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The Vote Ledger
WC

William Sebastian Cohen

Senator from Maine
SENATEREPUBLICAN1973–1997ID C000598
Compare
LegislationHEADLINE
41%with Dems
of 4,795 votes
Nominations
39%with Dems
of 31 · confirmations only
All contested
41%with Dems
of 4,826 · both combined
Steepest move
+14 pts
1981 → 1983
still a Republican

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 ↓1973197919851991
1995–96104th Congress
Sat as a Republican
35.3%with Democrats
legislation only
Votes for this Congress are open below
Steepest move: 1981 → 1983, +14 pts — within one party label.
Sat as a DemocratSat as a RepublicanVotes available below

Votes

DateBillVoteTypeCastSided with
Oct 3, 1996H.R. 3539A bill to amend title 49, United States Code, to reauthorize programs of the Federal Aviation Administration, and for other purposes.LEGISLATIONYEABOTH · NOT SCORED
Oct 3, 1996H.R. 3539A bill to amend title 49, United States Code, to reauthorize programs of the Federal Aviation Administration, and for other purposes.LEGISLATIONNAYREP MAJORITY
Oct 3, 1996H.R. 3539A bill to amend title 49, United States Code, to reauthorize programs of the Federal Aviation Administration, and for other purposes.LEGISLATIONYEAREP MAJORITY
Full textA bill to amend title 49, United States Code, to reauthorize programs of the Federal Aviation Administration, and for other purposes.Party majoritiesDemocrats Nay · Republicans YeaCounts toward scoreYes — the parties split.
Where this lands
YEASided with the Republican majority
Sep 30, 1996H.R. 3539A bill to amend title 49, United States Code, to reauthorize programs of the Federal Aviation Administration, and for other purposes.LEGISLATIONYEABOTH · NOT SCORED
Sep 30, 1996H.R. 4278A bill making omnibus consolidated appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1997, and for other purposes.LEGISLATIONYEABOTH · NOT SCORED
Sep 24, 1996H.R. 1350A bill to amend the Merchant Marine Act, 1936 to revitalize the United States-flag merchant marine, and for other purposes.LEGISLATIONYEABOTH · NOT SCORED
Sep 24, 1996H.R. 1350To prohibit the use of funds received as a payment or subsidy for lobbying or public education and to prohibit the use of certain funds received as a payment or subsidy for making political contributions for the purpose of influencing an election.LEGISLATIONYEADEM MAJORITY
Sep 24, 1996H.R. 1350To clarify the term fair and reasonable compensation and for other purposes.LEGISLATIONYEADEM MAJORITY
Sep 24, 1996H.R. 1350To provide for payment by the Secretary of Transportation of certain ocean freight charges for Federal food or export assistance.LEGISLATIONYEABOTH · NOT SCORED
9 most recent roll calls shown · 599 contested votes scored in the 104th CongressAll votes this Congress →

