2000 U.S. Senate Ratings

See vote descriptions
  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 2000 1999 YOS Life
Alabama                                                            
  SHELBY R + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + 100 84 22 72
  SESSIONS J + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + 100 100 4 100
Alaska                                                        
  STEVENS T + + + + + + + + + + + + + - + - + + + + + + + + + 92 84 30 62
  MURKOWSKI F + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + 100 92 20 82
Arizona                                                        
  McCAIN J A A - A + + + - - + - + + + + + + + + + + + + + + 81 77 18 85
  KYL J + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + 100 100 14 97
Arkansas                                                        
  HUTCHINSON T + + + + - + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + - + A + + 91 100 8 97
  Lincoln + - - - - - - - - - - + - - + - - - - - - - + - + 20 12 6 21
California                                                          
  Feinstein D + + - - - - - - - - - + - - - - - + - - - + + - + 28 4 8 12
  Boxer B - - - - - - - - - - - - - - A - A - - - - - - - + 4 4 18 2
Colorado                                                          
  CAMPBELL B + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + - + + + + + + + + 96 88 14 49
  ALLARD W + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + 100 95 10 96
Connecticut                                                          
  Dodd C - - - - - - - - + - - - - - - - - + - A A - - - + 13 0 26 8
  Lieberman J + + - - - - - - - - - + - - - - - + - - - - - - + 20 0 12 19
Delaware                                                          
  ROTH W + + + + + A A - + + + + + - + + + + + + + + + - + 86 84 30 74
  Biden J - + - - - - - - A - - + - - - - - + - - - - - - + 16 4 28 14
Florida                                                          
  Graham B - - - - - - - - + - - + - - - - - + - - - - - - + 16 4 14 19
  MACK C + + + + + + + - + + + + + - + + + + + + + + + + + 92 91 18 94
Georgia                                                          
  COVERDELL  P + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + A A 100 96 8 96
  Cleland M - + - - - - - + - - - + - - - - - + - - - - + - + 24 0 4 8
Hawaii                                                          
  Inouye D - A - - - - - + + - - + - - A A A + - - - - - - + 23 0 30 7
  Akaka D - - - - - - - - - - - + - - - - - + - - - - - - + 12 4 24 7
Idaho                                                        
  CRAIG L + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + 100 96 20 94
  CRAPO M + + + + + + + + + A + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + 100 100 8 93
Illinois                                                        
  Durbin R - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + 4 4 18 8
  FITZGERALD P A + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + - + 95 92 2 94
Indiana                                                        
  LUGAR R + + + + + + + - + + - + + - + + + + + + + + + - + 84 88 24 78
  Bayh E - - + - - - - - - - - + - - - - - + - - - - - - + 16 12 2 14
Iowa                                                        
  GRASSLEY C + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + - + + + + + + + 96 92 26 82
  Harkin T - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + 4 4 26 9
Kansas                                                        
  BROWNBACK S + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + 100 95 6 97
  ROBERTS P + + + + - + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + - + + + + 92 88 20 86
Kentucky                                                        
  McCONNELL M + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + 100 84 16 89
  BUNNING J + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + 100 100 14 95
Louisiana                                                        
  Breaux J - + + - - - - - + - - + + - + - + + - - - - + - + 40 17 28 47
  Landrieu M - - - - - - - - - - - + - - - - - + - - - - + - + 16 4 4 11
Maine                                                        
  SNOWE O + + + + + + + + + + - + - - + + - + - + + + + + + 80 60 22 51
  COLLINS S + + + + + + + + + + - + - - + + - + - + - + + + + 76 64 4 56
Maryland                                                        
  Sarbanes P - - - - - - - - - - - + - - - - - + - - - - - - + 12 4 30 5
  Mikulski B - - - - - - - - - - - + - - - - - A - - - - - - + 8 4 24 6
Massachusetts                                                        
  Kennedy E - - - - - - - - - - - + - - - - - + - - - - - - + 12 4 30 2
  Kerry J - - - - - - - - - - - + - - - - - + - - - - - - + 12 0 16 5
Michigan                                                        
  Levin C - - - - - - - - - - - + - - - - - + - - - - - - + 12 4 22 6
  ABRAHAM S + + + + + + + - + + - + + + + + + + + + + + + + + 92 88 6 86
Minnesota                                                        
  Wellstone P - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + - - - - - 4 8 10 4
  GRAMS R + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + 100 92 8 97
Mississippi                                                        
  COCHRAN T + + + + + + + - + + + + + + + + + + + + - + + + + 92 84 28 80
  LOTT T + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + 100 96 28 92
Missouri                                                        
  BOND C + + + + - + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + - + + + + 92 84 14 81
