Members of Congress / Arlen Specter
Biographical InformationSPECTER, 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; switched parties, to Democratic, on April 29, 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. Key VotesSee 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 VotesArlen Specter has missed 1 vote (2.4%) during the current Congress. See a list of his missed votes since 1991 or see a full list of vote missers. Voting with PartyArlen Specter has voted with a majority of his Democratic colleagues 90.0% 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. |  State InformationPennsylvania demographic profile (2000 Census) Financial DisclosureView 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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| Date | Vote | Position | GOP opinion | DEM opinion |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vote 214: On the Motion: Motion to Table Motion to Commit H.R. 2918 to the Committee on Appropriations with Instructions; Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2010 | Yes | No | Yes | |
| Vote 213: On the Nomination: Nomination of Harold Hongju Koh, of Connecticut, to be Legal Adviser of the Department of State | Yes | No | Yes | |
| Vote 212: On the Cloture Motion: Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Nomination of Harold Hongju Koh, of Connecticut, to be Legal Counsel of the Department of State | Yes | No | Yes | |
| Vote 211: On the Cloture Motion: Motion to Invoke Cloture on Dorgan Amendment No. 1347; Of a perfecting nature. | Not Voting | No | Yes | |
| Vote 210: H R 2346: Conference Report to Accompany H.R. 2346; Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2009 | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Vote 209: On the Motion: Motion to Waive All Applicable Points of Order Under Rule 44 on Conference Report on H.R. 2346; Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2009 | Yes | No | Yes | |
| Vote 208: On the Cloture Motion: Motion to Invoke Cloture on Motion to Proceed to S.1023; Travel Promotion Act of 2009 | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Vote 207: H R 1256: H.R. 1256 As Amended; Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Vote 206: On the Cloture Motion: Motion to Invoke Cloture on H.R. 1256; Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act | Yes | No | Yes | |
| Vote 205: H R 1256: Burr Amdt. No. 1246; In the nature of a substitute. | No | Yes | No | |
| Vote 204: On the Cloture Motion: Motion to Invoke Cloture on Amdt. 1247 ; In the nature of a substitute. | Yes | No | Yes | |
| Vote 203: On the Cloture Motion: Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Motion to Proceed to H.R. 1256; Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Vote 202: H R 2346: HR 2346 As Amended ; Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2009 | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Vote 201: H R 2346: DeMint Amdt. No. 1138; To strike the provisions relating to increased funding for the International Monetary Fund. | No | Yes | No | |
| Vote 200: On the Cloture Motion: Motion to Invoke Cloture on H.R. 2346; Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2009 | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Vote 199: H R 2346: Brownback Amdt. No. 1140 As Modified; To express the sense of the Senate on consultation with State and local governments in the transfer to the United States of detainees at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Vote 198: H R 2346: McConnell Amdt. No. 1136 As Modified; To limit the release of detainees at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, pending a report on the prisoner population at the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay. | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Vote 197: S 454: Conference Report to Accompany S. 454; Weapons Acquisition System Reform Through Enhancing Technical Knowledge and Oversight Act of 2009 | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Vote 196: H R 2346: Inouye Amdt. No. 1133; To prohibit funding to transfer, release, or incarcerate detainees detained at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to or within the United States. | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Vote 195: On the Nomination: Confirmation of Gary Gensler, of Maryland, to be Commissioner of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Full list of votes by Arlen Specter
