Congress · Laws

A bill to approve in whole or in part, with amendments, certain rules relating to cases and proceedings under sections 2254 and 2255 of title 28 of the United States Code.

Public Law 94-426 · H.R. 15319 · 94th Congress · began in the House

Signed by Gerald Ford (R) on Sep 28, 1976 · Crime and Law Enforcement

Sponsor: Rep. William Hungate (D-MO-9)

Cosponsors: None

Passage votesYeaNay

HouseRecorded vote: 360 yea, 4 nay360–4
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.

Approves the habeas corpus rules promulgated by the Supreme Court on April 26, 1976, as amended by this Act, and makes such rules effective with respect to petitions and motions filed on or after February 1, 1977. Provides that a petition or motion for habeas corpus shall be in substantially the form required by the rules. Deletes the rebuttable presumption that filing a writ of habeas corpus more than five years after the judgment of conviction results in prejudice to the State which may justify dismissal. Sets aside the former power of a judge to dismiss a second or successive petition, even if new grounds of relief were alleged, if the judge determined that prior failure to assert such grounds was not excusable. Permits such a dismissal only if the prior failure to assert such grounds constituted an abuse of the unit.

Revises specified procedural aspects of rules governing cases involving a petition for the writ of habeas corpus.

Who voted for it

Every House member of the 94th Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 362 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.

362 yea4 nay64 present or did not vote

Dimension 2

Economic left–right

More liberalMore conservative

Democrats who voted yea(237)

Rep. John ConyersD-MI-1
Rep. Louis StokesD-OH-21
Rep. Pete StarkD-CA-9
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. Yvonne BurkeD-CA-28
Rep. Bill ClayD-MO-1
Rep. Elizabeth HoltzmanD-NY-16
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. 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. John McFallD-CA-14
Rep. Charles PriceD-IL-23
Rep. Richard BollingD-MO-5
Rep. Joshua EilbergD-PA-4
Rep. Henry ReussD-WI-5
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. 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. Floyd HicksD-WA-6
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. James WeaverD-OR-4
Rep. Claude PepperD-FL-14
Rep. Teno RoncalioD-WY
Rep. Donald FraserD-MN-5
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. Joseph VigoritoD-PA-24
Rep. Robert KastenmeierD-WI-2
Rep. Richard OttingerD-NY-24
Rep. Joseph GaydosD-PA-20
Rep. Lionel Van DeerlinD-CA-42
Rep. Philip HayesD-IN-8
Rep. Jack BrooksD-TX-9
Rep. Bernice SiskD-CA-16
Rep. Harley StaggersD-WV-2
Rep. Robert JonesD-AL-5
Rep. Clement ZablockiD-WI-4
Rep. Charles VanikD-OH-22
Rep. Tim HallD-IL-15
Rep. Robert MollohanD-WV-1
Rep. Carl PerkinsD-KY-7
Rep. William HungateD-MO-9
Rep. Brock AdamsD-WA-7
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. 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. James FlorioD-NJ-1
Rep. Edward BolandD-MA-2
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. Stanley LundineD-NY-39
Rep. Joseph FisherD-VA-10
Rep. Robert EdgarD-PA-7
Rep. Michael BlouinD-IA-2
Rep. Thomas DowneyD-NY-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. 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. Bill AlexanderD-AR-1
Rep. Mendel DavisD-SC-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. 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. Wilbur MillsD-AR-2
Rep. Ed JonesD-TN-7
Rep. John BreckinridgeD-KY-6
Rep. Bob CarrD-MI-6
Rep. John LaFalceD-NY-36
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. Butler DerrickD-SC-3
Rep. Floyd FithianD-IN-2
Rep. James SantiniD-NV
Rep. John RoushD-IN-4
Rep. Bo GinnD-GA-1
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. Robert StephensD-GA-10
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. 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. Herbert RobertsD-TX-4
Rep. Kenneth HechlerD-WV-4
Rep. David BowenD-MS-2
Rep. David EvansD-IN-6
Rep. Robert SikesD-FL-1
Rep. Jamie WhittenD-MS-1
Rep. Otto PassmanD-LA-5
Rep. Roy TaylorD-NC-11
Rep. Elliott LevitasD-GA-4
Rep. William NicholsD-AL-3
Rep. Lawrence FountainD-NC-2
Rep. Olin TeagueD-TX-6
Rep. James HaleyD-FL-8
Rep. Marvin MathisD-GA-2
Rep. Andrew JacobsD-IN-11
Rep. Richard IchordD-MO-8
Rep. Phillip LandrumD-GA-9
Rep. Charles BennettD-FL-3
Rep. Thomas DowningD-VA-1
Rep. James MannD-SC-4
Rep. Dale MilfordD-TX-24
Rep. Goodloe ByronD-MD-6
Rep. John FlyntD-GA-6
Rep. Sam HallD-TX-1
Rep. Joseph WaggonnerD-LA-4
Rep. William PoageD-TX-11
Rep. Harold RunnelsD-NM-2
Rep. Sonny MontgomeryD-MS-3
Rep. Omar BurlesonD-TX-17
Rep. Dan DanielD-VA-5
Rep. David SatterfieldD-VA-3
Rep. Lawrence McDonaldD-GA-7

