U.S. House of Representatives
Elections McGovern first ran for Congress in 1994, entering a crowded Democratic primary to represent the area then defined as Massachusetts's 3rd district. During the campaign, McGovern said his record as "a Washington insider" would make him a more effective representative. Despite endorsements from Moakley, George McGovern, and presidential aide
George Stephanopoulos, McGovern lost the primary to
Massachusetts State Representative Kevin O'Sullivan, who then lost to Republican incumbent
Peter Blute. McGovern left Moakley's office in 1996 and moved back to Worcester, again running for Congress. This time, he won the nomination unopposed and faced Blute in the general election. His campaign slogan focused on unseating House Speaker
Newt Gingrich: "To dump Newt you have to dump Blute." Blute was endorsed by
The Boston Globe and five other local papers, but McGovern won the election with 53% of the vote. McGovern defeated Crews with 71% of the vote, and ran unopposed in 2006 and 2008. He was reelected with 57% of the vote. After the
2018 midterm elections in which Democrats won the House majority, McGovern became chair. Called the "Speaker's Committee" because it is the mechanism that the Speaker of the House uses to maintain order and control of the House Floor, the Rules Committee is often considered the most powerful committee in Congress. As chair, McGovern can influence the introduction and consideration of almost every piece of legislation that comes to a vote. One of McGovern's first actions as chair was to pass a sweeping set of reforms to the House Rules. He wrote at the time that his changes were designed to "usher in a new era of clean government". McGovern also said the rules changes were "the result of unprecedented bipartisan outreach" and that he had met with "both Democrats and Republicans to seek their input on potential changes". The
National Journal reported that McGovern had used his Capitol Hill experience to help position himself as "a power broker in the Democratic caucus". In 2001, McGovern's mentor,
Joe Moakley, at the time dying of cancer, asked
Dick Gephardt to help McGovern attain a seat on the Rules Committee. He was given a commitment for the next available Democratic seat. On the Rules Committee, McGovern has been able to use his experience with House procedures to his advantage. With Republicans comprising the majority of the panel, he "showed a sharp partisan edge as he embraced parliamentary maneuvers that led to cries of outrage" from Republican members.
Impeachments of Donald Trump As chair, McGovern played a central role in devising procedures the House adopted for the
first impeachment of Donald Trump. At the time, McGovern wrote in
The Boston Globe that "[t]he House will ensure the public-facing phase of this inquiry is transparent and will stand the test of time." He later explained his decision to vote for impeachment by saying, "I often think about kids today getting involved in the political process just like I did back in 1972. What will they think if we say that the president’s actions don’t matter?" He supported
impeaching Trump again for inciting the
January 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol attack.
Visit to Ukraine On April 30, 2022, McGovern accompanied House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and three other U.S. representatives on a secret trip to
Kyiv, Ukraine, and met with President
Volodymyr Zelensky. The delegation pledged billions of dollars in military aid.
Domestic policy Transportation For his first three terms, McGovern served on the
House Transportation Committee. He and Representative
John Olver, who served on the
House Appropriations Committee, coordinated to bring extensive transportation funding to their districts. When criticized for his heavy use of
earmarks, McGovern responded, "It's not
pork. It's nourishment."
Fiscal policy McGovern supported economic stimulus efforts during the
late-2000s recession, including the
Economic Stimulus Act in February 2008 and the
Emergency Economic Stabilization Act (which established the
Troubled Asset Relief Program) in October 2008. He supported the
Obama administration's
2009 stimulus package. Responding to Republican criticism of Democratic budgetary priorities, he chided the GOP for running up the
national debt under
George W. Bush, saying: "It is somewhat ironic that the very people who drove this economy into a ditch are now complaining about the size of the tow truck." He voted to instate the
Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act in February 2010. McGovern was among the 46 Democrats who voted against final passage of the
Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 in the House.
Education The
Higher Education Act of 1998 included an amendment by McGovern that doubled
Pell Grant funding for two years for students who graduate in the top 10 percent of their class.