  ASHCROFT J + + + + - + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + 96 100 6 98
Montana                                                        
  Baucus M - - - - - - - - + - - + - - - - - + - - - - - - + 16 4 26 13
  BURNS C A + + + + + + + + + - + + - + + + + + + - + + + + 87 96 12 89
Nebraska                                                        
  Kerrey B - + + - - - - - - - - + - - - - - - - - - - - - + 16 8 12 8
  HAGEL C + + + + + + + - + + - + + + + + + + + + - + + + + 88 88 4 82
Nevada                                                        
  Reid H - - - A - - - - + - - - + - - - - - - - - - - - + 12 12 18 21
  Bryan R - - - - - - - - + - - + - - - - - + - - - - - - + 16 0 12 17
New Hampshire                                                        
  SMITH R + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + 100 96 16 92
  GREGG J + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + A + + + + + + + + + 100 91 16 78
New Jersey                                                        
  Lautenberg F - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + 4 0 18 6
  Torricelli R - + + - - - - + + - - - - - - - - + - - - A + - + 29 8 18 11
New Mexico                                                        
  DOMENICI P + + + + + + + + + A + + + + + + + + + + - + + + + 95 88 28 72
  Bingaman J - - + - - - - - - - - + - - - - - + - - - - - - + 16 4 18 12
New York                                                        
  Moynihan D - - - A - A - - + - + + - - - - A + - - - - - - + 22 9 24 8
  Schumer - - + - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + - - - - - - + 12 4 20 5
North Carolina                                                        
  HELMS J + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + 100 100 28 99
  Edwards J - - - - - - - - - - - + - - - - - + - - - - - - + 12 8 2 10
North Dakota                                                        
  Conrad K + - - - - - - - - + A + - - - - + + - - - + - - + 29 16 14 20
  Dorgan B - - - - - - - - - - - + - - - - + - - - - + - - + 16 12 14 17
Ohio                                                          
  DeWINE M + + + + + + + - + + - + + - + + + + + + - + + - + 80 84 14 83
  VOINOVICH + + - - - - + - + + + + + - + + + + + + - - - + + 64 88 2 76
Oklahoma                                                        
  NICKLES D + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + 100 96 20 96
  INHOFE J + + + + + + + + + + + + A A + + + + + + + + + + + 100 100 14 98
Oregon                                                        
  Wyden R - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + - + 8 4 20 10
  SMITH G + + + + + + + - + - - + + - + + + + + + + + + + + 84 76 4 76
Pennsylvania                                                          
  SPECTER A - + - + + + + + + + - A - - - + - + + - + + - + + 62 48 20 41
  SANTORUM R + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + 100 88 10 85
Rhode Island                                                          
  CHAFEE J - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + + - - - - - - + 12 31 24 31
  Reed J + - - - - + + - + - - + - - + + - + + - - + - - + 44 4 10 8
South Carolina                                                          
  THURMOND S + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + 100 100 30 91
  Hollings E - - - - - - - + - - - + - - + - - + - - - - - - + 20 12 30 38
South Dakota                                                          
  Daschle T - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + - - - - A - + 8 8 22 13
  Johnson T - - - - - - - - - - - + - - - - + - - - - + - - + 16 8 14 21
Tennessee                                                          
  THOMPSON F + + + + + + + - + + - + + + + + + + + + + + + + + 92 84 6 86
  FRIST B + + + + - + + - + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + 92 92 6 86
Texas                                                          
  GRAMM P + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + 100 96 22 94
  HUTCHISON K + + + + + + + + + + - + + + + + + + + + + + + + + 96 88 8 93
Utah                                                          
  HATCH O + + + + + + + - + + + + + + + + A + + + + + + + + 95 84 24 90
  BENNETT R + + + A - + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + 95 84 8 85
Vermont                                                          
  Leahy P - - - - - - - - + - - - - - - A A - - - - - - - + 8 4 26 6
  JEFFORDS J - - - + - + + - + - - + - - + + - - - - - + - - + 36 40 16 27
Virginia                                                          
  WARNER J + + + + - + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + - + + + + 92 84 22 81
  Robb C - - - - - - - - - - - + - - - - - + - - - - + - + 16 8 12 19
Washington                                                          
  GORTON S + + + + + + + + + + + + - + + + + + + + + + + + + 96 84 18 70
  Murray P - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + - + 8 4 8 2
West Virginia                                                        
  Byrd R - + - - - - - + - - - + - + - - - + - - - - - + + 28 20 30 31
  Rockefeller J - - - - A - - - - - - A - - - - - - - - - - - - + 4 4 16 9
Wisconsin                                                          
  Kohl H - + - - - - - + - - - + - - - - + - - - - - - - + 20 4 12 15
  Feingold R - - - - - - - + - - - - - - - + - - - - - - - - - 8 8 8 10
Wyoming                                                          
  THOMAS C + + + + - + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + - + + + + 92 87 12 87
  ENZI M + + + + - + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + - + + + + 92 92 4 91

