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An Act to promote the separation of constitutional powers by suspending the effectiveness of the Rules of Evidence for United States Courts and Magistrates, the amendments to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, and the Amendments to the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure transmitted to the Congress by the Chief Justice on February 5, 1973, until approved by Act of Congress.

Public Law 93-12 · S. 583 · 93rd Congress · began in the Senate

Signed by Richard Nixon (R) on Mar 30, 1973 · Law

Sponsor: Sen. Samuel Ervin (D-NC)

Cosponsors: None

Passage votesYeaNay

HouseRecorded vote: 399 yea, 1 nay399–1
SenateMethod not stated

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.

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Summary

The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.

Provides that, notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Rules of Evidence for United States Courts and Magistrates, the Amendments to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, and the Amendments to the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, which are embraced by the orders entered by the Supreme Court of the United States on Monday, November 20, 1972, and Monday, December 18, 1972, shall have no force or effect except to the extent, and with such amendments, as they may be expressly approved by Act of Congress.

Who voted for it

Every House member of the 93rd Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 400 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.

400 yea1 nay37 present or did not vote

Dimension 2

Economic left–right

More liberalMore conservative

Democrats who voted yea(221)

Rep. John ConyersD-MI-1
Rep. Ronald DellumsD-CA-7
Rep. Pete StarkD-CA-8
Rep. Don EdwardsD-CA-9
Rep. John MossD-CA-3
Rep. Elizabeth HoltzmanD-NY-16
Rep. Bella AbzugD-NY-20
Rep. Edward RoybalD-CA-30
Rep. Phillip BurtonD-CA-5
Rep. Louis StokesD-OH-21
Rep. Robert EckhardtD-TX-8
Rep. Bill ClayD-MO-1
Rep. Robert KastenmeierD-WI-2
Rep. Parren MitchellD-MD-7
Rep. Gus HawkinsD-CA-21
Rep. Charlie RangelD-NY-19
Rep. Patricia SchroederD-CO-1
Rep. Ralph MetcalfeD-IL-1
Rep. Andrew YoungD-GA-5
Rep. John DingellD-MI-16
Rep. Henry GonzálezD-TX-20
Rep. William FordD-MI-15
Rep. Benjamin RosenthalD-NY-8
Rep. Michael HarringtonD-MA-6
Rep. Leo RyanD-CA-11
Rep. Yvonne BurkeD-CA-37
Rep. Glenn AndersonD-CA-35
