Life Advocacy Briefing

October 12, 2020

Overview / 2019-2020 Voting Record Index – House Key / Record – House
2019-2020 Voting Record Index – Senate Key / Record – Senate

Overview

WITH THE NEWS-WORLD SO FOCUSED on other issues these days – and Supreme Court nomination hearings not yet begun – we have decided this week to pull together our annual Voting Record Index for the House and Senate. (We generally hold this until the end of the year in odd years but compile and publish it before the election during even years, as an information tool for our readers.) 

Today, we present a compilation of the voting records of the Members of the House and Senate as reflected in roll calls which we published timely during these two years. We hope our readers find this useful, as you have in past years, and that we will be forgiven any errors which could have occurred in the reporting and compilation process; we have tried our best!

2020 has generated a dearth of roll calls on issues related to our God-given right to life. Readers will find this index to be dominated by Congressional actions in 2019. We confess our disappointment in the lack of action this year, but 2020 has presented unique challenges to everyone – including public officials.

Focus of the pro-life effort in the Senate has continued to be on judicial nominations, though we observed only one in 2020 that featured controversy over the right to life. Focus of the pro-life effort in the House in 2020 has been dominated entirely – from what we can observe – on a discharge petition to bring the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act to a vote. This is a worthy effort but has yet to reach the signature threshold which triggers a roll call vote.

So we’ll confess: Our readers will find little difference between the Index published late last December and this one. Still, having our Index in hand now for the entire two-year record of our House and Senate is, we hope, useful for our readers. Thank you for attending to our work in compiling this – and to those who have furnished us the wherewithal to publish Life Advocacy Briefing these past 27 years.

As we said late last December and as is still true, battle lines are clearly drawn between the parties as to defending or challenging the right to life. We report these divisions with a measure of sadness but in hope that voters will assert this paramount cause in their approach to candidates in November.

 

2019-2020 Voting Record Index – House Key

  1. HR-21 Funding Various US Agencies through Sept. 30 – Motion to Recommit with instructions to delete pro-abortion provisions appropriating tax funds to UNFPA & stripping Mexico City Policy anti-abortion restrictions from foreign aid – Jan. 3, 2019 – Failed 199-232

  2. HR-5 – Equality Act – Procedural motion to remove pro-abortion provisions – May 17, 2019 – Failed 181-228

  3. HR-5 – Equality Act – Final Passage – Includes repeal of Hyde Amendment & repeal of Foreign Aid Abortion Protections – May 17, 2019 – Passed 236-173

  4. Cole Amendment to HR-2740 – June 12, 2019 – Failed 192-230

  5. Roby Amendment to HR-2740 – June 12, 2019 – Failed 191-231

  6. Lesko Amendment to HR-2740 – Removing mandate for $750 million to ‘Family Planning & Reproductive Health Services’ in Global Health Programs – June 18, 2019 – Failed 188-225

  7. Pocan Amendment to HR-2740 – Blocking implementation of HHS Policy restricting funding of fetal tissue research – June 13, 2019 – Adopted 225-193

  8. HR-535 – Motion to Recommit HR-535 with instructions to add McMorris-Rodgers pro-life amendment – Jan. 10, 2020 – Failed 187-219

  9. HRes-79 – Resurrect failed Equal Rights Amendment by removing already passed deadline – Feb. 13, 2020 – Adopted 232-183

  10. HR-2339 – Motion to Recommit to add Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act – Feb. 28, 2020 – Failed 187-220

 

Record – House

100% pro-Life: Republicans Brooks, Palmer, Rogers/AL; Biggs, Gosar, Lesko, Schweikert/AZ; Hill, Womack/AR; Calvert, LaMalfa, McCarthy, McClintock, Nunes/CA; Lamborn, Tipton/CO; Bilirakis, Rutherford, Spano/FL; Allen, Carter, Collins, Ferguson, Graves, Hice, A.Scott, Woodall/GA; Fulcher/ID; R.Davis, Shimkus/IL; Baird, Banks, Hollingsworth, Walorski/IN; King/IA; Estes, Marshall, Watkins/KS; Barr, Comer, Guthrie, Rogers/KY; Higgins, Scalise/LA; Harris/MD; Bergman, Huizenga, Mitchell, Moolenaar, Upton, Walberg/MI; Emmer, Hagedorn, Stauber/MN; Guest, Kelly/MS; Graves, Hartzler, Luetkemeyer, Smith, Wagner/MO; Bacon, Fortenberry, Smith/NE; Amodei/NV; Collins, King, Zeldin/NY; Budd, Foxx, Hudson, McHenry, Meadows, Rouzer/NC; Armstrong/ND; Balderson, Chabot, Gibbs, Gonzalez, Jordan, Joyce, Latta, Stivers, Wenstrup/OH; Cole, Hern, Lucas/OK; Joyce, Kelly, Perry, Reschenthaler/PA; Duncan, Norman, Rice, Timmons/SC; Johnson/SD; Fleischmann, Kustoff, Roe, Rose/TN; Arrington, Babin, Burgess, Cloud, Conaway, Crenshaw, Flores, Gooden, McCaul, Olson, Roy, Taylor, Thornberry, Williams/TX; Bishop/UT; Cline, Griffith, Riggleman, Wittman/VA; McMorris-Rodgers, Newhouse/WA; McKinley, Miller, Mooney/WV; Gallagher, Grothman, Steil/WI; Cheney/WY. Note: Rep. Amash (MI) was elected as a Republican but declared himself an “independent” in mid-2019; his voting record is 100% pro-life. No Democrats.

