Emanuel Cleaver
- Previous profession
- Senior pastor, St. James United Methodist Church, 1973 to 2009; Founder, Harmony in a World of Difference, 1991; Founder, Southern Christian Leadership Conference, Kansas City Chapter;
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- Senior pastor, St. James United Methodist Church, 1973 to 2009
- Founder, Harmony in a World of Difference, 1991
- Founder, Southern Christian Leadership Conference, Kansas City Chapter
- Host, Under the Clock, KCUR Radio, 1999 to 2004
- First public office
- 1979Councilman, Kansas City, 5th District, 1979 to 1991
- Years in public office
- 41
Confirmed from the official recordSource: Congressional Directory for the 119th Congress (2025-2026), February 20, 2026. We saved our copy on October 8, 2026.
What these lines mean
These lines come from this official’s entry in the Congressional Directory, which Congress publishes. Each member’s office supplies or approves its entry. We save our own copy and sort each part of the entry by fixed rules. No AI is used.
Previous profession lists the work the entry names outside public office, in the Directory’s own words. Public office here means an elected or appointed position, staff work for an elected official or a legislature, and party or campaign work.
Lifelong politician means: Congress’s biography lists no occupation outside public office. It also means the entry lists no military service. A person on our side confirms these words before they appear.
Years in public office counts elected and appointed positions only. Staff work and party work are left out. Each year counts once.
Since the current Congress began on January 3, 2025, Cleaver has a recorded vote on 60 laws that passed, and 1 vote on a resolution that passed a law.
The tally counts votes on passage. 1 vote on a resolution that passed a law is listed apart.
This record covers laws that passed. Votes on bills that did not become law are not included yet.
The record in plain language
Of the 118 laws passed since January 3, 2025, 60 came to a recorded vote on passage in the House while Cleaver is a member. On 1 more, the recorded House vote is on a resolution. Cleaver votes No on H.Res. 590, the resolution that passed the Rescissions Act of 2025 in the House. The rest passed the House by voice vote or without objection, which records no individual votes.
Cleaver votes Yes on the Epstein Files Transparency Act, the defense policy law for fiscal year 2026 and the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act.
On funding the government, Cleaver votes Yes on the January 2026 funding law for science, energy, Interior and the EPA, and the September 2026 funding extension, and No on the March 2025 full-year funding law, the November 2025 law that ended the 43-day shutdown and the February 2026 funding law for a further group of agencies.
Cleaver votes No on the Laken Riley Act on immigration detention; the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the 2025 tax and spending law; the HALT Fentanyl Act; the GENIUS Act on stablecoins (digital tokens pegged to the dollar); the Secure America Act, a 2026 budget law; and the Russia and Iran sanctions law.
Congress cancelled 24 federal rules by recorded vote in the House in that time. Cleaver votes to cancel 0 and against cancelling 23, and did not vote on 1.
Cleaver votes differently from most House Democrats on 1 of 58 Yes and No votes: No on the HALT Fentanyl Act.
Cleaver did not vote on the law that extends again the surveillance authority that lets intelligence agencies collect the communications of foreigners abroad from U.S. providers without individual warrants, and the law that cancels a bank regulator's rule that changed how proposed bank mergers are reviewed, restoring the earlier, faster process.
Votes on laws that passed
Most recent
Authorizes and expands sanctions and tariffs on Russia and extends existing sanctions on Iran.
Requires the federal prison system to act on sexual harassment and assault of its staff by incarcerated people.
Adds College Station, Texas, and El Centro, California, to the places where federal court can sit.
Keeps the federal government funded at about last year's levels through December 11, 2026.
Most recent No votes
Authorizes and expands sanctions and tariffs on Russia and extends existing sanctions on Iran.
Gives the Department of Homeland Security extra money for border and immigration enforcement, in seven amounts that add up to $69.545 billion.
Votes on a resolution that passed a law
Cancels about $9 billion that Congress had already approved: roughly $8 billion in foreign aid and about $1 billion for public broadcasting.
What this member says about laws and orders
This section has two lists: statements in the official record, and excerpts from this member’s own press releases. Together they name 1 law.
From the official record
Statements from the official record: Not checked yet. A statement appears here after a person reviews our account of the law or order it is about.
From this member’s press releases
From a secondary sourceThese are excerpts from press releases on this member’s official website that name a law or an executive order. We save a copy of each one.
1 excerpt
-
Congressman Cleaver Applauds House Passage of Landmark Bipartisan Housing Package
“The passage of H.R. 6644, the Housing for the 21st Century Act, is a historic first step toward confronting a housing crisis that is squeezing families and communities nationwide. While more must be done, including real federal investments to meet the scale of this housing crisis, H.R. 6644 provides a strong foundation to build on.”
Member-requested spending
Congress printed 15 spending items this member requested, $15,468,000 in all, in the lists read for 4 laws.
