The U.S. Congress Votes Database

Members of Congress / Bill Nelson

Biographical Information

NELSON, Clarence William (Bill), a Representative and a Senator from Florida; born in Miami, Dade County, Fla., September 29, 1942; attended the Brevard County public schools; graduated from Melbourne High School 1960; B.A., Yale University 1965; J.D., University of Virginia School of Law 1968; admitted to the Florida bar in 1968 and commenced practice in Melbourne in 1970; served in United States Army Reserve 1965-1971; United States Army, active duty, 1968-1970, achieving rank of captain; legislative assistant to Governor Reubin Askew 1971; elected to Florida State house of representatives in 1972 and reelected in 1974 and 1976; elected as a Democrat to the Ninety-sixth and to the five succeeding Congresses (January 3, 1979-January 3, 1991); was not a candidate for reelection in 1990 to the House of Representatives, but was a candidate for nomination for governor of Florida; crewmember on the twenty-fourth flight of the Space Shuttle Columbia, January 12-18, 1986; Florida treasurer and insurance commissioner 1995-2000; elected to the United States Senate in 2000, and again in 2006 for the term ending January 3, 2013. (Source.)

More coverage of Bill Nelson on washingtonpost.com

Roles in Congress

· 111th Congress: Senator, Florida, Democratic. Jan. 3, 2009, to Jan. 3, 2011.
· 110th Congress: Senator, Florida, Democratic. Jan. 4, 2007, to Jan. 3, 2011.
· 109th Congress: Senator, Florida, Democratic. Jan. 3, 2005, to Jan. 3, 2007.
· 108th Congress: Senator, Florida, Democratic. Jan. 3, 2003, to Jan. 3, 2005.
· 107th Congress: Senator, Florida, Democratic. Jan. 3, 2001, to Jan. 3, 2003.

Key Votes

See how Bill Nelson voted on key votes -- the most important bills, nominations and resolutions that have come before Congress, as determined by washingtonpost.com.

Missed Votes

Bill Nelson has missed 3 votes (0.7%) during the current Congress. See a list of his missed votes since 1991 or see a full list of vote missers.

Voting with Party

Bill Nelson has voted with a majority of his Democratic colleagues 93.2% of the time during the current Congress. This percentage does not include votes in which Nelson did not vote. See a list of his votes against his party since 1991, a list of all Senators in the 111th Congress with a similar score, or a full list of party voters.

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State Information

Florida demographic profile (2000 Census)

Financial Disclosure

View Bill Nelson's official financial disclosure statements, which describe the sources, types and amounts of income earned in a given year. (See more disclosure reports.)

Latest Votes

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DateVotePositionGOP opinionDEM opinion
2/4/10 Vote 20: On the Nomination: Nomination: Martha N. Johnson, of Maryland, to be Administrator of General Services Yes Yes Yes
2/4/10 Vote 19: On the Cloture Motion: Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Nomination of Martha A. Johnson to be Administrator of General Services Administration Yes Yes Yes
2/4/10 Vote 18: On the Nomination: Confirmation M. Patricia Smith, of New York, to be Solicitor for the Department of Labor. Yes No Yes
2/1/10 Vote 17: On the Cloture Motion: Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Nomination of M. Patricia Smith, to be Solicitor for the Department of Labor Yes No Yes
1/28/10 Vote 16: On the Nomination: Confirmation Ben S. Bernanke To Be Chairman Of The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System Yes Yes Yes
1/28/10 Vote 15: On the Cloture Motion: Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Nomination of Ben S. Bernanke, to be Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve Yes Yes Yes
1/28/10 Vote 14: H J RES 45: H. J. Res. 45 As Amended; A joint resolution increasing the statutory limit on the public debt. Yes No Yes
1/28/10 Vote 13: H J RES 45: Reid Amdt. No. 3299 As Amended; In the nature of a substitute. Yes No Yes
1/28/10 Vote 12: H J RES 45: Reid Amdt. No. 3305; To reimpose statutory pay-as-you-go. Yes No Yes
1/28/10 Vote 11: H J RES 45: Sessions Amdt. No. 3308; To reduce the deficit by establishing 5-year discretionary spending caps. Yes Yes No
1/28/10 Vote 10: H J RES 45: Brownback Amdt. No. 3309; To establish a Commission on Congressional Budgetary Accountability and Review of Federal Agencies. Yes Yes No
1/26/10 Vote 9: H J RES 45: Coburn Amdt. No. 3303, Division IV; To rescind $120 billion in Federal spending by consolidating duplicative government programs, cutting wasteful Washington spending, and returning billions of dollars of unspent money. No Yes No
1/26/10 Vote 8: H J RES 45: Coburn Amdt. No. 3303, Division III; To rescind $120 billion in Federal spending by consolidating duplicative government programs, cutting wasteful Washington spending, and returning billions of dollars of unspent money. No Yes No
1/26/10 Vote 7: H J RES 45: Coburn Amdt. No. 3303, Division II; To rescind $120 billion in Federal spending by consolidating duplicative government programs, cutting wasteful Washington spending, and returning billions of dollars of unspent money. No Yes No
1/26/10 Vote 6: H J RES 45: Coburn Amdt. No. 3303, Division I; To rescind $120 billion in Federal spending by consolidating duplicative government programs, cutting wasteful Washington spending, and returning billions of dollars of unspent money. Yes Yes Yes
1/26/10 Vote 5: H J RES 45: Conrad Amdt. No. 3302; To establish a Bipartisan Task Force for Responsible Fiscal Action, to assure the long-term fiscal stability and economic security of the Federal Government of the United States, and to expand future prosperity and growth for all Americans. Yes No Yes
1/26/10 Vote 4: H J RES 45: Baucus Amdt. No. 3300 as Modified; To protect Social Security. Yes Yes Yes
1/25/10 Vote 3: On the Nomination: Confirmation Rosanna Malouf Peterson, of Washington, to be U.S. District Judge Yes Yes Yes
1/21/10 Vote 2: H J RES 45: Thune Amdt. No. 3301; To terminate authority under the Troubled Asset Relief Program, and for other purposes. Yes Yes No
1/20/10 Vote 1: On the Nomination: Confirmation Beverly Baldwin Martin, of Georgia, to be U.S. Circuit Judge Yes Yes Yes

Full list of votes by Bill Nelson

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