To close further debate on S. 1765, a bill creating a constitutional procedure for the imposition of the death penalty for the most serious federal crimes. (mo

On Feb 9, 1984, the Senate voted 65–26 (S 1765). Result: passed. By party: Republicans 43–8, Democrats 22–18. It was a bipartisan vote: majorities of both parties voted yes. 26 members voted against their own party.

During the 98th Congress (1983–1984), Ronald Reagan was president, and Democrats held the House majority and Republicans the Senate majority.

Yes: 65
No: 26
Did not vote: 10
Date: Feb 9, 1984

By party

Republicans43 yes · 8 no · 4 didn’t vote
Democrats22 yes · 18 no · 6 didn’t vote

Who broke with their party

Christopher John Dodd D-CT voted no
Lowell Palmer Weicker Jr. R-CT voted no
Daniel Ken Inouye D-HI voted no
Spark Masayuki Matsunaga D-HI voted no
Edward Moore (Ted) Kennedy D-MA voted no
Paul Efthemios Tsongas D-MA voted no
Charles McCurdy Mathias Jr. R-MD voted no
Paul Spyros Sarbanes D-MD voted no
George John Mitchell D-ME voted no
William Sebastian Cohen R-ME voted no
Carl Levin D-MI voted no
Donald Wayne Riegle Jr. D-MI voted no
Rudolph Eli (Rudy) Boschwitz R-MN voted no
John Claggett Danforth R-MO voted no
Thomas Francis Eagleton D-MO voted no
John Melcher D-MT voted no
Quentin Northrup Burdick D-ND voted no
Frank Raleigh Lautenberg D-NJ voted no
Jesse Francis (Jeff) Bingaman Jr. D-NM voted no
Daniel Patrick Moynihan D-NY voted no
Howard Morton Metzenbaum D-OH voted no
Mark Odom Hatfield R-OR voted no
John Hubbard Chafee R-RI voted no
James Ralph Sasser D-TN voted no
Daniel Jackson Evans R-WA voted no
William Proxmire D-WI 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 close further debate on S. 1765, a bill…: Senate Vote, Feb 9, 1984,” https://www.capitolreceipts.com/vote/98-S-384/to-close-further-debate-on-s-1765-a-bill (accessed 2026-10-17).