2003 U.S. Senate Ratings

See vote descriptions
  Vote # 40 48 62 95 134 155 171 179 186 205 261 264 267 309 334 348 409 420 459 2003 Life 2002 YOS
Alabama                                                
  SHELBY + + - + + + + + + - + - + + + - + + - 70 73 89 25
  SESSIONS + + - + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + - 85 97 90 7
Alaska                                                
  STEVENS + - - + + + + + + - + + - + - + + + - 65 63 83 33
  MURKOWSKI + - - + + + + + + - + + - + - + + + - 65 65 n/a 1
Arizona                                                
  McCAIN + + + + - + - - + + + + + + + + + - + 80 84 78 21
  KYL + + - + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + - 85 96 100 17
Arkansas                                                
  Lincoln - - - - - - - - - + - - - + - - - + - 15 21 40 11
  Pryor - + + - - - - - - + - - - + - - - + + 35 35 NA 1
California                                                
  Feinstein - - + - - - - - - - + - - - - - - - - 10 12 20 11
  Boxer - - + - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + 15 3 5 21
Colorado                                                
  CAMPBELL + + - + + + + + + + + + + + + - + + - 80 54 88 17
  ALLARD + - - + + + + + + - + + - + - + + + - 65 94 100 13
Connecticut                                                
  Dodd - - + - - - - - - - + - - - - - - - + 20 9 5 29
  Lieberman - - + - - - - - - A A - - A - - - - A 7 19 20 15
Delaware                                                
  Biden - A + - - - - - - + + - - + - - - - + 32 15 10 31
  Carper - - + - - - - - - + + - - - - - - - - 15 21 25 3
Florida                                                
  Graham A - + - - - - - A A + - A A - A - - + 29 19 20 17
  Nelson + - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + 15 16 30 3
Georgia                                                
  Miller + + A A + + + + + + - A A + + + - + - 75 65 47 3
  CHAMBLISS + + - + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + - 85 93 100 9
Hawaii                                                
  Inouye - - + - - - - - - + - - - - - - - - + 20 8 0 33
  Akaka - - + - - - - - A - - - - - - - - - + 16 8 0 27
Idaho                                                
  CRAIG + + - + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + - 85 93 100 23
  CRAPO + + - + + + + + + A + + + + + + + + - 84 92 94 11
Illinois                                                
  Durbin - - + - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + 15 8 0 21
  FITZGERALD + + - + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + - 85 88 85 5
Indiana                                                
  LUGAR + + - + + + + + + + + + + + + + - - - 75 78 90 27
  Bayh - - + + - - - + + - - - - + - - - - + 35 23 30 5
Iowa                                                
  GRASSLEY + + - + + + + + + + - + + + + + - + - 75 82 95 29
  Harkin - - + - - - - - - + - - - - - - - - + 20 9 15 29
Kansas                                                
  BROWNBACK + + - + + + + + + + + + + + + - - + - 75 94 100 9
  ROBERTS + + - + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + - 85 87 100 23
Kentucky                                                
  McCONNELL + A - + + + + + + + + + + + + + - + - 79 89 100 19
  BUNNING + + - + + + + + + + + + + + + + - + - 80 94 100 17
Louisiana                                                
  Breaux + + + + - - - - - - - - + + - + - + - 40 46 42 31
  Landrieu - - + - - - - - - + + - - + - - - + - 25 16 35 7
Maine                                                
  SNOWE + - + + + + - - + - - + - - - - + - - 40 51 65 25
  COLLINS + - + + + - + + + - + + - - + - - - - 50 57 55 7
Maryland                                                
  Sarbanes - - + - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + 15 5 0 33
  Mikulski - - + - - - - - - - - - - + - - - - + 20 7 0 27
Massachusetts                                                
  Kennedy - - + - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + 15 3 0 33
  Kerry - - + - - - - - + + A - - - - A - - A 19 6 20 19
Michigan                                                
  Levin - - + - - - - - - + - - - + - - - + + 30 7 0 25
  Stabenow - - + - - - - - - + - - - + - - - - + 25 14 0 3
Minnesota                                                
  Dayton - - + - - - - - - + + - - - - - - - + 25 11 11 3
  COLEMAN + + - + + + + + + + + + + + + + - + - 80 80 NA 1
Mississippi                                                
  COCHRAN + + - + + + + + + - + + + + + + + + - 80 80 90 31
  LOTT + + - + + + + + A - + + + + + - + + + 84 92 100 31
Missouri                                                
  BOND + + - + + + + + + - + + + + + + - + - 75 81 84 17
