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; 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. 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 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 PartyArlen 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. |  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 341: On the Nomination: Confirmation Ignacia S. Moreno, of New York, to be an Assistant Attorney General. | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Vote 340: H R 2847: H.R. 2847 As Amended.; Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010 | Yes | No | Yes | |
| 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 | |
| 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 | |
| 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 | |
| Vote 336: H R 2847: Coburn Amdt. No 2631.; To redirect funding of the National Science Foundation toward practical scientific research | No | Yes | No | |
| 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 | |
| Vote 334: H R 3548: H.R. 3548 as amended.; Worker, Homeownership, and Business Assistance Act of 2009 | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Vote 333: On the Motion: Motion to Invoke Cloture on H.R. 3548; Worker, Homeownership, and Business Assistance Act of 2009 | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| 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 | |
| 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 | |
| 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 | |
| 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 | |
| Vote 328: On the Nomination: Confirmation Irene Cornelia Berger of West Virginia to be U.S. District Judge. | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Vote 327: H R 2647: Conference Report to Accompany H.R. 2647; National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010 | Yes | No | Yes | |
| 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 | |
| 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 | |
| Vote 324: H R 2892: Confirmation Roberto A. Lange, of South Dakota, to be U.S. District Judge | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Vote 323: H R 2892: Conference Report to Accompany H.R. 2892; Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2010 | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| 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
