Deb Fischer

Deb Fischer

Republican Party

U.S. Senate Nebraska

Tenure

2013 - Present

Term ends

2031

Years in position

12

Predecessor

Ben Nelson

Prior offices

Nebraska State Senate District 43

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Compensation

Base salary

$174,000

Net worth

(2012) $323,501

Elections and appointments

Last elected

November 5, 2024

Education

Bachelor's

University of Nebraska, Lincoln, 1988

Personal

Religion

Christian: Protestant

Profession

Rancher, Sunny Slope Ranch

Contact

Official website

Official Facebook

Official Twitter

Official Instagram

Official YouTube

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Campaign Twitter

Personal Facebook

Deb Fischer (Republican Party) is a member of the U.S. Senate from Nebraska. She assumed office on January 3, 2013. Her current term ends on January 3, 2031.

Fischer (Republican Party) ran for re-election to the U.S. Senate to represent Nebraska. She won in the general election on November 5, 2024.

Biography

Born March 1, 1951, in Lincoln, Nebraska, Sen. Fischer is a cattle rancher from Valentine, Nebraska. Her experience prior to election to the Nebraska State Legislature includes being a member of the Sandhills Cattle Association, the Nebraska Cattlemen, the Valentine Rural High School Board of Education, the AgBuilders of Nebraska, the Nebraska Department of Agriculture’s Rural Rehabilitation Review Board, the Nebraska Agricultural Leadership Council and the Governor’s Ag Advisory Council.

Career

Below is an abbreviated outline of Fischer's academic, professional, and political career:

• 2013-Present: U.S. Senator from Nebraska
• 2005-2012: Nebraska Unicameral Legislature
• 2000-2004: Nebraska Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education
• 1990-2004: Valentine Rural High School Board of Education

Committee assignments

U.S. Senate

2025-2026

Fischer was assigned to the following committees:^[Source]

• Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
• Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, Poultry, and Food Safety
• Subcommittee on Rural Development, Energy, and Credit
• Committee on Ethics (Select)
• Senate Committee on Armed Services
• Subcommittee on Airland
• Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support
• Subcommittee on Strategic Forces, Chairman
• Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
• Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Technology, and Data Privacy
• Subcommittee on Surface Transportation, Freight, Pipelines, and Safety
• Subcommittee on Telecommunications and Media, Chairman
• Joint Committee on Printing
• Senate Committee on Appropriations
• Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies
• Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies
• Subcommittee on Department of Defense
• Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government
• Subcommittee on Department of Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies
• Subcommittee on Legislative Branch
• Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies
• Committee on Rules and Administration

2023-2024

Fischer was assigned to the following committees:^[Source]

• Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
• Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, Poultry, Local Food Systems, and Food Safety and Security
• Subcommittee on Rural Development and Energy
• Senate Committee on Appropriations
• Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies
• Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies
• Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies
• Subcommittee on Legislative Branch, Ranking Member
• Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies
• Senate Committee on Armed Services
• Subcommittee on Airland
• Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support
• Subcommittee on Strategic Forces, Ranking Member
• Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
• Communications, Media, and Broadband
• Consumer Protection, Product Safety, and Data Security
• Space and Science
• Surface Transportation, Maritime, Freight, and Ports
• Committee on Rules and Administration, Ranking Member
• Committee on Ethics (Select)
• Joint Committee on the Library
• Joint Committee on Printing

2021-2022

Fischer was assigned to the following committees:^[Source]

• Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
• Subcommittee on Rural Development and Energy
• Subcommittee on Food and Nutrition, Specialty Crops, Organics, and Research
• Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, Poultry, Local Food Systems, and Food Safety and Security
• Senate Committee on Armed Services
• Emerging Threats and Capabilities
• Readiness and Management Support
• Strategic Forces, Ranking Member
• Committee on Rules and Administration
• Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
• Communications, Media, and Broadband
• Oceans, Fisheries, Climate Change and Manufacturing
• Space and Science
• Surface Transportation, Maritime, Freight, and Ports, Ranking Member
• Committee on Ethics (Select)

2017-2018

At the beginning of the 115th Congress, Fischer was assigned to the following committees:

• Committee on Aging (Special)
• Committee on Armed Services
• Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
• Committee on Environment and Public Works
• Committee on Rules and Administration

2015-2016

Fischer served on the following committees:

• Armed Services Committee
  • Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities, Chairman
  • Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support
  • Subcommittee on Strategic Forces
• Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
  • Subcommittee on Aviation Operations, Safety, and Security
  • Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, and the Internet
  • Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety, and Insurance
  • Subcommittee on Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Infrastructure, Safety, and Security, Chairman
• Environment and Public Works Committee
  • Subcommittee on Clean Air and Nuclear Safety
  • Subcommittee on Transportation and Infrastructure
  • Subcommittee on Fisheries, Water, and Wildlife
• Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee

2013-2014

Fischer served on the following Senate committees:

• Armed Services Committee
  • Subcommittee on Strategic Forces
  • Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support
  • Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities Ranking member
• United States Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation
  • Subcommittee on Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Infrastructure, Safety, and Security
  • Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety, and Insurance
  • Subcommittee on Competitiveness, Innovation, and Export Promotion
  • Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, and the Internet
  • Subcommittee on Aviation Operations, Safety, and Security
• Environment and Public Works Committee
  • Subcommittee on Water and Wildlife
  • Subcommittee on Transportation and Infrastructure
  • Subcommittee on Superfund, Toxics and Environmental Health
• Indian Affairs Committee
• Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee

Key votes

See also: Key votes

Ballotpedia monitors legislation that receives a vote and highlights the ones that we consider to be key to understanding where elected officials stand on the issues. To read more about how we identify key votes, click here.

Key votes: 118th Congress, 2023-2025

The 118th United States Congress began on January 3, 2023, and ended on January 3, 2025. At the start of the session, Republicans held the majority in the U.S. House of Representatives (222-212), and Democrats held the majority in the U.S. Senate (51-49). Joe Biden (D) was the president and Kamala Harris (D) was the vice president. We identified the key votes below using Congress' top-viewed bills list and through marquee coverage of certain votes on Ballotpedia.

