Congress · Laws

Overseas Citizens Voting Rights Act of 1975

Public Law 94-203 · S. 95 · 94th Congress · began in the Senate

Signed by Gerald Ford (R) on Jan 2, 1976 · Government Operations and Politics

Sponsor: Sen. Charles Mathias (R-MD)

Cosponsors (7): Sen. Claiborne Pell, Sen. Barry Goldwater,

Passage votesYeaNay

HouseRecorded vote: 374 yea, 43 nay374–43
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.

Overseas Citizens Voting Rights Act - Affords each citizen residing outside the United States the right to register absentee for, and to vote by, an absentee ballot in any Federal election in the State, or district of such State, in which he was last domiciled immediately prior to his departure from the United States and in which he would have met all qualifications to vote in Federal elections, if he has complied with all applicable State or district qualifications and requirements that are consistent with this Act.

Requires States to provide for the absentee registration and the casting of absentee ballots in Federal elections by citizens residing outside the United States.

Empowers the Attorney General to bring actions to enforce this Act.

Who voted for it

Every House member of the 94th Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 374 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.

374 yea43 nay17 present or did not vote

Dimension 2

Economic left–right

More liberalMore conservative

Democrats who voted yea(264)

Rep. John ConyersD-MI-1
Rep. Louis StokesD-OH-21
Rep. Pete StarkD-CA-9
Rep. Bella AbzugD-NY-20
Rep. John MossD-CA-3
Rep. Parren MitchellD-MD-7
Rep. James CormanD-CA-21
Rep. Ronald DellumsD-CA-8
Rep. Don EdwardsD-CA-10
Rep. Edward RoybalD-CA-25
Rep. Phillip BurtonD-CA-6
Rep. Andrew YoungD-GA-5
Rep. Yvonne BurkeD-CA-28
Rep. Bill ClayD-MO-1
Rep. Elizabeth HoltzmanD-NY-16
Rep. Shirley ChisholmD-NY-12
Rep. Gus HawkinsD-CA-29
Rep. Henry WaxmanD-CA-24
Rep. Benjamin RosenthalD-NY-8
Rep. Charlie RangelD-NY-19
Rep. Ralph MetcalfeD-IL-1
Rep. Frank ThompsonD-NJ-4
Rep. James OberstarD-MN-8
Rep. Herman BadilloD-NY-21
Rep. William BarrettD-PA-1
Rep. Charles DiggsD-MI-13
Rep. George BrownD-CA-36
Rep. Cardiss CollinsD-IL-7
Rep. Barbara JordanD-TX-18
Rep. Robert NixD-PA-2
Rep. William FordD-MI-15
Rep. Frederick RichmondD-NY-14
Rep. Henry GonzálezD-TX-20
Rep. Harold JohnsonD-CA-1
Rep. Robert EckhardtD-TX-8
Rep. Charles CarneyD-OH-19
Rep. James HowardD-NJ-3
Rep. John SeiberlingD-OH-14
Rep. Jonathan BinghamD-NY-22
Rep. John DingellD-MI-16
Rep. John BurtonD-CA-5
Rep. John BrademasD-IN-3
Rep. Patsy MinkD-HI-2
Rep. James ScheuerD-NY-11
Rep. John McFallD-CA-14
Rep. Tip O’NeillD-MA-8
Rep. Morris UdallD-AZ-2
Rep. Charles PriceD-IL-23
Rep. Edward KochD-NY-18
