Joe Barton, former Representative for Texas's 6th Congressional District

Barton was the representative for Texas’s 6^th congressional district and was a Republican. He served from 1985 to 2018.

Photo of Rep. Joe Barton [R-TX6, 1985-2018]

Analysis

Legislative Metrics

Read our 2018 Report Card for Barton.

Ideology–Leadership Chart

Barton is shown as a purple triangle ▲ in our ideology-leadership chart below. Each dot was a member of the House of Representatives in 2018 positioned according to our liberal–conservative ideology score (left to right) and our leadership score (leaders are toward the top).

The chart is based on the bills Barton sponsored and cosponsored from Jan 3, 2013 to Dec 21, 2018. See full analysis methodology.

Ratings from Advocacy Organizations

NumbersUSA: 93% FreedomWorks: 90% Americans for Prosperity: 84% The Club for Growth: 84% United States Chamber of Commerce: 83% NIAC Action: D The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws: D American Civil Liberties Union: 11% League of Conservation Voters: 6% Human Rights Campaign: 0%

Enacted Legislation

Barton was the primary sponsor of 9 bills that were enacted. The most recent include:

View All »

Does 9 not sound like a lot? Very few bills are ever enacted — most legislators sponsor only a handful that are signed into law. But there are other legislative activities that we don’t track that are also important, including offering amendments, committee work and oversight of the other branches, and constituent services.

We consider a bill enacted if one of the following is true: a) it is enacted itself, b) it has a companion bill in the other chamber (as identified by Congress) which was enacted, or c) if at least about half of its provisions were incorporated into bills that were enacted (as determined by an automated text analysis, applicable beginning with bills in the 110^th Congress).

Bills Sponsored

Issue Areas

Barton sponsored bills primarily in these issue areas:

Health (47%) Energy (24%) Commerce (18%) Taxation (12%)

Recent Bills

Some of Barton’s most recently sponsored bills include...

View All » | View Cosponsors »

Voting Record

Key Votes

Barton voted Nay

H.R. 6157: Department of Defense and Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Act, 2019 and Continuing Appropriations Act, ...

Passed 361/61 on Sep 26, 2018.

H.R. 6157 provides $674.6 billion in total discretionary budget authority for the Department of Defense for fiscal year (FY) 2019. The bill provides $606.5 billion ...

Barton voted Yea

H.R. 2048: Uniting and Strengthening America by Fulfilling Rights and Ensuring Effective Discipline Over Monitoring Act of 2015

Passed 338/88 on May 13, 2015.

The USA Freedom Act (H.R. 2048, Pub.L. 114–23) is a U.S. law enacted on June 2, 2015 that restored in modified form several provisions of ...

Barton voted Nay

H.J.Res. 35: Making further continuing appropriations for fiscal year 2015, and for other purposes.

Failed 203/224 on Feb 27, 2015.

Barton voted Nay

H.R. 83 (113th): Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015

Passed 219/206 on Dec 11, 2014.

This bill became the vehicle for passage of the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015 [pdf], which was approved by the House on December ...

Barton voted Not Voting

H.J.Res. 124 (113th): Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2015

Passed 319/108 on Sep 17, 2014.

Barton voted No

H.Res. 614 (112th): Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 4089) to protect and enhance opportunities for recreational hunting, fishing ...

Passed 228/184 on Apr 17, 2012.

Barton voted Aye

H.R. 1249 (112th): Leahy-Smith America Invents Act

Passed 304/117 on Jun 23, 2011.

The Leahy–Smith America Invents Act (AIA) is a United States federal statute that was passed by Congress and was signed into law by President Barack ...

Barton voted No

H.J.Res. 48 (112th): Additional Continuing Appropriations Amendments, 2011

Passed 271/158 on Mar 15, 2011.

Barton voted No

H.Res. 58 (111th): Commending the University of Florida Gators for winning the Bowl Championship Series National Championship Game.

Passed 399/5 on Jan 22, 2009.

Barton voted Nay

H.R. 3352 (110th): Hydrographic Services Improvement Act Amendments of 2008

Passed 308/60 on Mar 31, 2008.

Barton voted Nay

H.Res. 82 (110th): Commending the University of Louisville Cardinals football team for their victory in the 2007 Orange Bowl.

Passed 408/1 on Jan 29, 2007.

Missed Votes

From Jan 1985 to Dec 2018, Barton missed 1,191 of 20,835 roll call votes, which is 5.7%. This is much worse than the median of 2.5% among the lifetime records of representatives serving in Dec 2018. The chart below reports missed votes over time.

We don’t track why legislators miss votes, but it’s often due to medical absenses and major life events.

Show the numbers...

