Few differences on 17 significant votes since Frist joined the Senate

A review of 17 significant votes since Sen. Bill Frist joined the Senate in 1995 demonstrates that the possible replacements for Sen. Trent Lott have very similar voting records on a range of issues, including civil rights, affirmative action, hate crimes legislation, reproductive choice, private school vouchers, economic opportunity, and judicial nominations.

“It was important for Trent Lott to step down as Majority Leader,” said People For the American Way President Ralph G. Neas. “But the voting records of Lott and his potential replacements make it unlikely that his departure will have a positive impact on policies affecting Americans’ rights and freedoms. Senate Republicans need more than a change in leadership. They need to reconsider the gulf between their leaders’ words and deeds on civil rights and equal opportunity.”

Comparison of GOP Senate Leader Contenders with Sen. Trent Lott On Selected Civil Rights and Social Justice Votes
1994-2002

Confirmation of Dennis Shedd to U.S. Circuit Court, 2002
Senate, 107th Congress, 2nd Session, November 18, 2002, Roll Call Vote #250
Lott— Yes
Frist— Yes
McConnell— Yes
Nickles— Yes
Santorum—Yes

Confirmation of D. Brooks Smith to U.S. Circuit Court, 2002
Senate, 107th Congress, 2nd Session, July 31, 2002, Roll Call Vote #202
Lott— Yes
Frist— Yes
McConnell— Yes
Nickles— Yes
Santorum—Yes

Cloture Motion on the Local Law Enforcement Enhancement Act (S. 625), 2002 (Hate Crimes)
Senate, 107th Congress, 2nd Session, June 11, 2002, Roll Call Vote #147
Lott— No
Frist— No
McConnell— No
Nickles— No
Santorum— No

Confirmation of John Ashcroft to Attorney General, 2001
Senate, 107th Congress, 1st Session, February 1, 2001, Roll Call Vote #8
Lott— Yes
Frist— Yes
McConnell— Yes
Nickles— Yes
Santorum— Yes

Confirmation of Judge Ronnie L. White of Missouri to U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri
Senate, 106th Congress, 1st Session, October 5, 1999, Roll Call Vote #307
Lott— No
Frist— No
McConnell— No
Nickles— No
Santorum— No

National Defense Authorization, S. 2514
Senate, 107th Congress, 2nd Session, June 21, 2002, Roll Call Vote #160
Murray-Snowe Amendment to repeal restrictions on access to abortions for women in the military overseas.
Lott— No
Frist— No
McConnell— No
Nickles— No
Santorum— NV

Election Reform, S. 565 –Photo Identification for First-Time Voters
Senate, 107th Congress, 2nd Session, February 27, 2002, Roll Call Vote #38
Bond Motion to Table Schumer Amendment to change ID requirement
Lott— Yes
Frist— Yes
McConnell— Yes
Nickles— Yes
Santorum—Yes

Election Reform, S. 565 — S. Amdt 2887 to allow “election officials” to purge people from voter lists
Senate, 107th Congress, 2nd Session, February 14, 2002, Roll Call Vote #34
Lott— Yes
Frist— Yes
McConnell— Yes
Nickles— Yes
Santorum— Yes

ESEA Reauthorization – The Better Education for Students and Teachers, S.1
Senate, 107th, 1st Session, June 1, 2001, Roll Call Vote #179
Gregg Amendment – S. Amdt 536 for School Voucher Pilot Program.
Lott— Yes
Frist— Yes
McConnell— Yes
Nickles— Yes
Santorum— Yes

ESEA Reauthorization – The Better Education for Students and Teachers Act, S.1
Senate, 107th Congress, 1st Session, May 10, 2001, Roll Call Vote #100
Lincoln Amendment – S. Amdt 451 for Bilingual Education Funding.
Lott— No
Frist— No
McConnell— No
Nickles— No
Santorum— No

Hate Crimes Expansion Act, 2000
S. Amendment 3473, Senate, 106th Congress, 2nd Session, June 20, 2000, Roll Call Vote #136
Lott— No
Frist— No
McConnell— No
Nickles— No
Santorum— No

Partial-Birth Abortion Ban, S. 1692
S. Amendment 2321, Senate, 106th Congress, 1st Session, October 21, 1999, Roll Call Vote #337
Harkin Amendment to express the sense of Congress in support of the Supreme Court’s decision in Roe v. Wade.
Lott— No
Frist— No
McConnell— No
Nickles— No
Santorum— No

Minimum Wage Increase for Working Families, S. 625
Senate, 106th Congress, 1st Session, November 9, 1999, Roll Call Vote #356
Lott Motion to table the Kennedy amendment (S. Amdt. 2547) that would increase the minimum wage from $5.15 an hour to $6.15 an hour. A procedural motion was made to reject the amendment.
Lott— Yes
Frist— Yes
McConnell— Yes
Nickles— Yes
Santorum— Yes

Vote to kill an amendment to repeal Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Program, 1998 (Affirmative Action)
Senate, 105th Congress, 2nd Session, Motion to Table S. Amendment 1708 to S. 1173, March 6, 1998, Roll Call Vote #23
The DBE requires that no less than 10% of highway construction projects funded by the government to be contracted to businesses owned my racial minorities and/or women.
Lott— No
Frist— No
McConnell— No
Nickles— No
Santorum— No

Voucher Amendment to District of Columbia Appropriations, 1998
Senate, 105th Congress, 1st Session, September 30, 1997, Roll Call Vote #260
Motion to invoke cloture (limit debate) on the Coats amendment that would create a federally sponsored voucher program in the District of Columbia. The Coats amendment contained language that would erode anti-discrimination laws (Title VI, Title IX, Section 504, and the Age Discrimination Act).
Lott— Yes
Frist— Yes
McConnell— Yes
Nickles— Yes
Santorum— Yes

Employment Nondiscrimination Act of 1996 (S. 2056)
Senate, 104th Congress, 2nd Session, September 10, 1996, Roll Call Vote #281
Lott— No
Frist— No
McConnell— No
Nickles— No
Santorum— No

Amendment (S. Amdt. 1825) to S. 1854 to ban affirmative action hiring with legislative branch funds, 1995
Senate, 104th Congress, 1st Session, July 20, 1995, Roll Call Vote #317
Lott— Yes
Frist— Yes
McConnell— Yes
Nickles— Yes
Santorum— No

**Non-Discrimination Policy
Senators were asked to voluntarily adopt a written policy for their congressional offices indicating that sexual orientation is not a factor in their employment decisions. A total of 66 Senators have adopted a non-discrimination policy.
Lott— No
Frist— No
McConnell— No
Nickles— No
Santorum— Yes