Congressional Roll Call and Other Record Votes: First Congress Through 108th Congress, 1789 Through 2004
Congressional research reportMar 3, 2005
Ask Donna
What actually matters in this document.
Text
Congressional Roll Call and Other Record
Votes: First Congress Through 108th Congress,
1789 Through 2004
name redacted
March 3, 2005
Congressional Research Service
7-....
www.crs.gov
RL30562
CRS Report for Congress
Prepared for Members and Committees of Congress
Congressional Roll Call and Other Record Votes
Summary
This compilation provides information on roll call and other record votes taken in the House
of Representatives and Senate from the first Congress through the 108th Congress, 1789
through 2004.
Table 1 provides data for the House, the Senate, and both chambers together. Data provided
include total record votes taken during each Congress, and the cumulative total record votes taken
from the first Congress through the end of each subsequent Congress. The data for each Congress
are also broken down by session, from the 80th Congress through the 108th Congress, 1947
through 2004.
Figures 1 through 3 display the number of record votes in each chamber for each session from the
92nd Congress through 108th Congress, 1971 through 2004. They begin with 1971, the first year
for which the House authorized record votes in the Committee of the Whole, pursuant to the
Legislative Reorganization Act of 1970.
In the 108th Congress, there were 1,218 record votes in the House of Representatives and 675
record votes in the Senate. From 1789 through 2004, there were 92,206 such votes—46,017 votes
in the House, and 46,189 votes in the Senate.
This report will be updated following the conclusion of the 109th Congress, first session.
Congressional Research Service
Congressional Roll Call and Other Record Votes
Contents
Roll Call and Record Votes ...................................................................................................1
Figures
Figure 1. Total Number of Record Votes, House of Representatives and Senate, 92nd
Congress-108th Congress, 1971-2004 ..................................................................................... 10
Figure 2. Total Number of Record Votes (Yea/Nay and Recorded), House of
Representatives, by Session, 92nd Congress-108th Congress, 1971-2004.................................. 11
Figure 3. Total Number of Record Votes, Senate, by Session, 92nd Congress-108th
Congress, 1971-2004 ............................................................................................................. 12
Tables
Table 1. Record Votes in Congress, First Congress Through 108th Congress, 1789
Through 2004 ..........................................................................................................................2
Contacts
Author Contact Information ...................................................................................................... 13
Congressional Research Service
Congressional Roll Call and Other Record Votes
Roll Call and Record Votes
This compilation provides information on record votes taken in the House of Representatives and
Senate from the first Congress through the 108th Congress, 1789 through 2004. For purposes of
this compilation, a “record vote” is defined as any vote for which public record is made of the
votes cast by individual Members.
In the Senate, all record votes are taken by a call of the roll,1 in which Members state their
preference to a clerk. In the House, record votes are normally taken by electronic device, with
Members inserting voting cards into a machine and pressing a button to record their preference.
Before this system was installed in 1972 (and since, when the system has been unavailable),
clerks recorded Members’ votes on the basis of the call of the roll, similarly to the Senate.
Table 1 provides data on the record votes of the House and Senate, and both chambers together,
from the first Congress through the 108h Congress, 1789 through 2004. It gives both the total
number in, and the cumulative total through, each Congress. For example, in the first Congress
(1789 through1790), there were 109 votes in the House and 100 in the Senate. In the 108th
Congress, there were 1,218 record votes in the House of Representatives and 675 record votes in
the Senate. From 1789 through 2004, there were 92,206 such votes—46,017 votes in the House,
and 46,189 votes in the Senate.
Following Table 1, three graphs display data on record votes in each chamber for each session of
Congress from the 92nd through 108th Congress, 1971 through 2004. They begin with 1971, the
first year for which the House authorized record votes in the Committee of the Whole, pursuant to
the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1970. The first graph shows the total number of record
votes for each Congress. The second and third graphs show, for the House and Senate
respectively, the total number of record votes for each session of Congress.
For the 80th Congress through the 108th Congress, 1947 through 2004, the period usually
designated the “modern Congress,” the table also gives the total number of record votes in each
chamber during each session of Congress. These data are not readily available for earlier
Congresses.2 Thus, corresponding cells of the table for Congresses before the 80th Congress carry
the notation “na.”
