2007 senate votes on 20 issues selected by Americans for Democratic Action. The votes selected cover a full spectrum of domestic, foreign, economic, military, environmental and social issues. We tried to select votes which display sharp liberal/conservative contrasts. In many instances we have chosen procedural votes: amendments, motions to table, or votes on rules for debate. Often these votes reveal true attitudes frequently obscured in the final votes.
senateA data frame (98 senators) with the following variables:
Party: R = Republican, D = Democrat, I = Independent.
I1. S 1. Ethics and Lobbying Overhaul: Grass-Roots Lobbying Bennett (R-UT) amendment to Reid (D-NV) ethics reform legislation. Reid's legislation would overhaul Congressional lobbying and ethics rules for Senators and their staffs, restrict use of more broadly defi ned earmarks, prohibit Senators and staff from accepting gifts and free meals, extend the period before former Senators can become lobbyists, prohibit lobbyist-funded travel, and require trips funded by private entities to be vetted by the Select Ethics Committee. The Bennett amendment, permitting the travel of Members of Congress hosted by 501 (c) (3), or 'grass-roots lobbying' organizations, was adopted 51-46. Jan. 17, 2007. A no vote is a +.
I2. HR 2. Minimum Wage Increase: Motion to invoke cloture (thus limiting debate) on a Baucus (D-MT) substitute amendment to raise the minimum wage to $7.25 per hour over two years and provide $8.3 billion in small-business tax incentives. The tax provisions would be offset with revenue increases, including a $1 million cap on the amount of executive compensation that can be tax-deferred in any year and extend certain restrictions on certain sale-in-leaseout deals. (Three-fifths of the total Senate, 60 votes, is required to invoke cloture.) Motion agreed to 87-10. Jan 30, 2007. A yes vote is a +.
I3. S 574. Iraq War 'Surge': Motion to invoke cloture and proceed to a bill that would express the sense of Congress in support of U.S. military serving in Iraq, while disapproving of President Bush's 'surge' decision to deploy more than 20000 additional U.S. combat troops to that country and requiring the President to submit a report to Congress every 30 days on military progress in Iraq. Motion rejected 56-34. Feb. 17, 2007. A yes vote is a +.
I4. S J Res 9. Iraq Mission: Passage of a joint resolution to limit the mission of U.S. forces in Iraq, within 120 days of enactment, to counter-terrorism efforts, training Iraqi forces and protecting U.S. assets. It would set a binding goal of withdrawing most combat troops by March 31, 2008. (By unanimous consent, the Senate agreed to require 60 votes to pass the joint resolution.) Rejected 48-50. March 15, 2007. A yes vote is a +.
I5. S 3. Medicare Prescription Drug Price Negotiation: Motion to invoke cloture and proceed to a bill allowing the Health and Human Services Department to negotiate the prices drug companies charge under the Medicare Part D prescription drug program. Motion rejected 55-42. April 18, 2007. A yes vote is a +.
I6. HR 1495. Water Resources Development Act Reauthorization - Climate Change: Kerry (D-MA) amendment to Boxer (D-CA) legislation authorizing about $14 billion for Army Corps of Engineers water resources development projects, including initiatives for storm protection in Louisiana, fl ood control, and ecosystem restoration. The Kerry amendment would require the Army Corps of Engineers to include the impact on global climate change in any relevant study of water resource projects.(By unanimous consent, the Senate agreed to require 60 votes to adopt the amendment.) Rejected 51-42. May 15, 2007. A yes vote is a +.
I7. S 1348. Immigration Overhaul: Motion to invoke cloture on Kennedy (D-MA) legislation to overhaul U.S. immigration policies and institute new border security measures, including an electronic verification system. It would allocate some green cards on a 'merit-based' system based on certain criteria, including a highdemand occupation, profi ciency in English, and higher education degrees. Half of the green cards would be allocated based on family relations. It also would provide for a temporary guest worker program that would allow workers to remain in the United States for up to six years, provided that they return to their home country for a year after every two years they remain in the United States. A 'yea' was a vote in support of Kennedy's and the President's position. Motion rejected 45-50. June 7, 2007. A yes vote is a +.