Time Period	Votes Eligible	Missed Votes	Percent	Percentile
1985 Jan-Mar	36	3	8.3%	50^th
1985 Apr-Jun	154	12	7.8%	75^th
1985 Jul-Sep	101	5	5.0%	55^th
1985 Oct-Dec	148	4	2.7%	45^th
1986 Jan-Mar	61	0	0.0%	0^th
1986 Apr-Jun	128	3	2.3%	55^th
1986 Jul-Sep	202	5	2.5%	55^th
1986 Oct-Oct	60	5	8.3%	75^th
1987 Jan-Mar	39	1	2.6%	44^th
1987 Apr-Jun	187	11	5.9%	79^th
1987 Jul-Sep	95	5	5.3%	68^th
1987 Oct-Dec	167	4	2.4%	18^th
1988 Feb-Mar	49	3	6.1%	64^th
1988 Apr-Jun	161	15	9.3%	93^rd
1988 Jul-Sep	152	4	2.6%	54^th
1988 Oct-Oct	89	36	40.4%	93^rd
1989 Jan-Mar	14	1	7.1%	53^rd
1989 Apr-Jun	105	3	2.9%	49^th
1989 Jul-Sep	128	4	3.1%	66^th
1989 Oct-Nov	121	18	14.9%	91^st
1990 Jan-Mar	60	4	6.7%	83^rd
1990 Apr-Jun	150	16	10.7%	89^th
1990 Jul-Sep	183	2	1.1%	33^rd
1990 Oct-Oct	143	10	7.0%	81^st
1991 Jan-Mar	62	4	6.5%	82^nd
1991 Apr-Jun	139	12	8.6%	93^rd
1991 Jul-Sep	81	3	3.7%	59^th
1991 Oct-Nov	162	6	3.7%	71^st
1992 Jan-Mar	66	8	12.1%	90^th
1992 Apr-Jun	185	12	6.5%	78^th
1992 Jul-Sep	196	24	12.2%	90^th
1992 Oct-Oct	41	0	0.0%	0^th
1993 Jan-Mar	127	58	45.7%	98^th
1993 Apr-Jun	190	25	13.2%	88^th
1993 Jul-Sep	164	2	1.2%	48^th
1993 Oct-Nov	134	6	4.5%	81^st
1994 Jan-Mar	95	9	9.5%	89^th
1994 Apr-Jun	219	9	4.1%	71^st
1994 Jul-Sep	142	10	7.0%	77^th
1994 Oct-Nov	51	4	7.8%	85^th
1995 Jan-Mar	279	16	5.7%	89^th
1995 Apr-Jun	189	11	5.8%	85^th
1995 Jul-Sep	232	3	1.3%	49^th
1995 Oct-Dec	185	6	3.2%	70^th
1996 Jan-Mar	110	7	6.4%	77^th
1996 Apr-Jun	182	8	4.4%	77^th
1996 Jul-Sep	163	3	1.8%	47^th
1997 Jan-Mar	71	2	2.8%	48^th
1997 Apr-Jun	174	14	8.0%	93^rd
1997 Jul-Sep	232	19	8.2%	92^nd
1997 Oct-Nov	163	7	4.3%	73^rd
1998 Jan-Mar	89	5	5.6%	73^rd
1998 Apr-Jun	185	3	1.6%	41^st
1998 Jul-Sep	199	6	3.0%	63^rd
1998 Oct-Dec	74	3	4.1%	67^th
1999 Jan-Mar	77	1	1.3%	37^th
1999 Apr-Jun	184	14	7.6%	85^th
1999 Jul-Sep	204	9	4.4%	84^th
1999 Oct-Nov	146	7	4.8%	74^th
2000 Jan-Mar	95	15	15.8%	90^th
2000 Apr-Jun	277	28	10.1%	89^th
2000 Jul-Sep	130	47	36.2%	98^th
2000 Oct-Dec	101	14	13.9%	76^th
2001 Jan-Mar	75	3	4.0%	71^st
2001 Apr-Jun	135	14	10.4%	94^th
2001 Jul-Sep	149	6	4.0%	74^th
2001 Oct-Dec	153	16	10.5%	92^nd
2002 Jan-Mar	79	13	16.5%	93^rd
2002 Apr-Jun	203	6	3.0%	57^th
2002 Jul-Sep	141	4	2.8%	56^th
2002 Oct-Nov	61	2	3.3%	59^th
2003 Jan-Mar	94	5	5.3%	79^th
2003 Apr-Jun	239	4	1.7%	45^th
2003 Jul-Sep	193	22	11.4%	95^th
2003 Oct-Dec	151	5	3.3%	49^th
2004 Jan-Mar	104	9	8.7%	76^th
2004 Apr-Jun	221	26	11.8%	94^th
2004 Jul-Sep	161	1	0.6%	19^th
2004 Oct-Dec	58	1	1.7%	42^nd
2005 Jan-Mar	90	1	1.1%	19^th
2005 Apr-Jun	272	12	4.4%	70^th
2005 Jul-Sep	146	18	12.3%	97^th
2005 Oct-Dec	163	28	17.2%	96^th
2006 Jan-Mar	81	0	0.0%	0^th
2006 Apr-Jun	276	16	5.8%	86^th
2006 Jul-Sep	159	0	0.0%	0^th
2006 Nov-Dec	27	0	0.0%	0^th
2007 Jan-Mar	213	8	3.8%	78^th