For the House from the 92nd Congress through the 108th Congress, 1971 through 2004, the table
also breaks down the record votes during each session into roll call votes (yea and nay votes) and
recorded votes. For the earlier years, in which this distinction was not applicable, corresponding
cells of the table carry the notation “n/a.”
1
“A roll call is a call of the roll to determine whether a quorum is present, to establish a quorum, or to vote on a
question.” Walter Kravitz, Congressional Quarterly’s American Congressional Dictionary, Second Edition
(Washington: Congressional Quarterly, Inc., 1997), p. 229. This report is concerned only with record votes and not
voice, division, and unrecorded teller votes. See CQ’s American Congressional Dictionary for the definitions of the
following terms relating to voting: automatic roll call, casting vote, cloture, cluster voting, constitutional votes, division
vote, electronic voting, ghost voting, majority vote, proxy voting, Randolph rule, recapitulation of a vote,
reconsideration of a vote, recorded vote, recorded vote by clerks, roll call, Speaker’s vote, teller vote, tie vote, voice
vote, and yeas and nays.
2
In addition, in some of those earlier Congresses, three and occasionally even four sessions were held.
Congressional Research Service
1
Table 1. Record Votes in Congress, First Congress Through 108th Congress, 1789 Through 2004
House of Representatives
1st Session
Congress/
Years
2nd Session
Senate
All Sessions
Both Chambers
Roll Call
(yea/nay)
Votesa
Recorded
Votesb
Session
Total
Roll Call
(yea/nay)
Votesa
Recorded
Votesb
Session
Total
All
Sessions
Total
Cumulative
Total
1st
Session
2nd
Session
All
Sessions
Total
Cumulative
Total
Congress
Total
Cumulative
Total
1
17891790
na
n/a
na
na
n/a
na
109
109
na
na
100
100
209
209
2
17911792
na
n/a
na
na
n/a
na
102
211
na
na
52
152
154
363
3
17931794
na
n/a
na
na
n/a
na
69
280
na
na
79
231
148
511
4
17951796
na
n/a
na
na
n/a
na
83
363
na
na
86
317
169
680
5
17971798
na
n/a
na
na
n/a
na
155
518
na
na
202
519
357
1,037
6
17991800
na
n/a
na
na
n/a
na
96
614
na
na
120
639
216
1,253
7
18011802
na
n/a
na
na
n/a
na
141
755
na
na
88
727
229
1,482
8
18031804
na
n/a
na
na
n/a
na
132
887
na
na
150
877
282
1,764
9
18051806
na
n/a
na
na
n/a
na
158
1,045
na
na
88
965
246
2,010
10
18071808
na
n/a
na
na
n/a
na
237
1,282
na
na
91
1,056
328
2,338
11
18091810
na
n/a
na
na
n/a
na
293
1,575
na
na
167
1,223
460
2,798
12
18111812
na
n/a
na
na
n/a
na
314
1,889
na
na
204
1,427
518
3,316
13
18131814
na
n/a
na
na
n/a
na
352
2,241
na
na
263
1,690
615
3,931
CRS-2
House of Representatives
1st Session
Congress/
Years
2nd Session
Senate
All Sessions
Both Chambers
Roll Call
(yea/nay)
Votesa
Recorded
Votesb
Session
Total
Roll Call
(yea/nay)
Votesa
Recorded
Votesb
Session
Total
All
Sessions
Total
Cumulative
Total
1st
Session
2nd
Session
All
Sessions
Total
Cumulative
Total
Congress
Total
Cumulative
Total
14
18151816
na
n/a
na
na
n/a
na
113
2,354
na
na
189
1,879
302
4,233
15
18171818
na
n/a
na
na
n/a
na
106
2,460
na
na
132
2,011
238
4,471
16
18191820
na
n/a
na
na
n/a
na
147
2,607
na
na
120
2,131
267
4,738
17
18211822
na
n/a
na
na
n/a
na
95
2,702
na
na
91
2,222
186
4,924
18
18231824