Rep. Patsy MinkD-HI-2
Rep. Barbara JordanD-TX-18
Rep. George BrownD-CA-38
Rep. Frank ThompsonD-NJ-4
Rep. Floyd HicksD-WA-6
Rep. Charles DiggsD-MI-13
Rep. Charles WilsonD-CA-31
Rep. James O’HaraD-MI-12
Rep. Charles CarneyD-OH-19
Rep. Lucien NedziD-MI-14
Rep. John SeiberlingD-OH-14
Rep. Bertram PodellD-NY-13
Rep. William BarrettD-PA-1
Rep. John DentD-PA-21
Rep. Henry HelstoskiD-NJ-9
Rep. Lloyd MeedsD-WA-2
Rep. John BrademasD-IN-3
Rep. James CormanD-CA-22
Rep. Teno RoncalioD-WY
Rep. George DanielsonD-CA-29
Rep. Donald FraserD-MN-5
Rep. Robert LeggettD-CA-4
Rep. Jonathan BinghamD-NY-22
Rep. Robert DrinanD-MA-4
Rep. William LehmanD-FL-13
Rep. Dante FascellD-FL-15
Rep. Robert TiernanD-RI-2
Rep. Tip O’NeillD-MA-8
Rep. Wayne HaysD-OH-18
Rep. Brock AdamsD-WA-7
Rep. James BurkeD-MA-11
Rep. Joshua EilbergD-PA-4
Rep. Julia HansenD-WA-3
Rep. Henry ReussD-WI-5
Rep. Paul SarbanesD-MD-3
Rep. Edward KochD-NY-18
Rep. Spark MatsunagaD-HI-1
Rep. James HowardD-NJ-3
Rep. Joseph AddabboD-NY-7
Rep. Dave ObeyD-WI-7
Rep. Chester HolifieldD-CA-19
Rep. William BurlisonD-MO-10
Rep. Clarence LongD-MD-2
Rep. Gerry StuddsD-MA-12
Rep. Frank DenholmD-SD-1
Rep. Kenneth GrayD-IL-24
Rep. John MelcherD-MT-2
Rep. William GreenD-PA-3
Rep. Frank BrascoD-NY-11
Rep. Jack BrooksD-TX-9
Rep. Leslie AspinD-WI-1
Rep. Mike McCormackD-WA-4
Rep. Richard HannaD-CA-34
Rep. Sidney YatesD-IL-9
Rep. Douglas OwensD-UT-2
Rep. John PatmanD-TX-1
Rep. Harold JohnsonD-CA-2
Rep. William HungateD-MO-9
Rep. Ogden ReidD-NY-24
Rep. Ray MaddenD-IN-1
Rep. James WrightD-TX-12
Rep. John McFallD-CA-15
Rep. Peter RodinoD-NJ-10
Rep. Claude PepperD-FL-14
Rep. Fernand St. GermainD-RI-1
Rep. Edward MezvinskyD-IA-1
Rep. Harley StaggersD-WV-2
Rep. Joseph EvinsD-TN-4
Rep. Charles VanikD-OH-22
Rep. Frank AnnunzioD-IL-11
Rep. Charles WilsonD-TX-2
Rep. John MurphyD-NY-17
Rep. Leonor SullivanD-MO-3
Rep. Joseph GaydosD-PA-20
Rep. Thomas FoleyD-WA-5
Rep. Charles PriceD-IL-23
Rep. Bill AlexanderD-AR-1
Rep. Morris UdallD-AZ-2
Rep. Bernice SiskD-CA-16
Rep. Joseph KarthD-MN-4
Rep. John KluczynskiD-IL-5
Rep. Thomas MorganD-PA-22
Rep. Hugh CareyD-NY-15
Rep. Gillis LongD-LA-8
Rep. William MoorheadD-PA-14
Rep. Kenneth HechlerD-WV-4
Rep. Richard BollingD-MO-5
Rep. Morgan MurphyD-IL-2
Rep. Harold DonohueD-MA-3
Rep. Dominick DanielsD-NJ-14
Rep. Lionel Van DeerlinD-CA-41
Rep. Abraham KazenD-TX-23
Rep. Joseph VigoritoD-PA-24
Rep. Martha GriffithsD-MI-17
Rep. Robert MollohanD-WV-1
Rep. Frederick RooneyD-PA-15
Rep. Torbert MacdonaldD-MA-7
Rep. Robert JonesD-AL-5
Rep. Daniel FloodD-PA-11
Rep. Carl PerkinsD-KY-7
Rep. Edward PattenD-NJ-15
Rep. Gus YatronD-PA-6
Rep. Robert RoeD-NJ-8
Rep. Frank EvansD-CO-3
Rep. Neal SmithD-IA-4
Rep. James SymingtonD-MO-2
Rep. John YoungD-TX-14
Rep. Clement ZablockiD-WI-4
Rep. Daniel RostenkowskiD-IL-8
Rep. Frank ClarkD-PA-25
Rep. William CotterD-CT-1
Rep. Lester WolffD-NY-6
Rep. John SlackD-WV-3
Rep. Joseph MinishD-NJ-11
Rep. Robert GiaimoD-CT-3
Rep. William NatcherD-KY-2
Rep. Thomas AshleyD-OH-9
Rep. Ella GrassoD-CT-6
Rep. Kika de la GarzaD-TX-15
Rep. John CulverD-IA-2
Rep. Thomas SteedD-OK-4
Rep. Jake PickleD-TX-10
Rep. James HanleyD-NY-32
Rep. James DelaneyD-NY-9
Rep. Jerry LittonD-MO-6
Rep. Koln McKayD-UT-1
Rep. Ray ThorntonD-AR-4
Rep. Charles RoseD-NC-7
Rep. Edward BolandD-MA-2
Rep. Clem McSpaddenD-OK-2
Rep. John BreauxD-LA-7
Rep. George ShipleyD-IL-22
Rep. John RoushD-IN-4
Rep. Tom BevillD-AL-4
Rep. Albert UllmanD-OR-2
Rep. John DavisD-GA-7
Rep. Richard WhiteD-TX-16
Rep. Bo GinnD-GA-1
Rep. John BreckinridgeD-KY-6
Rep. Mendel DavisD-SC-1
Rep. William RandallD-MO-4
Rep. Ed JonesD-TN-7
Rep. Williamson StuckeyD-GA-8
Rep. William RoyD-KS-2
Rep. Otis PikeD-NY-1
Rep. Thaddeus DulskiD-NY-37
Rep. Robert StephensD-GA-10
Rep. Lunsford PreyerD-NC-6
Rep. Ike AndrewsD-NC-4
Rep. Olin TeagueD-TX-6
Rep. Lee HamiltonD-IN-9
Rep. James StantonD-OH-20
Rep. Robert CaseyD-TX-22
Rep. David HendersonD-NC-3
Rep. Romano MazzoliD-KY-3
Rep. Walter FlowersD-AL-7
Rep. Walter JonesD-NC-1
Rep. James JonesD-OK-1
Rep. Samuel StrattonD-NY-28
Rep. Bill GunterD-FL-5
Rep. David BowenD-MS-2
Rep. Don FuquaD-FL-2
Rep. Richard IchordD-MO-8
Rep. George MahonD-TX-19
Rep. Phillip LandrumD-GA-9
Rep. Herbert RobertsD-TX-4
Rep. Harold RunnelsD-NM-2
Rep. William ChappellD-FL-4
Rep. Otto PassmanD-LA-5
Rep. Roy TaylorD-NC-11
Rep. Jamie WhittenD-MS-1
Rep. William PoageD-TX-11
Rep. Jack BrinkleyD-GA-3
Rep. Robert SikesD-FL-1
Rep. William DornD-SC-3
Rep. Edith GreenD-OR-3
Rep. Lawrence FountainD-NC-2
Rep. Paul RogersD-FL-11
Rep. Marvin MathisD-GA-2
Rep. Felix HébertD-LA-1
Rep. Charles BennettD-FL-3
Rep. Thomas DowningD-VA-1
Rep. James MannD-SC-4
Rep. Dale MilfordD-TX-24
Rep. Joseph WaggonnerD-LA-4
Rep. James HaleyD-FL-8
Rep. Goodloe ByronD-MD-6
Rep. John FlyntD-GA-6
Rep. Ovie FisherD-TX-21
Rep. Sonny MontgomeryD-MS-3
Rep. Omar BurlesonD-TX-17
Rep. Dan DanielD-VA-5
Rep. John JarmanD-OK-5
Rep. David SatterfieldD-VA-3

