To prohibit precatory language on budget resoluitons.

On Apr 2, 1998, the Senate voted 59–39 on “On the Motion” (SCONRES 86). Result: Motion Rejected. By party: Republicans 54–0, Democrats 5–39. It was a split vote: the parties took opposite sides, with some members crossing over. 5 members voted against their own party.

During the 105th Congress (1997–1998), Bill Clinton was president, and Republicans held majorities in both the House and Senate.

Result: Motion Rejected
Yes: 59
No: 39
Did not vote: 2
Date: Apr 2, 1998

By party

Republicans54 yes · 0 no · 1 didn’t vote
Democrats5 yes · 39 no · 1 didn’t vote

Who broke with their party

Joseph I. Lieberman D-CT voted yes
Joseph Maxwell (Max) Cleland D-GA voted yes
John Berlinger Breaux D-LA voted yes
Charles Spittal Robb D-VA voted yes
Robert Carlyle Byrd D-WV voted yes

How each senator voted: Yes

Frank Hughes Murkowski R-AK
Theodore Fulton (Ted) Stevens R-AK
Jefferson Beauregard (Jeff) Sessions III R-AL
Richard C. Shelby R-AL
Timothy Hutchinson R-AR
John Sidney Mccain III R-AZ
Jon Llewellyn Kyl R-AZ
A. Wayne Allard R-CO
Ben Nighthorse Campbell R-CO
Joseph I. Lieberman D-CT
William Victor Roth Jr. R-DE
Connie Mack III R-FL
Joseph Maxwell (Max) Cleland D-GA
Paul Coverdell R-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
Charles Patrick (Pat) Roberts R-KS
Sam Dale Brownback R-KS
Addison Mitchell (Mitch) Mcconnell R-KY
John Berlinger Breaux D-LA
Olympia Jean Snowe R-ME
Susan Margaret Collins R-ME
Spencer Abraham R-MI
Rod Grams R-MN
Christopher Samuel (Kit) Bond R-MO
John David Ashcroft R-MO
Chester Trent Lott R-MS
William Thad Cochran R-MS
Conrad Burns R-MT
Duncan McLauchlin (Lauch) Faircloth R-NC
Charles Timothy (Chuck) Hagel R-NE
Judd Alan Gregg R-NH
Robert C. Smith R-NH
Pete Vichi Domenici R-NM
Alfonse Marcello D'Amato R-NY
Michael Dewine R-OH
Donald Lee Nickles R-OK
James Mountain Inhofe R-OK
Gordon Harold Smith R-OR
Arlen Specter R-PA
Richard John (Rick) Santorum R-PA
John Hubbard Chafee R-RI
James Strom Thurmond R-SC
Fred Dalton Thompson R-TN
William H. Frist R-TN
Kathryn Ann Bailey (Kay) Hutchison R-TX
William Philip (Phil) Gramm R-TX
Orrin Grant Hatch R-UT
Robert Foster (Bob) Bennett R-UT
Charles Spittal Robb D-VA
John William Warner R-VA
James Merrill Jeffords R-VT
Thomas Slade Gorton III (Slade) R-WA
Robert Carlyle Byrd D-WV
Craig Lyle Thomas R-WY
Michael B. Enzi R-WY

How each senator voted: No

Did not vote

Daniel Ken Inouye D-HI
Jesse Helms R-NC

Other votes

From Voteview roll call records.

Cite or embed this page

Capitol Receipts, “To prohibit precatory language on budget…: Senate Vote, Apr 2, 1998,” https://www.capitolreceipts.com/vote/105-S-378/to-prohibit-precatory-language-on-budget-resoluitons (accessed 2026-10-17).