The U.S. Congress Votes Database

Members of Congress / Arlen Specter

Biographical Information

SPECTER, Arlen, a Senator from Pennsylvania; born in Wichita, Sedgwick County, Kans., February 12, 1930; attended the public schools; graduated, University of Pennsylvania 1951; graduated, Yale University Law School 1956; served in the United States Air Force 1951-1953; admitted to the Pennsylvania bar in 1956 and commenced practice in Philadelphia; assistant district attorney of Philadelphia 1959-1964; assistant counsel, President’s Commission on the Assassination of President Kennedy (Warren Commission) 1964; district attorney of Philadelphia 1966-1974; resumed the practice of law 1974-1980; admitted to the New Jersey bar in 1979 and to the District of Columbia bar in 1983; elected as a Republican to the United States Senate in 1980; reelected in 1986, 1992, 1998 and in 2004 for the term ending January 3, 2011; changed party affiliation, becoming a Democrat on April 30, 2009; chair, Select Committee on Intelligence (One Hundred Fourth Congress), Committee on Veterans Affairs (One Hundred Fifth and One Hundred Sixth Congresses, One Hundred Seventh Congress [January 20, 2001-June 6, 2001], One Hundred Eighth Congress), Committee on the Judiciary (One Hundred Ninth Congress). (Source.)

More coverage of Arlen Specter on washingtonpost.com

Roles in Congress

· 111th Congress: Senator, Pennsylvania, Democratic. Jan. 3, 2009, to Jan. 3, 2011.
· 111th Congress: Senator, Pennsylvania, Republican. Jan. 3, 2009, to April 28, 2009.
· 110th Congress: Senator, Pennsylvania, Republican. Jan. 4, 2007, to Jan. 3, 2011.
· 109th Congress: Senator, Pennsylvania, Republican. Jan. 3, 2005, to Jan. 3, 2007.
· 108th Congress: Senator, Pennsylvania, Republican. Jan. 3, 2003, to Jan. 3, 2005.
· 107th Congress: Senator, Pennsylvania, Republican. Jan. 3, 2001, to Jan. 3, 2003.
· 106th Congress: Senator, Pennsylvania, Republican. Jan. 3, 1999, to Jan. 3, 2001.
· 105th Congress: Senator, Pennsylvania, Republican. Jan. 3, 1997, to Jan. 3, 1999.
· 104th Congress: Senator, Pennsylvania, Republican. Jan. 3, 1995, to Jan. 3, 1997.
· 103rd Congress: Senator, Pennsylvania, Republican. Jan. 3, 1993, to Jan. 3, 1995.
· 102nd Congress: Senator, Pennsylvania, Republican. Jan. 3, 1991, to Jan. 3, 1993.

Key Votes

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

Missed Votes

Arlen Specter has missed 16 votes (4.7%) during the current Congress. See a list of his missed votes since 1991 or see a full list of vote missers.

Voting with Party

Arlen Specter has voted with a majority of his Democratic colleagues 94.8% of the time during the current Congress. This percentage does not include votes in which Specter 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

Pennsylvania demographic profile (2000 Census)

Financial Disclosure

View Arlen Specter'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
11/5/09 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. Yes 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. No 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 No 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 Yes 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
11/4/09 Vote 333: On the Motion: Motion to Invoke Cloture on H.R. 3548; Worker, Homeownership, and Business Assistance Act of 2009 Yes Yes Yes
11/2/09 Vote 332: On the Motion: Motion to invoke cloture on the Baucus Amdt. No. 2712 to H.R. 3548.; In the nature of a substitute. Yes Yes Yes
10/29/09 Vote 331: H R 2996: Conference Report to Accompany H.R. 2996; Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010 Yes No Yes
10/29/09 Vote 330: On the Motion: Motion to Waive Rule XXVIII Re: H.R. 2996.; Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010 Yes No Yes
10/27/09 Vote 329: On the Cloture Motion: Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Motion to Proceed to H.R. 3548; Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2009 Yes Yes Yes
10/27/09 Vote 328: On the Nomination: Confirmation Irene Cornelia Berger of West Virginia to be U.S. District Judge. Yes Yes Yes
10/22/09 Vote 327: H R 2647: Conference Report to Accompany H.R. 2647; National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010 Yes No Yes
10/22/09 Vote 326: On the Cloture Motion: Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Conference Report to Accompany H.R. 2647; National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010 Yes No Yes
10/21/09 Vote 325: On the Cloture Motion: Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Motion to Proceed to S. 1776; A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the update under the Medicare physician fee schedule for years beginning with 2010 and to sunset the application of the sustainable growth rate formula, and for other purposes. Yes No Yes
10/21/09 Vote 324: H R 2892: Confirmation Roberto A. Lange, of South Dakota, to be U.S. District Judge Yes Yes Yes
10/20/09 Vote 323: H R 2892: Conference Report to Accompany H.R. 2892; Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2010 Yes Yes Yes
10/15/09 Vote 322: H R 3183: Conference Report to Accompany H.R. 3183; Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010 Yes Yes Yes

Full list of votes by Arlen Specter

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