Republicans who voted yea(178)

Rep. Donald RiegleR-MI-7
Rep. Charles WhalenR-OH-3
Rep. Margaret HecklerR-MA-10
Rep. Gilbert GudeR-MD-8
Rep. Robert SteeleR-CT-2
Rep. Peter PeyserR-NY-23
Rep. Matthew RinaldoR-NJ-12
Rep. Edward BiesterR-PA-8
Rep. Paul CroninR-MA-5
Rep. Mark AndrewsR-ND
Rep. Joseph McDadeR-PA-10
Rep. Silvio ConteR-MA-1
Rep. Pete McCloskeyR-CA-17
Rep. John StantonR-OH-11
Rep. Frank HortonR-NY-34
Rep. Ronald SarasinR-CT-5
Rep. Stewart McKinneyR-CT-4
Rep. Benjamin GilmanR-NY-26
Rep. Charles MosherR-OH-13
Rep. William WidnallR-NJ-7
Rep. William CohenR-ME-2
Rep. William WalshR-NY-33
Rep. Wendell WyattR-OR-1
Rep. Tim CarterR-KY-5
Rep. Thomas RailsbackR-IL-19
Rep. Marvin EschR-MI-2
Rep. Charles SandmanR-NJ-2
Rep. Hamilton FishR-NY-25
Rep. Donald MitchellR-NY-31
Rep. Henry HeinzR-PA-18
Rep. Donald ClausenR-CA-1
Rep. Joel PritchardR-WA-1
Rep. Robert CoughlinR-PA-13
Rep. Donald BrotzmanR-CO-2
Rep. Elwood HillisR-IN-5
Rep. Charles ThoneR-NE-1
Rep. William MailliardR-CA-6
Rep. John HammerschmidtR-AR-3
Rep. Pierre du PontR-DE
Rep. Joseph MarazitiR-NJ-13
Rep. William HarshaR-OH-6
Rep. James AbdnorR-SD-2
Rep. William WamplerR-VA-9
Rep. Garner ShriverR-KS-4
Rep. John AndersonR-IL-16
Rep. Tennyson GuyerR-OH-4
Rep. Lawrence WilliamsR-PA-7
Rep. Orval HansenR-ID-2
Rep. Angelo RoncalloR-NY-3
Rep. Edward MadiganR-IL-21
Rep. Jerry PettisR-CA-33
Rep. Vernon ThomsonR-WI-3
Rep. Guy Vander JagtR-MI-9
Rep. John ZwachR-MN-6
Rep. Joe SkubitzR-KS-5
Rep. Lawrence HoganR-MD-5
Rep. Albert QuieR-MN-1
Rep. James ClevelandR-NH-2
Rep. Dick ShoupR-MT-1
Rep. Herbert BurkeR-FL-12
Rep. Thad CochranR-MS-4
Rep. Larry WinnR-KS-3
Rep. George WhitehurstR-VA-2
Rep. James HastingsR-NY-39
Rep. James BroyhillR-NC-10
Rep. James GroverR-NY-2
Rep. Bob WilsonR-CA-40
Rep. Albert JohnsonR-PA-23
Rep. Manuel LujánR-NM-1
Rep. Alan SteelmanR-TX-5
Rep. William MillsR-MD-1
Rep. Edwin EshlemanR-PA-16
Rep. Louis FreyR-FL-9
Rep. Ralph RegulaR-OH-16
Rep. John MyersR-IN-7
Rep. Trent LottR-MS-5
Rep. John BuchananR-AL-6
Rep. Dan KuykendallR-TN-8
Rep. Samuel YoungR-IL-10
Rep. Joel BroyhillR-VA-10
Rep. David TowellR-NV
Rep. Burt TalcottR-CA-12
Rep. Edwin ForsytheR-NJ-6
Rep. Jack EdwardsR-AL-1
Rep. John DuncanR-TN-2
Rep. Charles GubserR-CA-10
Rep. Vinegar Bend MizellR-NC-5
Rep. William BroomfieldR-MI-19
Rep. John SaylorR-PA-12
Rep. Paul FindleyR-IL-20
Rep. Victor VeyseyR-CA-43
Rep. Elford CederbergR-MI-10
Rep. Louis WymanR-NH-1
Rep. James QuillenR-TN-1
Rep. John HuntR-NJ-1
Rep. William BrayR-IN-6
Rep. George O’BrienR-IL-17
Rep. Charles ChamberlainR-MI-6
Rep. John DellenbackR-OR-4
Rep. John McCollisterR-NE-2
Rep. Stanford ParrisR-VA-8
Rep. Clarence BrownR-OH-7
Rep. Henry SmithR-NY-36
Rep. John RhodesR-AZ-1
Rep. William KeatingR-OH-1
Rep. Delbert LattaR-OH-5
Rep. Roger ZionR-IN-8
Rep. Marjorie HoltR-MD-4
Rep. Richard MallaryR-VT
Rep. William FrenzelR-MN-3
Rep. Charles TeagueR-CA-13
Rep. Howard RobisonR-NY-27
Rep. Robert HanrahanR-IL-3
Rep. Edward DerwinskiR-IL-4
Rep. Floyd SpenceR-SC-2
Rep. Robert McCloryR-IL-13
Rep. Manley ButlerR-VA-6
Rep. William ScherleR-IA-5
Rep. Alphonzo BellR-CA-28
Rep. Andrew HinshawR-CA-39
Rep. Robert DanielR-VA-4
Rep. Keith SebeliusR-KS-1
