PSI Sci
New here? Follow the money and the votes · Not sure of your district? Find your U.S. House member · Find your state legislators

H.Res. 540: Expressing condolences to the families, friends, and loved ones of the victims of the catastrophic explosion at the ConAgra Foods plant in Garner, North Carolina, and for other purposes.

Before you vote › Federal bills

H.Res. 540: Expressing condolences to the families, friends, and loved ones of the victims of the catastrophic explosion at the ConAgra Foods plant in Garner, North Carolina, and for other purposes.

111th Congress · introduced 2009-06-12 · Emergency Management · Latest: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2009-06-12 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Rep. Etheridge, Bob [D-NC-2] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: 1 recorded vote in our records. Latest: House roll call 339 (2009): On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Agree, HRES540 (2009-06-15), Passed. See all
  4. Where it stands now: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Expressing condolences to the families, friends, and loved ones of the victims of the catastrophic explosion at the ConAgra Foods plant in Garner, North Carolina, and for other purposes.

Plain summary

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary of that version is repeated here.) Expresses condolences to the families, friends, and loved ones of the victims of the explosion at the ConAgra Foods plant in Garner, North Carolina. Honors Barbara McLean Spears, Louis Junior Watson, and Rachel Mae Poston Pulley, who lost their lives in the explosion, and the 40 others who were injured. Commends the heroic actions of the Garner Police and Fire Departments, the quick response of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and all other first responders, emergency services personnel, and private citizens who responded to the crisis.

Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House without amendment), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

A Yea supports adopting this resolution.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Expressing condolences to the families, friends, and loved ones of the victims of the catastrophic explosion at the ConAgra Foods plant in Garner, North Carolina, and for other purposes.

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House without amendment)

AI explanation – may be wrong, check the official text

No AI explanation yet. It takes up to a minute to write and is then saved for everyone.

Limited to a few requests an hour per person.

The strongest published arguments

Arguments for (supporters)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Arguments against (opponents)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Alternatives

Needs sources: no published alternatives yet (for example a different bill, a law instead of an amendment, or keeping current law). We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Etheridge, Bob [D-NC-2] · 4 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Recorded votes

Words on this page, explained (2)
Resolution
A formal statement or decision by a legislative body. Simple resolutions often only express an opinion or set rules for one chamber; they do not become law.
Roll-call vote
A vote where each member's position is recorded by name, so the public can see how every member voted. "Yea" means yes, "Nay" means no, "Present" means the member was there but did not take a side.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong111-hres540 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong111 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong111