We identified each of the roll calls associated with the passage of our sample laws and coded if the measure sought to increase or decrease executive discretion. Here we relied on the Congressional Quarterly's vote summaries contained in the CQ Almanac and the ICPSR brief descriptions of each roll call. When these briefs were ambiguous, we located the discussion of the roll-call measure in the CQ legislative summary. If, after reviewing these secondary sources, it was still unclear if the vote was over delegation, we turned to the primary sources, including committee reports and the debates surrounding consideration of the measure.

DEFINING ROLL CALLS OVER DELEGATION

The first step in coding each roll call is to determine whether or not the motion under consideration (amendment, rule, passage, etc.) directly affects delegation. The step-by-step procedure is as follows:

1. For each roll call, read the ICPSR description.

2. Compare this with the associated Congressional Quarterly roll-call brief.

3. Determine if the roll call is a vote on delegation or not.

4. If in doubt about step 3, consult the CQ legislative summaries of each bill.

5. If the vote is not over delegation, stop and go to the next record. Otherwise, proceed to the steps below.