Congress · Laws
A bill to amend section 712 of title 18 of the United States Code, to prohibit persons attempting to collect their own debts from misusing names in order to convey the false impression that any agency of the Federal Government is involved in such collection, and for other purposes.
Public Law 93-147 · H.R. 689 · 93rd Congress · began in the House
Signed by Richard Nixon (R) on Nov 3, 1973 · Crime and Law Enforcement
Sponsor: Rep. Edward Koch (D-NY-18)
Cosponsors: None
Passage votesYeaNay
- HouseRecorded vote: 399 yea, 0 nay399–0
- 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.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Prohibits persons attempting to collect their own debts or aiding in the collection of private debts from misusing names, initials, emblems, or insignias in order to convey the false impression that any agency of the Federal Government is involved in such collection. Provides a penalty of a fine not to exceed $1,000 or imprisonment for not more than one year or both for violations of this Act.
Who voted for it
Every House member of the 93rd Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 401 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.
401 yea0 nay38 present or did not vote
Dimension 2
Economic left–right
More liberalMore conservative
Democrats who voted yea(217)
Rep. John ConyersD-MI-1- Rep. Ronald DellumsD-CA-7
Rep. Pete StarkD-CA-8- Rep. Don EdwardsD-CA-9
- Rep. Elizabeth HoltzmanD-NY-16
- Rep. Bella AbzugD-NY-20
- Rep. Edward RoybalD-CA-30
- Rep. Phillip BurtonD-CA-5
- Rep. Robert EckhardtD-TX-8
- Rep. Bill ClayD-MO-1
- Rep. Robert KastenmeierD-WI-2
- Rep. Gus HawkinsD-CA-21
Rep. Charlie RangelD-NY-19- Rep. Patricia SchroederD-CO-1
- Rep. Jerome WaldieD-CA-14
- 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. Glenn AndersonD-CA-35
- Rep. Patsy MinkD-HI-2
- Rep. Barbara JordanD-TX-18
- Rep. George BrownD-CA-38
- Rep. Cardiss CollinsD-IL-7
- Rep. Robert NixD-PA-2
- Rep. Floyd HicksD-WA-6
- 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. 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. 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. Thomas ReesD-CA-26
- 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. 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. 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. 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. Peter KyrosD-ME-1
- 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. Robert BerglandD-MN-7
- 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. Richard FultonD-TN-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. Mario BiaggiD-NY-10
- Rep. Richard BollingD-MO-5
- Rep. Morgan MurphyD-IL-2
- Rep. Harold DonohueD-MA-3
- Rep. Dominick DanielsD-NJ-14
- Rep. Abraham KazenD-TX-23
- Rep. Lindy BoggsD-LA-2
- 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. Wilbur MillsD-AR-2
- 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. Sam GibbonsD-FL-7
- 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. Frank StubblefieldD-KY-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. 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. Thomas GettysD-SC-5
- Rep. Don FuquaD-FL-2
- Rep. Richard IchordD-MO-8
- Rep. George MahonD-TX-19
- Rep. Herbert RobertsD-TX-4
- Rep. Harold RunnelsD-NM-2
- Rep. William ChappellD-FL-4
- Rep. Roy TaylorD-NC-11
- Rep. Jamie WhittenD-MS-1
- Rep. Jack BrinkleyD-GA-3
- Rep. Robert SikesD-FL-1
- Rep. William NicholsD-AL-3
- 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. 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(183)
- Rep. Donald RiegleR-MI-7
- Rep. Charles WhalenR-OH-3
- 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. Bob MathiasR-CA-18
- Rep. Tim CarterR-KY-5
- 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. Joseph MarazitiR-NJ-13
- Rep. William HarshaR-OH-6
Rep. Don YoungR-AK- 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. Norman LentR-NY-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. Jim JohnsonR-CO-4
- 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. Edwin EshlemanR-PA-16
- Rep. James HarveyR-MI-8
- Rep. Philip RuppeR-MI-11
- 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. Robert PriceR-TX-13
- 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. William MinshallR-OH-23
- 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. Harold FroehlichR-WI-8
- Rep. Clair BurgenerR-CA-42
- Rep. Earl RuthR-NC-8
- Rep. Garry BrownR-MI-3
- Rep. Robert McEwenR-NY-30
- Rep. Wiley MayneR-IA-6
- Rep. Carleton KingR-NY-29
- 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. Gene TaylorR-MO-7
- Rep. James RobinsonR-VA-7
- Rep. Chalmers WylieR-OH-15
- Rep. Skip BafalisR-FL-10
- Rep. Harold CollierR-IL-6
- 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. Benjamin BlackburnR-GA-4
- Rep. Craig HosmerR-CA-32
- Rep. Robert MichelR-IL-18
- 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. George GoodlingR-PA-19
- Rep. John RousselotR-CA-24
- Rep. James CollinsR-TX-3
- Rep. Steven SymmsR-ID-1
- Rep. Phil CraneR-IL-12
- Rep. Harold GrossR-IA-3
Data notes
The House’s recorded vote on the final version of the law (roll call 163 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.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
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.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 10 actions.
- Nov 3, 1973Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public law 93-147.
- Oct 26, 1973PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- Oct 18, 1973FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate.
- Oct 16, 1973CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Judiciary Committee
- Jun 20, 1973CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Judiciary Committee
- Jun 19, 1973FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended, roll call #238 (399-0).House roll call 238
- Jun 11, 1973CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Judiciary Committee
- Jan 3, 1973CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Judiciary Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
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.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.