On the Cloture Motion S.Amdt. 1247 to H.R. 1256 (Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act)

Number:
Senate Vote #204 [primary source: senate.gov]
Date:
Jun 08, 2009 (111th Congress)
Result:
Cloture Motion Agreed to
Related Bill:
H.R. 1256 (111th): Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act
Introduced by Rep. Henry Waxman [D-CA33] on March 3, 2009
Current Status: Signed by the President

This was a vote on “cloture”, which means to end debate so that an up-or-down vote can be taken. A vote in favor is a vote to end debate and move to a vote on the issue itself, while a vote against is a vote to prolong debate or to filibuster.

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Totals     Democrat     Republican     Independent
  Yea 61
 
 
 
62%
52 7 2
  Nay 30
 
 
 
30%
1 29 0
Not Voting 8
 
 
 
8%
4 4 0
Required: 3/5

Vote Details

Notes

What’s the difference between aye and yea?

There is no meaningful difference between aye and yea (and nay and no), but the terms are used in different sorts of votes based on Congress’s long tradition of parliamentary procedure. The House and Senate follow the U.S. Constitution strictly when it says that bills should be decided on by the “yeas and nays” (Article I, Section 7). The House sometimes operates under a special set of rules called the “Committee of the Whole on the State of the Union” (or “Committee of the Whole” for short), which is a sort of pseudo-committee that is made up of every congressman. During this mode of operation, the House uses the terms “aye” and “no” instead. (See the Rules of the House, Rule XX, and House Practice in the section Voting.)