By policy area

career · legislation
Economics and Public Finance40.6% · 1,356 votes
Armed Forces and National Security31.1% · 412 votes
Government Operations and Politics29.7% · 411 votes
International Affairs41% · 288 votes
Congress29.4% · 201 votes
Energy59.3% · 177 votes
Labor and Employment45.9% · 172 votes
Agriculture and Food38.3% · 162 votes
Transportation and Public Works29.1% · 141 votes
Taxation36.8% · 133 votes
Foreign Trade and International Finance54.4% · 114 votes
Crime and Law Enforcement36.3% · 102 votes
Education42.6% · 94 votes
Social Welfare36.6% · 93 votes
Public Lands and Natural Resources62.7% · 83 votes
Finance and Financial Sector50% · 72 votes
Environmental Protection50.7% · 71 votes
Commerce63.8% · 69 votes
Immigration28.4% · 67 votes
Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues47.5% · 61 votes
Health68.8% · 48 votes
Law76.9% · 39 votes
Housing and Community Development48.4% · 31 votes
Science, Technology, Communications17.4% · 23 votes
Sports and Recreation66.7% · 21 votes
Water Resources Development61.1% · 18 votes
Industrial relations35.7% · 14 votes
Mines and mineral resources71.4% · 14 votes
District of Columbia92.3% · 13 votes
Families18.2% · 11 votes
Too few contested votes to score
Congressional-Presidential relations— · 9 votes
Independent regulatory commissions— · 9 votes
Lobbying— · 9 votes
Vietnamese Conflict— · 9 votes
Depletion allowances— · 7 votes
Electronic surveillance— · 7 votes
Arts, Culture, Religion— · 6 votes
Black lung— · 6 votes
Mortgages— · 6 votes
Native Americans— · 6 votes
Public works— · 6 votes
Commemorations— · 4 votes
Congressional-executive relations— · 4 votes
Constitutional amendments— · 4 votes
Government securities— · 4 votes
Income tax— · 4 votes
Municipal finance— · 4 votes
Political participation— · 4 votes
Private Legislation— · 4 votes
Coins and coinage— · 3 votes
Credit— · 3 votes
Embargo— · 3 votes
Home repair and improvement— · 3 votes
International economic relations— · 3 votes
Postal rates and revenues— · 3 votes
Revenue sharing— · 3 votes
Animals— · 2 votes
Conferences— · 2 votes
Contested elections— · 2 votes
Cultural centers— · 2 votes
Executive reorganization— · 2 votes
Indian claims— · 2 votes
Life insurance— · 2 votes
Monuments and memorials— · 2 votes
Petroleum industry— · 2 votes
Power resources— · 2 votes
Printing— · 2 votes
Real property— · 2 votes
Territories (U.S.)— · 2 votes
Youth— · 2 votes
Aquaculture— · 1 vote
Barber and beauty shops— · 1 vote
Chemicals— · 1 vote
Congressional oversight— · 1 vote
Day care— · 1 vote
Disabled— · 1 vote
Domestic relations— · 1 vote
Droughts— · 1 vote
Emergency Management— · 1 vote
Government corporations— · 1 vote
Heating— · 1 vote
Impeachments— · 1 vote
Intergovernmental relations— · 1 vote
Lakes— · 1 vote
Livestock— · 1 vote
Motor vehicles— · 1 vote
Museums— · 1 vote
Noise— · 1 vote
Political representation— · 1 vote
Postal service— · 1 vote
Reclamation of land— · 1 vote
Refugees— · 1 vote
Rehabilitation— · 1 vote
Right to counsel— · 1 vote
Rivers— · 1 vote

They also voted in 73 areas where the parties never split, so there is nothing to score — never on a contested question: Age and employment, Agriculture in foreign trade, American Revolution Bicentennial, Auditing, Aviation insurance, Awards, medals, prizes, Broadcasting, Cemeteries and funerals, Checks, Child abuse, Child welfare, Citizenship, Clergy, Climate, Clothing industry, Commodity control, Conservation of natural resources, Contempt of legislative bodies, Corporations, Customs administration, Dairy industry, Disaster relief, Earthquakes, Economic stabilization, Emigration, Federal advisory bodies, Federal-state relations, Financial disclosure, Fire fighters, Fishes, Gambling, Gold, Government life insurance, Government property, Government publications, Human rights, Import restrictions, Insect control, Interest, Intergovernmental fiscal relations, International agencies, Leases, Libraries, Lotteries, Marine mammal protection, Marine resources conservation, Minorities, Municipal budgets, Municipal home rule, Municipal politics and government, Narcotics, National emblems, Nuclear facilities, Nuclear weapons, Photovoltaic power systems, Political prisoners, Prices, Public records, Real estate business, Recall of officials, Recreation areas, Referendum, Right of privacy, Rural conditions, Salaries, Social Sciences and History, Solar energy, Strategic materials, Terrorism, Tobacco, Volunteer workers, Water conservation, Witnesses.

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

Service record

12 Congresses
93rd · 197396th · 1979104th · 1995
Republican · House · ME93rd–95th
Republican · Senate · ME96th–104th
Term datesexact
Members · Maine
WC

William Sebastian Cohen

Senator from Maine
SENATER1973–199712 CONGRESSES
Compare
LegislationHEADLINE
41%with Democrats
of 4,795 votes · 59% with Republicans
Nominations39%of 31 votes
All contested41%of 4,826 · combined
Steepest move+14 pts1981→83, as a Republican

Career arc

10050019731995
1995–96 · 104th · Republican35.3%

Legislation leads. Tap a point to read that Congress.

