To revise the strategy for the Strategic Defense Initiative.

On Jul 31, 1991, the Senate voted 39–60 on “On the Amendment” (S 1507). Result: Amendment Rejected. By party: Democrats 35–21, Republicans 4–39. It was a split vote: the parties took opposite sides, with some members crossing over. 25 members voted against their own party.

During the 102nd Congress (1991–1992), George H. W. Bush was president, and Democrats held majorities in both the House and Senate.

Result: Amendment Rejected
Yes: 39
No: 60
Did not vote: 3
Date: Jul 31, 1991

By party

Republicans4 yes · 39 no · 1 didn’t vote
Democrats35 yes · 21 no · 2 didn’t vote

Who broke with their party

Howell Thomas Heflin D-AL voted no
Richard C. Shelby D-AL voted no
Timothy E. Wirth D-CO voted no
Christopher John Dodd D-CT voted no
Joseph I. Lieberman D-CT voted no
Samuel Augustus Nunn D-GA voted no
Daniel Ken Inouye D-HI voted no
Alan John Dixon D-IL voted no
Nancy Landon Kassebaum R-KS voted yes
Wendell Hampton Ford D-KY voted no
John Berlinger Breaux D-LA voted no
Max Sieben Baucus D-MT voted no
Kent Conrad D-ND voted no
Quentin Northrup Burdick D-ND voted no
J. James Exon D-NE voted no
Jesse Francis (Jeff) Bingaman Jr. D-NM voted no
David Lyle Boren D-OK voted no
Mark Odom Hatfield R-OR voted yes
John Hubbard Chafee R-RI voted yes
Ernest Frederick (Fritz) Hollings D-SC voted no
Lloyd Millard Bentsen Jr. D-TX voted no
Charles Spittal Robb D-VA voted no
James Merrill Jeffords R-VT voted yes
Herbert H. Kohl D-WI voted no
Robert Carlyle Byrd D-WV voted no

How each senator voted: Yes

How each senator voted: No

Did not vote

Other votes

From Voteview roll call records.

Cite or embed this page

Capitol Receipts, “To revise the strategy for the Strategic…: Senate Vote, Jul 31, 1991,” https://www.capitolreceipts.com/vote/102-S-168/to-revise-the-strategy-for-the-strategic-defense-initiative (accessed 2026-10-17).