I8. HR 800. EFCA: Motion to invoke cloture on the Reid (D-NV) motion to proceed to a bill that would allow union organizers to bypass an NLRB-sponsored election if a majority of eligible employees sign a petition in support of a union. Motion rejected 51-48. June 26, 2007. A yes vote is a +.
I9. HR 1585. Fiscal 2008 Defense Authorization: Motion to invoke cloture on a Levin (D-MI) amendment mandating a drawdown and redeployment of U.S. forces in Iraq by the end of April 2008, except to protect U.S. personnel, train Iraqi security forces, and conduct counter terrorism operations against al Qaeda and other international terrorist organizations. Redeployment would begin within 120 days of enactment. The bill would authorize $648.3 billion for defense programs in fiscal 2008, including $127.5 billion for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. It also would authorize $143.5 billion for operations and maintenance; $109.9 billion for procurement; $122.9 billion for military personnel, and $74.7 billion for research, development, testing and evaluation. Motion rejected 52-47. July 18, 2007. A yes vote is a +.
I10. S 2011. FISA: Passage of a bill to amend the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (FISA) to expand the authority of the Attorney General and the Director of National Intelligence to conduct surveillance of communication between one suspected foreign terrorist and another without a court warrant. Communications companies would be compelled to comply with the government's conduct of such surveillance. Within 10 days of initiating the electronic surveillance, the Administration would be required to describe to the FISA court the procedures they used to determine whether the intelligence acquisition being conducted without a warrant is directed at foreign targets overseas. The FISA court would then rule on the procedures. The bill would sunset after six months. (By unanimous consent, the Senate agreed to require 60 votes to pass the bill.) Rejected 43-45. Aug. 3, 2007. A yes vote is a +.
I11. S 1257. District of Columbia Voting Rights Motion to invoke cloture on a Reid (D-NV) motion to proceed to a bill to increase the membership of the House of Representatives to 437, by granting a seat to the District of Columbia and an additional seat to Utah. Motion rejected 57-42. Sept. 19, 2007. A yes vote is a +.
I12.HR 1585. Fiscal 2008 Defense Authorization: Motion to invoke cloture on the Kennedy (D-MA) amendment to Levin (D-MI) legislation (see vote No. 9, above). The Kennedy amendment would make violent crimes that cause bodily harm based on the victim's race, color, religion or national origin punishable by a fi ne and up to 10 years in prison, and punishable by a life sentence if the victim dies, is kidnapped or subjected to aggravated sexual abuse. It also would create the same penalties for crimes motivated by gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability. (Subsequently, the Kennedy amendment was adopted by voice vote.) Motion agreed to 60-39. Sept. 2007. A yes vote is a +.
I13. HR 976. SCHIP: Motion to invoke cloture on the Reid (D-NV) motion to agree to the House bill reauthorizing the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) at nearly $60 billion over five years, expanding the program by $35 billion. To offset the cost of the expansion, the bill would increase the tax on cigarettes by 61 cents to $1 per pack and raise taxes on other tobacco products. Motion agreed to 69-30. Sept. 27, 2007. A yes vote is a +.
I14. HR 3043. Fiscal 2008 Labor - HHS-Education Appropriations - Limiting Abortion Funding: Vitter (R-LA) amendment to Harkin (D-IA) legislation. The Vitter amendment would prohibit the distribution of Title X family planning funds to abortion providers except when a woman suffers from a physical disorder, injury, or illness that would risk the life of the mother unless an abortion is provided. The amendment would not apply to hospitals. Harkin's legislation would appropriate $605.5 billion in fiscal 2008, including $149.9 billion in discretionary spending, for the departments of Labor, Health and Human Services (HHS), and Education, and for related agencies. It would provide $63 billion for the Education Department, $14.9 billion for the Labor Department and $479.1 billion for HHS. Rejected 41-52. Oct. 18, 2007. A no vote is a +.