100% pro-Life when voting (absences are shown by capital letters in parentheses): Republicans Aderholt(H), Byrne(I,J), Roby(F)/AL; Young(B,C)/AK; Crawford(H,I), Westerman(B,C)/AR; Cook(G), Hunter**(H)/CA; Buck(D,E,G)/CO; Buchanan(H), Diaz-Balart(C), Dunn(J), Gaetz(F), Mast(I), Posey(F), Rooney(J), Steube(C), Waltz(F), Webster(F,J), Yoho(F)/FL; Graves(I), Loudermilk(H,J)/GA; Simpson(H)/ID; Bost(D,E,G), Kinzinger(I), LaHood(B,C,I); Bucshon(B,C), Pence(B)/IN; Abraham(F,G), Johnson(B,C)/LA; Palazzo(D,E)/MS; Long(J)/MO; Gianforte(D,E,G)/MT; Smith(G)/NJ; Bishop(***), Holding(F,J), Murphy(***), Walker(B,C,H)/NC; Davidson(E), Johnson(B,C), Turner(B,C)/OH; Mullin(I)/OK; Keller*(A,B,C), Meuser(H), Smucker(A,B,C,H), Thompson(H)/PA; Wilson(B,C,I)/SC; Burchett(B,C), DesJarlais(F), Green (D,E,G,J)/TN; Brady(B,C,H,J), Carter(H), Gohmert(H,J), Granger(H,J), Marchant(H,I,J), Ratcliffe(B,C,D,E), Weber(B,C), Wright(D,E,G,I)/TX; Curtis(F), Stewart(F)/UT; Herrera-Beutler(D,E,F,G)/WA; Duffy(B,C), Sensenbrenner(D,E)/WI.  *Mr. Keller was not yet a Member until roll call D. **Mr. Hunter resigned before roll call I. ***Messrs. Bishop & Murphy joined the House Sept. 17, 2019, by special election; they each voted 100% pro-life since becoming Members. No Democrats.

Mostly pro-Life (anti-Life votes shown by lower-case letters in parentheses; absences shown by capital letters in parentheses): Republicans Brooks(c)/IN; Massie(b)(J)/KY; Katko(c), Reed(c)(F), Stefanik(c)/NY; Walden(c)/OR; Fitzpatrick(c)(H)/PA; Hurd(c)/TX. Democrat Lipinski(c,i)/IL.  

Mostly anti-Life (pro-Life votes shown by lower-case letters in parentheses; absences shown by capital letters in parentheses): Republican VanDrew*(h,j)/NJ. Democrats Peterson(a,h,j)/MN; Cuellar(d,e,h)(J)/TX; McAdams(d,g,h,j)/UT. *Mr. VanDrew switched party affiliation from Democrat to Republican in December, 2019.

100% anti-Life when voting (absences shown by capital letters in parentheses): Democrats Grijalva(J), Kirkpatrick(H,I)/AZ; Swalwell(B,C,D,E,G)/CA; DeLauro(F), Hayes(G)/CT; Hastings(D,E,F,G)/FL; Bishop(J), Lewis(H,J)/GA; Gabbard(D,H,I,J)/HI; Axne(F)/IA; Moulton(B,F),  Pressley(F)/MA; Dingell(B,C)/MI; Omar(F)/MN; Norcross(F), Payne(H,I), Sires(J)/NJ; Nadler(H), Rose(B,C), Serrano(H), Suozzi(G),Velazquez(G)/NY; Adams(I)/NC; Ryan(B,C,F)/OH; Doyle(G), Evans(H)/PA; Clyburn(B,C,G,J)/SC; Doggett(F,J), Gonzalez(F)/TX; Welch(I)/VT; Kind(H)/WI. No Republicans.