2007 Apr-Jun	393	7	1.8%	58^th
2007 Jul-Sep	317	9	2.8%	68^th
2007 Oct-Dec	263	3	1.1%	23^rd
2008 Jan-Mar	149	9	6.0%	72^nd
2008 Apr-Jun	321	14	4.4%	69^th
2008 Jul-Sep	205	10	4.9%	70^th
2008 Oct-Dec	15	0	0.0%	0^th
2009 Jan-Mar	174	1	0.6%	24^th
2009 Apr-Jun	303	14	4.6%	76^th
2009 Jul-Sep	268	8	3.0%	71^st
2009 Oct-Dec	246	4	1.6%	35^th
2010 Jan-Mar	195	15	7.7%	85^th
2010 Apr-Jun	219	6	2.7%	50^th
2010 Jul-Sep	151	1	0.7%	21^st
2010 Nov-Dec	99	17	17.2%	91^st
2011 Jan-Mar	212	17	8.0%	98^th
2011 Apr-Jun	281	20	7.1%	92^nd
2011 Jul-Sep	247	9	3.6%	78^th
2011 Oct-Dec	208	5	2.4%	57^th
2012 Jan-Mar	151	0	0.0%	0^th
2012 Apr-Jun	299	8	2.7%	64^th
2012 Jul-Sep	152	2	1.3%	47^th
2012 Nov-Dec	51	2	3.9%	56^th
2013 Jan-Jan	5	0	0.0%	0^th
2013 Jan-Mar	89	3	3.4%	67^th
2013 Apr-Jun	215	16	7.4%	88^th
2013 Jul-Sep	200	4	2.0%	62^nd
2013 Oct-Dec	137	2	1.5%	43^rd
2014 Jan-Mar	148	18	12.2%	94^th
2014 Apr-Jun	219	7	3.2%	68^th
2014 Jul-Sep	147	24	16.3%	96^th
2014 Nov-Dec	49	3	6.1%	85^th
2015 Jan-Mar	144	7	4.9%	79^th
2015 Apr-Jun	244	6	2.5%	71^st
2015 Jul-Sep	139	13	9.4%	89^th
2015 Oct-Dec	177	1	0.6%	31^st
2016 Jan-Mar	137	4	2.9%	53^rd
2016 Apr-Jun	204	4	2.0%	49^th
2016 Jul-Sep	232	7	3.0%	77^th
2016 Nov-Dec	48	1	2.1%	61^st
2017 Jan-Mar	208	8	3.8%	78^th
2017 Apr-Jun	136	3	2.2%	59^th
2017 Jul-Sep	199	0	0.0%	0^th
2017 Oct-Dec	167	4	2.4%	55^th
2018 Jan-Mar	129	9	7.0%	78^th
2018 Apr-Jun	184	4	2.2%	45^th
2018 Jul-Sep	102	7	6.9%	82^nd
2018 Nov-Dec	85	21	24.7%	85^th

Primary Sources

The information on this page is originally sourced from a variety of materials, including:

unitedstates/congress-legislators, a community project gathering congressional information
The House and Senate websites, for committee membership and voting records
United States Congressional Roll Call Voting Records, 1789-1990 by Howard L. Rosenthal and Keith T. Poole.
Martis’s “The Historical Atlas of Political Parties in the United States Congress”, via Keith Poole’s roll call votes data set, for political party affiliation for Members of Congress from 1789 through about year 2000
GPO Member Guide for the photo
GovInfo.gov, for sponsored bills

Rep. Joe Barton

Links

Follow GovTrack on social media for more updates:

On GovTrack Insider:

I have an opinion I want to share.

I need help, have a question, or want to schedule a tour.

Analysis

Legislative Metrics

Ideology–Leadership Chart

Ratings from Advocacy Organizations

Enacted Legislation

Bills Sponsored

Issue Areas

Recent Bills

Voting Record

Key Votes

Barton voted Nay

Barton voted Yea

Barton voted Nay

Barton voted Nay

Barton voted Not Voting

Barton voted No

Barton voted Aye

Barton voted No

Barton voted No

Barton voted Nay

Barton voted Nay

Missed Votes

Primary Sources