Laws read: Public Law 119-37, Public Law 119-74, Public Law 119-75, Public Law 119-86.
| Recipient | Law | Purpose | State | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rockhurst University | Public Law 119-74 | Expanding Innovative Technology Programs in Cybersecurity and Artificial IntelligenceDOC · NIST--STR S | None printed | $1,031,000 |
| Mid-America Regional Council | Public Law 119-74 | Automated License Plate Readers (ALPRs) expansion for law enforcementDOJ · OJP--Byrne | None printed | $1,031,000 |
| Kansas City Area Transportation Authority | Public Law 119-74 | Transit Ambassador ProgramDOJ · OJP--Byrne | None printed | $1,031,000 |
| Foster Adopt Connect, Inc. | Public Law 119-74 | Wraparound Supports for High-Risk YouthDOJ · OJP--Byrne | None printed | $1,031,000 |
| Mattie Rhodes Center | Public Law 119-74 | Community-Based Violence Intervention & Prevention InitiativeDOJ · OJP--Byrne | None printed | $1,031,000 |
| Board of Police Commissioners of Kansas City, Missouri | Public Law 119-74 | Police Cruiser ReplacementDOJ · OJP--Byrne | None printed | $1,031,000 |
| Youth Guidance | Public Law 119-74 | Reducing Crime through School-Based Prevention and Education ProgramsDOJ · OJP--Byrne | None printed | $1,031,000 |
| City of Lee's Summit, Missouri | Public Law 119-74 | Public Safety Technology EquipmentDOJ · COPS Tech | None printed | $1,039,000 |
| Kansas City Area Transportation Authority | Public Law 119-74 | Public Safety TechnologyDOJ · COPS Tech | None printed | $1,031,000 |
| Board of Police Commissioners of Kansas City, Missouri | Public Law 119-74 | Police Aviation Technology EquipmentDOJ · COPS Tech | None printed | $1,031,000 |
Show all 15
| Recipient | Law | Purpose | State | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MO | Public Law 119-75 | Kentucky Ave. Bridge ReplacementDepartment of Transportation · Highway Infrastructure Programs | MO | $1,200,000 |
| City of Kansas City, Missouri | Public Law 119-75 | Brush Creek Greenway ImprovementsDepartment of Housing and Urban Development · Community Development Fund | MO | $2,000,000 |
| City of Grandview, Missouri | Public Law 119-75 | Main Street MarketDepartment of Housing and Urban Development · Community Development Fund | MO | $850,000 |
| Metropolitan Community College | Public Law 119-75 | Longview Automotive InstituteDepartment of Housing and Urban Development · Community Development Fund | MO | $850,000 |
| City of North Kansas City, Missouri | Public Law 119-75 | Town Square RenovationDepartment of Housing and Urban Development · Community Development Fund | MO | $250,000 |
Read from the lists Congress printed for 4 laws. An item requested by several members appears under each of them, so sums across members count such an item more than once. A list the Congressional Record printed on two days is counted once, from the later printing. A requester is tied to a member only when exactly one member serving in that chamber on that day has the printed name.
Campaign promises
Promises kept: Not checked yet
Not checked yetA person has not reviewed this member’s campaign promises yet. This is what we hold so far.
- Campaign website: www.cleaver4congress.com. The Federal Election Commission’s record of CLEAVER FOR CONGRESS gives this address.Confirmed from the official record
- 2 pages of www.cleaver4congress.com saved on October 8, 2026. 1 states positions on issues.From a secondary source
- An Internet Archive copy of www.cleaver4congress.com, the earliest captured August 3, 2026. We ask the Archive for the copy closest to election day, November 5, 2024.From a secondary source
Online ads
From a secondary sourceThese are records from public ad libraries, for advertisers tied to this member. We show an ad only after we save our own copy of it.
CLEAVER FOR CONGRESS Google Ads Transparency Center
Evidence for the tie: The library lists FEC committee number C00395848 for this advertiser, and the FEC committee file names this member as that committee’s candidate.
The library lists 9 ads by this advertiser since January 3, 2025.
We have not saved our own copy of these 9 ads yet, so this page shows none of them. Cause: Google’s data file carries no words, picture or video of the ad.
Read from Google Ads Transparency Center, its data file of October 8, 2026. Meta Ad Library: Not started. An ad counts when the library last shows it on or after January 3, 2025.
Campaign money
For the 2026 election cycle, Cleaver's campaign reports receiving $1,336,737.64 and reports spending $1,083,482.88, as of July 15, 2026.
Confirmed from the official record| What the filing reports | 2026 cycleFEC number H4MO05234as of July 15, 2026 | 2024 cycleFEC number H4MO05234as of December 31, 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Money raised (total receipts) | $1,336,737.64 | $1,385,775.60 |
| Money spent (total disbursements) | $1,083,482.88 | $1,457,206.59 |
| Cash on hand (at the end of the period) | $1,142,881.58 | $889,626.82 |
| Debts (owed by the committee) | $0.00 | $0.00 |
Every figure is copied from the Federal Election Commission. The campaign's committee reports each one.
See contributions by size and by state, and the saved FEC files
Who funds this member
Confirmed from the official recordCLEAVER FOR CONGRESS reports $1,336,737.64 in total receipts, January 1, 2025 to July 15, 2026.
