Cloture is a procedural motion in the Senate to stop all debate and move a bill to a floor vote. Cloture requires sixty votes and, if it passes, prevents a filibuster. It’s often used to kill an amendment or bill because it’s clear that there won’t be sixty votes.
You will also see a short description of the legislation, as well as the outcome—Agreed to, Passed, or Rejected.
Here’s an example of the summary.
Question: On the Amendment (McCain Amdt. No. 3724 As Modified)
Vote# 00115
April 15- H.R. 4851 On the Amendment S. Amdt. 3724
Agreed to McCain Amdt. No. 3724 As Modified; Expressing the sense of the Senate that the Value Added Tax is a massive tax increase that will cripple families on fixed income and only further push back America’s economic recovery and the Senate opposes a Value Added Tax.
This is a summary of a roll call vote on April 15, 2010, on a McCain amendment that expressed the “sense of the Senate” and its disapproval of the value-added tax, known as VAT. Often called a hidden tax, the VAT is imposed at each stage of production instead of just on the end product, like a sales tax. At the time, the Obama administration was floating the idea of a 5% VAT, which would likely have been passed on in a 5% price hike to the consumer.
Sense of the Senate resolutions are not binding, but can be used to show support for a position and to notify the president of opposition to his policies.
If you want to see the actual text of the resolution, click on Amendment 3724. That will also provide you with the names of the sponsors, the cost projections, and all previous actions on the bill. In this case, the resolution was attached to a bill to continue spending on numerous programs and departments.
No doubt Senator McCain strategically chose April 15 as the date to indicate to the president the Senate’s unhappiness with an unpopular tax plan.
For the actual roll call vote, click on the first column, Vote 00115. The following will appear:
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U.S. SENATE ROLL CALL VOTES 111TH CONGRESS—2ND SESSION
as compiled through Senate LIS by the Senate Bill Clerk under the direction of the Secretary of the Senate
Vote Summary
Question: On the Amendment (McCain Amdt. No. 3724 As Modified)
Vote 115: Date: April 15, 2010, 05:00 PM
Required For Majority: 1/2: Vote Result: Amendment Agreed to
Amendment Number: S. Amdt. 3724 to S. Amdt. 3721 to H.R. 4851 (Continuing Extension Act of 2010)
Statement of Purpose: Expressing the sense of the Senate that the Value Added Tax is a massive tax increase that will cripple families on fixed income and only further push back America’s economic recovery and the Senate opposes a Value Added Tax.
Vote Counts: YEAs 85: NAYs 13: Not Voting 2
Alphabetical by Senator Name
Akaka (D-HI), Nay
Alexander (R-TN), Yea
Barrasso (R-WY), Yea
Baucus (D-MT), Yea
Bayh (D-IN), Yea
Begich (D-AK), Yea
Bennet (D-CO), Yea
Bennett (R-UT), Yea
Bingaman (D-NM), Nay
Bond (R-MO), Yea
Boxer (D-CA), Yea
Brown (D-OH), Nay
Brown (R-MA), Yea
Brownback (R-KS), Yea
Bunning (R-KY), Yea
Burr (R-NC), Yea
Burris (D-IL), Yea
Byrd (D-WV), Nay
Cantwell (D-WA), Yea
Cardin (D-MD), Nay
Carper (D-DE), Yea
Casey (D-PA), Yea
Chambliss (R-GA), Yea
