Vote Descriptions | Senators' Votes

1. Reject Teen Endangerment Act (Passed) (09/30/2006, Roll Call No. 263)

The House and Senate had passed different bills on the subject, so the house bill was brought up for adoption by the Senate. Passage was expected, since the Senate had passed a similar bill just two months earlier. But in the on vote whether to close debate (cloture) so that they could proceed to an actual vote on the bill, Senate leaders were not able to muster the 60 votes needed to end debate. As a result the measure is dead for the 109th Congress. A vote against the motion was correct. More

2. More Tax Cuts For Millionaire (Failed) (08/04/2006, Roll Call No. 229)

Estate Tax and Extension of Tax Relief Act of 2006 (H.R. 5970), sponsored by Rep. Bill Thomas (R-Calif.) fortunately met its fate in the Senate. The House-adopted estate tax repeal was rejected with a failed motion to proceed to the vote (cloture). This measure also contained the minimum wage increase, as discussed in the House vote description. Another provision would have cut pay for up to 1.1 million workers in seven states by as much as $5.50 an hour, or $11,440 per year -- another favor to business interests. A vote against the bill was correct. More

3. Teen Endangerment Act (Passed) (07/25/2006, Roll Call No. 216)

Child Custody Protection Act (S. 403), which was passed by the Senate, was nearly identical to the Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act (CIANA) passed in the House. A vote against the bill was correct. More

4. Teen Pregnancy Prevention, Real Sex Education (Defeated) (07/25/2006, Roll Call No. 214)

Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) offered an amendment (S. Amdt. 4689) to the Teen Endangerment Act, formally called the Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act (S. 403) to expand teen pregnancy prevention programs and to create a federally-funded program for comprehensive sex education, incorporating provisions from the Responsible Education About Life (REAL) Act (S. 368). Currently, the only federal funding available to teach sex education in schools mandates the teaching of abstinence-only until marriage. A vote in support of the amendment was correct. More

5. Extension of Voting Rights Act (Passed) (07/20/2006, Roll Call No. 212)

The Senate unanimously adopted The Fannie Lou Hamer, Rosa Parks and Coretta Scott King Reauthorization and Amendments Act of 2006 (H.R. 9), a measure reauthorizing the landmark Voting Rights Act of 1965, which had passed the House in June after a series of weakening amendments failed. A vote in support of the bill was correct. More

6. Funding Stem Cell Research (Passed) (07/18/2006, Roll Call No. 206)

Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2005 (H.R. 810), sponsored by Rep. Michael Castle (R-Del.), allows federal funding of stem cell studies using conventional embryos slated for destruction at fertility clinics. A vote in support of the bill was correct. (Note: President George W. Bush vetoed H.R. 810 and the House failed to override the veto.) More

7. Denying Equal Marriage Rights (Defeated) (06/07/2006, Roll Call No. 163)

Proposing an amendment to the United States Constitution (S. J. Res.1), sponsored by Sen. Wayne Allard (R-Colo.); the measure failed to get a required two-thirds majority vote for a Constitutional amendment that declared marriage as existing between only a man and woman and would have prevented the states from allowing same-sex couples to marry by stating that no state constitution can be construed to allow same sex marriage. Marriage is a fundamental human right, as well as a fundamental Constitutional right, and should be treated as such regardless of sexual orientation. Currently, same sex couples -- and their children -- are denied more than a thousand government benefits that are available to heterosexual couples. The amendment, if passed by Congress and ratified by three-fourths of the states, would enshrine discrimination in the Constitution -- restricting rather than expanding freedoms, contrary to the history of our constitutional amendments. A two-thirds vote was required to invoke "cloture" and end debate. A vote against the cloture motion was correct. More

8. Restrictive Immigration Bill (Passed) (05/25/2006, Roll Call No. 157)

The Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2006 (S. 2611), sponsored by Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.), is an improvement over the punitive H.R. 4437 passed by the House of Representatives last December, but the Senate legislation falls short in many areas. The major shortcomings are: increased fees/penalties, a reduction in the number of legal temporary workers, and making residency and citizenship more difficult. S. 2611 makes an attempt to provide a "path to citizenship," but it sets up an awkward and almost unworkable three-tiered system to determine eligibility for citizenship, requiring millions of immigrants to return to their home countries and wait for years to apply for and receive documentation. This system, which by many accounts would be almost impossible to implement and monitor, would separate families, continue to keep undocumented people in the shadows and would create an atmosphere of fear among immigrant communities. In addition, the Senate made adjustments to the temporary "guest" worker program -- including requiring employers to seek qualified U.S. workers before turning to immigrant workers. A vote against the bill was correct. As of November, it appears that the two houses will not be able to agree on a bill, so immigration reform is stalled for the 109th Congress. More

9. Health Insurance Bill Skirts Regulations (Defeated) (05/11/2006, Roll Call No. 119)

The so-called Health Insurance Marketplace Modernization and Affordability Act of 2005 (S. 1955), sponsored by Sen. Michael Enzi (R-Wyo.), was rejected by the Senate. The reported intent of the legislation was to help small businesses form insurance pools so that they could provide health insurance for their workers at affordable rates, but the reality of S. 1955 was that insurers were going to be allowed to offer coverage that skirted important state requirements for minimum benefits. For women who would be covered by this new version of health insurance, many of them would face the loss of preventative health care measures including mammograms and other breast cancer screenings as well as contraceptive and birth control coverage. The motion to end debate (cloture) needed 60 votes. A vote against cloture was correct. More

