Senate Approves Bill to Restrict Free Speech About Politicians

Shown below is the roll call vote by which the U.S. Senate gave final approval to the Shays-Meehan (McCain-Feingold) "campaign finance reform" bill (H.R. 2356) on March 20, 60-40 (official Senate roll call no. 54).

The bill was supported by 48 Democrats, one independent, and 11 Republicans. It was opposed by two Democrats and 38 Republicans.

The House of Representatives earlier (on February 14) passed the bill by a vote of 240-189 (see March NRL News, page 24).

NRLC strongly opposed the legislation, because it would place sweeping restrictions on the right of citizen groups (such as NRLC and NRLC affiliates) to communicate with the public regarding the positions and votes of federal politicians on pro- life issues, and regarding upcoming votes in Congress.

The bill was also opposed by many other groups, including the Christian Coalition, Concerned Women for America, the National Rifle Association, the ACLU, and most major business groups. Senator Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) led opposition to the bill in the Senate.

President Bush signed the bill into law on March 27. Legal challenges to the bill have already been filed in federal court by NRLC and many other groups. (See story, page 1.)

Unless struck down in court, the restrictions in the bill would take effect after the November 5, 2002, general election, and would govern all future elections for members of Congress.

For additional information about the provisions of the Shays- Meehan/ McCain-Feingold law that would adversely affect NRLC and other pro-life groups, see NRLC's letters to House members and other materials posted on the NRLC website under "Campaign Reform and Free Speech," at www.nrlc.org/Federal/Free_Speech/index.html.

KEY

X Vote in favor of free speech about politicians, i.e., against H.R. 2356

O Vote against free speech about politicians, i.e., for H.R. 2356

Alabama
Shelby (R) X
Sessions, J. (R) X

Alaska
Stevens (R) X
Murkowski (R) X

Arizona
McCain (R) O
Kyl (R) X

Arkansas
Hutchinson, T. (R) X
Lincoln (D) O

California
Feinstein (D) O
Boxer (D) O

Colorado
Campbell, B. (R) X
Allard (R) X

Connecticut
Dodd (D) O
Lieberman (D) O

Delaware
Biden (D) O
Carper (D) O
Florida
Graham, B. (D) O
Nelson, Bill (D) O

Georgia
Cleland (D) O
Miller (D) O

Hawaii
Inouye (D) O
Akaka (D) O

Idaho
Craig (R) X
Crapo (R) X

Illinois
Durbin (D) O
Fitzgerald (R) O

Indiana
Lugar (R) O
Bayh (D) O

Iowa
Grassley (R) X
Harkin (D) O

Kansas
Brownback (R) X
Roberts (R) X
Kentucky
McConnell (R) X
Bunning (R) X

Louisiana
Breaux (D) X
Landrieu (D) O

Maine
Snowe (R) O
Collins, S. (R) O

Maryland
Sarbanes (D) O
Mikulski (D) O

Massachusetts
Kennedy, E. (D) O
Kerry, J. (D) O

Michigan
Levin, C. (D) O
Stabenow (D) O

Minnesota
Wellstone (D) O
Dayton (D) O

Mississippi
Cochran (R) O
Lott (R) X

Missouri
Bond (R) X
Carnahan (D) O

Montana
Baucus, M. (D) O
Burns (R) X

Nebraska
Hagel (R) X
Nelson, Ben (D) X

Nevada
Reid, H. (D) O
Ensign (R) X

New Hampshire
Smith, R.C. (R) X
Gregg (R) X

New Jersey
Torricelli (D) O
Corzine (D) O

New Mexico
Domenici (R) O
Bingaman (D) O

New York
Schumer (D) O
Clinton (D) O

North Carolina
Helms (R) X
Edwards, J. (D) O
North Dakota
Conrad (D) O
Dorgan (D) O

Ohio
DeWine (R) X
Voinovich (R) X

Oklahoma
Nickles (R) X
Inhofe (R) X

Oregon
Wyden (D) O
Smith, G. (R) X

Pennsylvania
Specter (R) O
Santorum (R) X

Rhode Island
Reed, J. (D) O
Chafee, Lincoln (R) O

South Carolina
Thurmond, S. (R) X
Hollings (D) O

South Dakota
Daschle (D) O
Johnson, T. (D) O

Tennessee
Thompson, F. (R) O
Frist (R) X

Texas
Gramm, P. (R) X
Hutchison, K. (R) X

Utah
Hatch (R) X
Bennett (R) X

Vermont
Leahy (D) O
Jeffords (I) O

Virginia
Warner (R) O
Allen (R) X

Washington
Murray (D) O
Cantwell (D) O

West Virginia
Byrd (D) O
Rockefeller (D) O

Wisconsin
Kohl (D) O
Feingold (D) O

Wyoming
Thomas, C. (R) X
Enzi (R) X