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War on Terror · 2001

September 11 and the Laws That Followed

Terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, killed nearly 3,000 people. Three days later Congress authorized the President to use force against those responsible. Six weeks after that, it passed the USA PATRIOT Act, expanding government surveillance and investigative powers.

Resulting law: Authorization for Use of Military Force (Pub. L. 107-40); USA PATRIOT Act (Pub. L. 107-56)

Recovery work at the World Trade Center site, September 28, 2001
Recovery work at the World Trade Center site, September 28, 2001. Photo: Andrea Booher, FEMA (public domain).

From event to law

Who voted for the use of force and the PATRIOT Act? Open any vote below to see every legislator.

  1. EventSeptember 11, 2001

    Attacks

    Hijacked airliners strike the World Trade Center and the Pentagon; a fourth crashes in Pennsylvania.

  2. VoteSeptember 14, 2001

    Senate authorizes force

    S.J. Res. 23 passes without a dissenting vote.

    Senate, 107th Congress, roll call 281 · S.J. Res. 23

    98 yea0 nayPassed
    PartyYeaNay
    Democrat500
    Republican470
    Independent10
    See how every senator voted
  3. VoteSeptember 14, 2001

    House authorizes force

    The House passes its identical version. Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA) casts the only no vote.

    House, 107th Congress, roll call 342 · H.J. Res. 64

    420 yea1 nayPassed
    PartyYeaNay
    Republican2140
    Democrat2041
    Independent20
    See how every representative voted
  4. LawSeptember 18, 2001

    AUMF signed

    President Bush signs the Authorization for Use of Military Force.

  5. VoteOctober 24, 2001

    House passes the PATRIOT Act

    H.R. 3162 passes under a suspension of the rules.

    House, 107th Congress, roll call 398 · H.R. 3162

    357 yea66 nayPassed
    PartyYeaNay
    Republican2113
    Democrat14562
    Independent11
    See how every representative voted
  6. VoteOctober 25, 2001

    Senate passes the PATRIOT Act

    Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI) casts the only no vote.

    Senate, 107th Congress, roll call 313 · H.R. 3162

    98 yea1 nayPassed
    PartyYeaNay
    Republican490
    Democrat481
    Independent10
    See how every senator voted
  7. LawOctober 26, 2001

    PATRIOT Act signed

    President Bush signs the USA PATRIOT Act.

Look up the votes

Party labels are those used at the time of the vote. The parties' coalitions and positions have changed over time, so a party name in 1864 or 1919 does not map directly onto the party today.

Sources

Tallies count members recorded as voting yea or nay. Official counts printed at the time can differ by a vote or two because of pairs and later corrections.