10. Nomination of Samuel A. Alito, Jr., as Supreme Court Associate Justice (Confirmed) (01/31/2006, Roll Call No. 2)

Samuel A. Alito Jr., of New Jersey, was confirmed by the Senate as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, replacing Sandra Day O'Connor. Alito served as Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit and had been U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey. NOW opposed confirmation because of Alito's extensive record of more than 300 decisions and writings which indicate that he would narrow many of the civil rights, environmental and employment protections passed by the Congress. Alito, while working for Ronald Reagan, suggested a long term judicial strategy to gradually overturn Roe v. Wade, and he has further attempted to dismantle the Family and Medical Leave Act, and has disregarded claims of discrimination in classrroom and workplace settings. Also, Alito wrote a very troubling dissenting opinion in Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey (1992) in which he voted to uphold a spousal notification requirement before a woman can have an abortion. The confirmation of Alito signals a distinct change in the Supreme Court's direction in cases pertaining to women's rights. The crucial vote on this nomination was the cloture vote, which passed. A vote against confirmation was correct. More

11. Cloture Motion: Samuel A. Alito, Jr. (passed) (01/30/2006, Roll Call No. 1)

Judge Samuel Alito was confirmed on Jan. 31, 2006, to replace Justice Sandra Day O'Connor on the Supreme Court, by a vote of 58-42. However, the crucial vote happened the day before, when senators voted on whether or not to end debate on this nomination. Because the Republican leadership had enough votes to confirm Samuel Alito, a filibuster was the only option to prevent the confirmation. A vote against the cloture motion was correct. More

12. Slash Medicare and Medicaid Funds (Passed) (11/03/2005, Roll Call No. 303)

The Deficit Reduction Omnibus Reconciliation Act of 2005 (S. 1932), sponsored by Sen. Judd Gregg (R-N.H.) was approved by the Senate. S. 1932 would slash funding for Medicare and Medicaid programs to help pay for tax cuts for upper income individuals. Medicare, which provides health care to seniors was cut by $4.26 billion, and Medicaid (for low income and disabled persons and nursing home care for seniors), was reduced by $5.78 billion. A vote against the bill was correct. More

13. Minimum Wage Increase (Defeated) (10/19/2005, Roll Call No. 257)

Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.) offered a minimum wage increase as an amendment (S. Amdt. 2063) to the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, the Judiciary, the District of Columbia, and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act of 2006 (H.R. 3058). The federal minimum wage has not been changed in ten years; more than 60% of minimum wage workers are women. Congressional Republicans have gone out of their way to prevent an increase in what is a very inadequate $5.15 an hour, yet Congress has increased members' salaries three times. A vote in support of the amendment was correct. More

14. Nomination of John G. Roberts to be Supreme Court Chief Justice (Confirmed) (09/29/2005, Roll Call No. 245)

John G. Roberts, a Bush appointee to the D.C. Court of Appeals and former U.S. Deputy Solicitor under Kenneth Starr, was confirmed by the Senate as Chief Justice. NOW opposed Roberts' confirmation because of his extensive record of narrowly interpreting of civil rights, opposing abortion rights and affirmative action programs and, especially, because Roberts held a dismissive view of gender discrimination – suggesting in his writings that he doubted sex discrimination even existed. Roberts even attempted to limit the scope of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the most important equal education law protecting girls and young women. Also, Roberts' record revealed an aggressive approach to limiting Congressional authority and supporting legislation that would strip courts of their power to protect important constitutional rights. A vote against confirmation was correct. More

15. Repeal of International Gag Rule (Passed) (04/05/2005, Roll Call No. 83)

We had a temporary victory when Sens. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) offered an amendment (S. Amdt. 278) to the FY '06-'07 Foreign Relations Act (S. 600) to repeal the Bush Administration's irresponsible 'global gag rule' which prohibits U.S. assistance to any overseas health clinic that uses its own private funds to provide abortion information, or to advocate for abortion rights. The Boxer-Snowe amendment stipulated that clinics cannot be denied funding based on lawful medical services they provide, including counseling and referral services. The gag rule results in countless poor women in developing countries being denied vital health care services, depresses the distribution and use of contraception, increases the number of abortions, elevates the number of maternal deaths and promotes the spread of HIV/AIDS. A majority in the House failed to pass a similar provision so the repeal measure did not become law. A vote in support of the amendment was correct. More

16. Increasing Education Funding (Passed) (03/17/2005, Roll Call No. 68)

An amendment to Increase Higher Education Funding in the 2006 Budget Resolution (S. Con. Res. 18) was offered by Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.). The senator proposed to increase the discretionary spending limit in the budget by $5.4 billion, to a total of $848.8 billion, in order to increase the Maximum Pell Grant awards to $4,500, restore vocational education programs that faced cuts, including Perkins grants that are especially important to women, and expand student loan forgiveness programs for future math and science teachers. To pay for the increased funds, the amendment would have decreased the five year tax cut reconciliation figure in the Budget Resolution by $5.4 billion. The Senate adopted the Kennedy amendment, by a slim majority. A vote in support of the amendment was correct. More