Key votes: 118th Congress, 2023-2025
Vote	Bill and description	Status
Yea	National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024   The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (H.R. 2670) was a bill passed by the 118th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on December 22, 2023, authorizing Department of Defense activities and programs for fiscal year 2024. The bill required a simple majority vote in the Senate to pass the bill as amended by a Senate and House conference report.	Passed (87-13)
Yea	Further Continuing Appropriations and Other Extensions Act, 2024   The Further Continuing Appropriations and Other Extensions Act, 2024 (H.R. 6363) was a bill passed by the 118th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on November 17, 2023, providing for the funding of federal agencies through January 19, 2024. The bill prevented a government shutdown that would have taken place if funding was not approved by November 17, 2023. The bill required a three-fifths majority vote in the Senate.	Passed (87-11)
Yea	Continuing Appropriations Act, 2024 and Other Extensions Act   The Continuing Appropriations Act, 2024 and Other Extensions Act (H.R. 5860) was a bill approved by the 118th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on September 30, 2023, providing for the funding of federal agencies through November 17, 2023. The bill prevented a government shutdown that would have taken place if funding was not approved by October 1, 2023. The bill required a three-fifths majority vote in the Senate.	Passed (88-9)
Nay	Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023   The Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 (H.R. 3746) was a bill passed by the 118th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on June 3, 2023. The bill raised the federal debt limit until January 2025. The bill also capped non-defense spending in fiscal year 2024, rescinded unspent coronavirus relief funding, rescinded some Internal Revenue Service (IRS) funding, enhanced work requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families program (TANF), simplified environmental reviews for energy projects, and ended the student loan debt repayment pause in August 2023. The bill required a three-fifths majority vote in the Senate. Click here to read more.	Passed (63-36)
Yea	Relating to a national emergency declared by the President on March 13, 2020.   H.J.Res. 7 (Relating to a national emergency declared by the President on March 13, 2020.) was a joint resolution of disapproval under the terms of the Congressional Review Act (CRA) passed by the 118th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on April 10, 2023. The resolution ended the national coronavirus state of emergency, which began on March 13, 2020. The resolution required a simple majority vote in the Senate. Click here to read more.	Passed (68-23)
Yea	Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives relating to "Factoring Criteria for Firearms with Attached 'Stabilizing Braces'".   H.J.Res. 44 (Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives relating to "Factoring Criteria for Firearms with Attached 'Stabilizing Braces'".) was a joint resolution of disapproval under the terms of the Congressional Review Act (CRA) passed by the House of Representatives and voted down by the Senate. The bill sought to nullify a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) rule establishing criteria to determine whether firearms equipped with stabilizing braces that facilitate shoulder fire were subject to regulation under the National Firearms Act. The resolution required a simple majority vote in the Senate.	Failed (50-49)
Yea	Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Labor relating to "Prudence and Loyalty in Selecting Plan Investments and Exercising Shareholder Rights".   H.J.Res. 30 (Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Labor relating to "Prudence and Loyalty in Selecting Plan Investments and Exercising Shareholder Rights".) was a joint resolution of disapproval under the terms of the Congressional Review Act (CRA) passed by the 118th Congress and vetoed by President Joe Biden (D) on March 20, 2023. This was Biden's first veto of his presidency. The resolution sought to nullify a Department of Labor rule that amended the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) to allow retirement plans to consider certain environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) factors in investment-related decisions. The resolution required a simple majority vote in the Senate. Click here to read more.	Passed (50-46)
Yea	The Social Security Fairness Act of 2023   The Social Security Fairness Act of 2023 (H.R. 82) was a bill passed by the 118th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on January 5, 2025, that reduced Social Security benefits for individuals who received other pensions from state or local governments. It also eliminated an offset that would reduce benefits for spouses and widows of individuals with government pensions. It also eliminated a provision that reduced benefits for an individual who received a pension or disability benefit from an employer that did not withhold Social Security taxes. This bill required a 2/3rds majority vote to pass.	Passed (76-20)
Yea	Consolidated Appropriations Act 2024   The Consolidated Appropriations Act 2024 (H.R. 4366) was a bill passed by the 118th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on March 9, 2024, authorizing appropriations for various government departments for the fiscal year 2024. The bill required a two-thirds majority vote in the House to pass the bill as amended by a Senate and House conference report.	Passed (75-22)
Yea	FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024   The FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 (H.R. 3935) was a bill passed by the 118th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on May 16, 2024, that reauthorized Federal Aviation Administration funding until fiscal year 2028. The bill also made other modifications to address various department-related issues. The bill required a two-thirds majority vote in the House to pass the bill as amended by a Senate and House conference report.	Passed (88-4)
Nay	Impeaching Alejandro Nicholas Mayorkas, Secretary of Homeland Security, for high crimes and misdemeanors (dismissal of first article)   H.Res.863 Impeaching Alejandro Nicholas Mayorkas, Secretary of Homeland Security, for high crimes and misdemeanors, passed the U.S. House on February 13, 2024. The resolution impeached U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas for high crimes and misdemeanors. The motion to impeach required a majority in the House and a 2/3rds vote in the Senate.	Passed (51-48)
Nay	Impeaching Alejandro Nicholas Mayorkas, Secretary of Homeland Security, for high crimes and misdemeanors (dismissal of second article)   H.Res.863 Impeaching Alejandro Nicholas Mayorkas, Secretary of Homeland Security, for high crimes and misdemeanors, passed the U.S. House on February 13, 2024. The resolution impeached U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas for high crimes and misdemeanors. The motion to impeach required a majority in the House and a 2/3rds vote in the Senate.	Passed (51-49)
Yea	Making emergency supplemental appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2024, and for other purposes.   H.R. 815, Making emergency supplemental appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2024, and for other purposes, was passed by the 118th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on April 24, 2024, appropriating foreign aid to Israel, Taiwan, and Ukraine. The bill also mandated the company ByteDance divested from TikTok or the app would be removed from the U.S. This bill required a majority vote.	Passed (79-18)
Nay	Border Act of 2024   The Border Act of 2024 (S.4361) was voted down in the U.S. Senate on April 23, 2024. The bill would have expanded the Department of Homeland Security's capabilities of handling individuals entering/residing in the country without permission. It would have expanded the Department's capabilities at the border. It required 3/5ths of the vote to pass cloture.	Failed (43-50)
Nay	Right to IVF Act   S.4445, the Right to IVF Act, was voted down in the U.S. Senate on September 17, 2024. The bill would have codified access to in vitro fertilization (IVF) into law. This bill required a 3/5ths majority vote to pass cloture.	Failed (51-44)
Nay	Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025   H.R.9747, the Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025, was passed by the 118th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on September 26, 2024, providing funding to federal agencies, including the Secret Service, and federal programs for the 2025 fiscal year. The bill required a two-thirds majority vote in the House to pass the bill as amended by a Senate and House conference report.	Passed (78-18)
Nay	Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act of 2024   The Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act of 2024 (H.R.7024) was a bill passed by the U.S. House on January 31, 2024, that would have modified the U.S. tax code, increasing how much money can be given back in credits and what is exempt. This bill required a 2/3rds majority vote to pass.	Failed (48-44)