Rep. Clair BurgenerR-CA-42
Rep. Earl RuthR-NC-8
Rep. Garry BrownR-MI-3
Rep. Wiley MayneR-IA-6
Rep. William DickinsonR-AL-2
Rep. William HudnutR-IN-11
Rep. Ancher NelsenR-MN-2
Rep. Edward YoungR-SC-6
Rep. Jack KempR-NY-38
Rep. Gerald FordR-MI-5
Rep. John ErlenbornR-IL-14
Rep. John WydlerR-NY-5
Rep. John WareR-PA-5
Rep. James MartinR-NC-9
Rep. William SteigerR-WI-6
Rep. Leslie ArendsR-IL-15
Rep. LaMar BakerR-TN-3
Rep. Marion SnyderR-KY-4
Rep. Peter FrelinghuysenR-NJ-5
Rep. Carlos MoorheadR-CA-20
Rep. Barry GoldwaterR-CA-27
Rep. Gene TaylorR-MO-7
Rep. James RobinsonR-VA-7
Rep. Chalmers WylieR-OH-15
Rep. Robin BeardR-TN-6
Rep. John CampR-OK-6
Rep. David MartinR-NE-3
Rep. Donald ClancyR-OH-2
Rep. Clarence MillerR-OH-10
Rep. W. Bill YoungR-FL-6
Rep. William KetchumR-CA-36
Rep. David TreenR-LA-3
Rep. William ArmstrongR-CO-5
Rep. Edward HutchinsonR-MI-4
Rep. Barber ConableR-NY-35
Rep. Walter PowellR-OH-8
Rep. Herman SchneebeliR-PA-17
Rep. Charles WigginsR-CA-25
Rep. Benjamin BlackburnR-GA-4
Rep. Sam SteigerR-AZ-3
Rep. Robert HuberR-MI-18
Rep. Glenn DavisR-WI-9
Rep. Delwin ClawsonR-CA-23
Rep. Bud ShusterR-PA-9
Rep. David DennisR-IN-10
Rep. Bill ArcherR-TX-7
Rep. Samuel DevineR-OH-12
Rep. John ConlanR-AZ-4
Rep. George GoodlingR-PA-19
Rep. John RousselotR-CA-24
Rep. John AshbrookR-OH-17
Rep. James CollinsR-TX-3
Rep. Steven SymmsR-ID-1
Rep. Phil CraneR-IL-12
Rep. Earl LandgrebeR-IN-2
Rep. Harold GrossR-IA-3

Data notes

The House’s recorded vote on the final version of the law (roll call 29 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. 1 yea vote was cast by members of neither major party and is highlighted on the compass but not listed. 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.

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Committees

The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.

Judiciary Committee · House · referred to, reported by
Judiciary Committee · Senate · referred to, reported by

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.

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Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 11 actions.

Mar 30, 1973Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
PresidentPresident · Public law 93-12.
Mar 20, 1973PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
Mar 19, 1973Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to House amendments.
Mar 14, 1973FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended, roll call #48 (399-1).House roll call 48
Mar 7, 1973CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Judiciary Committee
Feb 8, 1973CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Judiciary Committee
Feb 7, 1973FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate.
Feb 5, 1973CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Judiciary Committee
Jan 29, 1973CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Judiciary Committee
IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the Senate

Data notes

Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.

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Official record

The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.