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The Vote Ledger
RB

Robert Carlyle Byrd

Senator from West Virginia
SENATEDEMOCRAT1953–2011ID B001210
Compare
LegislationHEADLINE
78%with Dems
of 9,137 votes
Nominations
77%with Dems
of 117 · confirmations only
All contested
78%with Dems
of 9,254 · both combined
Steepest move
−14 pts
1961 → 1963
still a Democrat

Career arc

Legislation leads. Each point is one Congress: how often they sided with the Democratic majority on contested bills, resolutions and amendments.

100%75%50%25%0%sides with Democrats ↑sides with Republicans ↓1953195919651971197719831989199520012007
2009–10111th Congress
Sat as a Democrat
88.8%with Democrats
legislation only
Votes for this Congress are open below
Steepest move: 1961 → 1963, −14 pts — while still a Democrat.
Sat as a DemocratSat as a RepublicanVotes available below

Votes

DateBillVoteTypeCastSided with
Jun 17, 2010H.R. 4213Of a perfecting nature.LEGISLATIONNAYDEM MAJORITY
Jun 10, 2010S.J.Res. 26A joint resolution disapproving a rule submitted by the Environmental Protection Agency relating to the endangerment finding and the cause or contribute findings for greenhouse gases under section 202(a) of the Clean Air Act.LEGISLATIONNAYDEM MAJORITY
May 27, 2010H.R. 4899Making supplemental appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2010, and for other purposes.LEGISLATIONYEADEM MAJORITY
Full textMaking supplemental appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2010, and for other purposes.Party majoritiesDemocrats Yea · Republicans NayCounts toward scoreYes — the parties split.
Where this lands
YEASided with the Democratic majority
May 27, 2010H.R. 4899To strike section 901, relating to the transfer of amounts to the Filipino Veterans Equity Compensation Fund.LEGISLATIONNAYDEM MAJORITY
May 27, 2010H.R. 4899To allow unobligated balances in the Construction, Major Projects account to be utilized for major medical facility projects of the Department of Veterans Affairs otherwise authorized by law.LEGISLATIONYEADEM MAJORITY
May 27, 2010H.R. 4899To prohibit the imposition of fines and liability under certain final rules of the Environmental Protection Agency.LEGISLATIONYEAREP MAJORITY
May 27, 2010H.R. 4899Making supplemental appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2010, and for other purposes.LEGISLATIONNAYDEM MAJORITY
May 20, 2010S. 3217In the nature of a substitute.LEGISLATIONYEADEM MAJORITY
May 20, 2010S. 3217In the nature of a substitute.LEGISLATIONYEADEM MAJORITY
9 most recent roll calls shown · 243 contested votes scored in the 111th CongressAll votes this Congress →

By policy area

career · legislation
Economics and Public Finance83.1% · 2,136 votes
Armed Forces and National Security77.6% · 646 votes
Government Operations and Politics81.3% · 545 votes
Taxation81.6% · 483 votes
International Affairs74.6% · 331 votes
Energy69.3% · 251 votes
Agriculture and Food84.6% · 221 votes
Health87.2% · 211 votes
Labor and Employment93.1% · 188 votes
Education71.9% · 171 votes
Transportation and Public Works87.1% · 170 votes
Foreign Trade and International Finance86.4% · 169 votes
Finance and Financial Sector79.8% · 168 votes
Crime and Law Enforcement60.9% · 156 votes
Congress81.3% · 150 votes
Immigration50.4% · 141 votes
Law77.2% · 114 votes
Public Lands and Natural Resources81.3% · 112 votes
Social Welfare78.2% · 110 votes
Environmental Protection74.4% · 82 votes
Commerce78.2% · 78 votes
Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues84.3% · 70 votes
Science, Technology, Communications72.1% · 61 votes
Housing and Community Development90.9% · 44 votes
Emergency Management90.2% · 41 votes
Animals96.8% · 31 votes
Water Resources Development50% · 26 votes
Sports and Recreation66.7% · 24 votes
Depletion allowances52.2% · 23 votes
Income tax65% · 20 votes
Power resources76.5% · 17 votes
Independent regulatory commissions25% · 16 votes
Families69.2% · 13 votes
Congressional-Presidential relations72.7% · 11 votes
Political participation90% · 10 votes
Too few contested votes to score
Commemorations— · 9 votes
Native Americans— · 9 votes
Political representation— · 9 votes
Automobile insurance— · 8 votes
Economic stabilization— · 8 votes
Public works— · 8 votes
Solar heating and cooling— · 8 votes
Amnesties— · 7 votes
Age and employment— · 6 votes
Intergovernmental relations— · 6 votes
Black lung— · 5 votes
Constitutional amendments— · 5 votes
Day care— · 5 votes
Embargo— · 5 votes
Industrial relations— · 5 votes
Mortgages— · 5 votes
Petroleum industry— · 5 votes
Credit— · 4 votes
Territories (U.S.)— · 4 votes
Heating— · 3 votes
International monetary system— · 3 votes
Mines and mineral resources— · 3 votes
Motor vehicles— · 3 votes
Range management— · 3 votes
District of Columbia— · 2 votes
Government corporations— · 2 votes
Government publications— · 2 votes
Government securities— · 2 votes
Private Legislation— · 2 votes
Congressional oversight— · 1 vote
Conservation of natural resources— · 1 vote
Dairy industry— · 1 vote
Disaster relief— · 1 vote
Federal advisory bodies— · 1 vote
Intergovernmental fiscal relations— · 1 vote
Lobbying— · 1 vote
Monuments and memorials— · 1 vote
Ships and shipping— · 1 vote
Vietnamese Conflict— · 1 vote

They also voted in 38 areas where the parties never split, so there is nothing to score — never on a contested question: Arts, Culture, Religion, Auditing, Awards, medals, prizes, Child abuse, Child welfare, Congressional-executive relations, Disabled, Droughts, Electronic surveillance, Executive reorganization, Explosives, Gambling, Gold, Home repair and improvement, Human experimentation in medicine, Import restrictions, Interest, Investment guaranty insurance, Lakes, Land use, Lead poisoning, Livestock, Medical supplies, Mobile homes, Municipal finance, Nuclear facilities, Nuclear weapons, Postal rates and revenues, Postal service, Reclamation of land, Refugees, Revenue sharing, Right of privacy, Rivers, Salaries, Social Sciences and History, Strategic materials, Terrorism.

Blue is the share of votes siding with the Democratic majority; the tick marks 50%.

Service record

29 Congresses
83rd · 195386th · 1959111th · 2009
Democrat · House · WV83rd–85th
Democrat · Senate · WV86th–111th
Term datesexact
Members · West Virginia
RB

Robert Carlyle Byrd

Senator from West Virginia
SENATED1953–201129 CONGRESSES
Compare
LegislationHEADLINE
78.5%with Democrats
of 9,137 votes · 21.5% with Republicans
Nominations77%of 117 votes
All contested78%of 9,254 · combined
Steepest move−14 pts1961→63, as a Democrat

Career arc

10050019532009
2009–10 · 111th · Democrat88.8%

Legislation leads. Tap a point to read that Congress.

Votes

Democratic majorityYea
Republican majorityNay
Counts toward scoreYes
Open roll call
Latest 6 shown · 243 contested votes scored in the 111th

By policy area

career
Economics and Public Finance83.1% · 2,136
Armed Forces and National Security77.6% · 646
Government Operations and Politics81.3% · 545
Taxation81.6% · 483
International Affairs74.6% · 331
Energy69.3% · 251
Agriculture and Food84.6% · 221
Health87.2% · 211
Labor and Employment93.1% · 188
Education71.9% · 171
Transportation and Public Works87.1% · 170
Foreign Trade and International Finance86.4% · 169
Finance and Financial Sector79.8% · 168
Crime and Law Enforcement60.9% · 156
Congress81.3% · 150
Immigration50.4% · 141
Law77.2% · 114
Public Lands and Natural Resources81.3% · 112
Social Welfare78.2% · 110
Environmental Protection74.4% · 82
Commerce78.2% · 78
Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues84.3% · 70
Science, Technology, Communications72.1% · 61
Housing and Community Development90.9% · 44
Emergency Management90.2% · 41
Animals96.8% · 31
Water Resources Development50% · 26
Sports and Recreation66.7% · 24
Depletion allowances52.2% · 23
Income tax65% · 20
Power resources76.5% · 17
Independent regulatory commissions25% · 16
Families69.2% · 13
Congressional-Presidential relations72.7% · 11
Political participation90% · 10
Commemorations— · 9
Native Americans— · 9
Political representation— · 9
Automobile insurance— · 8
Economic stabilization— · 8
Public works— · 8
Solar heating and cooling— · 8
Amnesties— · 7
Age and employment— · 6
Intergovernmental relations— · 6
Black lung— · 5
Constitutional amendments— · 5
Day care— · 5
Embargo— · 5
Industrial relations— · 5
Mortgages— · 5
Petroleum industry— · 5
Credit— · 4
Territories (U.S.)— · 4
Heating— · 3
International monetary system— · 3
Mines and mineral resources— · 3
Motor vehicles— · 3
Range management— · 3
District of Columbia— · 2
Government corporations— · 2
Government publications— · 2
Government securities— · 2
Private Legislation— · 2
Congressional oversight— · 1
Conservation of natural resources— · 1
Dairy industry— · 1
Disaster relief— · 1
Federal advisory bodies— · 1
Intergovernmental fiscal relations— · 1
Lobbying— · 1
Monuments and memorials— · 1
Ships and shipping— · 1
Vietnamese Conflict— · 1

Also voted in 38 areas where the parties never split — never on a contested question: Arts, Culture, Religion, Auditing, Awards, medals, prizes, Child abuse, Child welfare, Congressional-executive relations, Disabled, Droughts, Electronic surveillance, Executive reorganization, Explosives, Gambling, Gold, Home repair and improvement, Human experimentation in medicine, Import restrictions, Interest, Investment guaranty insurance, Lakes, Land use, Lead poisoning, Livestock, Medical supplies, Mobile homes, Municipal finance, Nuclear facilities, Nuclear weapons, Postal rates and revenues, Postal service, Reclamation of land, Refugees, Revenue sharing, Right of privacy, Rivers, Salaries, Social Sciences and History, Strategic materials, Terrorism.

Service record

83rd · 1953111th · 2009
Democrat83rd–85th
Democrat86th–111th

Party switchers

John Alexander LoganD→R · IL · 40thWesley Wade WatkinsD→R · OK · 105thBen Nighthorse CampbellD→R · CO · 104th
AD320 × 50 · Anchor