClyburnD-SC-6
Rep. Tim RyanD-OH-17
Rep. Bill PascrellD-NJ-8
Rep. Peter ViscloskyD-IN-1
Rep. Robert WexlerD-FL-19
Rep. Stephen LynchD-MA-9
Rep. Sander LevinD-MI-12
Rep. Steven RothmanD-NJ-9
Rep. Tom AllenD-ME-1
Rep. Anna EshooD-CA-14
Rep. Mike ThompsonD-CA-1
Rep. William JeffersonD-LA-2
Rep. Nick RahallD-WV-3
Rep. Chris Van HollenD-MD-8
Rep. Mark UdallD-CO-2
Rep. Michael MichaudD-ME-2
Rep. Jay InsleeD-WA-1
Rep. Rahm EmanuelD-IL-5
Rep. G.K. ButterfieldD-NC-1
Rep. David PriceD-NC-4
Rep. Ellen TauscherD-CA-10
Rep. Kendrick MeekD-FL-17
Rep. Joe BacaD-CA-43
Rep. Rick LarsenD-WA-2
Rep. Jim LangevinD-RI-2
Rep. Eliot EngelD-NY-17
Rep. Loretta SanchezD-CA-47
Rep. Susan DavisD-CA-53
Rep. Brad MillerD-NC-13
Rep. Steny HoyerD-MD-5
Rep. Jim MoranD-VA-8
Rep. Rob AndrewsD-NJ-1
Rep. Benjamin CardinD-MD-3
Rep. Adam SchiffD-CA-29
Rep. Steve IsraelD-NY-2
Rep. Darlene HooleyD-OR-5
Rep. Gene GreenD-TX-29
Rep. Allyson SchwartzD-PA-13
Rep. Russ CarnahanD-MO-3- Rep. Albert WynnD-MD-4
Rep. Carolyn McCarthyD-NY-4
Rep. Marion BerryD-AR-1
Rep. Charlie GonzalezD-TX-20
Rep. Bob EtheridgeD-NC-2
Rep. Brian HigginsD-NY-27
Rep. Daniel LipinskiD-IL-3
Rep. Paul KanjorskiD-PA-11
Rep. Ron KindD-WI-3
Rep. Rubén HinojosaD-TX-15
Rep. Jim CooperD-TN-5
Rep. Alan MollohanD-WV-1
Rep. Solomon OrtizD-TX-27- Rep. Jim DavisD-FL-11
Rep. Adam SmithD-WA-9
Rep. Mike RossD-AR-4
Rep. Norm DicksD-WA-6
Rep. John SprattD-SC-5
Rep. David ScottD-GA-13
Rep. A. Dutch RuppersbergerD-MD-2
Rep. Leonard BoswellD-IA-3
Rep. John SalazarD-CO-3
Rep. John TannerD-TN-8
Rep. Vic SnyderD-AR-2
Rep. Artur DavisD-AL-7
Rep. Dennis MooreD-KS-3
Rep. Earl PomeroyD-ND
Rep. Ben ChandlerD-KY-6
Rep. Tim HoldenD-PA-17
Rep. Dennis CardozaD-CA-18
Rep. Stephanie Herseth SandlinD-SD
Rep. Jim CostaD-CA-20
Rep. Ike SkeltonD-MO-4
Rep. Sanford BishopD-GA-2
Rep. John MurthaD-PA-12
Rep. Rick BoucherD-VA-9
Rep. Gene TaylorD-MS-4
Rep. Chet EdwardsD-TX-17
Rep. Mike McIntyreD-NC-7
Rep. Ed CaseD-HI-2
Rep. Allen BoydD-FL-2
Rep. Melissa BeanD-IL-8
Rep. Henry CuellarD-TX-28
Rep. Bart GordonD-TN-6
Rep. Charles MelanconD-LA-3
Rep. Lincoln DavisD-TN-4
Rep. Collin PetersonD-MN-7
Rep. John BarrowD-GA-12
Rep. Jim MathesonD-UT-2
Rep. Jim MarshallD-GA-3
Rep. Dan BorenD-OK-2
Rep. Bud CramerD-AL-5
Republicans who voted yea(219)
- Rep. Jim LeachR-IA-2
Rep. Christopher ShaysR-CT-4
Rep. Michael FitzpatrickR-PA-8
Rep. Jim GerlachR-PA-6
Rep. Heather WilsonR-NM-1
Rep. Chris SmithR-NJ-4- Rep. Sherry BoehlertR-NY-24
Rep. Timothy JohnsonR-IL-15
Rep. Todd PlattsR-PA-19- Rep. Curt WeldonR-PA-7
Rep. Frank LoBiondoR-NJ-2
Rep. John McHughR-NY-23- Rep. Nancy JohnsonR-CT-5
Rep. Walter JonesR-NC-3
Rep. David ReichertR-WA-8
Rep. Steven LaTouretteR-OH-14
Rep. Wayne GilchrestR-MD-1
Rep. Charles DentR-PA-15- Rep. Joe SchwarzR-MI-7
- Rep. Sue KellyR-NY-19
- Rep. Bob NeyR-OH-18