Republicans who voted yea(125)

Rep. Charles WhalenR-OH-3
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. Mark AndrewsR-ND
Rep. Donald MitchellR-NY-31
Rep. Thomas RailsbackR-IL-19
Rep. Pete McCloskeyR-CA-12
Rep. William CohenR-ME-2
Rep. Jim JeffordsR-VT
Rep. Ronald SarasinR-CT-5
Rep. David EmeryR-ME-1
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. 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. Herbert BurkeR-FL-12
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. Philip RuppeR-MI-11
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. Charles ThoneR-NE-1
Rep. Burt TalcottR-CA-16
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. James QuillenR-TN-1
Rep. Clair BurgenerR-CA-43
Rep. George WhitehurstR-VA-2
Rep. Skip BafalisR-FL-10
Rep. William MooreR-LA-6
Rep. Elford CederbergR-MI-10
Rep. Marion SnyderR-KY-4
Rep. Robert McCloryR-IL-13
Rep. Robert DanielR-VA-4
Rep. Garry BrownR-MI-3
Rep. Virginia SmithR-NE-3
Rep. Guy Vander JagtR-MI-9
Rep. Manuel LujánR-NM-1
Rep. Henry HydeR-IL-6
Rep. Chalmers WylieR-OH-15
Rep. Keith SebeliusR-KS-1
Rep. Jim JohnsonR-CO-4
Rep. William DickinsonR-AL-2
Rep. John WydlerR-NY-5
Rep. Robert LagomarsinoR-CA-19
Rep. Robert McEwenR-NY-30
Rep. Robert KastenR-WI-9
Rep. William SteigerR-WI-6
Rep. James BroyhillR-NC-10
Rep. Manley ButlerR-VA-6
Rep. Thomas HagedornR-MN-2
Rep. Gary MyersR-PA-25
Rep. Edwin ForsytheR-NJ-6
Rep. James RobinsonR-VA-7
Rep. Gene TaylorR-MO-7
Rep. Richard SchulzeR-PA-5
Rep. Jack KempR-NY-38
Rep. W. Bill YoungR-FL-6
Rep. Barry GoldwaterR-CA-20
Rep. William KetchumR-CA-18
Rep. David TreenR-LA-3
Rep. William FrenzelR-MN-3
Rep. Robin BeardR-TN-6
Rep. William GoodlingR-PA-19
Rep. Delbert LattaR-OH-5
Rep. Clarence BrownR-OH-7
Rep. John ErlenbornR-IL-14
Rep. Willis GradisonR-OH-1
Rep. James MartinR-NC-9
Rep. Carlos MoorheadR-CA-22
Rep. Charles WigginsR-CA-39
Rep. Donald ClancyR-OH-2
Rep. Thomas KindnessR-OH-8
Rep. Barber ConableR-NY-35
Rep. Edward HutchinsonR-MI-4
Rep. Robert MichelR-IL-18
Rep. William ArmstrongR-CO-5
Rep. Clarence MillerR-OH-10
Rep. Bill ArcherR-TX-7
Rep. Samuel DevineR-OH-12
Rep. Delwin ClawsonR-CA-33
Rep. Bud ShusterR-PA-9
Rep. Robert BaumanR-MD-1
Rep. Herman SchneebeliR-PA-17
Rep. John AshbrookR-OH-17
Rep. John RousselotR-CA-26
Rep. James CollinsR-TX-3
Rep. Phil CraneR-IL-12

Data notes

The House’s recorded vote on the final version of the law (roll call 1163 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.

Judiciary Committee · House · 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.

Sep 28, 1976Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
PresidentPresident · Public law 94-426.
Sep 20, 1976PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
Sep 16, 1976FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate.
FloorFloor · Measure called up by unanimous consent in Senate.
Sep 14, 1976FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended, roll call #723 (360-4).House roll call 723
Sep 2, 1976CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Judiciary Committee
Aug 30, 1976CommitteeCommittee · 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.

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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.