 
2000 U.S. Senate Vote Descriptions


1. Property Rights, S. 625 (Roll Call Vote No. 3)
The Senate voted to kill an amendment overriding local owner-tenant laws and permitting delinquent tenants to remain in occupancy during bankruptcy proceedings. The amendment was killed 54-43, 2 Feb. 2000. ACU defends owners’ property rights.

2. Education Savings Accounts – Passage, S. 1134 (Roll Call Vote No. 33)
The Senate passed a bill allowing families to save up to $2,000 per child annually tax free for educational expenses in public or private school. The bill also would extend a tax exemption for employee-provided education expenses. The vote was 61-37, 2 Mar. 2000. ACU supported the bill.

3. Tax Cuts, S.Con.Res. 101 (Roll Call Vote No. 68)
The Senate defeated an amendment deleting all tax cuts in the Congressional Budget Resolution. The vote was 44-56, 7 Apr. 2000. ACU opposed the amendment.

4. Fiscal 2001 Budget Resolution – Adoption, H.Con.Res. 290 (Roll Call Vote No. 79)
The Senate adopted a five-year budget plan that includes $147.1 billion in tax cuts. The vote was 51-45, 7 Apr. 2000. ACU supported this budget.

5. Gas Tax Suspension – Cloture, S. 2285 (Roll Call Vote No. 80)
The Senate failed to limit debate on a bill that would suspend the 4.3 ¢/gallon federal gas tax surcharge from April 15 through Jan. 1, 2001. If the national average gas price reached $2/gallon, the remaining 14.1 ¢/gallon federal tax would also be suspended. The vote was 43-56, with 60 votes needed, 11 Apr. 2000. ACU supported efforts to lower the gas tax.

6. Marriage Penalty Tax – Cloture, HR 6 (Roll Call Vote No. 82)
The Senate failed to limit debate on an amendment that would essentially eliminate the federal tax penalty on married couples. The vote was 53-45, with 60 votes needed, 13 Apr. 2000. ACU supported this effort to lessen the marriage penalty.

7. Education Policy, S. 2 (Roll Call Vote No. 90)
The Senate defeated an amendment that would further nationalize education policy in the U.S. by establishing standards and funding programs. The vote was 45-54, 3 May 2000. ACU opposes federalizing education.

8. U.S. Troops in Kosovo, S. 2521 (Roll Call Vote No. 105)
The Senate killed an effort to impose limits on the deployment of ground troops in Kosovo beyond June 2001. The vote was 53-47, 18 May 2000. ACU opposes open-ended military commitments.

9. Federal Election Commission Nomination – Confirmation of Brad Smith (Roll Call Vote No. 107)
The Senate voted to confirm the nomination of Bradley A. Smith of Ohio to the Federal Election Commission. Smith is opposed to federal control of the political process. The vote was 64-35, 24 May 2000. ACU supported the nomination.