Key votes: Previous sessions of Congress

Key votes (click "show" to expand or "hide" to contract)

Key votes: 117th Congress, 2021-2023 The 117th United States Congress began on January 3, 2021 and ended on January 3, 2023. At the start of the session, Democrats held the majority in the U.S. House of Representatives (222-213), and the U.S. Senate had a 50-50 makeup. Democrats assumed control of the Senate on January 20, 2021, when President Joe Biden (D) and Vice President Kamala Harris (D), who acted as a tie-breaking vote in the chamber, assumed office. We identified the key votes below using Congress' top-viewed bills list and through marquee coverage of certain votes on Ballotpedia. Key votes: 117th Congress, 2021-2023 Vote Bill and description Status Yea Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act   The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (H.R. 3684) was a federal infrastructure bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on November 15, 2021. Among other provisions, the bill provided funding for new infrastructure projects and reauthorizations, Amtrak maintenance and development, bridge repair, replacement, and rehabilitation, clean drinking water, high-speed internet, and clean energy transmission and power infrastructure upgrades. The bill required a 3/5 majority vote in the Senate to invoke cloture and a 1/2 majority vote on passage. Click here to read more. Passed (69-30) Nay American Rescue Plan Act of 2021   The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (H.R. 1319) was a bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on March 11, 2021, to provide economic relief in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Key features of the bill included funding for a national vaccination program and response, funding to safely reopen schools, distribution of $1,400 per person in relief payments, and extended unemployment benefits. The bill required a 1/2 majority vote in the Senate. Click here to read more. Passed (50-49) Nay Inflation Reduction Act of 2022   The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (H.R. 5376) was a bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on August 16, 2022, to address climate change, healthcare costs, and tax enforcement. Key features of the bill included a $369 billion investment to address energy security and climate change, an extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies, allowing Medicare to negotiate certain drug prices, a 15% corporate minimum tax, a 1% stock buyback fee, and enhanced Internal Revenue Service (IRS) enforcement, and an estimated $300 billion deficit reduction from 2022-2031. The bill required a 1/2 majority vote in the Senate. Click here to read more. Passed (51-50) Yea National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022   The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 (S. 1605) was a bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on December 27, 2021, authorizing Department of Defense acitivities and programs for fiscal year 2022. The bill required a 3/5 majority vote in the Senate to invoke cloture and a 1/2 majority vote on passage. Passed (88-11) Yea James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023   The James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (H.R. 7776) was a bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on December 23, 2022, authorizing Department of Defense activities and programs for fiscal year 2023. The bill required a 3/5 majority vote in the Senate to invoke cloture and a 1/2 majority vote on passage. Passed (83-11) Yea Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act of 2022   The Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act of 2022 (S. 3373) was a bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on August 10, 2022, that sought to address healthcare access, the presumption of service-connection, and research, resources, and other matters related to veterans who were exposed to toxic substances during military service. The bill required a 3/5 majority vote in the Senate to invoke cloture and a 1/2 majority vote on passage. Passed (86-11) Nay Chips and Science Act   The Chips and Science Act (H.R. 4346) was a bill approved by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on August 9, 2022, which sought to fund domestic production of semiconductors and authorized various federal science agency programs and activities. The bill required a 3/5 majority vote in the Senate to invoke cloture and a 1/2 majority vote on passage. Passed (64-33) Nay Women’s Health Protection Act of 2021   The Women's Health Protection Act of 2021 (H.R. 3755) was a bill passed by the House of Representatives. The bill proposed prohibiting governmental restrictions on the provision of and access to abortion services and prohibiting governments from issuing some other abortion-related restrictions. The bill required a 3/5 majority vote in the Senate to invoke cloture and a 1/2 majority vote on passage. Failed (46-48) Nay Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022   The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022 (H.R. 2471) was a bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on March 15, 2022, providing for the funding of federal agencies for the remainder of 2022, providing funding for activities related to Ukraine, and modifying or establishing various programs. The bill required a 3/5 majority vote in the Senate to invoke cloture and a 1/2 majority vote on passage. Passed (68-31) Nay Respect for Marriage Act   The Respect for Marriage Act (H.R. 8404) was a bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on December 13, 2022. The bill codified the recognition of marriages between individuals of the same sex and of different races, ethnicities, or national origins, and provided that the law would not impact religious liberty or conscience protections, or provide grounds to compel nonprofit religious organizations to recognize same-sex marriages. The bill required a 3/5 majority vote in the Senate to invoke cloture and a 1/2 majority vote on passage. Click here to read more. Passed (61-36) Nay Continuing Appropriations and Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2023   The Continuing