  TALENT + + - + + + + + + + + + + + + + - + - 80 93 NA 9
Montana                                                
  Baucus - - + + - - - - - - - - - + - - - + - 20 14 37 29
  BURNS + + - + + + + + + - + + + + + + - + - 75 89 100 15
Nebraska                                                
  HAGEL + + - + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + 95 84 95 7
  Nelson + + - + - - + + + - - - - + - - - A - 37 50 55 3
Nevada                                                
  Reid - + + - - - - - - + - - - - - - A - + 26 21 10 21
  ENSIGN + + - + + + + + + + + + + + + + A + + 95 93 85 9
New Hampshire                                                
  GREGG + + - + + + + + + - + + + - + + + - + 80 79 85 19
  SUNUNU + + - + + + + + + - + + + + + + + + + 90 94 92 7
New Jersey                                                
  Lautenberg - - + - - - - - - + - - - - - - - - + 20 6 6 19
  Corzine - - + - - - - - - + - - - - - - - - + 20 7 5 3
New Mexico                                                
  DOMENICI + + - + + + + + + - + + + + + + + + - 80 73 88 31
  Bingaman - - + - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + 15 13 17 21
New York                                                
  Schumer - - + - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + 15 6 10 23
  Clinton - - + - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + 15 13 10 3
North Carolina                                                
  Edwards - - + - - - - - A - - - A - - A A A + 20 14 30 5
  DOLE + + - + + + + + + + + + + + + - - + - 75 75 NA 1
North Dakota                                                
  Conrad - - + - - - - - - - + - - + - - - + - 20 21 10 17
  Dorgan - - + - - - - - - - - - - + - - - + - 15 18 20 17
Ohio                                                
  DeWINE + + - + + + + + + + + + + + + + - + - 80 82 95 17
  VOINOVICH + + - + + + + + A A + + + + + - + + - 78 78 90 5
Oklahoma                                                
  NICKLES + + - + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + 95 96 100 23
  INHOFE + + - + + + + + + - A + + + + + + + - 79 97 100 17
Oregon                                                
  Wyden - - - - - - - - - + + - - - - - - - - 10 10 15 23
  SMITH + + - + + + + + + + + + - + A A - + - 72 76 75 7
Pennsylvania                                                
  SPECTER + - - + + + + + + - - + - + - + + + - 60 43 50 23
  SANTORUM + + - + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + - 85 86 95 13
Rhode Island                                                
  Reed - - + + - - - - - + - - - - - - - - + 25 9 0 13
  CHAFEE + - + - - + - - - + + + - - - - - - + 40 43 53 4
South Carolina                                                
  Hollings - - + + - - - - - + - - - - - - A - + 26 37 15 33
  GRAHAM + + - + + + + + + + + - + + + + - + + 85 90 83 9
South Dakota                                                
  Daschle - - + - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + 15 13 22 25
  Johnson - - + - - - - - - - - - - + - - - - + 20 21 15 17
Tennessee                                                
  FRIST + + - + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + - 85 88 100 9
  ALEXANDER + + - + + + + + + + + + + + + - + + - 80 80 NA 1
Texas                                                
  HUTCHISON + - - + + + + + + - + + + + + - + + - 70 91 100 11
  CORNYN + + - + + + + + + + + + + + + + - + - 80 80 NA 1
Utah                                                
  HATCH + + - + + + + + + - + + + + + + - + - 75 90 95 27
  BENNETT + + - + + + + + + - + + + + + + - + - 75 86 100 11
Vermont                                                
  Leahy - - + - - - - - - + - - - - - A - - + 21 7 0 29
  Jeffords - - + - - - - - - + + - - - - - - - - 15 26 6 19
Virginia                                                
  WARNER + - - + + + + + + + + + - + + + + + - 75 81 79 25
  ALLEN + + - + + + + + + + + + + + + + - + - 80 90 84 5
Washington                                                
  Murray - - + - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + 15 4 10 11
  Cantwell - - + - - - - - - + - - - - - - - - + 20 15 25 3
West Virginia                                                
  Byrd - - + + - - - - - + - - - + - - - + + 35 31 15 33
  Rockefeller - - + - - - - - - + - - - - - - - - + 20 10 15 19
Wisconsin                                                
  Kohl - - + - - - - - - + + - - + - - - - + 30 16 15 15
  Feingold - - + - - - - - - + + - - + - - - - + 30 13 5 11
Wyoming                                                
  THOMAS + + - + + + + + + - + + + + + + + + - 80 87 100 15
  ENZI + + - + + + + + + - + + + + + - + + - 75 89 100 7
                                                 