Food and agriculture in Washington D.C. As co-chair of the House Hunger Caucus, McGovern is an advocate for expanding child nutrition programs both domestically and internationally. In 2007, he obtained $840 million in required funding for the
McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program in the House version of the
farm bill. The
House–Senate conference committee stripped most of the funding from the final bill. As the co-chair of the Congressional Hunger Center, McGovern has pushed for changes to foreign aid and hunger relief programs. He proposed establishing a "hunger czar position" to take on food issues. McGovern also took part in the
food stamp challenge, which entailed living on the average $21 in food stamps for a week. McGovern supports federal funding for
alternative proteins, including
plant-based foods. In 2021, McGovern and Representative
Julia Brownley led a letter by 46 members of Congress requesting $200 million in alternative proteins research funding for the USDA's
Agricultural Research Service. In July 2023, McGovern authored the Peas, Legumes, and Nuts Today (PLANT) Act, which would have extended
agricultural subsidies to producers of common plant-based proteins and established an
agricultural marketing program for plant-based foods. McGovern has expressed support for the California farm
animal welfare law
Proposition 12, which prohibits the sale of products from animals confined in
battery cages,
gestation crates, and
veal crates. He criticized a July 2025
House Agriculture Committee hearing that he characterized as being dominated by opponents of the law, calling it a "misrepresentation of reality" and stating that many producers benefit from higher animal welfare standards.
Immigration McGovern has voted against major efforts to restrict
illegal immigration, including the
REAL ID Act of 2005, the
Border Protection, Anti-terrorism, and Illegal Immigration Control Act of 2005, and the
Secure Fence Act of 2006.
Health care McGovern believes health care is a human right. He voted for the
Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, ultimately pushing for a robust public option that was not included in the final measure.
Voting age In January 2023, McGovern was one of 13 cosponsors of an amendment to the
Constitution of the United States extending the right to vote to citizens 16 years of age or older.
Corporate personhood In 2010, McGovern said he thought the
Supreme Court decision Citizens United was wrongly decided, and that the
First Amendment does not protect unlimited political advertising by corporations. He elaborated, saying that corporations should not "have the same equality as a regular voter". At first, he said that "the Constitution was wrong", but later said he had misspoken. On November 15, 2011, McGovern introduced the
People's Rights Amendment, a proposal to limit the Constitution's protections to only natural persons, not corporations. In January 2012, McGovern promoted his participation in a panel discussion titled "Corporations are not people." On July 14, 2014, McGovern and Representative
Ted Deutch introduced H.J. Res 119, which includes a section to address corporate personhood.
Social issues McGovern has a
pro-choice record on
abortion. He voted against the
Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act in 2003 and the
Unborn Victims of Violence Act in 2004. He supports
stem cell research, voting for the
Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act in 2005, 2007, and 2009. He voted for the
Employment Non-Discrimination Act of 2007, which would have prevented employment discrimination on the basis of
sexual orientation. He voted against the
Federal Marriage Amendment, which would have constitutionally outlawed
same-sex marriage, in 2004 and 2006, and co-sponsored the
Respect for Marriage Act of 2009, which would allow the federal government to recognize same-sex marriages.
Objection to 2016 presidential election results On January 6, 2017, McGovern objected to Alabama's
electoral votes, which
Donald Trump had won with 62.08% of the vote. Because no senator joined his objection, the objection was dismissed.
Foreign policy and human rights China On July 21, 2019, McGovern called
attacks against Hong Kong's anti-extradition bill protesters "orchestrated violence against peaceful protesters" and urged
Hong Kong authorities to protect the
freedom of demonstration. On October 27, 2022, McGovern and Senator
Jeff Merkley urged U.S. financial executives to cancel their attendance at the
Global Financial Leaders' Investment Summit, saying, "Their presence only serves to legitimize the swift dismantling of Hong Kong's autonomy, free press, and the rule of law by Hong Kong authorities acting along with the Chinese Communist Party." On July 31, 2024, the
Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced
sanctions over McGovern, alleging his frequent interference in China's "internal affairs."
Iraq McGovern has vocally opposed the
Iraq War since its inception. In May 2007, McGovern introduced , to "provide for the redeployment of United States Armed Forces and defense contractors from Iraq". The bill failed by a vote of 255 to 171.
Afghanistan McGovern initially supported the
War in Afghanistan, but became increasingly skeptical of it. In June 2010, he pushed a funding amendment to require President
Barack Obama to make a draw-down plan before any further funding would be authorized. "Let us not waste, you know, more resources, more lives, on a policy that quite frankly is going to lead us nowhere", McGovern said. "We need to let
Afghan President Hamid Karzai know that we're not a cheap date. We expect him to clean up his government."
