How we work
Methodology & Corrections
How USA Simple Civics selects notable topics, summarizes complex records, handles uncertainty, and corrects mistakes.
Selecting important votes
Our vote collection is curated, not a complete roll-call archive. We focus on votes with substantial national policy effects, major enacted laws, significant institutional or constitutional consequences, and votes that help explain major public debates. Inclusion does not imply approval or disapproval.
Separating a bill from a roll call
A bill may have multiple versions, amendments, chamber votes, procedural votes, and final passage votes. We aim to identify the exact chamber, date, roll-call number, question voted on, outcome, and subsequent law status. A bill passing one chamber is not the same as becoming law.
Writing plain-language summaries
Summaries should describe what a measure does, why the vote mattered, and what the official record establishes. We separate factual descriptions from arguments made by supporters or critics. Where evidence is incomplete or contested, we say so rather than inventing certainty.
Data checks and limitations
Curated major votes and associated individual positions should be checked against the House Clerk, Senate roll-call records, Congress.gov, and enacted-law texts. Historical collections and explanatory pages may require additional review. If a vote record is not verified, it should not be presented as verified. Member voting tables cover selected votes only and should not be mistaken for full congressional voting histories.
Corrections policy
When we discover an error, we aim to correct the underlying data and any affected page, preserve accurate links to primary sources, and note material corrections when appropriate. Readers can report an issue through the instructions on our Contact page. Please include the page URL and an official source if possible.