Former U.S. Senator

Byron L. DorganNo longer serving

State ND Party Democratic In office 1981–2011

Fact sheet Spreadsheet

Bills introduced

192

As sponsor, from the 107th Congress

Became law

Of the bills they introduced

Cosponsored

1,143

Signed on to someone else's bill

Recorded votes

2,441

Roll calls tied to a bill

Floor speeches

1,764

In the Congressional Record, from 2001

192 bills introduced

Across 5 Congresses, most in the 110th at 59. In the 111th, 42 — 2 more than the median senator, who filed 40. Volume is not influence: the great majority of bills, from every member, never get a vote.

Bills introduced, against the typical senator 107th to 111th

median for the chamber, that Congress

Biography

A Representative and a Senator from North Dakota. Born in Dickinson, Stark County, N. Dak. , May 14, 1942. Attended the public schools. B. S. , University of North Dakota, Grand Forks 1964. M. B. A. , University of Denver 1966. Tax commissioner, State of North Dakota 1969-1980. Delegate, North Dakota State Democratic conventions 1969-1981. Elected as a Democrat to the Ninety-seventh Congress in 1980 and to the five succeeding congresses. Elected as a Democrat to the United States Senate in 1992 to the term beginning January 1993. Appointed by the Governor to begin serving on December 14, 1992, to fill the vacancy left by Senator Kent Conrad, who assumed the seat left vacant by the death of Quentin Northrop Burdick, and took the oath of office on December 15, 1992. Reelected in 1998 and again in 2004, and served from December 14, 1992, to January 3, 2011. Chair, Democratic Policy Committee (One Hundred Sixth through One Hundred Eleventh Congresses), Committee on Indian Affairs (One Hundred Tenth and One Hundred Eleventh Congresses). Was not a candidate for reelection to the Senate in 2010.

Focus

Drawn from the 192 bills this member introduced: the subjects the record assigns them, and the members who most often sign on.

Subjects

Bills carry several subjects each, so these add up to more than 192.

Most frequent cosponsors

Tim Johnson D-SD 64
Kent Conrad D-ND 56
Richard J. Durbin D-IL 45
John F. Kerry D-MA 33
Carl Levin D-MI 31
Daniel K. Inouye D-HI 30

Times each has cosponsored a bill this member introduced.

Record

Every recorded vote, bill and floor speech, newest first.

Recorded votes tied to a bill, including procedural motions on it such as cloture. Votes on nominations are not listed.

Bill	Question	Voted	Date
HR 3082	On the Motion (Motion to Concur in the House Amdt. to Senate Amdt. With Amdt. No. 4885 to H.R. 3082)	Yea	Dec 21, 2010
HR 3082	On the Cloture Motion H.R. 3082	Yea	Dec 21, 2010
HR 2965	On the Motion (Motion to Concur in the House Amendment to the Senate Amendment to H.R. 2965)	Yea	Dec 18, 2010
HR 2965	On the Cloture Motion H.R. 2965	Yea	Dec 18, 2010
HR 5281	On the Cloture Motion H.R. 5281	Yea	Dec 18, 2010
HR 4853	On the Motion (Motion to Concur in the House Amdt. to the Senate Amdt. with Amdt. No. 4753 to H.R. 4853)	Nay	Dec 15, 2010
HR 4853	On the Motion (Motion to Suspend Rule XXII Re: Sanders Amdt. 4809)	Yea	Dec 15, 2010
HR 4853	On the Motion (Motion to Suspend Rule XXII Re: DeMint Amdt. 4804)	Nay	Dec 15, 2010

Bill	Title	Status	Latest action
S 3235	HEARTH Act of 2010	Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 719.	Dec 20, 2010
S 3648	Pick-Sloan Tribal Commission Act of 2010	Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 680.	Dec 8, 2010
S 3997	A bill to authorize appropriations for certain Native American programs.	Read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs.	Dec 1, 2010
SRES 689	A resolution recognizing National American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month and celebrating the heritage and culture of American Indians and Alaska Natives and the contributions of American Indians and Alaska Natives to the United States.	Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S8206; text as passed Senate: CR S8206; text of measure as introduced: CR S8130-8131)	Nov 19, 2010
S 3893	A bill to establish the Emergency Trade Deficit Commission, and for other purposes.	Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.	Sep 29, 2010
S 3851	Clean Sports Protection Act	Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.	Sep 28, 2010
S 3495	Promoting Electric Vehicles Act of 2010	Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 623.	Sep 28, 2010
S 1023	Travel Promotion Act of 2009	Message received in the Senate: Returned to the Senate pursuant to the provisions of H.Res. 1653.	Sep 23, 2010