Votes

Democratic majorityNay
Republican majorityYea
Counts toward scoreYes
Open roll call
Latest 6 shown · 599 contested votes scored in the 104th

By policy area

career
Economics and Public Finance40.6% · 1,356
Armed Forces and National Security31.1% · 412
Government Operations and Politics29.7% · 411
International Affairs41% · 288
Congress29.4% · 201
Energy59.3% · 177
Labor and Employment45.9% · 172
Agriculture and Food38.3% · 162
Transportation and Public Works29.1% · 141
Taxation36.8% · 133
Foreign Trade and International Finance54.4% · 114
Crime and Law Enforcement36.3% · 102
Education42.6% · 94
Social Welfare36.6% · 93
Public Lands and Natural Resources62.7% · 83
Finance and Financial Sector50% · 72
Environmental Protection50.7% · 71
Commerce63.8% · 69
Immigration28.4% · 67
Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues47.5% · 61
Health68.8% · 48
Law76.9% · 39
Housing and Community Development48.4% · 31
Science, Technology, Communications17.4% · 23
Sports and Recreation66.7% · 21
Water Resources Development61.1% · 18
Industrial relations35.7% · 14
Mines and mineral resources71.4% · 14
District of Columbia92.3% · 13
Families18.2% · 11
Congressional-Presidential relations— · 9
Independent regulatory commissions— · 9
Lobbying— · 9
Vietnamese Conflict— · 9
Depletion allowances— · 7
Electronic surveillance— · 7
Arts, Culture, Religion— · 6
Black lung— · 6
Mortgages— · 6
Native Americans— · 6
Public works— · 6
Commemorations— · 4
Congressional-executive relations— · 4
Constitutional amendments— · 4
Government securities— · 4
Income tax— · 4
Municipal finance— · 4
Political participation— · 4
Private Legislation— · 4
Coins and coinage— · 3
Credit— · 3
Embargo— · 3
Home repair and improvement— · 3
International economic relations— · 3
Postal rates and revenues— · 3
Revenue sharing— · 3
Animals— · 2
Conferences— · 2
Contested elections— · 2
Cultural centers— · 2
Executive reorganization— · 2
Indian claims— · 2
Life insurance— · 2
Monuments and memorials— · 2
Petroleum industry— · 2
Power resources— · 2
Printing— · 2
Real property— · 2
Territories (U.S.)— · 2
Youth— · 2
Aquaculture— · 1
Barber and beauty shops— · 1
Chemicals— · 1
Congressional oversight— · 1
Day care— · 1
Disabled— · 1
Domestic relations— · 1
Droughts— · 1
Emergency Management— · 1
Government corporations— · 1
Heating— · 1
Impeachments— · 1
Intergovernmental relations— · 1
Lakes— · 1
Livestock— · 1
Motor vehicles— · 1
Museums— · 1
Noise— · 1
Political representation— · 1
Postal service— · 1
Reclamation of land— · 1
Refugees— · 1
Rehabilitation— · 1
Right to counsel— · 1
Rivers— · 1

Also voted in 73 areas where the parties never split — never on a contested question: Age and employment, Agriculture in foreign trade, American Revolution Bicentennial, Auditing, Aviation insurance, Awards, medals, prizes, Broadcasting, Cemeteries and funerals, Checks, Child abuse, Child welfare, Citizenship, Clergy, Climate, Clothing industry, Commodity control, Conservation of natural resources, Contempt of legislative bodies, Corporations, Customs administration, Dairy industry, Disaster relief, Earthquakes, Economic stabilization, Emigration, Federal advisory bodies, Federal-state relations, Financial disclosure, Fire fighters, Fishes, Gambling, Gold, Government life insurance, Government property, Government publications, Human rights, Import restrictions, Insect control, Interest, Intergovernmental fiscal relations, International agencies, Leases, Libraries, Lotteries, Marine mammal protection, Marine resources conservation, Minorities, Municipal budgets, Municipal home rule, Municipal politics and government, Narcotics, National emblems, Nuclear facilities, Nuclear weapons, Photovoltaic power systems, Political prisoners, Prices, Public records, Real estate business, Recall of officials, Recreation areas, Referendum, Right of privacy, Rural conditions, Salaries, Social Sciences and History, Solar energy, Strategic materials, Terrorism, Tobacco, Volunteer workers, Water conservation, Witnesses.

Service record

93rd · 1973104th · 1995
Republican93rd–95th
Republican96th–104th

Party switchers

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