Coburn (R-OK), Yea
Cochran (R-MS), Yea
Collins (R-ME), Yea
Conrad (D-ND), Yea
Corker (R-TN), Yea
Cornyn (R-TX), Yea
Crapo (R-ID), Yea
DeMint (R-SC), Yea
Dodd (D-CT), Yea
Dorgan (D-ND), Nay
Durbin (D-IL), Yea
Ensign (R-NV), Yea
Enzi (R-WY), Yea
Feingold (D-WI), Yea
Feinstein (D-CA), Yea
Franken (D-MN), Yea
Gillibrand (D-NY), Yea
Graham (R-SC), Yea
Grassley (R-IA), Yea
Gregg (R-NH), Yea
Hagan (D-NC), Yea
Harkin (D-IA), Yea
Hatch (R-UT), Yea
Hutchison (R-TX), Yea
Inhofe (R-OK), Yea
Inouye (D-HI), Yea
Isakson (R-GA), Yea
Johanns (R-NE), Yea
Johnson (D-SD), Yea
Kaufman (D-DE), Nay
Kerry (D-MA), Yea
Klobuchar (D-MN), Yea
Kohl (D-WI), Yea
Kyl (R-AZ), Yea
Landrieu (D-LA), Yea
Lautenberg (D-NJ), Yea
Leahy (D-VT), Yea
LeMieux (R-FL), Yea
Levin (D-MI), Nay
Lieberman (ID-CT), Yea
Lincoln (D-AR), Yea
Lugar (R-IN), Yea
McCain (R-AZ), Yea
McCaskill (D-MO), Yea
McConnell (R-KY), Yea
Menendez (D-NJ), Yea
Merkley (D-OR), Yea
Mikulski (D-MD), Yea
Murkowski (R-AK), Yea
Murray (D-WA), Yea
Nelson (D-FL), Not Voting
Nelson (D-NE), Yea
Pryor (D-AR), Yea
Reed (D-RI), Nay
Reid (D-NV), Yea
Risch (R-ID), Yea
Roberts (R-KS), Yea
Rockefeller (D-WV), Yea
Sanders (I-VT), Yea
Schumer (D-NY), Yea
Sessions (R-AL), Yea
Shaheen (D-NH), Yea
Shelby (R-AL), Yea
Snowe (R-ME), Yea
Specter (D-PA), Yea
Stabenow (D-MI), Yea
Tester (D-MT), Yea
Thune (R-SD), Yea
Udall (D-CO), Yea
Udall (D-NM), Nay
Vitter (R-LA), Yea
Voinovich (R-OH), Nay
Warner (D-VA), Not Voting
Webb (D-VA), Nay
Whitehouse (D-RI), Nay
Wicker (R-MS), Yea
Wyden (D-OR), Yea
Grouped by Vote Position
YEAs—85
Alexander (R-TN)
Barrasso (R-WY)
Baucus (D-MT)
Begich (D-AK)
Bennet (D-CO)
Bennett (R-UT)
Bond (R-MO)
Boxer (D-CA)
Brown (R-MA)
Brownback (R-KS)
Bunning (R-KY)
Burr (R-NC)
Burris (D-IL)
Cantwell (D-WA)
Carper (D-DE)
Casey (D-PA)
Chambliss (R-GA)
Coburn (R-OK)
Cochran (R-MS)
Collins (R-ME)
Conrad (D-ND)
Corker (R-TN)
Cornyn (R-TX)
Crapo (R-ID)
DeMint (R-SC)
Dodd (D-CT)
Durbin (D-IL)
Ensign (R-NV)
Enzi (R-WY)
Feingold (D-WI)
Feinstein (D-CA)
Franken (D-MN)
Gillibrand (D-NY)
Graham (R-SC)
Grassley (R-IA)
Gregg (R-NH)
Hagan (D-NC)
Harkin (D-IA)
Hatch (R-UT)
Hutchison (R-TX)
Inhofe (R-OK)
Inouye (D-HI)
Isakson (R-GA)
Johanns (R-NE)
Johnson (D-SD)
Kerry (D-MA)
Klobuchar (D-MN)
Kohl (D-WI)
Kyl (R-AZ)
Landrieu (D-LA)
Lautenberg (D-NJ)
LeMieux (R-FL)
Leahy (D-VT)
Lieberman (ID-CT)
Lincoln (D-AR)
Lugar (R-IN)
McCain (R-AZ)
McCaskill (D-MO)
McConnell (R-KY)
Menendez (D-NJ)
Merkley (D-OR)
Mikulski (D-MD)
Murkowski (R-AK)
Murray (D-WA)
Nelson (D-NE)
Pryor (D-AR)
Reid (D-NV)
Risch (R-ID)
Roberts (R-KS)
Rockefeller (D-WV)
Sanders (I-VT)
Schumer (D-NY)
Sessions (R-AL)
Shaheen (D-NH)
Shelby (R-AL)
Snowe (R-ME)
Specter (D-PA)
Stabenow (D-MI)
Tester (D-MT)
Thune (R-SD)
Udall (D-CO)
Vitter (R-LA)
Wicker (R-MS)
Wyden (D-OR)
NAYs—13
Akaka (D-HI)
Bingaman (D-NM)
Brown (D-OH)
Byrd (D-WV)
Cardin (D-MD)
Dorgan (D-ND)
Kaufman (D-DE)
Levin (D-MI)
Reed (D-RI)
Udall (D-NM)
Voinovich (R-OH)
Webb (D-VA)
Whitehouse (D-RI)
Not Voting—2
Nelson (D-FL)
Warner (D-VA)
* * *
You can see that the resolution passed at 5:00 by a margin of 85–13, with two senators absent—Nelson (D-FL) and Warner (D-VA). Twelve Democrats voted against the bill, along with one Republican.
It’s safe to say that the thirteen senators who voted against the resolution—on April 15, no less—would support just about any tax. Watch them in the future. Twelve of them were Democrats, but George Voinovich is a Republican. So why would he vote against a bill that criticizes a VAT? Probably because he’s a liberal at heart and was not running again. With no more elections to win and nothing to lose, Voinovich was showing his true colors.
The roll call votes also give you attendance information. You can track those members who don’t even show up for work. But note that most members of Congress know that attendance is closely tracked and so they show up, at the very least, for roll call votes.
But during election season, the temptation is often too great. Incumbent members want to be out in their district. So keep checking. Remember, we’re not paying them to run for office.
During the 2008 presidential race, Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, and John McCain broke all records for absenteeism. Of the Senate’s fifty-nine voting days in the first six months of the year, they were at work in the Senate only nine days. They all simply stopped working to campaign for a better job, while still drawing their $165,000-a-year paycheck. Their reward: election as president, appointment to secretary of state, and reelection to the Senate.
How would your boss react to your taking almost two years off—with pay—to try to get a better job?
As we pointed out in our 2008 book, Fleeced: “If they want to take almost two years away from their responsibilities as elected officials, they should resign from the Senate. They’re fleecing us.”
So keep track of them and let them know how you feel about their votes—and their attendance.
House of Representatives
Go to http://clerk.house.gov/legislative/legvotes.html.
On the right, you will see the heading Roll Call Votes. Click on the session that you want to research. The current Congress is the 112th, First Session, 2011.
Scroll through the vote summaries to the vote you want (or look at all of them).
* * *
THIS IS THE SUMMARY OF THE OBAMA HEALTH CARE BILL THAT PASSED THE HOUSE
To see the actual roll call vote, click on the number 165.
Here is the Roll Call:
FINAL VOTE RESULTS FOR ROLL CALL 165
H R 3590 RECORDED VOTE
21-Mar 2010 10:49 PM
QUESTION: On Motion to Concur in Senate Amendments
BILL TITLE: Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
Democratic
Ayes: 219
Noes: 34
Republican
Noes: 178
Independent
TOTALS
Ayes: 219
Noes: 212
PRES:
NV:
—AYES 219—
Ackerman
Andrews
Baca
Baird
Baldwin
Bean
Becerra
Berkley
Berman
Bishop (GA)
Bishop (NY)
Blumenauer
Boccieri
Boswell
Boyd
Brady (PA)
Braley (IA)
Brown, Corrine
Butterfield
Capps
Capuano
Cardoza Carnahan
Carney
Carson (IN)
Castor (FL)
Chu
Clarke
Clay
Cleaver
Clyburn
Cohen
Connolly (VA)
Conyers
Cooper
Costa
Costello
Courtney
Crowley
Cuellar
Cummings
Dahlkemper
Davis (CA)
Davis (IL)
DeFazio
DeGette
Delahunt
DeLauro
Dicks
Dingell
Doggett
Donnelly (IN)
Doyle
Driehaus
Edwards (MD)
Ellison
Ellsworth
Engel
Eshoo
Etheridge
Farr
Fattah
Filner
Foster
Frank (MA)
Fudge
Garamendi
Giffords
Gonzalez
Gordon (TN)
Grayson
Green, Al
Green, Gene
Grijalva
Gutierrez
Hall (NY)
Halvorson
Hare
Harman
Hastings (FL)
Heinrich
Higgins
Hill
Himes
Hinchey
Hinojosa
Hirono
Hodes
Holt
Honda
Hoyer
Inslee
Israel
Jackson (IL)
Jackson Lee (TX)
Johnson (GA)
Johnson, E. B.