Bill	Title	Status	Signed on
S 557	Civil Rights Tax Relief Act of 2003	Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.	Apr 11, 2003
S 865	Commercial Spectrum Enhancement Act	Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.	Apr 10, 2003
S 822	Child Care Lending Pilot Act of 2003	Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S11639)	Apr 10, 2003
S 623	A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow Federal civilian and military retirees to pay health insurance premiums on a pretax basis and to allow a deduction for TRICARE supplemental premiums.	Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (text of measure as introduced: CR S3742)	Apr 10, 2003
S 816	Health Care Access and Rural Equity Act of 2003	Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.	Apr 8, 2003
S 569	Medicare Access to Rehabilitation Services Act of 2003	Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.	Apr 8, 2003
SRES 110	A resolution honoring Mary Jane Jenkins Ogilvie, wife of former Senate Chaplain, Reverend Dr. Lloyd John Ogilvie.	Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S4994-4995; text as passed Senate: CR S4995; text of measure as introduced: CR S4975)	Apr 8, 2003
S 632	Medicare Medical Nutrition Therapy Amendment Act of 2003	Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (text of measure as introduced: CR S3806)	Apr 7, 2003

Sections of the Congressional Record in which this member spoke or entered a written statement, as the Government Publishing Office tags them; floor business such as amendment texts is left out. Each links to the official Record.

Date	Record section	Where
Dec 22, 2010	Afghanistan	Senate floor
Dec 22, 2010	Amendment No. 4922 to Amendment No. 4904 (Executive Session)	Senate floor
Dec 16, 2010	Truck Weights on Maine Interstate Highways	Senate floor
Dec 16, 2010	Measure Read First Time--S.J. Res. 42	Senate floor
Dec 16, 2010	Recognizing the Work and Importance of Special Education Teachers	Senate floor
Dec 16, 2010	Measures Discharged	Senate floor
Dec 16, 2010	Clarifying the National Credit Union Administration Authority	Senate floor
Dec 16, 2010	Safe Drug Disposal Act of 2010	Senate floor

Committees

Current committees first, each with its role and years, and the subcommittees held now beneath it. Full history opens every role with its date and official record, and earlier subcommittee seats.

Earlier committees

Indian Affairs CommitteeChair2001–2011

Full history

Committee	Role	Served	Record
Indian Affairs Committee	Chair	Jan 12, 2007 to Jan 3, 2011	S.Res. 27 · End of the 111th Congress
	Vice Chair	Jan 6, 2005 to Jan 3, 2007	S.Res. 6 · End of the 109th Congress
	Member	Jan 25, 2001 to Jan 3, 2005	Congressional Record, S558 · End of the 108th Congress

Appropriations CommitteeMember2001–2011

Full history

Committee	Role	Served	Record
Appropriations Committee	Member	Jan 25, 2001 to Jan 3, 2011	Congressional Record, S558 · End of the 111th Congress
Defense	Member	Listed Feb 2001 to Oct 2009	Hearing, Feb 2001
Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies	Member	Listed Feb 2005 to Oct 2009	Hearing, Feb 2005
Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies	Member	Listed Mar 2001 to Oct 2009	Hearing, Mar 2001
Energy and Water Development	Chair	Listed Mar 2005 to Oct 2009	Hearing, Mar 2005
Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies	Member	Listed Feb 2007 to Oct 2009	Hearing, Feb 2007
Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies	Member	Listed Apr 2001 to Apr 2008	Hearing, Apr 2001
Transportation, Treasury, the Judiciary, and Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies	Member	Listed Mar 2005 to Mar 2006	Hearing, Mar 2005
Transportation, Treasury and General Government	Member	Listed Apr 2003 to Jun 2004	Hearing, Apr 2003
Energy and Water Development	Member	Listed Feb 2001 to Mar 2004	Hearing, Feb 2001
Interior	Member	Listed Mar 2001 to Jun 2003	Hearing, Mar 2001
Military Construction	Member	Listed Jun 2003 to Jun 2003	Congressional Directory, Aug 2004
Treasury and General Government	Chair	Listed Apr 2001 to Oct 2002	Hearing, Apr 2001

