Under the direction of President John Adams, the Congress passed the Sedition Act of 1798, which made it a criminal offence to publish statements critical of the federal government. The first individual to be tried under the law was Rep. Matthew Lyon, who unsurprisingly had voted against its passage. Lyon was re-elected from jail.
The House of Representatives voted 421-1 to authorize the use of military force against the perpetrators of the September 11th attacks
In 1999, Congress repealed the 65 year old Glass-Steagall provisions, which required banks to separate investments and deposits. Critics allege this led to risky investment practices, and subsequently the 2008 financial crisis.
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Sen. Rand Paul's motion to hold that the Senate cannot try an impeached official who is no longer in office was defeated 55-45. Most legal scholars agree such a trial is permissible.