10. Strategic Nuclear Weapons Systems, S. 2549 (Roll Call Vote No. 119)
The Senate voted to restrict the ability of the president to dismantle existing strategic nuclear weapons systems. The vote was 51-47, 7 June 2000. ACU supports a continued strong nuclear arsenal.

11. Campaign Finance Disclosures, S. 2549 (Roll Call Vote No. 122)
The Senate defeated an attempt to stop the Internal Revenue Service from requiring disclosure of the membership of certain political and policy organizations. The vote was 42-57, 8 June 2000. ACU supported the attempt to preserve constitutional rights of free association and privacy.

12. Defense Spending, HR 4576 (Roll Call Vote No.126)
The Senate voted to kill an attempt to divert $1 million in defense spending into federal education programs. The vote was 83-15, 13 June 2000. ACU opposed this effort to weaken our defenses.

13. Military Abortions, S. 2549 (Roll Call Vote No. 134)
The Senate voted to kill and amendment that would have provided abortions in military hospitals. The vote was 50-49, 20 June 2000. ACU opposes abortion in government-funded facilities.



 
14. Hate Crimes, S. 2549 (Roll Call Vote No. 136)
The Senate voted to expand the definition of “hate crimes” and extend the role of the federal government in investigating and prosecuting them. The vote was 57-42, 20 June 2000. ACU opposes the whole concept of “thought” crimes.

15. Ergonomic Standards, HR 4577 (Roll Call Vote No. 143)
The Senate voted for an amendment prohibiting the Occupational Safety and Health Administration from issuing regulations in the area of ergonomics. The vote was 57-41, 22 June 2000. ACU finds this whole area hazy and ill-defined, and opposes federal involvement in workplace standards.

16. Medicare Lockbox, HR 4577 (Roll Call Vote No. 163)
The Senate voted to create a Medicare and Social Security “lockbox,” preserving year-to-year surpluses in these programs from use in other areas. The vote was 54-43, 29 June 2000. ACU supports efforts to keep politicians from spending these surpluses.

17 . Morning After Pill, HR 4577 (Roll Call Vote No. 169)
The Senate refused to kill an amendment stopping the use of federal funds to distribute the “morning after” pill on school grounds. The vote was 41-54, 30 June 2000. ACU supported the amendment.

18. Submarine Missile Program, S. 2549 (Roll Call Vote No. 177)
The Senate voted against an amendment that would have killed the Trident II submarine-launched missile program. The vote was 81-18, 13 July 2000. ACU supports this defense system.

19. Missile Defense System Testing, S. 2549 (Roll Call Vote No. 178)
The Senate killed an amendment that would have imposed unreasonable standards on the development of a national missile defense system. The vote was 52-48, 13 July 2000. ACU supports a missile shield, and opposed the amendment.

20. Estate Tax Repeal. HR 8 (Roll Call Vote No. 180)
The Senate voted down an amendment that would have maintained the “death” tax while easing its effect in some cases. The vote was 46-53, 13 July 2000. ACU supported total repeal of the death tax.

21. Gas Tax Suspension, HR 8 (Roll Call Vote No. 183)
The Senate voted no to suspend the entire federal gas tax of 18.4 ¢/gallon for 150 days. The vote was 40-59, 13 July 2000. ACU supported the suspension.

22. Taxation of Social Security Benefits, HR 8 (Roll Call Cote No. 188)
The Senate voted to reduce the percentage of Social Security benefits that are taxable from 85 percent to 50 percent, which was the level up until 1993. The vote was 58-41, 13 July 2000. ACU supported the reduction.

23. Estate Tax Repeal – Passage, HR 8 (Roll Call Vote No. 197)
The Senate vote to phase out the “death” tax by 2010. The vote was 59-39, 14 July 2000. ACU supported the bill.

24. National Monument Designations, HR4578 (Roll Call Vote No. 208)
The Senate defeated an amendment that would have prohibited the designation of national monuments without congressional approval. The vote was 49-50, 18 July 2000. ACU supported the amendment.

25. Prohibit Funds for Kyoto Treaty, HR4578 (Roll Call Vote No. 211)
The Senate passed the Interior Appropriations bill including a ban on the use of any of the money to implement the Kyoto “Global Warming” Protocol, which has never been submitted to the Senate for ratification. The vote was 97-2, 18 July 2000. ACU supported the bill.