na
n/a
na
na
n/a
na
94
2,796
na
na
178
2,400
272
5,196
19
18251826
na
n/a
na
na
n/a
na
111
2,907
na
na
234
2,634
345
5,541
20
18271828
na
n/a
na
na
n/a
na
233
3,140
na
na
238
2,872
471
6,012
21
18291830
na
n/a
na
na
n/a
na
273
3,413
na
na
277
3,149
550
6,562
22
18311832
na
n/a
na
na
n/a
na
462
3,875
na
na
422
3,571
884
7,446
23
18331834
na
n/a
na
na
n/a
na
327
4,202
na
na
229
3,800
556
8,002
24
18351836
na
n/a
na
na
n/a
na
459
4,661
na
na
439
4,239
898
8,900
25
18371838
na
n/a
na
na
n/a
na
475
5,136
na
na
410
4,649
885
9,785
26
18391840
na
n/a
na
na
n/a
na
751
5,887
na
na
334
4,983
1,085
10,870
27
18411842
na
n/a
na
na
n/a
na
974
6,861
na
na
822
5,805
1,796
12,666
CRS-3
House of Representatives
1st Session
Congress/
Years
2nd Session
Senate
All Sessions
Both Chambers
Roll Call
(yea/nay)
Votesa
Recorded
Votesb
Session
Total
Roll Call
(yea/nay)
Votesa
Recorded
Votesb
Session
Total
All
Sessions
Total
Cumulative
Total
1st
Session
2nd
Session
All
Sessions
Total
Cumulative
Total
Congress
Total
Cumulative
Total
28
18431844
na
n/a
na
na
n/a
na
597
7,458
na
na
305
6,110
902
13,568
29
18451846
na
n/a
na
na
n/a
na
642
8,100
na
na
383
6,493
1,025
14,593
30
18471848
na
n/a
na
na
n/a
na
478
8,578
na
na
344
6,837
822
15,415
31
18491850
na
n/a
na
na
n/a
na
572
9,150
na
na
499
7,336
1,071
16,486
32
18511852
na
n/a
na
na
n/a
na
455
9,605
na
na
358
7,694
813
17,299
33
18531854
na
n/a
na
na
n/a
na
607
10,212
na
na
546
8,240
1,153
18,452
34
18551856
na
n/a
na
na
n/a
na
729
10,941
na
na
449
8,689
1,178
19,630
35
18571858
na
n/a
na
na
n/a
na
548
11,489
na
na
702
9,391
1,250
20,880
36
18591860
na
n/a
na
na
n/a
na
433
11,922
na
na
607
9,998
1,040
21,920
37
18611862
na
n/a
na
na
n/a
na
638
12,560
na
na
801
10,799
1,439
23,359
38
18631864
na
n/a
na
na
n/a
na
600
13,160
na
na
598
11,397
1,198
24,557
39
18651866
na
n/a
na
na
n/a
na
613
13,773
na
na
501
11,898
1,114
25,671
40
18671868
na
n/a
na
na
n/a
na
717
14,490
na
na
716
12,614
1,433
27,104
41
18691870
na
n/a
na
na
n/a
na
634
15,124
na
na
742
13,356
1,376
28,480
CRS-4
House of Representatives
1st Session
Congress/
Years
2nd Session
Senate
All Sessions
Both Chambers
Roll Call
(yea/nay)
Votesa
Recorded
Votesb
Session
Total
Roll Call
(yea/nay)
Votesa
Recorded
Votesb
Session
Total
All
Sessions
Total
Cumulative
Total
1st
Session
2nd
Session
All
Sessions
Total
Cumulative
Total
Congress
Total
Cumulative
Total
42
18711872
na
n/a
na
na
n/a
na
517
15,641
na
na
803
14,159
1,320
29,800
43
18731874
na
n/a
na
na
n/a
na
475
16,116
na
na
420
14,579
895
30,695
44
18751876
na
n/a
na
na
n/a
na
328
16,444
na
na
434
15,013
762
31,457
45
18771878
na
n/a
na
na
n/a
na
377
16,821
na
na
585
15,598
962
32,419
46
18791880
na
n/a
na
na
n/a
na
439
17,260
na
na
570
16,168
1,009
33,428
47
18811882
na
n/a
na
na
n/a
na
349
17,609
na
na
986
17,154
1,335
34,763
48
18831884
na
n/a
na
na
n/a
na
334
17,943
na
na
428
17,582
762
35,525
49
18851886
na
n/a
na
na
n/a
na
306
18,249
na
na
461
18,043
767
36,292
50
18871888
na
n/a
na
na
n/a
na
320
18,569
na
na
389
18,432
709
37,001
51
18891890
na
n/a
na
na
n/a
na
587
19,156
na
na
526
18,958
1,113
38,114
52
18911892
na
n/a
na
na
n/a
na
304
19,460
na
na
209
19,167
513
38,627
53
18931894
na
n/a
na
na
n/a
na
373