Sudan McGovern has been a prominent voice against the Islamist governments of
Sudan for its prosecution of the
war in Darfur. He has been arrested three times, twice during protests outside the Sudanese Embassy in Washington D.C. On April 28, 2006, he was one of five members of Congress arrested while protesting atrocities in
Darfur, along with
Sheila Jackson Lee,
Jim Moran,
John Olver, and
Tom Lantos. McGovern was arrested again at the Sudanese embassy on April 27, 2009, this time accompanied by Representatives
John Lewis,
Donna Edwards,
Lynn Woolsey, and
Keith Ellison. He was arrested again on March 16, 2012, alongside
George Clooney, during a protest outside the Sudanese embassy against the Bashir regime in Sudan. In April 2007, he called for the U.S. and other countries to boycott the
2008 Olympic Games in
Beijing to protest the Chinese government's support of the Sudanese government and, by extension, the genocide in Darfur.
Colombia McGovern has traveled several times to
Colombia to meet with human rights advocates, and has been very critical of
Plan Colombia and US military aid to that country. On March 25, 2008,
The Wall Street Journal published an unsigned editorial suggesting that McGovern supported the
FARC rebels in
Colombia. According to the
Journal, an investigation of the computer hard drive of the recently killed
Raúl Reyes, second-in-command of the FARC, had turned up material indicating "an ardent effort" by McGovern "to do business directly with the FARC." The article said that McGovern had been "working with an American go-between, who has been offering the rebels help in undermining Colombia's elected and popular government." In response, McGovern said that his concern was to help win the release of hostages held by the FARC, as requested by several of their families. He said he had no sympathy for the rebels. On February 13, 2009, McGovern offered a resolution on the subject of the trial of the Iranian
Baháʼí Faith leadership co-sponsored by seven others in . The situation has gathered international attention, including defense of Nobel Laureate attorney
Shirin Ebadi after she received threats warning her against making speeches abroad, and defending Iran's minority Baháʼí community.
Cuba McGovern advocates normalizing diplomatic relations with Cuba. He accompanied
President Barack Obama to Cuba in 2016. He said at the time that "Americans have long been ready for a 21st-century approach to Cuba and with our two nations working together, we can create new opportunities for American businesses, increase travel and exchange, and support efforts in Cuba to advance democratic reforms and promote human rights.” Elian's mother had drowned while trying to escape from Cuba with the boy. Although Elian reached Florida safely, McGovern advocated for his return to his father's custody in Cuba. In 2002 McGovern joined the Congressional Cuba Working Group, which advocated for lowering
restrictions on travel and food shipment to Cuba. His work on human rights issues earned him the Washington Office on Latin America's "Human Rights Award" in 2007.
Myanmar On November 18, 2013, McGovern introduced House Resolution 418. The resolution calls on the government of
Myanmar to end the persecution and discrimination of the
Rohingya people within its borders and calls on the U.S. government and the international community to pressure the Burmese to do so. The resolution was in response to allegations of Burmese Buddhist
attacks on Rohingya Muslims earlier in 2014.
Ukraine In 2023, McGovern was among 49 Democrats to break with President
Joe Biden, by voting for a ban on
cluster munitions to
Ukraine.
Gaza After the
drone strikes on aid workers from World Central Kitchen in April 2024,
Mark Pocan, Jim McGovern,
Jan Schakowsky,
Nancy Pelosi and 36 more members of Congress from the Democratic party urged U.S. President
Joe Biden in an open letter to reconsider planned arms shipments to the Israeli military.
Other work On April 25, 2018, 57 House members, including McGovern, They criticized Poland's
new Holocaust law and Ukraine's
2015 memory laws glorifying
Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) and its leaders, such as
Roman Shukhevych.
Committee assignments •
Committee on Rules (Ranking Member) •
Subcommittee on Rules and the Organization of the House •
Committee on Agriculture •
Subcommittee on Nutrition, Foreign Agriculture, and Horticulture Caucus memberships •
Black Maternal Health Caucus •
Congressional Arts Caucus •
Congressional Equality Caucus •
Afterschool Caucuses •
Congressional NextGen 9-1-1 Caucus •
Veterinary Medicine Caucus •
Congressional Progressive Caucus •
Congressional Caucus for the Equal Rights Amendment •
Medicare for All Caucus •
Rare Disease Caucus •
Congressional Taiwan Caucus ==Political positions==