Appropriations and Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2023 (H.R. 6833) was a bill approved by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on September 30, 2022. It provided for some fiscal year 2023 appropriations, supplemental funds for Ukraine, and extended several other programs and authorities. The bill required a 3/5 majority vote in the Senate to invoke cloture and a 1/2 majority vote on passage. Passed (72-25) Yea COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act   The COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act (S. 937) was a bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on May 20, 2021, that included provisions to designate an officer or employee of the Department of Justice (DOJ) to facilitate expedited review of hate crimes, required the DOJ to issue guidance to law enforcement agencies aimed to establish online hate crime reporting processes and to raise awareness about hate crimes during the COVID-19 pandemic, and established state grants to create hate crime reporting hotlines, among other related provisions. The bill required a 3/5 majority vote in the Senate to invoke cloture and a 1/2 majority vote on passage. Passed (94-1) Yea Postal Service Reform Act of 2022   The Postal Service Reform Act of 2022 (H.R. 3076) was a bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on April 6, 2022, that sought to address healthcare and retirement benefits for postal workers, allow USPS to provide certain nonpostal products and services, and expand service performance and budgetary reporting. The bill required a 3/5 majority vote in the Senate to invoke cloture and a 1/2 majority vote on passage. Passed (79-19) Nay Bipartisan Safer Communities Act   The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (S. 2938) was a firearm regulation and mental health bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on June 25, 2022. Provisions of the bill included expanding background checks for individuals under the age of 21, providing funding for mental health services, preventing individuals who had been convicted of a domestic violence misdemeanor or felony in dating relationships from purchasing firearms for five years, providing funding for state grants to implement crisis intervention order programs, and providing funding for community-based violence prevention initiatives. The bill required a 3/5 majority vote in the Senate to invoke cloture and a 1/2 majority vote on passage. Click here to read more. Passed (65-33) Nay Extending Government Funding and Delivering Emergency Assistance Act   The Extending Government Funding and Delivering Emergency Assistance Act (H.R. 5305) was a bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on September 30, 2021, that provided for continuing fiscal year 2022 appropriations to federal agencies through December 3, 2021, in order to prevent a government shutdown that would have otherwise occurred if fiscal year 2022 appropriations bills had not been passed by October 1, 2021. The bill required a 3/5 majority vote in the Senate. Passed (65-35) Not guilty Impeaching Donald John Trump, President of the United States, for high crimes and misdemeanors.   This was a resolution before the 117th Congress setting forth an article of impeachment saying that Donald Trump (R) incited an insurrection against the government of the United States on January 6, 2021. The House of Representatives approved the article of impeachment, and the Senate adjudged that Trump was not guilty of the charges. Conviction on the impeachment charges required a 2/3 majority vote in the Senate. Click here to read more. Not guilty (57-43) Nay Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act of 2022   The Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act of 2022 (H.R. 350) was a bill passed by the House of Representatives and voted down by the Senate in a failed cloture vote that sought to expand the availability and reporting of information about domestic terrorism, enhance the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Department of Justice (DOJ), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI) ability to prosecute domestic terrorism, among other things. The bill required a 3/5 majority vote in the Senate to invoke cloture and a 1/2 majority vote on passage. Failed (47-47) Nay A concurrent resolution setting forth the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2022 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2023 through 2031.   This concurrent resolution (S.Con.Res. 14) was a budget resolution passed by the 117th Congress outlining the fiscal year 2022 federal government budget, setting forth budgetary levels for fiscal years 2023-2031, and providing reconciliation instructions for legislation that increased the deficit. It contained a proposed framework for the Build Back Better Act. The resolution required 1/2 majority vote in the Senate. Click here to read more. Passed (50-49) Nay Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act   The Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act was a federal elections bill approved by the House of Representatives and voted down by the Senate in a failed cloture vote that sought to, among other provisions, make Election Day a public holiday, allow for same-day voter registration, establish minimum early voting periods, and allow absentee voting for any reason, restrict the removal of local election administrators in federal elections, regulate congressional redistricting, expand campaign finance disclosure rules for some organizations, and amend the Voting Rights Act to require some states to obtain clearance from the U.S. Department of Justice before implementing new election laws. The bill required a 3/5 majority vote in the Senate to invoke cloture and a 1/2 majority vote on passage. Click here to read more. Failed (49-51) Nay Electoral Count Reform and Presidential Transition Improvement Act of 2022   The Electoral Count Reform and Presidential Transition Improvement Act was a bill passed by the 117th Congress in the form of an amendment to a year-end omnibus funding bill that was signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on December 23, 2022. The bill changed the procedure