Rep. Jo Ann EmersonR-MO-8
Rep. Michael CastleR-DE
Rep. Shelley CapitoR-WV-2- Rep. John SweeneyR-NY-20
Rep. Fred UptonR-MI-6
Rep. Jim SaxtonR-NJ-3
Rep. Jon PorterR-NV-3
Rep. Pete KingR-NY-3
Rep. Rick RenziR-AZ-1
Rep. Thad McCotterR-MI-11
Rep. Mark KirkR-IL-10
Rep. Ray LaHoodR-IL-18
Rep. Jim WalshR-NY-25
Rep. Tim MurphyR-PA-18
Rep. Chip PickeringR-MS-3- Rep. Mark FoleyR-FL-16
Rep. Mike FergusonR-NJ-7
Rep. Randy KuhlR-NY-29
Rep. Frank WolfR-VA-10
Rep. Ralph RegulaR-OH-16- Rep. Tom OsborneR-NE-3
Rep. Michael TurnerR-OH-3
Rep. Deborah PryceR-OH-15
Rep. Jim RamstadR-MN-3
Rep. Kenny HulshofR-MO-9
Rep. Jerry WellerR-IL-11
Rep. Jeff FortenberryR-NE-1
Rep. Greg WaldenR-OR-2
Rep. Tom DavisR-VA-11
Rep. Ileana Ros-LehtinenR-FL-18
Rep. Rodney FrelinghuysenR-NJ-11
Rep. Tom LathamR-IA-4
Rep. Lincoln Diaz-BalartR-FL-21
Rep. Mike SimpsonR-ID-2
Rep. Ed WhitfieldR-KY-1
Rep. Dave CampR-MI-4
Rep. Thomas ReynoldsR-NY-26
Rep. Phil EnglishR-PA-3
Rep. Jerry MoranR-KS-1
Rep. John PetersonR-PA-5- Rep. Richard PomboR-CA-11
- Rep. Clay ShawR-FL-22
Rep. Charles BoustanyR-LA-7
Rep. Mike RogersR-AL-3
Rep. Vernon EhlersR-MI-3
Rep. John ShimkusR-IL-19
Rep. Dave HobsonR-OH-7- Rep. Anne NorthupR-KY-3
Rep. John BoozmanR-AR-3
Rep. Elton GalleglyR-CA-24
Rep. Candice MillerR-MI-10- Rep. Don SherwoodR-PA-10
- Rep. Bill ThomasR-CA-22
Rep. Judy BiggertR-IL-13
Rep. Don YoungR-AK
Rep. Hal RogersR-KY-5
Rep. Jerry LewisR-CA-41- Rep. Paul GillmorR-OH-5
Rep. Ken CalvertR-CA-44
Rep. Denny RehbergR-MT
Rep. Ander CrenshawR-FL-4
Rep. Buck McKeonR-CA-25
Rep. Thelma DrakeR-VA-2
Rep. W. Bill YoungR-FL-10
Rep. Jean SchmidtR-OH-2
Rep. Rodney AlexanderR-LA-5
Rep. Roger WickerR-MS-1
Rep. Virgil GoodeR-VA-5
Rep. Lamar SmithR-TX-21- Rep. Henry HydeR-IL-6
Rep. Michael McCaulR-TX-10
Rep. Randy ForbesR-VA-4
Rep. Devin NunesR-CA-21
Rep. Joe KnollenbergR-MI-9
Rep. Jo BonnerR-AL-1- Rep. Mark KennedyR-MN-6
Rep. Robert AderholtR-AL-4
Rep. Frank LucasR-OK-3
Rep. Mark SouderR-IN-3
Rep. Kay GrangerR-TX-12- Rep. Melissa HartR-PA-4
Rep. Geoff DavisR-KY-4
Rep. Jim McCreryR-LA-4
Rep. David DreierR-CA-26
Rep. Doc HastingsR-WA-4
Rep. Henry BrownR-SC-1- Rep. Jeb BradleyR-NH-1
Rep. Tom ColeR-OK-4
Rep. Robin HayesR-NC-8
Rep. Ralph HallR-TX-4
Rep. Adam PutnamR-FL-12
Rep. John BoehnerR-OH-8- Rep. Jim KolbeR-AZ-8
- Rep. Charles TaylorR-NC-11
Rep. Ginny Brown-WaiteR-FL-5
Rep. Zach WampR-TN-3
Rep. John DoolittleR-CA-4- Rep. Michael OxleyR-OH-4
- Rep. Henry BonillaR-TX-23
- Rep. Michael BilirakisR-FL-9
Rep. Sam GravesR-MO-6
Rep. Charlie BassR-NH-2- Rep. Michael SodrelR-IN-9
Rep. Vito FossellaR-NY-13
Rep. Ron LewisR-KY-2
Rep. Darrell IssaR-CA-49
Rep. Pat TiberiR-OH-12
Rep. Roy BluntR-MO-7- Rep. Mark GreenR-WI-8
Rep. Bob GoodlatteR-VA-6
Rep. Mike RogersR-MI-8
Rep. Spencer BachusR-AL-6
Rep. Michael BurgessR-TX-26
Rep. Mario Diaz-BalartR-FL-25
Rep. Cathy McMorris RodgersR-WA-5
Rep. Dave WeldonR-FL-15
Rep. John MicaR-FL-7- Rep. Jo Ann DavisR-VA-1
Rep. John CarterR-TX-31
Rep. Steve PearceR-NM-2- Rep. Richard BakerR-LA-6
- Rep. Bobby JindalR-LA-1
- Rep. Tom DeLayR-TX-22
Rep. Bill ShusterR-PA-9
Rep. Duncan HunterR-CA-52- Rep. Bill JenkinsR-TN-1
Rep. Lee TerryR-NE-2
Rep. Terry EverettR-AL-2
Rep. John KlineR-MN-2
Rep. Eric CantorR-VA-7- Rep. Katherine HarrisR-FL-13
Rep. Todd TiahrtR-KS-4
Rep. John CulbersonR-TX-7
Rep. Steve BuyerR-IN-4
Rep. Pete HoekstraR-MI-2
Rep. George RadanovichR-CA-19
Rep. Michael ConawayR-TX-11
Rep. Barbara CubinR-WY
Rep. Kevin BradyR-TX-8
Rep. Kenny MarchantR-TX-24
Rep. Jack KingstonR-GA-1
Rep. Daniel LungrenR-CA-3
Rep. Rob BishopR-UT-1
Rep. Joe BartonR-TX-6- Rep. Jim RyunR-KS-2
Rep. Connie MackR-FL-14
Rep. Dan BurtonR-IN-5
Rep. Wally HergerR-CA-2
Rep. Joe WilsonR-SC-2
Rep. Phil GingreyR-GA-11- Rep. Bob BeauprezR-CO-7
Rep. John SullivanR-OK-1
Rep. Mac ThornberryR-TX-13
Rep. Gary MillerR-CA-42
Rep. Howard CobleR-NC-6
Rep. Ted PoeR-TX-2
Rep. Chris CannonR-UT-3- Rep. Ernest IstookR-OK-5
Rep. Steve ChabotR-OH-1
Rep. Tom PetriR-WI-6
Rep. Roscoe BartlettR-MD-6- Rep. Gil GutknechtR-MN-1
- Rep. J.D. HayworthR-AZ-5
Rep. Paul RyanR-WI-1- Rep. Chris ChocolaR-IN-2
Rep. Virginia FoxxR-NC-5
Rep. John LinderR-GA-7- Rep. John HostettlerR-IN-8
Rep. Todd AkinR-MO-2
Rep. Marilyn MusgraveR-CO-4
Rep. Tom PriceR-GA-6
Rep. Ed RoyceR-CA-40
Rep. Randy NeugebauerR-TX-19
Rep. Joseph PittsR-PA-16- Rep. Charlie NorwoodR-GA-9
Rep. Jeff MillerR-FL-1
Rep. Nathan DealR-GA-10
Rep. Sue MyrickR-NC-9
Rep. Cliff StearnsR-FL-6
Rep. Dana RohrabacherR-CA-46
Rep. Sam JohnsonR-TX-3
Rep. Marsha BlackburnR-TN-7- Rep. Joel HefleyR-CO-5
Rep. Patrick McHenryR-NC-10
Rep. Lynn WestmorelandR-GA-8
Rep. Tom FeeneyR-FL-24
Rep. J. Gresham BarrettR-SC-3
Rep. Steve KingR-IA-5
Rep. Jimmy DuncanR-TN-2
Rep. James SensenbrennerR-WI-5
Rep. Mike PenceR-IN-6
Rep. Scott GarrettR-NJ-5- Rep. Butch OtterR-ID-1
Rep. Jeb HensarlingR-TX-5
Rep. John ShadeggR-AZ-3
Rep. Tom TancredoR-CO-6
Rep. Trent FranksR-AZ-2
Rep. Jeff FlakeR-AZ-6
Data notes
The House’s recorded vote on the final version of the law (roll call 898 in Voteview), matched to the vote the record cites and checked against its totals. Positions are each member’s DW-NOMINATE score for that Congress, as on the Ideology page; left to right is more liberal to more conservative. Paired and announced yea votes count as yea. Lists follow the compass, most liberal first. A name links to a profile only for members of the current Congress. A law passed by voice vote or unanimous consent has no member list, and neither does a vote Voteview has not yet recorded.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Energy and Commerce Committee · House · referred toSubcommittee: Communications and Technology Subcommittee