Rep. Richard BollingD-MO-5
Rep. Joshua EilbergD-PA-4
Rep. Robert LeggettD-CA-4
Rep. Henry ReussD-WI-5
Rep. Joseph AddabboD-NY-7
Rep. Norman MinetaD-CA-13
Rep. Peter RodinoD-NJ-10
Rep. Stephen SolarzD-NY-13
Rep. George MillerD-CA-7
Rep. Lloyd MeedsD-WA-2
Rep. John FaryD-IL-5
Rep. Sidney YatesD-IL-9
Rep. Ray MaddenD-IN-1
Rep. Helen MeynerD-NJ-13
Rep. Edward MezvinskyD-IA-1
Rep. William BrodheadD-MI-17
Rep. Dave ObeyD-WI-7
Rep. Michael HarringtonD-MA-6
Rep. Thomas MorganD-PA-22
Rep. Frank AnnunzioD-IL-11
Rep. John MurphyD-NY-17
Rep. Richard NolanD-MN-6
Rep. Dominick DanielsD-NJ-14
Rep. Spark MatsunagaD-HI-1
Rep. Fernand St. GermainD-RI-1
Rep. Floyd HicksD-WA-6
Rep. James BurkeD-MA-11
Rep. William LehmanD-FL-13
Rep. Robert DrinanD-MA-4
Rep. Daniel RostenkowskiD-IL-8
Rep. William BurlisonD-MO-10
Rep. Edward PattenD-NJ-15
Rep. James StantonD-OH-20
Rep. Morgan MurphyD-IL-2
Rep. Abner MikvaD-IL-10
Rep. Joseph KarthD-MN-4
Rep. George DanielsonD-CA-30
Rep. James O’HaraD-MI-12
Rep. Edward BeardD-RI-2
Rep. James WeaverD-OR-4
Rep. Claude PepperD-FL-14
Rep. Teno RoncalioD-WY
Rep. Dante FascellD-FL-15
Rep. Charles WilsonD-CA-31
Rep. Daniel FloodD-PA-11
Rep. John DentD-PA-21
Rep. Robert BerglandD-MN-7
Rep. Lucien NedziD-MI-14
Rep. William MoorheadD-PA-14
Rep. Jerry PattersonD-CA-38
Rep. Paul SarbanesD-MD-3
Rep. Joseph VigoritoD-PA-24
Rep. John MoakleyD-MA-9
Rep. Robert KastenmeierD-WI-2
Rep. Paul TsongasD-MA-5
Rep. Richard OttingerD-NY-24
Rep. Lionel Van DeerlinD-CA-42
Rep. Philip HayesD-IN-8
Rep. Joseph EvinsD-TN-4
Rep. Harold FordD-TN-8
Rep. Jack BrooksD-TX-9
Rep. James HanleyD-NY-32
Rep. Torbert MacdonaldD-MA-7
Rep. Bernice SiskD-CA-16
Rep. William GreenD-PA-3
Rep. Mario BiaggiD-NY-10
Rep. Harley StaggersD-WV-2
Rep. Robert JonesD-AL-5
Rep. Clement ZablockiD-WI-4
Rep. Charles VanikD-OH-22
Rep. Wayne HaysD-OH-18
Rep. James DelaneyD-NY-9
Rep. Tim HallD-IL-15
Rep. Robert MollohanD-WV-1
Rep. Leo ZeferettiD-NY-15
Rep. Carl PerkinsD-KY-7
Rep. William HungateD-MO-9
Rep. William CotterD-CT-1
Rep. Gerry StuddsD-MA-12
Rep. Herbert HarrisD-VA-8
Rep. Richard Vander VeenD-MI-5
Rep. Leslie AspinD-WI-1
Rep. Paul SimonD-IL-24
Rep. Toby MoffettD-CT-6
Rep. Neal SmithD-IA-4
Rep. Frederick RooneyD-PA-15
Rep. Leonor SullivanD-MO-3
Rep. Matthew McHughD-NY-27
Rep. Albert UllmanD-OR-2
Rep. Thomas FoleyD-WA-5
Rep. Glenn AndersonD-CA-32
Rep. Robert RoeD-NJ-8
Rep. Joseph MinishD-NJ-11
Rep. Leo RyanD-CA-11
Rep. James SymingtonD-MO-2
Rep. John MelcherD-MT-2
Rep. Robert CornellD-WI-8
Rep. Gene MaguireD-NJ-7
Rep. Thomas ReesD-CA-23
Rep. James FlorioD-NJ-1
Rep. Edward BolandD-MA-2
Rep. Frank EvansD-CO-3
Rep. Edward PattisonD-NY-29
Rep. James BlanchardD-MI-18
Rep. Gillis LongD-LA-8
Rep. Mike McCormackD-WA-4