Kagen
Kanjorski
Kaptur
Kennedy
Kildee
Kilpatrick (MI)
Kilroy
Kind
Kirkpatrick (AZ)
Klein (FL)
Kosmas
Kucinich
Langevin
Larsen (WA)
Larson (CT)
Lee (CA)
Levin
Lewis (GA)
Loebsack
Lofgren, Zoe
Lowey
Luján
Maffei
Maloney
Markey (CO)
Markey (MA)
Matsui
McCarthy (NY)
McCollum
McDermott
McGovern
McNerney
Meek (FL)
Meeks (NY)
Michaud
Miller (NC)
Miller, George
Mitchell
Mollohan
Moore (KS)
Moore (WI)
Moran (VA)
Murphy (CT)
Murphy (NY)
Murphy, Patrick
Nadler (NY)
Napolitano
Neal (MA)
Oberstar
Obey
Olver
Ortiz
Owens
Pallone
Pascrell
Pastor (AZ)
Payne
Pelosi
Perlmutter
Perriello Peters
Pingree (ME)
Polis (CO)
Pomeroy
Price (NC)
Quigley
Rahall
Rangel
Reyes
Richardson
Rodriguez
Rothman (NJ)
Roybal-Allard
Ruppersberger
Rush
Ryan (OH)
Salazar
Sánchez, Linda T.
Sanchez, Loretta
Sarbanes
Schakowsky
Schauer
Schiff
Schrader
Schwartz
Scott (GA)
Scott (VA)
Serrano
Sestak
Shea-Porter
Sherman
Sires
Slaughter
Smith (WA)
Snyder
Speier
Spratt
Stark
Stupak
Sutton
Thompson (CA)
Thompson (MS)
Tierney
Titus
Tonko
Towns
Tsongas
Van Hollen
Velázquez
Visclosky
Walz
Wasserman Schultz
Waters
Watson
Watt
Waxman
Weiner
Welch
Wilson (OH)
Woolsey
Wu
Yarmuth
* * *
No one missed that vote in the House!
ATTENDANCE RECORDS
In addition to each roll call vote, the Washington Post provides attendance records of all members of Congress in its Votes Database, http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/111/
In the last Congress, the 111th, only thirteen of the 100 senators and 5 of the 435 members of the House had perfect attendance record:
* * *
SENATE PERFECT ATTENDANCE
John Barasso (R-WY)
Michael Bennett (D-CO)
Scott Brown (D-MA)
Ben Cardin (D-MD)
Susan Collins (R-ME)
Al Franken (D-MN)
Carte Goodwin (D-WV)
Chuck Grassley (R-IA)
Paul Kirk (D-MA) (temporarily filled Ted Kennedy seat)
Ben Nelson (D-NE)
Harry Reid (D-NV)
Kenneth Salazar (D-CO)
Olympia Snowe (R-ME)
Source: http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/111/senate/perfect-voters/
* * *
* * *
HOUSE PERFECT ATTENDANCE
Jason Altmire (D-PA)
Tom Graves (R-GA)
Lynn Jenkins (R-GA)
Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ)
Thomas Reid (R-NY)
Source: http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/111/house/perfect-voters/
* * *
According to the Post, the following members of the Senate missed 10% or more of the votes: