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S. 386 (111th): FERA

On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Agree to S Adt to House Adts in the House

Date:

May 18, 2009

Number:

House Vote #268
111th Congress

Result:

Passed

Source:

house.gov

Track Votes

This was a vote to pass S. 386 (111th). It was taken under a procedure called “suspension of the rules” which is typically used to pass non-controversial bills. Votes under suspension require a 2/3rds majority. A failed vote under suspension can be taken again.

Totals     Democrat     Republican
  Yea 338
 
 
78%
223 115
  Nay 52
 
 
12%
0 52
Not Voting 43
 
 
10%
31 12
Required: 2/3

Vote Details

Notes: The Speaker’s Vote?
The Speaker of the House is not required to vote in “ordinary legislative proceedings, except when such vote would be decisive.” In practice, this means the Speaker of the House rarely votes and only does so when it is politically useful. When the Speaker declines to vote, he or she is simply omitted from the roll call by the House Clerk. (See House Rules, Rule I(7).)
“Aye” or “Yea”?

“Aye” and “Yea” mean the same thing, and so do “No” and “Nay”. Congress uses different words in different sorts of votes.

The U.S. Constitution says that bills should be decided on by the “yeas and nays” (Article I, Section 7). Congress takes this literally and uses “yea” and “nay” when voting on the final passage of bills.

All Senate votes use these words. But the House of Representatives uses “Aye” and “No” in other sorts of votes.