Commerce, Science, and Transportation CommitteeMember2001–2011

Full history

Committee	Role	Served	Record
Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee	Member	Jan 25, 2001 to Jan 3, 2011	Congressional Record, S558 · End of the 111th Congress
Aviation Operations, Safety, and Security	Chair	Listed Mar 2001 to Oct 2009	Hearing, Mar 2001
Communications and Technology	Member	Listed Oct 2009 to Oct 2009	Congressional Directory, Dec 2009
Interstate Commerce, Trade, and Tourism	Chair	Listed Feb 2007 to Sep 2008	Hearing, Feb 2007
Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Infrastructure, Safety and Security	Member	Listed Feb 2007 to Sep 2008	Hearing, Feb 2007
Science, Technology, and Innovation	Member	Listed Mar 2007 to Apr 2008	Hearing, Mar 2007
Trade, Tourism, and Economic Development	Ranking Member	Listed Mar 2005 to Sep 2006	Congressional Directory, Sep 2006
Technology, Innovation, and Competitiveness	Member	Listed Mar 2005 to Jul 2006	Congressional Directory, Sep 2006
Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine	Member	Listed Mar 2005 to Jun 2006	Congressional Directory, Sep 2006
Science and Space	Member	Listed Mar 2005 to Jun 2006	Congressional Directory, Sep 2006
Science, Technology, and Space	Member	Listed Feb 2001 to Nov 2004	Hearing, Feb 2001
Competition, Foreign Commerce, and Infrastructure	Ranking Member	Listed May 2003 to Oct 2004	Hearing, May 2003
Communications	Member	Listed Feb 2001 to Mar 2004	Hearing, Feb 2001
Consumer Affairs and Product Safety	Member	Listed Jul 2001 to Sep 2003	Hearing, Jul 2001
Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine	Member	Listed Jun 2002 to Sep 2002	Hearing, Jun 2002
Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine	Member	Listed Jan 2002 to Jan 2002	Hearing, Jan 2002
Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine	Member	Listed Mar 2001 to Oct 2001	Hearing, Mar 2001
Consumer Affairs, Foreign Commerce, and Tourism	Member	Listed Apr 2001 to Apr 2001	Hearing, Apr 2001

Energy and Natural Resources CommitteeMember2001–2011

Full history

Committee	Role	Served	Record
Energy and Natural Resources Committee	Member	Jan 25, 2001 to Jan 3, 2011	Congressional Record, S558 · End of the 111th Congress
Energy	Member	Listed Feb 2005 to Oct 2009	Hearing, Feb 2005
National Parks	Member	Listed Mar 2007 to Oct 2009	Hearing, Mar 2007
Water and Power	Member	Listed Mar 2001 to Oct 2009	Hearing, Mar 2001
Public Lands and Forests	Member	Listed Sep 2001 to Nov 2006	Hearing, Sep 2001
National Parks	Member	Listed Mar 2001 to Sep 2004	Hearing, Mar 2001
Energy	Member	Listed May 2001 to May 2001	Hearing, May 2001

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Party, state and chamber are those of this member's most recent term. Bills and cosponsorships are held from the 107th Congress onwards and recorded votes from the 101st, so a member who served before those points will show fewer than they filed, or none. Committee service is held from the 107th Congress onwards, dated from the House and Senate resolutions and Congressional Record notices that seat and remove members. Subcommittee assignments are made inside each committee and carry no official date, so a subcommittee seat is shown from the first to the last printed hearing, Congressional Directory edition or official roster that lists the member. Vote counts cover roll calls tied to a bill; the chambers also vote on procedure and nominations, which are not listed here. Office, telephone and website are not shown for a member who has left, because the ones on file were theirs while serving. Records come from Congress.gov and the Biographical Directory of Congress.