Congress · Laws

Joint resolution to provide for the appointment of George Washington to the grade of General of the Armies of the United States.

Public Law 94-479 · H.J.Res. 519 · 94th Congress · began in the House

Signed by Gerald Ford (R) on Oct 11, 1976 · Commemorations

Sponsor: Rep. Mario Biaggi (D-NY-10)

Cosponsors: None

Passage votesYeaNay

HouseRecorded vote: 275 yea, 107 nay275–107
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.

Report a correction

Summary

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

Establishes the grade of General of Armies of the United States which shall have precedence over all other grades of the Army, past and present. Authorizes the President to appoint George Washington posthumously to such grade effective July 4, 1976.

Who voted for it

Every House member of the 94th Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 276 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.

276 yea107 nay48 present or did not vote

Dimension 2

Economic left–right

More liberalMore conservative

Democrats who voted yea(176)

Rep. James CormanD-CA-21
Rep. Don EdwardsD-CA-10
Rep. Edward RoybalD-CA-25
Rep. Phillip BurtonD-CA-6
Rep. Andrew YoungD-GA-5
Rep. Ralph MetcalfeD-IL-1
Rep. James OberstarD-MN-8
Rep. Herman BadilloD-NY-21
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. Frederick RichmondD-NY-14
Rep. Harold JohnsonD-CA-1
Rep. Charles CarneyD-OH-19
Rep. John BurtonD-CA-5
Rep. John BrademasD-IN-3
Rep. John McFallD-CA-14
Rep. Tip O’NeillD-MA-8
Rep. Charles PriceD-IL-23
Rep. Edward KochD-NY-18
Rep. Joshua EilbergD-PA-4
Rep. Robert LeggettD-CA-4
Rep. Joseph AddabboD-NY-7
Rep. Peter RodinoD-NJ-10
Rep. Stephen SolarzD-NY-13
Rep. Henry HelstoskiD-NJ-9
Rep. Lloyd MeedsD-WA-2
Rep. John FaryD-IL-5
Rep. Ray MaddenD-IN-1
Rep. Helen MeynerD-NJ-13
Rep. Edward MezvinskyD-IA-1
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. 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. George DanielsonD-CA-30
Rep. Edward BeardD-RI-2
Rep. Claude PepperD-FL-14
Rep. Teno RoncalioD-WY
Rep. Donald FraserD-MN-5
Rep. Dante FascellD-FL-15
Rep. Daniel FloodD-PA-11
Rep. John DentD-PA-21
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. Paul TsongasD-MA-5
Rep. Joseph GaydosD-PA-20
Rep. Philip HayesD-IN-8
Rep. Harold FordD-TN-8
Rep. James HanleyD-NY-32
Rep. Mario BiaggiD-NY-10
Rep. Harley StaggersD-WV-2
Rep. Robert JonesD-AL-5
Rep. Clement ZablockiD-WI-4
Rep. James DelaneyD-NY-9
Rep. Tim HallD-IL-15
Rep. Leo ZeferettiD-NY-15
Rep. Carl PerkinsD-KY-7
Rep. William CotterD-CT-1
Rep. Gerry StuddsD-MA-12
Rep. Herbert HarrisD-VA-8
Rep. Frederick RooneyD-PA-15
Rep. Leonor SullivanD-MO-3
Rep. Thomas FoleyD-WA-5
Rep. Glenn AndersonD-CA-32
Rep. Robert RoeD-NJ-8
Rep. Joseph MinishD-NJ-11
Rep. James SymingtonD-MO-2
Rep. John MelcherD-MT-2
Rep. James FlorioD-NJ-1
Rep. Frank EvansD-CO-3
Rep. James BlanchardD-MI-18
Rep. Gillis LongD-LA-8
Rep. Gladys SpellmanD-MD-5
Rep. James WrightD-TX-12
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. Thomas DowneyD-NY-2
Rep. Mark HannafordD-CA-34
Rep. Clifford AllenD-TN-5
Rep. John JenretteD-SC-6
Rep. Lester WolffD-NY-6
Rep. Joseph EarlyD-MA-3
Rep. John MurthaD-PA-12
Rep. Bill AlexanderD-AR-1
Rep. Mendel DavisD-SC-1
Rep. John SlackD-WV-3
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. Samuel StrattonD-NY-28
Rep. Bob CarrD-MI-6
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. Martin RussoD-IL-3
Rep. Jake PickleD-TX-10
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. Bo GinnD-GA-1
Rep. Stephen NealD-NC-5
Rep. Tom BevillD-AL-4
Rep. Marilyn LloydD-TN-3
Rep. Carroll HubbardD-KY-1
Rep. Richard WhiteD-TX-16
Rep. Robert StephensD-GA-10
Rep. Don FuquaD-FL-2
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. John BreauxD-LA-7
Rep. David BowenD-MS-2
Rep. David EvansD-IN-6
Rep. Jamie WhittenD-MS-1
Rep. Roy TaylorD-NC-11
Rep. Ronald MottlD-OH-23
Rep. Elliott LevitasD-GA-4
Rep. William NicholsD-AL-3
Rep. Olin TeagueD-TX-6
Rep. James HaleyD-FL-8
Rep. Glenn EnglishD-OK-6
Rep. Jack BrinkleyD-GA-3
Rep. Marvin MathisD-GA-2
Rep. Charles BennettD-FL-3
Rep. Thomas DowningD-VA-1
Rep. James MannD-SC-4
Rep. Goodloe ByronD-MD-6
Rep. Felix HébertD-LA-1
Rep. Sam HallD-TX-1
Rep. Joseph WaggonnerD-LA-4
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(100)

Rep. Gilbert GudeR-MD-8
Rep. Matthew RinaldoR-NJ-12
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. Stewart McKinneyR-CT-4
Rep. Tim CarterR-KY-5
Rep. Donald MitchellR-NY-31
Rep. Thomas RailsbackR-IL-19
Rep. David EmeryR-ME-1
Rep. Hamilton FishR-NY-25
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. Edward MadiganR-IL-21
Rep. William WamplerR-VA-9
Rep. Thad CochranR-MS-4
Rep. Pierre du PontR-DE
Rep. Albert JohnsonR-PA-23
Rep. Garner ShriverR-KS-4
Rep. Donald ClausenR-CA-2
Rep. John HammerschmidtR-AR-3
Rep. Trent LottR-MS-5
Rep. John DuncanR-TN-2
Rep. Ralph RegulaR-OH-16
Rep. John JarmanD-OK-5
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. 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. John RhodesR-AZ-1
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. Chuck GrassleyR-IA-3
Rep. John WydlerR-NY-5
Rep. Robert LagomarsinoR-CA-19
Rep. Edwin EshlemanR-PA-16
Rep. Manley ButlerR-VA-6
Rep. James RobinsonR-VA-7
Rep. Gene TaylorR-MO-7
Rep. Richard SchulzeR-PA-5
Rep. John McCollisterR-NE-2
Rep. W. Bill YoungR-FL-6
Rep. Barry GoldwaterR-CA-20
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. John ErlenbornR-IL-14
Rep. Willis GradisonR-OH-1
Rep. Carlos MoorheadR-CA-22
Rep. Charles WigginsR-CA-39
Rep. Donald ClancyR-OH-2
Rep. Richard KellyR-FL-5
Rep. Edward HutchinsonR-MI-4
Rep. Clarence MillerR-OH-10
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. George HansenR-ID-2
Rep. James CollinsR-TX-3
Rep. Steven SymmsR-ID-1
Rep. Phil CraneR-IL-12

Data notes

The House’s recorded vote on the final version of the law (roll call 1106 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.

Report a correction

Committees

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

Armed Services 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.

Report a correction

Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 12 actions.

Oct 11, 1976Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
PresidentPresident · Public law 94-479.
Oct 1, 1976PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
Sep 29, 1976PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
Sep 28, 1976FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate.
FloorFloor · Measure called up by unanimous consent in Senate.
Aug 24, 1976FloorFloor · Measure passed House, roll call #652 (275-107).House roll call 652
FloorFloor · Measure called up under motion to suspend rules and pass in House.
Aug 4, 1976CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Armed Services Committee
Jun 19, 1975CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Armed Services 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.

Report a correction

Official record

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