I15. Southwick Nomination: Motion to invoke cloture on the nomination of Leslie Southwick of Mississippi to be a judge for the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals. Opponents argued that, in his positions related to African Americans, workers, gays, and women, Mr. Southwick was unsuited to a lifetime appointment to the federal judiciary. Motion agreed to 62-35. Oct. 24, 2007. A no vote is a +.
I16. HR 1495. Water Resources Development - Veto Override: Passage, over President Bush's Nov. 2, 2007, veto, of a bill authorizing $23.2 billion for more than 900 water resource development projects and studies by the Army Corps of Engineers for flood control, navigation, beach erosion control, and environmental restoration. The bill would require independent peer review for certain projects that exceed $40 million. It would authorize $3.9 billion for a system of new locks and dams and environmental restoration for the Upper Mississippi River and Illinois waterway system. It also would authorize hurricane recovery activities along the Gulf Coast. (A two-thirds majority of those present and voting of both chambers - 62 senators in this instance - is required to override a veto.) Passed, thus enacted into law, 79-14. Nov. 8, 2007. A yes vote is a +.
I17.HR 3688. U.S.-Peru Trade Agreement: Passage of a bill that would implement a NAFTA/CAFTA model trade agreement between the United States and Peru. The agreement would reduce most tariffs and duties currently affecting trade between the two countries, increase protections for intellectual property and would require Peru to take steps to strengthen its labor and environmental-enforcement standards. Passed, thus cleared for the President, 77-18. Dec. 4, 2007. A no vote is a +.
I18. HR 3996. AMT Adjustment: Motion to invoke cloture on a Reid (D-NV) motion to proceed to the bill that would provide a one-year adjustment to the alternative minimum tax (AMT) on 2007 income, exempt an additional 21 million taxpayers from paying the AMT, extend several expiring tax provisions for one year, and expand eligibility in 2008 for the refundable child tax credit. To offset the cost, the bill includes revenue raisers, such as increasing the tax on the carried interest of private equity managers, venture capitalists and some real estate investors. Motion rejected 46-48. Dec. 6, 2007. A yes vote is a +.
I19. HR 6. Energy Policy: Motion to invoke cloture on the Reid (D-NV) motion to concur in the House bill with an additional amendment to require new Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards of 35 miles per gallon for cars and light trucks, and require the production and use of 36 billion gallons of biofuels by 2022. It would direct the Energy Department to set new energy efficiency standards. The additional amendment would strike a provision requiring utilities to produce 15 percent of their electricity from alternative sources by 2020. It also would increase to $21.8 billion a package of tax incentives that would be offset in part by eliminating or reducing $13 billion in subsidies for major oil and gas companies. Motion rejected 59-40. Dec. 13, 2007. A yes vote is a +.
I20. HR 2419. Farm Bill Reauthorization Passage of a bill to authorize $286 billion from fiscal 2008 through fiscal 2012 for federal farm, nutrition assistance, rural development, and agricultural trade programs. Producers would not be eligible if the average of their three-year adjusted gross income is more than $1 million in 2009, and more than $750,000 in 2010 and subsequent years, unless at least two-thirds of that income is derived from agriculture. The bill also would limit the amount that farms could receive during any crop year under specific programs to $40,000 for direct and fi xed payments, and $60,000 for counter-cyclical and average crop revenue payments. It would create a new optional subsidy called the Average Crop Revenue program, which would tie payments to state based farm revenue figures. Country-of-origin labels for all meat would be required by September 2008. The bill would extend the Milk Income Loss Contract program through fiscal 2012. It would increase, from $134 to $140 per month, the amount households could deduct from gross income in determining their level of food stamp benefits. It also would authorize $1.1 billion to promote farm-based renewable energy and effi ciency. (Before passage, the Senate adopted a Harkin (D-IA) substitute amendment by voice vote.) Passed 79-14. Dec. 14, 2007. A yes vote is a +.
Ada (2002). 2001 Voting Record: Shattered Promise of Liberal Progress. ADA Today, 57(1), 1-17.
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