Voting Scorecards

As part of its ongoing advocacy for issues of national security, Council for a Livable World closely tracks the work of Congress on issues from non-proliferation, to missile defense, to Iraq, Iran, and much more. View Council for a Livable World's most recent comprehensive voting records on key national security legislation in both houses of Congress below.

2011-2012

  • Latest Report: 2011-2012 House Voting Record

     Key Votes

    1. United Nations Funding—Broun (R-GA) amendment to Continuing Resolution to prohibit the use of funds in this Act to pay dues to the United Nations.

    2. Afghanistan—McGovern (D-MA) amendment to Defense Authorization that required a plan and timeframe leading toward a U.S. withdrawal and negotiations with the Taliban.

    3. Military Spending—Mulvaney (R-SC) amendment to Defense Appropriations to cut the Pentagon budget by $17 billion, freezing the budget at the Fiscal Year 2011 level.

    4. Afghanistan—Lee (D-CA), Jones (R-NC), Conyers (D-MI), Woolsey (D-CA), Welch (D-V) amendment to Defense Authorization to direct spending in Afghanistan only for the safe and orderly withdrawal of U.S. troops and military contractors.

    5. Missile Defense—Polis (D-CO)-Sanchez (D-CA) amendment to Defense Authorization to eliminate the additional $403 million approved by the committee for the Ground Based Midcourse Defense System based in California and Alaska, still leaving approximately $858 million.

    6. Non-Proliferation—Franks (R-AZ) amendment to Defense Authorization to limit the availability of funds for nuclear nonproliferation activities with the Russian Federation.

    7. Nuclear Weapons—Price (R-GA) amendment to Defense Authorization to prohibit the President from making unilateral reductions to U.S. nuclear forces.

    8. Nuclear Weapons—Berg (R-ND) amendment to Defense Appropriations to prohibit use of funds to reduce the number of the following nuclear weapons delivery vehicles of the United States: (1) Heavy bomber aircraft; (2) Air-launched cruise missiles; (3) Nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines; (4) Submarine-launched ballistic missiles; and (5) Intercontinental ballistic missiles.

    9. Non-Proliferation—Sanchez (D-CA) amendment to Energy & Water Appropriations to transfer $16 million to non-proliferation programs in the Global Threat Reduction Initiative.

    10. Military Spending—Mulvaney (R-SC) and Frank (D-MA) bi-partisan amendment to Defense Appropriations to cut the overall level of the bill by $1.1 billion, back to the previous year’s level.

    11. Nuclear Weapons—Markey (D-MA) amendment to Defense Appropriations to limit the fleet of land-based Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs) to 300. Currently, the U.S. has 450 Minuteman III ICBMs deployed.

    12. Nuclear Weapons—Turner (R-OH) amendment to Defense Appropriations to prohibit funds from being used to reduce the nuclear forces of the U.S. to implement the Nuclear Posture Review Implementation Study, modify the Secretary of Defense Guidance for Employment of Force, or the Joint Strategic Capabilities Plan.

  • Latest Report: 2009-2012 Senate Voting Record

     Key Votes

    1. North Korea: Amendment offered by Senators John Kerry (D-MA) and Richard Lugar (R-IN) requiring a review of North Korean actions to determine if it should be re-listed as a state sponsor of terrorism. Amendment approved 66-31, July 22, 2009 (A “yes” vote supports the Council position).

    2. North Korea: Amendment offered by Senators Sam Brownback (R-KS) and Evan Bayh (D-IN) to overturn a Bush Administration decision to take North Korea off the list of state sponsors of terrorism. Amendment rejected 43-54, July 22, 2009 (A “no” vote supports the Council position).

    3. Afghanistan: Amendment offered by Sen. Carl Levin (D-MI) to eliminate the deadline contained in the McCain amendment (below), have additional witnesses on Afghanistan and broaden the hearings to include strategy as well as resources. Amendment adopted 60-39, October 1, 2009 (A “yes” vote supports the Council position).

    4. Afghanistan: Amendment offered by Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) requiring Obama Administration testimony no later than Nov. 15, 2009 on recommendations for additional forces and resources for Afghanistan. Amendment rejected 40-59, October 1, 2009 (A “no vote supports the Council position).

    5. New START Treaty: Motion to begin debate on the New START nuclear reductions treaty. Motion agreed to 66-32 with 51 votes required to move to the debate, December 15, 2010 (A “yes” vote supports the Council position).

    6. New START Treaty: Amendment offered by Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) to the New START nuclear reductions treaty to remove language in the preamble on the relationship between offensive and defensive forces. The treaty would have been killed if the amendment had been adopted. Amendment rejected 37-59, December 18, 2010 (A “no” vote supports the Council position).