19,833
na
na
561
19,728
934
39,561
54
18951896
na
n/a
na
na
n/a
na
162
19,995
na
na
197
19,925
359
39,920
55
18971898
na
n/a
na
na
n/a
na
183
20,178
na
na
381
20,306
564
40,484
CRS-5
House of Representatives
1st Session
Congress/
Years
2nd Session
Senate
All Sessions
Both Chambers
Roll Call
(yea/nay)
Votesa
Recorded
Votesb
Session
Total
Roll Call
(yea/nay)
Votesa
Recorded
Votesb
Session
Total
All
Sessions
Total
Cumulative
Total
1st
Session
2nd
Session
All
Sessions
Total
Cumulative
Total
Congress
Total
Cumulative
Total
56
18991900
na
n/a
na
na
n/a
na
149
20,327
na
na
169
20,475
318
40,802
57
19011902
na
n/a
na
na
n/a
na
185
20,512
na
na
118
20,593
303
41,105
58
19031904
na
n/a
na
na
n/a
na
87
20,599
na
na
92
20,685
179
41,284
59
19051906
na
n/a
na
na
n/a
na
136
20,735
na
na
128
20,813
264
41,548
60
19071908
na
n/a
na
na
n/a
na
312
21,047
na
na
84
20,897
396
41,944
61
19091910
na
n/a
na
na
n/a
na
202
21,249
na
na
268
21,165
470
42,414
62
19111912
na
n/a
na
na
n/a
na
262
21,511
na
na
396
21,561
658
43,072
63
19131914
na
n/a
na
na
n/a
na
282
21,793
na
na
572
22,133
854
43,926
64
19151916
na
n/a
na
na
n/a
na
157
21,950
na
na
406
22,539
563
44,489
65
19171918
na
n/a
na
na
n/a
na
266
22,216
na
na
384
22,923
650
45,139
66
19191920
na
n/a
na
na
n/a
na
339
22,555
na
na
407
23,330
746
45,885
67
19211922
na
n/a
na
na
n/a
na
362
22,917
na
na
751
24,081
1,113
46,998
68
19231924
na
n/a
na
na
n/a
na
179
23,096
na
na
235
24,316
414
47,412
69
19251926
na
n/a
na
na
n/a
na
114
23,210
na
na
236
24,552
350
47,762
CRS-6
House of Representatives
1st Session
Congress/
Years
2nd Session
Senate
All Sessions
Both Chambers
Roll Call
(yea/nay)
Votesa
Recorded
Votesb
Session
Total
Roll Call
(yea/nay)
Votesa
Recorded
Votesb
Session
Total
All
Sessions
Total
Cumulative
Total
1st
Session
2nd
Session
All
Sessions
Total
Cumulative
Total
Congress
Total
Cumulative
Total
70
19271928
na
n/a
na
na
n/a
na
72
23,282
na
na
191
24,743
263
48,025
71
19291930
na
n/a
na
na
n/a
na
103
23,385
na
na
436
25,179
539
48,564
72
19311932
na
n/a
na
na
n/a
na
123
23,508
na
na
280
25,459
403
48,967
73
19331934
na
n/a
na
na
n/a
na
143
23,651
na
na
228
25,687
371
49,338
74
19351936
na
n/a
na
na
n/a
na
212
23,863
na
na
193
25,880
405
49,743
75
19371938
na
n/a
na
na
n/a
na
158
24,021
na
na
174
26,054
332
50,075
76
19391940
na
n/a
na
na
n/a
na
227
24,248
na
na
266
26,320
493
50,568
77
19411942
na
n/a
na
na
n/a
na
152
24,400
na
na
192
26,512
344
50,912
78
19431944
na
n/a
na
na
n/a
na
155
24,555
na
na
220
26,732
375
51,287
79
19451946
na
n/a
na
na
n/a
na
249
24,804
na
na
244
26,976
493
51,780
80
19471948
84
n/a
84
79
n/a
79
163
24,967
138
110
248
27,224
411
52,191
81
19491950
121
n/a
121
154
n/a
154
275
25,242
226
229
455
27,679
730
52,921
82
19511952
109
n/a
109
72
n/a
72
181
25,423
202
129
331
28,010
512
53,433
83
19531954
71
n/a
71
76
n/a
76
147
25,570
89
181
270
28,280
417
53,850
CRS-7
House of Representatives
1st Session
Congress/
Years
2nd Session
Senate
All Sessions
Both Chambers
Roll Call
(yea/nay)
Votesa
Recorded
Votesb
Session
Total
Roll Call
(yea/nay)
Votesa
Recorded
Votesb
Session
Total
All
Sessions
Total
Cumulative
Total
1st
Session
2nd
Session
All
Sessions
Total
Cumulative
Total
Congress