17. Prevention of Unintended Pregnancies (Defeated) (03/17/2005, Roll Call No. 75)

To encourage federal support of contraceptive programs Sens. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) and Harry Reid (D-Nev.) offered S. Amdt. 244 to the FY 06 Budget Resolution, S. Con. Res. 18, but it was rejected. The amendment incorporated many provisions of the Prevention First Act, S. 20, and expresses the support of the Senate to invest $100 million in contraceptive equity, family planning, teen-pregnancy prevention programs, and emergency contraception education programs. A vote in support of the amendment was correct. More

18. Opposing Medicaid Cuts (Passed) (03/17/2005, Roll Call No. 58)

An amendment (S. Amdt. 204) offered by Sen. Gordon Smith (R-Ore.) to the FY '06 Budget Resolution (S. Con. Res. 18) would restore the proposed $14 billion in Medicaid cuts that would disproportionately harm elderly, disabled and low-income persons. The amendment also set up a Bipartisan Medicaid Commission to evaluate the Medicaid program before any spending cuts could be made. A vote in support of the amendment was correct. More

19. Opposing Benefit Cuts under Social Security (Defeated) (03/15/2005, Roll Call No. 49)

Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) offered an amendment (S. Amdt.145) to S. Con. Res. 18 - Fiscal 2006 Budget Resolution, that expresses the Senate's view that Congress should reject any Social Security plan that slashes benefit cuts or enacts massive increases in the federal debt. The amendment also urged Congress to address long-term solvency for the Social Security Trust Fund, which the Republican-led Congress continues to raid. For many years, NOW has opposed any change to the Social Security retirement program that entailed benefit cuts, noting that most elderly persons who are exclusively dependent on Social Security monthly checks are women -- with no other source of income. NOW opposes any plan that permits the creation of private accounts that are part of the Social Security structure, thereby weakening the overall financial stability of the program.  A vote in support of the amendment was correct. More

20. Regressive Bankruptcy Reform (Passed) (03/08/2005, Roll Call No. 29)

The deceptively titled Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act (S. 256), sponsored by Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa), passed the senate and was adopted by the House. For years NOW fought this legislation because it will make it far more difficult for individuals -- especially women, low income and older persons -- to discharge debts and reorganize their finances when faced with a financial crisis. Research shows that bankruptcy rates have increased among women following divorce and among older persons who have lost jobs or experienced a catastrophic illness, resulting in high medical bills. They may now lose personal possessions and even their homes under the new law. Women owed past-due child support or alimony will have to get in line with credit card companies to try to collect from ex-spouses. The objective of the bill was to maximize collection of debts by credit card companies who falsely asserted in support of this regressive measure that massive abuse of credit was occurring. At the same time, the legislation allowed companies to continue the aggressive marketing of credit cards to vulnerable persons -- such as students, seniors and the working poor. Sixty votes are required to stop debate and to force vote on the bill. A vote against the cloture motion, which would have prevented passage, was correct. (Note: S. 256 was subsequently adopted in the Senate, 74-25.). More

21. Making Abortion Clinic Terrorists Liable (Defeated) (03/08/2005, Roll Call No. 28)

Clinic Violence Amendment (S. Amdt. 47) to the so-called Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act (S. 256), failed. Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., offered an amendment to prevent those who commit acts of clinic violence from using bankruptcy proceedings to discharge the judgments incurred as a result of their illegal activities. Existing loopholes in bankruptcy law permit clinic violence perpetrators to escape liability for their unlawful acts. A vote in support of the amendment was correct. More

22. Restrictions on Class Actions (Passed) (02/10/2005, Roll Call No. 9)

The Class Action Fairness Act (S. 5), another bill that does the opposite of its name, sponsored by Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) was adopted by the Senate. This legislation seeks to move most state court class actions into Bush-stacked federal courts, posing a threat to basic civil rights and making it more difficult for large groups of mistreated employees to obtain relief from discrimination and unlawful practices. Class action litigation is one of the most important tools that women and people of color can use to help level the playing field. In addition to the conservative bent of the federal judges currently sitting, moving most state court class actions into federal courts will overload the federal courts, delaying the resolution of cases and making it more difficult for federal civil rights cases to be heard. Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.) offered an amendment (S. Amdt. 2) to exempt civil rights and wage-and-hour cases brought under state law from coverage by S. 5, but the amendment failed (40-59). A vote against the bill was correct. More

23. Exempting Civil Rights and Wage-An-Hour Lawsuits (Defeated) (02/09/2005, Roll Call No. 6)

Unfortunately, an amendment (S. Amdt. 2) that would have exempted lawsuits relating to civil rights cases and wage and hour claims cases from the definition of class actions in the so-called Class Action Fairness Act (S. 5) was offered by Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.), but failed to be adopted. A vote in support of the amendment was correct. More