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113th Senate Roll Call Statistics

by RXB

The U.S. Senate has completed its work for the two-year 113th Congress. Many have criticized this Congress for its lack of major action. We have compiled some numbers from Senate roll call votes. From these votes you can draw your own conclusions, but we will make a few observations.

 

 1989199119931995199719992001200320052007200920112013
Vote101102103104105106107108109110111112113
Cloture votes2448465053586149541129173215
   Motion to proceed cloture votes003196313592223
Total Amendment votes215156268309175220203255314296238189116
   amendments rejected837310113275908714317717215113673
confirmed2372374326828246366382189
Passage66626260576050534849413223
Total Votes638550724919612672633675645657696486657
              

  • The total number of Senate roll call votes increased by almost 200 from the previous Congress.

  • Most of this increase can be attributed to an increase in the number of cloture votes.

  • In the last two congresses there was a large increase in the number of cloture votes on the motion to proceed. This means that majority leader Reid files a cloture motion when the Senate began debating measures. This has been a complaint of the minority and the figures show a large increase in the last two congresses.

  • Another minority complaint is that the majority leader did not allow votes on amendments. The total number of amendment votes did decrease in this Congress. Also, the number of amendments rejected, often amendments by the minority, decreased significantly in this Congress.

  • As a result of the "nuclear option" lowering the number of votes needed to confirm presidential nominees, the number of nominees confirmed increased by 100.

  • There as a decrease in the number of bills passed in the Senate. These are bills on final passage where there is a roll call vote.

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