Catch and release, named after the fishing term "catch and release", is a term used to describe a political strategy by which members of the United States Congress can effect an appearance of political independence. Critics suggest that the practice enables members, usually nominal moderates, to escape accountability for supporting legislation backed by their party but unpopular in their districts.

In catch and release, legislators are pressured by their party's leadership into agreeing to vote for a bill that is unpopular in their districts, but are then released to vote as they please if the bill will pass without their vote. The member of Congress can tell his or her constituents that they broke with party leadership on that issue, when they actually would have supported the leadership if it had been necessary for passage.

See also

• Tom DeLay