                                               
                                                 
Key: Republicans in UPPER CASE  
Democrats in Lower Case  
Independents in Bold Italics  
"+" indicates agreement with the ACU position  
"-" indicates disagreement with the ACU position  
"A" indicates absence  
2003 U.S. Senate Vote Descriptions


1. Judicial Nominations. Estrada Nomination (Roll Call 40)
Throughout the 2003 session, Senate Democrats filibustered numerous presidential nominations to the U.S. Courts of Appeal, essentially establishing a requirement that any nominee be approved by a supermajority of 60 votes in the 100 vote Senate, rather th
The bill was defeated (55-44)
ACU supported this bill

2. Abortion Decision Affirmed. S. 3 (Roll Call 48)
This resolution affirmed that the Supreme Court’s 1973 decision legalizing abortion was correct. ACU believes the original decision in Roe v. Wade was wrongly decided. ACU opposed this resolution. It passed 52-46 on 12 March 2003
The bill was passed (52-46)
ACU opposed this bill

3. “Death Tax” Repeal. S. Con. Res. 23 (Roll Call 62)
This amendment to the Budget Resolution would have accelerated the repeal of the Estate Tax from 2010 to 2009. ACU supported the amendment. It passed 51-48 on 20 March 2003.
The bill was passed (51-48)
ACU supported this bill

4. Tax Cut Reduction. S. Con. Res. 23 (Roll Call 95)
This substitute to the president’s budget would have substantially reduced the Bush tax cuts and shifted spending priorities to more liberal social programs. ACU opposed the substitute. It failed by a vote of 42-57 on 25 March 2003.
The bill was defeated (42-57)
ACU opposed this bill

5. Budget Resolution. S. Con. Res. 23 (Roll Call 134)
The Senate adopted final spending and revenue targets for fiscal year 2004. This budget contained a total of $550 billion in tax cuts over a ten-year period. ACU supported this budget as the best possible under the circumstances. It was adopted 50-50,
The bill was passed (50-50)
ACU supported this bill

6. Marriage Penalty. S. 1054 (Roll Call 155)
This measure was a trade-off between general tax reductions and an accelerated phase-out of the Marriage Penalty. ACU rejected such a trade-off and opposed the amendment. It failed by a vote of 49-51 on 15 May 2003.
The bill was defeated (49-51)
ACU opposed this bill

7. Taxes on Investment. S. 1054 (Roll Call 171)
This amendment would phase out the tax on dividend income. Taxing dividends is a form of double taxation that discourages investment. ACU supported this amendment. It was adopted by a vote of 50-50, with the vice-president casting a tie-breaking vote on
The bill was passed (50-50)
ACU supported this bill