Rep. Alvin BaldusD-WI-3
Rep. Gladys SpellmanD-MD-5
Rep. James WrightD-TX-12
Rep. Don BonkerD-WA-3
Rep. James LloydD-CA-35
Rep. Max BaucusD-MT-1
Rep. George ShipleyD-IL-22
Rep. Henry NowakD-NY-37
Rep. Joseph FisherD-VA-10
Rep. Robert EdgarD-PA-7
Rep. Michael BlouinD-IA-2
Rep. Thomas DowneyD-NY-2
Rep. Allan HoweD-UT-2
Rep. Mark HannafordD-CA-34
Rep. Koln McKayD-UT-1
Rep. Clifford AllenD-TN-5
Rep. John JenretteD-SC-6
Rep. Otis PikeD-NY-1
Rep. Lester WolffD-NY-6
Rep. John KrebsD-CA-17
Rep. Joseph EarlyD-MA-3
Rep. Timothy WirthD-CO-2
Rep. Robert GiaimoD-CT-3
Rep. John MurthaD-PA-12
Rep. Thomas SteedD-OK-4
Rep. Bill AlexanderD-AR-1
Rep. Christopher DoddD-CT-2
Rep. Jerome TraxlerD-MI-8
Rep. John SlackD-WV-3
Rep. Martha KeysD-KS-2
Rep. Charles RoseD-NC-7
Rep. Lindy BoggsD-LA-2
Rep. William NatcherD-KY-2
Rep. Robert DuncanD-OR-3
Rep. Lunsford PreyerD-NC-6
Rep. Gus YatronD-PA-6
Rep. Jerome AmbroD-NY-3
Rep. John YoungD-TX-14
Rep. Wilbur MillsD-AR-2
Rep. Ed JonesD-TN-7
Rep. Samuel StrattonD-NY-28
Rep. John BreckinridgeD-KY-6
Rep. Bob CarrD-MI-6
Rep. John LaFalceD-NY-36
Rep. Theodore RisenhooverD-OK-2
Rep. Jerry LittonD-MO-6
Rep. Thomas AshleyD-OH-9
Rep. Clarence LongD-MD-2
Rep. Ray ThorntonD-AR-4
Rep. Charles WilsonD-TX-2
Rep. Norman D’AmoursD-NH-1
Rep. Tom HarkinD-IA-5
Rep. Kenneth HollandD-SC-5
Rep. Kika de la GarzaD-TX-15
Rep. Martin RussoD-IL-3
Rep. Jake PickleD-TX-10
Rep. Berkley BedellD-IA-6
Rep. William RandallD-MO-4
Rep. Abraham KazenD-TX-23
Rep. Romano MazzoliD-KY-3
Rep. Les AuCoinD-OR-1
Rep. Butler DerrickD-SC-3
Rep. Floyd FithianD-IN-2
Rep. James SantiniD-NV
Rep. John RoushD-IN-4
Rep. Patricia SchroederD-CO-1
Rep. Stephen NealD-NC-5
Rep. Tom BevillD-AL-4
Rep. Marilyn LloydD-TN-3
Rep. Carroll HubbardD-KY-1
Rep. Philip SharpD-IN-10
Rep. Richard WhiteD-TX-16
Rep. William HughesD-NJ-2
Rep. Don FuquaD-FL-2
Rep. Sam GibbonsD-FL-7
Rep. Lee HamiltonD-IN-9
Rep. Walter JonesD-NC-1
Rep. Bill HefnerD-NC-8
Rep. David HendersonD-NC-3
Rep. George MahonD-TX-19
Rep. Walter FlowersD-AL-7
Rep. Ike AndrewsD-NC-4
Rep. Paul RogersD-FL-11
Rep. Robert KruegerD-TX-21
Rep. Jack HightowerD-TX-13
Rep. James JonesD-OK-1
Rep. John BreauxD-LA-7
Rep. Herbert RobertsD-TX-4
Rep. Kenneth HechlerD-WV-4
Rep. David BowenD-MS-2
Rep. David EvansD-IN-6
Rep. Jamie WhittenD-MS-1
Rep. Otto PassmanD-LA-5
Rep. Roy TaylorD-NC-11
Rep. Ronald MottlD-OH-23
Rep. William ChappellD-FL-4
Rep. Elliott LevitasD-GA-4
Rep. Robert CaseyD-TX-22
Rep. William NicholsD-AL-3
Rep. Glenn EnglishD-OK-6
Rep. Jack BrinkleyD-GA-3
Rep. Marvin MathisD-GA-2
Rep. Andrew JacobsD-IN-11
Rep. Thomas DowningD-VA-1
Rep. Dale MilfordD-TX-24
Rep. Goodloe ByronD-MD-6
Rep. Harold RunnelsD-NM-2
Rep. Sonny MontgomeryD-MS-3
Rep. Omar BurlesonD-TX-17

