Former U.S. Senator

John F. KerryNo longer serving

Massachusetts113th Congress Official portrait of John F. Kerry
Bills introduced
537

As sponsor, from the 107th Congress

Became law
8

Of the bills they introduced

Cosponsored
2,470

Signed on to someone else's bill

Recorded votes
2,114

Roll calls tied to a bill

Floor speeches
1,321

In the Congressional Record, from 2001

537 bills introduced

Across 7 Congresses, most in the 112th at 121. In the 113th, 1 — 31 fewer than the median senator, who filed 32. Volume is not influence: the great majority of bills, from every member, never get a vote.

Bills introduced, against the typical senator 107th to 113th

median for the chamber, that Congress

Biography

A Senator from Massachusetts. Born in Fitzsimons Army Hospital (Colorado), December 11, 1943. Graduated, St. Paul's School, Concord, N. H. , 1962. Graduated, Yale University 1966. Served in the United States Navy 1966-1970, with service in Vietnam. Received numerous awards, including the Silver Star, Bronze Star, and Purple Heart. Graduated, Boston College Law School 1976. Admitted to the Massachusetts bar in 1976 and commenced practice in 1976. Assistant district attorney of Middlesex County, Mass. 1977-1982. Lieutenant governor of Massachusetts 1982-1984. Elected as a Democrat to the United States Senate in 1984. Subsequently appointed to the remainder of the term left vacant by the resignation of Paul Tsongas, and took the oath of office on January 2, 1985. Reelected in 1990, 1996, 2002, and again in 2008, and served from January 2, 1985, until his resignation on February 1, 2013, to accept a Cabinet position. Chair, Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (One Hundredth Congress), Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship (One Hundred Seventh Congress [January 3-20, 2001. June 6, 2001-January 3, 2003], One Hundred Tenth Congress), Committee on Foreign Relations (One Hundred Eleventh to One Hundred Thirteenth [January 3, 2013-February 1, 2013] Congresses). Was an unsuccessful Democratic nominee for President of the United States in 2004. Secretary of State in the Cabinet of President Barack Obama, 2013-2017. Appointed by President Joseph R. Biden to serve as Special Presidential Envoy for Climate (2021-2024). Awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom on May 3, 2024.

Focus

Drawn from the 537 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 537.

Most frequent cosponsors

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.

BillQuestionVotedDate
S 15On Passage of the Bill S. 15Not VotingMay 19, 2004
HR 3104On Passage of the Bill H.R. 3104Not VotingMay 18, 2004
HR 1350On Passage of the Bill H.R. 1350Not VotingMay 13, 2004
S 1637On Passage of the Bill S. 1637Not VotingMay 11, 2004
S 1637On the Cloture Motion S. 1637Not VotingMay 11, 2004
SRES 356On the Resolution S.Res. 356Not VotingMay 10, 2004
S 150On Passage of the Bill S. 150Not VotingApr 29, 2004
S 150On the Cloture Motion S. 150Not VotingApr 26, 2004

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

Full history
CommitteeRoleServedRecord
Commerce, Science, and Transportation CommitteeMemberJan 25, 2001 to Jan 31, 2013Congressional Record, S558 · Last recorded vote
Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries, and Coast GuardMemberListed Feb 2007 to Dec 2012Hearing, Feb 2007
Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Infrastructure, Safety and SecurityMemberListed Mar 2011 to Dec 2012Hearing, Mar 2011
Communications, Technology, Innovation, and the InternetChairListed Oct 2009 to Oct 2011Congressional Directory, Dec 2009
Aviation Operations, Safety, and SecurityMemberListed Feb 2007 to Oct 2009Hearing, Feb 2007
Interstate Commerce, Trade, and TourismMemberListed Feb 2007 to Sep 2008Hearing, Feb 2007
Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Infrastructure, Safety and SecurityMemberListed Feb 2007 to Sep 2008Hearing, Feb 2007
Science, Technology, and InnovationChairListed Mar 2007 to Apr 2008Hearing, Mar 2007
Trade, Tourism, and Economic DevelopmentMemberListed Mar 2005 to Sep 2006Congressional Directory, Sep 2006
National Ocean Policy StudyMemberListed Mar 2005 to Aug 2006Congressional Directory, Sep 2006
Technology, Innovation, and CompetitivenessRanking MemberListed Mar 2005 to Jul 2006Congressional Directory, Sep 2006
Fisheries and Coast GuardMemberListed Mar 2005 to Jun 2006Hearing, Mar 2005
Global Climate Change and ImpactsMemberListed Mar 2005 to Apr 2006Congressional Directory, Sep 2006
Science, Technology, and SpaceMemberListed Feb 2001 to Nov 2004Hearing, Feb 2001
CommunicationsMemberListed Sep 2001 to Mar 2004Congressional Directory, Oct 2002
Surface Transportation and Merchant MarineMemberListed Jun 2002 to Oct 2003Hearing, Jun 2002
Oceans, Fisheries and Coast GuardMemberListed Sep 2001 to Jun 2003Congressional Directory, Oct 2002
Surface Transportation and Merchant MarineMemberListed Jan 2002 to Jan 2002Hearing, Jan 2002
Surface Transportation and Merchant MarineMemberListed May 2001 to Oct 2001Hearing, May 2001
CommunicationsMemberListed Feb 2001 to Apr 2001Hearing, Feb 2001
Full history
CommitteeRoleServedRecord
Small Business and Entrepreneurship CommitteeMemberJan 21, 2009 to Jan 31, 2013S.Res. 18 · Last recorded vote
ChairJan 12, 2007 to Jan 3, 2009S.Res. 27 · End of the 110th Congress
Ranking MemberJan 15, 2003 to Jan 3, 2007S.Res. 20 · End of the 109th Congress
ChairJul 10, 2001 to Jan 3, 2003Congressional Record, S7417 · End of the 107th Congress
MemberJan 25, 2001 to Jul 10, 2001Congressional Record, S558 · Congressional Record, S7417

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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.