To restore to rule 11 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure the restrictions on frivolous legal actions that existed prior to 1994.

On Apr 26, 1995, the Senate voted 56–37 on “On the Amendment” (HR 956). Result: Amendment Agreed to. By party: Republicans 46–6, Democrats 10–31. It was a split vote: the parties took opposite sides, with some members crossing over. 16 members voted against their own party.

During the 104th Congress (1995–1996), Bill Clinton was president, and Republicans held majorities in both the House and Senate.

Result: Amendment Agreed to
Yes: 56
No: 37
Did not vote: 10
Date: Apr 26, 1995

By party

Republicans46 yes · 6 no · 3 didn’t vote
Democrats10 yes · 31 no · 7 didn’t vote

Who broke with their party

Richard C. Shelby R-AL voted no
Ben Nighthorse Campbell R-CO voted no
Samuel Augustus Nunn D-GA voted yes
John Bennett Johnston Jr. D-LA voted yes
John Forbes Kerry D-MA voted yes
William Thad Cochran R-MS voted no
Max Sieben Baucus D-MT voted yes
Byron Leslie Dorgan D-ND voted yes
Kent Conrad D-ND voted yes
Harry Reid D-NV voted yes
Richard H Bryan D-NV voted yes
Orrin Grant Hatch R-UT voted no
Charles Spittal Robb D-VA voted yes
James Merrill Jeffords R-VT voted no
Thomas Slade Gorton III (Slade) R-WA voted no
Herbert H. Kohl D-WI voted yes

How each senator voted: Yes

Frank Hughes Murkowski R-AK
Theodore Fulton (Ted) Stevens R-AK
John Sidney Mccain III R-AZ
Jon Llewellyn Kyl R-AZ
George Hanks (Hank) Brown R-CO
William Victor Roth Jr. R-DE
Connie Mack III R-FL
Paul Coverdell R-GA
Samuel Augustus Nunn D-GA
Charles Ernest Grassley R-IA
Dirk Kempthorne R-ID
Larry Edwin Craig R-ID
Daniel Ray Coats R-IN
Richard Green Lugar R-IN
Nancy Landon Kassebaum R-KS
Robert Joseph (Bob) Dole R-KS
Addison Mitchell (Mitch) Mcconnell R-KY
John Bennett Johnston Jr. D-LA
John Forbes Kerry D-MA
Olympia Jean Snowe R-ME
William Sebastian Cohen R-ME
Spencer Abraham R-MI
Rod Grams R-MN
John David Ashcroft R-MO
Chester Trent Lott R-MS
Conrad Burns R-MT
Max Sieben Baucus D-MT
Duncan McLauchlin (Lauch) Faircloth R-NC
Jesse Helms R-NC
Byron Leslie Dorgan D-ND
Kent Conrad D-ND
Judd Alan Gregg R-NH
Robert C. Smith R-NH
Pete Vichi Domenici R-NM
Harry Reid D-NV
Richard H Bryan D-NV
Alfonse Marcello D'Amato R-NY
Michael Dewine R-OH
Donald Lee Nickles R-OK
James Mountain Inhofe R-OK
Robert William Packwood R-OR
Arlen Specter R-PA
Richard John (Rick) Santorum R-PA
John Hubbard Chafee R-RI
James Strom Thurmond R-SC
Larry Lee Pressler R-SD
Fred Dalton Thompson R-TN
William H. Frist R-TN
Kathryn Ann Bailey (Kay) Hutchison R-TX
William Philip (Phil) Gramm R-TX
Robert Foster (Bob) Bennett R-UT
Charles Spittal Robb D-VA
John William Warner R-VA
Herbert H. Kohl D-WI
Alan Kooi Simpson R-WY
Craig Lyle Thomas R-WY

How each senator voted: No

Did not vote

Other votes

From Voteview roll call records.

Cite or embed this page

Capitol Receipts, “To restore to rule 11 of the Federal Rules…: Senate Vote, Apr 26, 1995,” https://www.capitolreceipts.com/vote/104-S-136/to-restore-to-rule-11-of-the-federal-rules (accessed 2026-10-17).