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Related bills
1 bill the Library of Congress relates to this one.
H.R. 310Related bill
Broadcast Decency Enforcement Act of 2005
Data notes
Related bills are identified by the Congressional Research Service, the House and the Senate: companion and identical bills, bills with similar text, bills that were folded into this law, and rules that brought it to the floor. A bill that is itself a public law in this site’s data links here; the others link to Congress.gov.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 18 actions.
- Jun 15, 2006Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 109-235.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Jun 8, 2006FloorFloor · Presented to President.
- Jun 7, 2006FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 379 - 35 (Roll no. 230).House roll call 230
- FloorFloor · Considered as unfinished business.
- Jun 6, 2006FloorFloor · At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
- FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on S. 193.
- FloorFloor · Considered under suspension of the rules.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Upton moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
- Jun 5, 2006CommitteeCommittee · Referred to the Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet.
- May 19, 2006FloorFloor · Message on Senate action sent to the House.
- FloorFloor · Received in the House.
- CommitteeCommittee · Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
- May 18, 2006FloorFloor · Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.
- CommitteeCommittee · Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation discharged by Unanimous Consent.
- Jan 26, 2005CommitteeCommittee · Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in Senate
Data notes
Every action the Library of Congress lists for the bill, from introduction to signing, plus the dated committee hearings. The source lists many steps twice (the chamber’s own entry and the Library of Congress copy, or a presidential and a became-law entry with the same words); those are shown once. Amendments are listed in their own section.
Amendments
No amendments to this bill are on record.
Data notes
Amendments offered to this bill in either chamber, as the Library of Congress records them: each with a status read from its last recorded step: agreed to, rejected, withdrawn, ruled out of order, fell with another amendment, or offered with no vote recorded (most Senate amendments are only ever offered). The wording of each amendment is the source’s. Amendments to amendments and amendments to other bills are not listed.
Official record
The bill’s full text is on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.