Illinois
BF

Bill Foster

D

U.S. Representative · Illinois

Last updated

May 13, 2026

Next election

November 2026

Votes cast

954

On record

Bills sponsored

0

Including co-sponsored

Ledger entries

954

All actions

Policy pillars — derived from activity record

Electoral integrity

16 actions

Foster opposes citizenship verification requirements for voter registration while supporting transparency measures and ballot tracking systems, reflecting a view that electoral integrity is better served through procedural safeguards and observer oversight than through voter eligibility restrictions.

Criminal justice

48 actions

Foster demonstrates a pro-criminal justice orientation focused on enhancing enforcement mechanisms against serious crimes like drug trafficking and human trafficking while opposing measures that would restrict police accountability or expand adult prosecution of juveniles.

Fiscal policy

90 actions

Foster opposes fiscal policy measures that would expand executive power over spending or restrict legislative control of the budget process, preferring to maintain Congress's traditional role in directing federal appropriations.

Healthcare

34 actions

Foster demonstrates consistent support for healthcare expansion through evidence-based public health initiatives, research funding, rural and pediatric care access, mental health and substance abuse treatment programs, and healthcare cost transparency measures, while opposing healthcare bills that bundle unrelated policy objectives.

Education

27 actions

Foster supports expanding educational access and opportunity through federal investment in financial aid, career training, and veteran education programs while also backing curriculum initiatives on historical and ideological subjects.

Economy and labor

48 actions

Foster supports policies that promote small business growth and access to capital, facilitate international trade and investment, strengthen supply chain resilience, and protect worker organizing rights.

Environment and energy

167 actions

Foster demonstrates strong support for environmental protection through backing ecosystem preservation, invasive species control, wildfire management coordination, and marine conservation research, while opposing measures that expedite resource extraction, weaken pollution protections, or facilitate fossil fuel development on sensitive lands.

Immigration

53 actions

Foster consistently opposes restrictive immigration enforcement measures and deportation expansions while supporting pathways for legal immigration and family reunification, reflecting a progressive stance favoring humanitarian immigration policies over enforcement-focused approaches.

National security and foreign policy

188 actions

Foster demonstrates a pro-national security voting pattern characterized by support for targeted sanctions and counterproliferation measures, strategic intelligence and human rights initiatives to counter adversarial regimes, domestic infrastructure and maritime security enhancements, and financial transparency mechanisms to address great power competition, while occasionally opposing measures he may view as economically restrictive or redundant to existing security frameworks.

Civil rights and liberties

46 actions

Foster demonstrates consistent support for civil rights protections focused on combating discrimination and violence against marginalized communities, particularly in defending religious and ethnic minorities from harassment and hostile environments, while showing selective concern for civil liberties when expansive individual rights claims conflict with community safety and accountability measures.

Social policy

24 actions

Foster consistently supports robust government investment in social safety net programs, veterans' benefits, and child welfare protections, demonstrating a pro-expansion stance on using federal resources to address vulnerable populations' needs.

Technology and data

35 actions

Foster supports robust federal oversight and coordination of technology infrastructure while prioritizing consumer privacy protections, data security, and restrictions on personal information sharing, but opposes deregulatory approaches to emerging technologies like cryptocurrencies and streamlined licensing frameworks.

Civil liberties and government power

7 actions

Foster opposes measures that would constrain government authority over information control and transparency requirements, favoring expansive executive discretion in classification and speech regulation matters.

Government accountability and transparency

138 actions

Foster supports transparency mechanisms that create public records and require agencies to report to Congress, but consistently opposes legislative oversight tools that would allow Congress to review and overturn executive branch regulatory decisions.

Infrastructure and public investment

29 actions

Foster demonstrates consistent support for public infrastructure investment across diverse sectors including transit, water systems, broadband expansion, and historical preservation, reflecting a ideology that prioritizes direct federal funding and management of community-serving infrastructure projects that enhance economic development and public services.

Activity ledger — most recent first

Jan 14, 2026

Foster rose to open a Special Order hour to discuss the expiration of the New START treaty, the importance of arms control, and the need to strengthen global nuclear security, and noted that he is the only Ph.D. physicist currently serving in the United States Congress.

On the record

Jun 6, 2025

Foster spoke on the House floor to oppose the Trump administration's cancellation of a $5.6 million student mental health program that had been providing mental health care to 7,100 students in Crystal Lake District 47, Illinois, and urged the administration to reverse the cuts.

On the record

Jun 3, 2025

Foster congratulated the people of South Korea for their commitment to democracy following Lee Jae-myung's election and praised their defense of democracy through peaceful civil disobedience, lawful impeachment, and free and fair elections.

On the record

Dec 18, 2024

Beagle Brigade Act of 2023 — This bill advances government transparency by requiring the Department of Agriculture to report to Congress on threats to agriculture and natural resources.

Government accountability and transparencyEthics and financial disclosure↗ Source
Voted yes

Dec 18, 2024

DETECT Fentanyl and Xylazine Act of 2024 — This bill supports national security by authorizing the Department of Homeland Security to develop better technology for detecting dangerous drugs at borders and ports of entry.