Where the money comes from
Reported as $0: Party committees, The candidate's own contributions, Loans from the candidate, Other loans, Transfers from the candidate's other committees, Refunds and rebates to the committee.
Committees that give the most
241 committees report paying this committee. These are the largest, joint fundraising committees aside.
| Committee | Kind, as the FEC lists it | Total | Payments |
|---|---|---|---|
| INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SHEET METAL, AIR, RAIL AND TRANSPORTATION WORKERS POLITICAL ACTION LEAGUEConnected organization: INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SHEET METAL, AIR, RAIL AND TRANSPORTATION WORKERS | PAC, qualified | $12,500 | 3 |
| BREAD FINANCIAL HOLDINGS, INC. PAC (AKA BREAD FINANCIAL PAC)Connected organization: BREAD FINANCIAL HOLDINGS, INC. | PAC, qualified | $10,000 | 3 |
| LOCKTON INC POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE | PAC, qualified | $10,000 | 2 |
| PURPOSE PAC | Leadership PAC | $10,000 | 2 |
| AMERICAN LAND TITLE ASSOCIATION TITLE INDUSTRY PAC (TIPAC)Connected organization: AMERICAN LAND TITLE ASSOCIATION | PAC, qualified | $10,000 | 3 |
| NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF LETTER CARRIERS OF U.S.A. POLITICAL FUND (LETTER CARRIER POLITICAL FUND)Connected organization: BRANCH 193 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF LETTER CARRIERS POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE | PAC, qualified | $10,000 | 2 |
| H&R BLOCK INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (BLOCKPAC)Connected organization: H&R BLOCK INC. | PAC, qualified | $10,000 | 2 |
| HEARTLAND PATRIOTS | PAC, qualified | $10,000 | 3 |
| AFLAC POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (AFLAC PAC) | PAC, qualified | $10,000 | 3 |
| AMERICAN CRYSTAL SUGAR COMPANY POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEEConnected organization: AMERICAN CRYSTAL SUGAR COMPAY | PAC, qualified | $10,000 | 2 |
Joint fundraising committees collect checks for several campaigns and pass on each share. Largest for this member: CLYBURN CLEAVER FIGURES VICTORY FUND ($24,457.79).
Largest receipts from individuals
Each line is one receipt as the committee itemized it for the FEC. Many people give the same legal maximum, so this is a part of a larger group.
| Name, as itemized | City and state | Employer and occupation, as reported | Receipt | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KRAMER, ROBERTGiven through a conduit committee | HIGHLAND BEACH, FL | CAVALIERS · EXECUTIVE | $3,500 | |
| LIPPMAN, CAROLGiven through a conduit committee | CREVE COEUR, MO | DEARBORN PARTNERS · PORTFOLIO MANAGER | $3,500$5,000 to date, as reported | |
| HERNANDEZ, COLLEENGiven through a conduit committee | KANSAS CITY, MO | SELF EMPLOYED · CONSULTANT | $3,500 | |
| PELOFSKY, LISAGiven through a conduit committee | KANSAS CITY, MO | PELOFSKY CONSULTING · CONSULTANT | $3,500$6,250 to date, as reported | |
| MUNGER, PHILIPGiven through a conduit committee | NEW YORK, NY | SELF EMPLOYED · INVESTOR | $3,500 | |
| STEINGLASS, DAVIDGiven through a conduit committee | WASHINGTON, DC | NORHLANE CAPITAL PARTNERS · INVESTMENT BANKER | $3,500$5,750 to date, as reported | |
| HELZBERG, SHIRLEYGiven through a conduit committee | KANSAS CITY, MO | RETIRED · RETIRED | $3,500 | |
| SHARP, MATTHEWGiven through a conduit committee | LYME, CT | HPI · REAL ESTATE INVESTOR | $3,500$7,000 to date, as reported | |
| HELZBERG, BARNETTGiven through a conduit committee | KANSAS CITY, MO | RETIRED · RETIRED | $3,500 | |
| SHARP, MATTHEWGiven through a conduit committee | LYME, CT | HPI · REAL ESTATE INVESTOR | $3,500$7,000 to date, as reported |
Outside spending, apart from contributions
Groups report spending $10 to support this member and $0 to oppose this member in 2025 and 2026. The member does not receive this money.
See the full lists for Emanuel Cleaver
Federal law forbids using contributors' names and addresses taken from FEC reports to ask for contributions or for any commercial purpose (52 U.S.C. 30111(a)(4)).
Source: Federal Election Commission. Period: January 1, 2025 to December 31, 2026. Our copy of the FEC's answers was saved October 8, 2026.
Reported stock trades
Confirmed from the official recordThe Clerk's index for 2025 and 2026 lists no Periodic Transaction Report under this member's name and district.
Source: Periodic Transaction Reports filed with the Clerk of the House. The Clerk's index for 2025 and 2026 was saved October 8, 2026.
Where this comes from
We saved our own copy of each official House vote file listed here before writing this page. A code beside a file is its fingerprint, a short code that changes if the file's contents change.