    7. New START Treaty: Cloture vote to end debate on the New START nuclear reductions treaty. Cloture approved 67-28, with 60 votes required to end debate, December 21, 2010 (A “yes” vote supports the Council position).

    8. New START Treaty: Final Senate vote on giving its advice and consent to ratification of the New START nuclear reductions treaty. Treaty approved 71-26, December 21, 2010 (A “yes” vote supports Council position).

    9. Authorization to use force in Iraq: Amendment offered by Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) to repeal the 2002 authorization to use force in Iraq. Amendment rejected 30-67, November 29, 2011 (A “yes” vote supports the Council position).

    10. North Korea: Amendment offered by Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) to permit food assistance to North Korea if the President issues a waiver declaring it in the U.S. national security interest to do so. Amendment approved 59-40, June 20, 2012 (A “yes” vote supports the Council position).

    11. North Korea: Amendment offered by Sen. Jon Kyl (D-AZ) to prohibit any food assistance to North Korea. Amendment rejected 43-56, June 20, 2012. (A “no” vote supports the Council position).

    12. Troop withdrawal from Afghanistan: Amendment offered by Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) to urge the Obama Administration to accelerate the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan. Amendment adopted 62-33, November 29, 2012 (A “yes” vote supports the Council position).

2009-2010

  • 2009-2010 Senate Voting Record

     Key Votes
    1. North Korea: Kerry-Lugar amendment requiring review of North Korea's actions to determine if it should be listed as a state sponsor of terrorism.
    2. North Korea: Brownback-Bayh amendment to overturn the Bush Administration decision to take North Korea off the list of state sponsors of terrorism.
    3.Afghanistan: Levin amendment to eliminate deadline contained in McCain amendment.
    4. Afghanistan: McCain amendment requiring testimony before November 15, 2009 on recommendations for additional forces and resources in Afghanistan.
    5. New START: Motion to begin debate on New START
    6. New START: McCain amendment to remove language from the treaty's preamble.
    7. New START: Thune amendment on increasing offensive nuclear forces
    8. New START: Cloture vote to end debate on New START.
    9. New START: Final vote to give advice and consent to ratification of the treaty.
  • 2009-2010 House Voting Record

     Key Votes
    1. Afghanistan: McGovern amendment on reporting on an exit strategy of U.S. military forces in Afghanistan.
    2. Missile Defense: Franks amendment on continued Missile Defense testing and increase in funding for the MDA.
    3. F-22: Murtha amendment that redirects funds for the F-22.
    4. Missile Defense: Tierney amendment on striking $80 million for the Kinetic Energy Interceptor program.
    5. Joint Strike Fighter: Pingree amendment on striking funding for the Joint Strike Fighter's Alternate Engine Program
    6. Afghanistan: McGovern-Obey amendment to establish a plan of redeployment of troops in Afghanistan, including a timeframe for completion.

2007 - 2008

  • 2007-2008 Senate Voting Record

     Key Votes
    1. Iraq: Biden-Hagel Bill opposing troop escalation in Iraq
    2. Iraq: Reid Amendment to withdraw troops from Iraq
    3. U.N. Peacekeeping
    4. Iraq: Webb-Hagel Amendment providing rest for soldiers
    5. Iraq: Feingold-Reid amendment for withdrawal of troops from Iraq
    6. Iraq: Levin-Reed Amendment for withdrawal of troops from Iraq
    7. Iran: IRGC Designation
    8. Iraq: Funding for Iraq war
    9. Missile defense
    10. U.S.-India Nuclear Deal
  • 2008 House Voting Record

     Key Votes
    1. Iraq: Amendment to provide $162.6 billion in funding for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan
    2. Iraq: Amendment to place limits on the President’s ability to wage war
    3. Missile Defense: Amendment to allocate $719 million for missile defense programs
    4. New Nuclear Weapons: Amendment to allocate $10 million for the Reliable Replacement Warhead
    5. Iraq: Amendment to put limits on long-term agreements with Iraq
    6. Missile Defense: Amendment to reduce funding for the Missile Defense Agency by $966.2 million
    7. Iraq: Amendment to provide $161.8 billion in funding for the Iraq war with no deadline for the withdrawal of U.S. troops
    8. U.S.-India Nuclear Deal: Vote on approving the U.S.-India Nuclear Deal
  • 2007 House Voting Record
  • 2007 Senate Voting Record on Iraq

1999 - 2006

1990 - 1999

1980 - 1989