8. Tax Cuts. HR 2 (Roll Call 179)
This bill reduced taxes by $350 billion over 11 years, phasing out dividend taxation and accelerating tax rate reductions already in place. While not strong enough, this bill set up passage of a stronger House-Senate conference report with more tax relie
The bill was passed (51-49)
ACU supported this bill

9. Nuclear Weapons Development. S. 1050 (Roll Call 186)
This amendment would have prohibited research into low-yield nuclear weapons. ACU believes such research is vital to national defense and opposed the amendment. It was defeated 51-43 on 20 May 2003.
The bill was defeated (51-42)
ACU opposed this bill

10. Military Base Closings. HR 1588 (Roll Call 205)
This amendment would have canceled the next round of military base closings. ACU believes our military must be as “lean and mean” as possible, and that closing some bases can contribute to a strong defense. ACU opposed the amendment. It was defeated by a
The bill was defeated (42-53)
ACU opposed this bill

  


11. Prescription Drug Benefit Means Testing. S. 1 (Roll Call 261)
This amendment would have barred a cost-saving means test for new benefits in the Medicare prescription drug bill. ACU supported means testing and opposed this amendment. It failed 38-59 on 26 June 2003.
The bill was defeated (38-59)
ACU opposed this bill

12. Malpractice Reform. S. 11 (Roll Call 264)
This bill would have limited expensive medical malpractice lawsuits that are driving up insurance costs and driving doctors out of practice. ACU supported the bill. Although the vote to cut off debate received a majority 49-48 on 9 July 2003, 60 votes a
The bill was defeated (49-48)
ACU supported this bill

13. Taxpayer Support for Abortion. S. 925 (Roll Call 267)
This amendment would have repealed President Reagan’s “Mexico City policy,” under which the U.S. refuses to fund international family planning organizations that promote abortion. ACU opposed the amendment. It was defeated by a vote of 43-53 on 9 July 20
The bill was defeated (43-53)
ACU opposed this bill

14. Higher Mileage Requirements. S. 14 (Roll Call 309)
This amendment would have required automobile manufacturers to increase the mileage of their cars. Higher mileage requirements increase price, and make cars smaller and less safe. ACU opposed the amendment. It failed 32-65 on 29 July 2003.
The bill was defeated (32-65)
ACU opposed this bill

15. Overtime Rules Reform. HR 2660 (Roll Call 334)
This amendment would have stopped the U.S. Department of Labor from issuing new, more flexible rules for overtime pay to reflect changing employee desires and workplace conditions. ACU supported the new rules and opposed this amendment. It was adopted 54
The bill was passed (54-45)
ACU opposed this bill

16. Broadcasting Controls. S. J. Res. 17 (Roll Call 348)
This amendment expressed disapproval for a Federal Communications Commission rule that would have allowed more freedom in broadcast media ownership. There are more media outlets today than ever before and government should not control media ownership. A
The bill was passed (55-40)
ACU opposed this bill

17. Election Law. HR 2989 (Roll Call 409)
This amendment would increase federal control over local and state elections. ACU opposed this trend toward federalizing local elections. The amendment was adopted 63-31 on 23 October 2003
The bill was passed (63-31)
ACU opposed this bill

18. Global Warming. S. 139 (Roll Call 420)
This measure would have forced the United States into compliance with the Kyoto Treaty that was never ratified by the Senate. It would have required massive, expensive reductions in carbon dioxide. Science does not support Kyoto and its impact on the U
The bill was defeated (43-55)
ACU opposed this bill

19. Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit. HR 1 (Roll Call 459)
This so-called Medicare “reform” marked the greatest expansion of a federal program in almost 40 years. The $400 billion measure will add trillions to the un-funded liability of the Medicare program, provides only the illusion of patient choice, and will
The bill was passed (54-44)
ACU opposed this bill