National security and foreign policyDefense spending↗ Source
Voted yes

Dec 18, 2024

Jamul Indian Village Land Transfer Act — This bill advances Native American sovereignty and self-determination by transferring land to tribal control, supporting the civil right of indigenous peoples to govern their own territories.

Civil rights and libertiesVoting rights↗ Source
Voted yes

Dec 17, 2024

Never Again Education Reauthorization Act of 2023 — This bill supports Holocaust education programs by extending federal authorization and funding for educational initiatives through 2030.

EducationK-12 funding and standards↗ Source
Voted yes

Dec 17, 2024

Midnight Rules Relief Act — This bill makes it easier for Congress to overturn multiple regulations at once during presidential transitions, which could reduce executive branch accountability by allowing rapid reversal of rules without individual scrutiny.

Government accountability and transparencyEthics and financial disclosure↗ Source
Voted no

Dec 11, 2024

Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025 — This bill extends and updates federal programs that protect endangered wildlife species and their habitats through conservation funding and partnerships.

Environment and energyClimate legislation↗ Source
Voted no

Dec 11, 2024

Increasing Baseline Updates Act — This bill would advance government transparency by requiring the Congressional Budget Office to publish more frequent budget projections and disclose the economic data behind their calculations.

Government accountability and transparencyEthics and financial disclosure↗ Source
Voted yes

Dec 10, 2024

SHIELD Against CCP Act — This bill strengthens U.S. national security by establishing a coordinated effort within the Department of Homeland Security to identify and counter security threats posed by China across multiple critical areas including terrorism, cyber attacks, and border protection.

National security and foreign policyDefense spending↗ Source
Voted yes

Mar 21, 2024

Ocean Shipping Reform Implementation Act of 2023 — This bill strengthens national security by reducing Chinese government influence over U.S. shipping infrastructure and giving federal authorities more power to prevent foreign manipulation of maritime commerce.

National security and foreign policyDefense spending↗ Source
Voted yes

Mar 21, 2024

Expressing the sense of Congress that a carbon tax would be detrimental to the United States economy. — This bill opposes a carbon tax as economically harmful, taking a stance against a potential revenue-raising or economy-regulating tax policy.

Fiscal policyFederal and state taxation↗ Source
Voted no

Mar 21, 2024

Denouncing the harmful, anti-American energy policies of the Biden administration, and for other purposes. — This bill opposes environmental regulations on energy production and federal lands while promoting increased domestic fossil fuel development.

Environment and energyClimate legislation↗ Source
Voted no

Mar 20, 2024

Restoring American Energy Dominance Act — This bill would block new environmental protections and climate provisions for oil and gas leasing on public lands, favoring fossil fuel extraction over energy transition goals.

Environment and energyClimate legislation↗ Source
Voted no

Mar 20, 2024

Restoring American Energy Dominance Act — This bill would block new environmental protections and climate provisions for oil and gas leasing on public lands, favoring fossil fuel extraction over energy transition goals.

Environment and energyClimate legislation↗ Source
Voted yes

Mar 20, 2024

Protecting American Energy Production Act — This bill would protect fossil fuel extraction through fracking by preventing the President from restricting it without Congress approval and prioritizing state over federal environmental regulation.

Environment and energyClimate legislation↗ Source
Voted no

Mar 20, 2024

Protecting American Energy Production Act — This bill would protect fossil fuel extraction through fracking by preventing the President from restricting it without Congress approval and prioritizing state over federal environmental regulation.

Environment and energyClimate legislation↗ Source
Voted yes

Mar 19, 2024

Condemning the illegal abduction and forcible transfer of children from Ukraine to the Russian Federation. — This bill strengthens the U.S. position on a major foreign conflict by formally condemning Russian actions against Ukrainian children and supporting Ukraine against Russian aggression.

National security and foreign policyDefense spending↗ Source
Voted yes

Mar 19, 2024

Upholding the Dayton Peace Agreement Through Sanctions Act — This bill uses sanctions to protect the stability and democracy of Bosnia and Herzegovina, advancing U.S. foreign policy interests in maintaining peace in a strategically important region.

National security and foreign policyDefense spending↗ Source
Voted yes

Mar 13, 2024

Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act — This bill would restrict or ban applications controlled by foreign adversaries like China from operating in the United States to protect national security and prevent foreign surveillance of Americans.

National security and foreign policyDefense spending↗ Source
Voted yes

Feb 29, 2024

Airport and Airway Extension Act of 2024 — This bill extends federal funding and authorization for airport infrastructure programs and aviation services, supporting continued public investment in transportation infrastructure.

Infrastructure and public investmentTransportation and roads↗ Source
Voted yes

Feb 29, 2024

Extension of Continuing Appropriations and Other Matters Act, 2024 — This bill authorizes federal spending to keep government operating and funds student aid programs, representing a decision to maintain current spending levels rather than make cuts or increases.

Fiscal policyFederal and state taxation↗ Source
Voted yes

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