Republicans who voted yea(110)

Rep. Charles WhalenR-OH-3
Rep. Peter PeyserR-NY-23
Rep. Gilbert GudeR-MD-8
Rep. Matthew RinaldoR-NJ-12
Rep. Silvio ConteR-MA-1
Rep. Edward BiesterR-PA-8
Rep. Frank HortonR-NY-34
Rep. Benjamin GilmanR-NY-26
Rep. Margaret HecklerR-MA-10
Rep. Joseph McDadeR-PA-10
Rep. William WalshR-NY-33
Rep. Larry PresslerR-SD-1
Rep. Tim CarterR-KY-5
Rep. Donald MitchellR-NY-31
Rep. Thomas RailsbackR-IL-19
Rep. Pete McCloskeyR-CA-12
Rep. William CohenR-ME-2
Rep. Ronald SarasinR-CT-5
Rep. David EmeryR-ME-1
Rep. Hamilton FishR-NY-25
Rep. Don YoungR-AK
Rep. Joel PritchardR-WA-1
Rep. Millicent FenwickR-NJ-5
Rep. William HarshaR-OH-6
Rep. Elwood HillisR-IN-5
Rep. John StantonR-OH-11
Rep. Charles MosherR-OH-13
Rep. Norman LentR-NY-4
Rep. Edward MadiganR-IL-21
Rep. James ClevelandR-NH-2
Rep. William WamplerR-VA-9
Rep. John AndersonR-IL-16
Rep. Thad CochranR-MS-4
Rep. John BuchananR-AL-6
Rep. Pierre du PontR-DE
Rep. Tennyson GuyerR-OH-4
Rep. Albert JohnsonR-PA-23
Rep. Garner ShriverR-KS-4
Rep. Donald ClausenR-CA-2
Rep. John HammerschmidtR-AR-3
Rep. George O’BrienR-IL-17
Rep. Trent LottR-MS-5
Rep. John DuncanR-TN-2
Rep. Ralph RegulaR-OH-16
Rep. John JarmanD-OK-5
Rep. Robert CoughlinR-PA-13
Rep. Jack EdwardsR-AL-1
Rep. James AbdnorR-SD-2
Rep. Joe SkubitzR-KS-5
Rep. Bob WilsonR-CA-41
Rep. Edward DerwinskiR-IL-4
Rep. Larry WinnR-KS-3
Rep. Paul FindleyR-IL-20
Rep. Albert QuieR-MN-1
Rep. Alphonzo BellR-CA-27
Rep. John MyersR-IN-7
Rep. Shirley PettisR-CA-37
Rep. Floyd SpenceR-SC-2
Rep. William BroomfieldR-MI-19
Rep. Louis FreyR-FL-9
Rep. Clair BurgenerR-CA-43
Rep. George WhitehurstR-VA-2
Rep. Skip BafalisR-FL-10
Rep. Elford CederbergR-MI-10
Rep. Marion SnyderR-KY-4
Rep. Robert McCloryR-IL-13
Rep. Robert DanielR-VA-4
Rep. Virginia SmithR-NE-3
Rep. Guy Vander JagtR-MI-9
Rep. James HastingsR-NY-39
Rep. John RhodesR-AZ-1
Rep. Manuel LujánR-NM-1
Rep. Henry HydeR-IL-6
Rep. Chalmers WylieR-OH-15
Rep. William DickinsonR-AL-2
Rep. John WydlerR-NY-5
Rep. Robert McEwenR-NY-30
Rep. Robert KastenR-WI-9
Rep. William SteigerR-WI-6
Rep. Alan SteelmanR-TX-5
Rep. Thomas HagedornR-MN-2
Rep. Gary MyersR-PA-25
Rep. Edwin ForsytheR-NJ-6
Rep. James RobinsonR-VA-7
Rep. Richard SchulzeR-PA-5
Rep. Jack KempR-NY-38
Rep. John McCollisterR-NE-2
Rep. W. Bill YoungR-FL-6
Rep. Barry GoldwaterR-CA-20
Rep. William KetchumR-CA-18
Rep. William FrenzelR-MN-3
Rep. Robin BeardR-TN-6
Rep. William GoodlingR-PA-19
Rep. Delbert LattaR-OH-5
Rep. John ErlenbornR-IL-14
Rep. Willis GradisonR-OH-1
Rep. James MartinR-NC-9
Rep. Carlos MoorheadR-CA-22
Rep. Donald ClancyR-OH-2
Rep. Thomas KindnessR-OH-8
Rep. Barber ConableR-NY-35
Rep. Richard KellyR-FL-5
Rep. Robert MichelR-IL-18
Rep. William ArmstrongR-CO-5
Rep. Bill ArcherR-TX-7
Rep. Bud ShusterR-PA-9
Rep. Herman SchneebeliR-PA-17
Rep. John ConlanR-AZ-4
Rep. Sam SteigerR-AZ-3
Rep. John RousselotR-CA-26

Data notes

The House’s recorded vote on the final version of the law (roll call 569 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.

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Committees

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

Committee on House Administration · House · referred to, reported by
Rules and Administration 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. 13 actions.

Jan 2, 1976Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
PresidentPresident · Public law 94-203.
Dec 22, 1975PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
Dec 19, 1975PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
Dec 18, 1975Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to House amendment.
Dec 10, 1975FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended, roll call #762 (374-43).House roll call 762
Dec 3, 1975CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Committee on House Administration
May 19, 1975CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Committee on House Administration
May 15, 1975FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate.
May 13, 1975CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Rules and Administration Committee
Jan 15, 1975CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Rules and Administration 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.