100% anti-Life: Democrats Sewell/AL; Gallego, O’Halleran, Stanton/AZ; Aguilar, Barragan, Bass, Bera, Brownley, Carbajal, Cardenas, Chu, Cisneros, Correa, Costa, Cox, Davis, DeSaulnier, Eshoo, Garamendi, Gomez, Harder, Hill, Huffman, Khanna, Lee, Levin, Lieu, Lofgren, Lowenthal, Matsui, McNerney, Napolitano, Panetta, Peters, Porter, Rouda, Roybal-Allard, Ruiz, Sanchez, Schiff, Sherman, Speier, Takano, Thompson, Torres, Vargas, Waters/CA; Crow, DeGette, Neguse, Perlmutter/CO; Courtney, Himes, Larson/CT; Blunt-Rochester/DE; Castor, Crist, Demings, Deutch, Frankel, Lawson, Mucarsel-Powell, Murphy, Shalala, Soto, Wasserman-Schultz, Wilson/FL; Johnson, McBath, D.Scott/GA; Case/HI; Bustos, Casten, D.Davis, Foster, Garcia, Kelly, Krishnamoorthi, Quigley, Rush, Schakowsky, Schneider, Underwood/IL; Carson, Visclosky/IN; Finkenauer, Loebsack/IA; Davids/KS; Yarmuth/KY; Richmond/LA; Golden, Pingree/ME; Brown, Cummings*, Hoyer, Raskin, Ruppersberger, Sarbanes, Trone/MD; Clark, Keating, Kennedy, Lynch, McGovern, Neal, Trahan/MA; Kildee, Lawrence, Levin, Slotkin, Stevens, Tlaib/MI; Craig, McCollum, Phillips/MN; Thompson/MS; Clay, Cleaver/MO; Horsford, Lee, Titus/NV; Kuster, Pappas/NH; Gottheimer, Kim, Malinowski, Pallone, Pascrell, Sherrill, Watson-Coleman/NJ; Haaland, Lujan, Torres-Small/NM; Brindisi, Clarke, Delgado, Engel, Espaillat, Higgins, Jeffries, Lowey, C.Maloney, S.Maloney, Meeks, Meng, Morelle, Ocasio-Cortez, Rice, Tonko/NY; Butterfield, Price/NC; Beatty, Fudge, Kaptur/OH; Horn/OK; Blumenauer, Bonamici, DeFazio, Schrader/OR; Boyle, Cartwright, Dean, Houlahan, Lamb, Scanlon, Wild/PA; Cicilline, Langevin/RI; Cunningham/SC; Cohen, Cooper/TN; Allred, Castro, Escobar, Fletcher, Garcia, Green, Jackson-Lee, Johnson, Veasey, Vela/TX; Beyer, Connolly, Luria, McEachin, Scott, Spanberger, Wexton/VA; DelBene, Heck, Jayapal, Kilmer, Larsen, Schrier, Smith/WA; Moore, Pocan/WI. *Mr. Cummings passed away on Oct. 17, 2019. No Republicans.

Note: Speaker Pelosi (D-CA) was 100% pro-abortion when voting, but the Speaker customarily does not vote.

 

2019-2020 Voting Record Index – Senate Key

  1. Cloture motion to end debate on S-109 – Bar Taxpayer Funding of Abortion – Jan. 17, 2019 – Failed 48-47 (needing 60)

  2. Cloture motion to end debate on SB-311 – Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act – Feb. 25, 2019 – Failed 53-44 (needing 60)

  3. Cloture to end debate on Nomination of Judge Andrew Lynn Brasher – May 1, 2019 – Adopted 52-47 (needing majority)

  4. Confirmation of Judge Andrew Lynn Brasher – May 1, 2019 – Confirmed 52-47  

  5. Cloture to end debate on Nomination of Judge J. Campbell Barker – May 1, 2019 – Adopted 52-46 (needing majority)

  6. Confirmation of Judge J. Campbell Barker – May 1, 2019 – Confirmed 51-47

  7. Cloture to end debate on Nomination of Judge Stephen R. Clark Sr. – May 21, 2019 – Adopted 53-45 (needing majority) 

  8. Confirmation of Judge Stephen R. Clark Sr. – May 22, 2019 – Confirmed 53-45  

  9. Cloture to end debate on Nomination of Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk – June 18, 2019 – Adopted 52-44 (needing majority)

  10. Confirmation of Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk – June 19, 2019 – Confirmed 52-46

  11. Cloture to end debate on Nomination of Ass’t Secretary of State Robert Destro – Sept. 17, 2019 – Adopted 49-44 (needing majority of those voting)

  12. Confirmation of Robert Destro as Ass’t Secretary of State – Sept. 18, 2019 – Confirmed 49-44 (needing majority of those voting)

  13. Cloture to end debate on Nomination of Judge Justin Reed Walker – Oct. 24, 2019 – Adopted 50-39 (needing majority of those voting)

  14. Confirmation of Judge Justin Reed Walker – Oct. 24, 2019 – Confirmed 50-41 (needing majority of those voting)

  15. Cloture to end debate on Nomination of Judge Sarah Pitlyk – Dec. 3, 2019 – Adopted 50-93 (needing majority of those voting)

  16. Confirmation of Judge Sarah Pitlyk – Dec. 4, 2019 – Confirmed 49-44 (needing majority of those voting)

  17. Cloture to end debate on Nomination of Judge Lawrence VanDyke – Dec. 10, 2019 – Adopted 53-40 (needing majority)

  18. Confirmation of Judge Lawrence VanDyke – Dec. 11, 2019 – Confirmed 51-44 (needing majority)

  19. Cloture motion to end debate on Nomination of Judge Cory Wilson – June 22, 2020 – Adopted 51-43

  20. Confirmation of Judge Cory Wilson – June 24, 2020 – Confirmed 52-48

 

Record – Senate

100% pro-Life: Republicans Shelby/AL, Sullivan/AK, McSally/AZ, Boozman & Cotton/AR, Gardner/CO, Rubio & Scott/FL, GA/Perdue, Risch/ID, Braun/IN, Ernst & Grassley/IA, McConnell/KY, Cassidy & Kennedy/LA, Wicker/MS, Blunt & Hawley/MO, Daines/MT, Fischer & Sasse/NE, Hoeven/ND, Portman/OH, Lankford/OK, Toomey/PA, Thune/SD, Blackburn/TN, Cornyn/TX, Lee & Romney/UT, Johnson/WI, Barrasso & Enzi/WY. No Democrats.

100% pro-Life when voting (absences are shown by capital letters in parentheses): Republicans Isakson(M,N)/GA; Crapo(A)/ID; Young(C,D,F)/IN; Moran(M,N) & Roberts(K,L)/KS; Paul(A)/KY; Hyde-Smith(M,N)/MS; Burr(A,G) & Tillis(H)/NC; Cramer(B)/ND; Inhofe(F)/OK; Graham(A) & Scott(B)/SC; Rounds(L,O,P)/SD; Alexander(A,K,L)/TN; Cruz(K)/TX; Capito(E)/WV. No Democrats.

Mostly pro-Life when voting (anti-Life votes shown by lower-case letters in parentheses; absences shown by capital letters in parentheses): Republican Murkowski(a)(B,O,P)/AK. No Democrats.

Mixed (anti-Life votes shown by lower-case letters in parentheses): Republican Susan Collins (a,i,j,k,l,o,p,r,s,t)/ME. No Democrats.

Mostly anti-Life when voting (pro-Life votes shown by lower-case letters in parentheses; absences shown by capital letters in parentheses): Democrats Jones(b)/AL; Casey(a,b)/PA; Manchin(a,b,g,h)/WV. No Republicans.

100% anti-Life when voting (absences shown by capital letters in ): Harris(E,I,H,K,M,N,O,P,Q)/CA; Bennet(H,Q,R)/CO; Carper(M) & Coons(M,N)/DE; Hirono(I)/HI; Warren(K,L,M,N,O,P,Q,R)/MA; Klobuchar(L,O,Q)/MN; Booker(J,K,L,M,N,O,P,Q,R)/NJ; Gillibrand(I,J)/NY; Wyden(I)/OR; Whitehouse(M,N)/RI; Sanders(K,L,M,N,O,P,Q,R)/VT; Kaine(M) & Warner(Q)/VA. No Republicans.

100% anti-Life: Democrats Sinema/AZ, Feinstein/CA, Blumenthal & Murphy/CT, Schatz/HI, Duckworth & Durbin/IL, Cardin & VanHollen/MD, Markey/MA, Peters & Stabenow/MI, Smith/MN, Tester/MT, Cortez-Masto & Rosen/NV, Hassan & Shaheen/NH, Menendez/NJ, Heinrich & Udall/NM, Schumer/NY, Brown/OH, Merkley/OR, Reed/RI, Leahy/VT, Cantwell & Murray/WA, Baldwin/WI. “Independent” King/ME. No Republicans.