The U.S. Congress Votes Database

Members of Congress / Richard Shelby

Biographical Information

SHELBY, Richard C., a Representative and a Senator from Alabama; born in Birmingham, Ala., May 6, 1934; attended the public schools; graduated, University of Alabama 1957; graduated, University of Alabama School of Law 1963; admitted to the Alabama bar in 1961 and commenced practice in Tuscaloosa; city prosecutor, Tuscaloosa 1963-1971; United States Commissioner, Northern District of Alabama 1966-1970; member, Alabama State senate 1970-1978; elected as a Democrat to the Ninety-sixth Congress in 1978; reelected to the three succeeding Congresses and served from January 3, 1979, to January 3, 1987; was not a candidate for reelection to the House of Representatives in 1986, but was elected to the United States Senate; reelected in 1992, 1998 and in 2004 for the term ending January 3, 2011; changed from the Democratic to the Republican Party in 1994; chair, Select Committee on Intelligence (One Hundred Fifth and One Hundred Sixth Congresses, One Hundred Seventh Congress [January 20, 2001-June 6, 2001]); chair, Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs (One Hundred Eighth and One Hundred Ninth Congresses). (Source.)

More coverage of Richard Shelby on washingtonpost.com

Roles in Congress

· 111th Congress: Senator, Alabama, Republican. Jan. 3, 2009, to Jan. 3, 2011.
· 110th Congress: Senator, Alabama, Republican. Jan. 4, 2007, to Jan. 3, 2011.
· 109th Congress: Senator, Alabama, Republican. Jan. 3, 2005, to Jan. 3, 2007.
· 108th Congress: Senator, Alabama, Republican. Jan. 3, 2003, to Jan. 3, 2005.
· 107th Congress: Senator, Alabama, Republican. Jan. 3, 2001, to Jan. 3, 2003.
· 106th Congress: Senator, Alabama, Republican. Jan. 3, 1999, to Jan. 3, 2001.
· 105th Congress: Senator, Alabama, Republican. Jan. 3, 1997, to Jan. 3, 1999.
· 104th Congress: Senator, Alabama, Republican. Jan. 3, 1995, to Jan. 3, 1997.
· 103rd Congress: Senator, Alabama, Democratic. Jan. 3, 1993, to Jan. 3, 1995.
· 102nd Congress: Senator, Alabama, Democratic. Jan. 3, 1991, to Jan. 3, 1993.

Key Votes

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

Missed Votes

Richard Shelby has missed 0 votes (0.0%) during the current Congress. See a list of his missed votes since 1991 or see a full list of vote missers.

Voting with Party

Richard Shelby has voted with a majority of his Republican colleagues 83.0% of the time during the current Congress. This percentage does not include votes in which Shelby 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

Alabama demographic profile (2000 Census)

Financial Disclosure

View Richard Shelby'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
11/21/09 Vote 353: On the Cloture Motion: Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Motion to Proceed to H.R. 3590; Service Members Home Ownership Tax Act of 2009 No No Yes
11/19/09 Vote 352: S 1963: S. 1963; Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 2009 Yes Yes Yes
11/19/09 Vote 351: S 1963: Coburn Amdt. No. 2785; To transfer funding for the United Nations contributions to offset costs of providing assistance to family caregivers of disabled veterans. Yes Yes No
11/19/09 Vote 350: On the Nomination: Confirmation David F. Hamilton, of Indiana, to be U.S. Circuit Judge for the Seventh Circuit. No No Yes
11/17/09 Vote 349: On the Motion: Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Nomination of David F. Hamilton, of Indiana, to be U.S. Circuit Judge for the Seventh Circuit. No No Yes
11/17/09 Vote 348: H R 3082: H.R. 3082 As Amended; Military Construction and Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010 Yes Yes Yes
11/17/09 Vote 347: H R 3082: Motion to Table Inhofe Amdt. No 2774; To prohibit the use of funds appropriated or otherwise made available by this Act to construct or modify a facility in the United States or its territories to permanently or temporarily hold any individual held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. No No Yes
11/17/09 Vote 346: H R 3082: Johnson Amdt. No. 2733; To increase by $50,000,000 the amount available for the Department of Veterans Affairs for minor construction projects for the purpose of converting unused Department of Veterans Affairs structures into housing with supportive services for homeless veterans, and to provide an offset. Yes Yes Yes
11/16/09 Vote 345: On the Motion: Coburn Motion to Commit H.R. 3082 to the Committee on Appropriations; Military Construction and Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010 No Yes No
11/16/09 Vote 344: H R 3082: Coburn Amdt. No. 2757; To require public disclosure of certain reports. Yes Yes Yes
11/9/09 Vote 343: On the Nomination: Confirmation Charlene Edwards Honeywell, of Florida, to be U.S. District Judge for the Middle District of Florida Yes Yes Yes
11/9/09 Vote 342: On the Nomination: Confirmation Andre M. Davis, of Maryland, to be U.S. Circuit Judge for the Fourth Circuit No None Yes
11/5/09 Vote 341: On the Nomination: Confirmation Ignacia S. Moreno, of New York, to be an Assistant Attorney General. Yes Yes Yes
11/5/09 Vote 340: H R 2847: H.R. 2847 As Amended.; Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010 Yes No Yes
11/5/09 Vote 339: On the Motion: Motion to Waive Sec. 302(F) of CBA Ensign Amdt. No. 2648 as modified.; To provide additional funds for the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program by reducing corporate welfare programs. No Yes No
11/5/09 Vote 338: H R 2847: Motion to Table Graham Amdt. No. 2669; To prohibit the use of funds for the prosecution in Article III courts of the United States of individuals involved in the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. No No Yes
11/5/09 Vote 337: On the Motion: Motion to Waive Section 302(F) of CBA re: Coburn Amdt. No. 2667; To reduce waste and abuse at the Department of Commerce. Yes Yes No
11/5/09 Vote 336: H R 2847: Coburn Amdt. No 2631.; To redirect funding of the National Science Foundation toward practical scientific research Yes Yes No
11/5/09 Vote 335: On the Motion: Upon Reconsideration Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Reported Committee Substitute to H.R. 2847.; Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010 No No Yes
11/4/09 Vote 334: H R 3548: H.R. 3548 as amended.; Worker, Homeownership, and Business Assistance Act of 2009 Yes Yes Yes

Full list of votes by Richard Shelby

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