Total
Cumulative
Total
84
19551956
73
n/a
73
74
n/a
74
147
25,717
88
136
224
28,504
371
54,221
85
19571958
100
n/a
100
93
n/a
93
193
25,910
111
202
313
28,817
506
54,727
86
19591960
87
n/a
87
93
n/a
93
180
26,090
215
207
422
29,239
602
55,329
87
19611962
116
n/a
116
124
n/a
124
240
26,330
207
227
434
29,673
674
56,003
88
19631964
119
n/a
119
113
n/a
113
232
26,562
229
312
541
30,214
773
56,776
89
19651966
201
n/a
201
193
n/a
193
394
26,956
259
238
497
30,711
891
57,667
90
19671968
245
n/a
245
233
n/a
233
478
27,434
315
280
595
31,306
1,073
58,740
91
19691970
177
n/a
177
266
n/a
266
443
27,877
245
422
667
31,973
1,110
59,850
92
19711972
212
108
320
244
85
329
649
28,526
423
532
955
32,928
1,604
61,454
93
19731974
307
234
541
325
212
537
1,078
29,604
594
544
1,138
34,066
2,216
63,670
94
19751976
362
250
612
448
213
661
1,273
30,877
611
700
1,311
35,377
2,584
66,254
95
19771978
471
235
706
564
270
834
1,540
32,417
636
520
1,156
36,533
2,696
68,950
96
19791980
359
313
672
420
184
604
1,276
33,693
509
546
1,055
37,588
2,331
71,281
97
19811982
224
129
353
295
164
459
812
34,505
497
469
966
38,554
1,778
73,059
CRS-8
House of Representatives
1st Session
Congress/
Years
2nd Session
Senate
All Sessions
Both Chambers
Roll Call
(yea/nay)
Votesa
Recorded
Votesb
Session
Total
Roll Call
(yea/nay)
Votesa
Recorded
Votesb
Session
Total
All
Sessions
Total
Cumulative
Total
1st
Session
2nd
Session
All
Sessions
Total
Cumulative
Total
Congress
Total
Cumulative
Total
98
19831984
297
201
498
227
181
408
906
35,411
381
292
673
39,227
1,579
74,638
99
19851986
255
184
439
224
227
451
890
36,301
381
359
740
39,967
1,630
76,268
100
19871988
234
254
488
308
143
451
939
37,240
420
379
799
40,766
1,738
78,006
101
19891990
226
142
368
271
239
510
878
38,118
312
326
638
41,404
1,516
79,522
102
19911992
238
190
428
271
202
473
901
39,019
280
270
550
41,954
1,451
80,973
103
19931994
266
331
597
205
292
497
1,094
40,113
395
329
724
42,678
1,818
82,791
104
19951996
299
568
867
223
231
454
1,321
41,434
613
306
919
43,597
2,240
85,031
105
19971998
285
348
633
257
276
533
1,166
42,600
298
314
612
44,209
1,778
86,809
106
19992000
320
289
609
359
241
600
1,209
43,809
374
298
672
44,881
1,881
88,690
107
20012002
313
194
507
302
181
483
990
44,799
380
253
633
45,514
1,623
90,313
108
20032004
417
258
675
313
230
543
1218
46,017
459
216
675
46,189
1,893
92,206
Source: Data were obtained from the following sources: (1) U.S. Library of Congress, Congressional Research Service, Number of Roll Call Votes in the U.S. House of
Representatives and in the U.S. Senate, First Through 79th Congresses, by (name redacted), Report unnumbered (Washington: Jan. 16, 1985, out of print); Indicators of House of
Representatives Workload and Activity, by Roger H. Davidson and Carol Hardy, CRS Report 87-492 S (Washington: June 8, 1987, out of print); Indicators of Senate Activity and
Workload, by Roger H. Davidson and Carol Hardy, CRS Report 87-497 S (Washington: June 8, 1987, out of print); and (2) Congressional Record, Daily Digest, “Resume of
Congressional Activity,” Dec. 22, 1987, p. D1679; Nov. 10, 1988, p. D1399; Nov. 21, 1989, p. D1431; Nov. 2, 1990, p. D1453; Nov. 27, 1991, p. D1549; Oct. 9, 1992, p.
D1332; Nov. 26, 1993, p. D1389; Dec. 1, 1994, p. D1273; Jan. 3, 1996, p. D1535; Oct. 4, 1996, p. D1053; Jan. 19, 1999, p. D29; Jan. 30, 2002, p. D46; Jan. 29, 2002, p. D23;
Dec. 16, 2002, p. D1193, Dec. 8, 2003, p. D1349, and Dec 20, 2004, p. D1135.
CRS-9
Notes: For the purposes of this compilation, a record vote is defined as any vote for which public record is made of how individual Members voted (for or against). In the
House, record votes include both roll call (yea and nay) and recorded votes. In the Senate, all record votes (yea and nay, and roll call votes) are taken by a call of the roll.
See text for definition of terms.
a.
Roll call (yea and nay) votes are taken only when the House is sitting as the House and not when in Committee of the Whole (na=not readily available).
b.
Recorded votes may be taken when the House sits either as the House or in Committee of the Whole. Because this form of record votes began in 1971 in the House,
the table indicates n/a (not applicable) for the period 1789 through 1970.
Figure 1.Total Number of Record Votes, House of Representatives and Senate, 92nd Congress-108th Congress, 1971-2004
Number of Votes
1600
1400
1200
1000
800
600
400
200
0
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
House
CRS-10
100 101
Congress
102
Senate
103
104
105
106
107
108
Figure 2.Total Number of Record Votes (Yea/Nay and Recorded), House of Representatives, by Session,
92nd Congress-108th Congress, 1971-2004
Number of Votes
1000
Recorded Votes
Yea/Nay Votes
800
600
400
200
0
92/1 92/2 93/1 93/2 94/1 94/2 95/1 95/2 96/1 96/2 97/1 97/2 98/1 98/2 99/1 99/2 100/1 100/2 101/1 101/2 102/1 102/2 103/1 103/2 104/1 104/2 105/1 105/2 106/1 106/2 107/1 107/2 108/1 108/2
Congress/Session
CRS-11
Figure 3.Total Number of Record Votes, Senate, by Session, 92nd Congress-108th Congress, 1971-2004
Number of Votes
800
1st Session
2nd Session
700
600
500
400
300
200
100
0
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
Congress
CRS-12
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
Congressional Roll Call and Other Record Votes
Author Contact Information
(name redacted)
Congressional Research Service
13
EveryCRSReport.com
The Congressional Research Service (CRS) is a federal legislative branch agency, housed inside the
Library of Congress, charged with providing the United States Congress non-partisan advice on
issues that may come before Congress.
EveryCRSReport.com republishes CRS reports that are available to all Congressional staff. The
reports are not classified, and Members of Congress routinely make individual reports available to
the public.
Prior to our republication, we redacted names, phone numbers and email addresses of analysts
who produced the reports. We also added this page to the report. We have not intentionally made
any other changes to any report published on EveryCRSReport.com.
CRS reports, as a work of the United States government, are not subject to copyright protection in
the United States. Any CRS report may be reproduced and distributed in its entirety without
permission from CRS. However, as a CRS report may include copyrighted images or material from a
third party, you may need to obtain permission of the copyright holder if you wish to copy or
otherwise use copyrighted material.
Information in a CRS report should not be relied upon for purposes other than public
understanding of information that has been provided by CRS to members of Congress in
connection with CRS' institutional role.
EveryCRSReport.com is not a government website and is not affiliated with CRS. We do not claim
copyright on any CRS report we have republished.
This is a copy of a public record, reproduced as it was published. It is not legal advice, and it may not be the version a court would rely on. Check the official source before you cite it.