for counting electoral votes outlined in the Electoral Count Act of 1887. Elements of the bill included specifying that the vice president's role at the joint session of congress to count electoral votes is ministerial, raising the objection threshold at the joint session of congress to count electoral votes to one-fifth of the members of both the House of Representatives and the Senate, identifying governors as the single official responsible for submitting the certificate of ascertainment identifying that state’s electors, and providing for expedited judicial review of certain claims about states' certificates identifying their electors. The bill required a 3/5 majority vote in the Senate to concur in the House's version of the bill. Click here to read more. Passed (68-29) Key votes: 116th Congress, 2019-2021 The 116th United States Congress began on January 9, 2019, and ended on January 3, 2021. At the start of the session, Democrats held the majority in the U.S. House of Representatives (235-200), and Republicans held the majority in the U.S. Senate (53-47). Donald Trump (R) was the president and Mike Pence (R) was the vice president. We identified the key votes below using Congress' top-viewed bills list and through marquee coverage of certain votes on Ballotpedia. Key votes: 116th Congress, 2019-2021 Vote Bill and description Status Yea CARES Act   The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act (H.R. 748) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump (R) on March 27, 2020, that expanded benefits through the joint federal-state unemployment insurance program during the coronavirus pandemic. The legislation also included $1,200 payments to certain individuals, funding for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, and funds for businesses, hospitals, and state and local governments. The bill required a three-fifths majority vote in the Senate. Passed (96-0) Yea National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020   The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 (S. 1790) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump (R) on December 20, 2019, setting policies and appropriations for the Department of Defense. Key features of this bill include appropriations for research/development, procurement, military construction, and operation/maintenence, as well as policies for paid family leave, North Korea nuclear sanctions, limiting the use of criminal history in federal hiring and contracting, military housing privatization, and paid family leave for federal personnel. This bill required a simple majroity vote in the Senate. Passed (86-8) Yea Families First Coronavirus Response Act   The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (H.R. 6201) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump (R) on March 18, 2020, addressing the COVID-19 pandemic by increasing access to unemployment benefits and food assistance, increasing funding for Medicaid, providing free testing for COVID-19, and requiring employers to provide paid sick time to employees who cannot work due to COVID-19. The bill required a three-fifths majority vote in the Senate. Passed (90-8) Yea Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020   The Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020 (H.R. 1865) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump (R) on December 20, 2019, providing appropriations for federal agencies in fiscal year 2020. This bill required a simple majority vote in the Senate. Passed (71-23) Yea Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2020   The Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2020 (H.R. 6074) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump on March 6, 2020, providing emergency funding to federal agencies in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. Key features of the bill include funding for vaccine research, small business loans, humanitarian assistance to affected foreign countries, emergency preparedness, and grants for public health agencies and organizations. This bill required a three-fifths majority vote in the Senate. Passed (96-1) Yea Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2019   The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2019 (H.J.Res. 31) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump on February 15, 2019, providing approrations for Fiscal Year 2019. This bill required a simple majority vote in the Senate. Passed (83-16) Yea John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act   The John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act (S. 47) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Doanld Trump on March 12, 2019. This bill sought to set provisions for federal land management and conservation by doing things such as conducting land exchanges and conveyances, establishing programs to respond to wildfires, and extending and reauthorizing wildlife conservation programs. This bill required a simple majority vote in the Senate. Passed (92-8) Yea William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (passage)   The William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (H.R. 6395) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and vetoed by President Donald Trump on December 23, 2020. Congress voted to override Trump's veto, and the bill became law on January 1, 2021. The bill set Department of Defense policies and appropriations for Fiscal Year 2021. Trump vetoed the bill due to disagreement with provisions related to Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, the renaming of certain military installations, limits on emergency military construction fund usage, and limits on troop withdrawals. This bill required a simple majority vote in the Senate on passage, and a two-thirds majority vote to overcome the veto. Passed (84-13) Yea William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (overcoming veto)   The William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (H.R. 6395) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and vetoed by President Donald Trump on December 23, 2020. Congress voted to override Trump's veto, and the bill became law on January 1, 2021. The bill set Department of Defense policies and appropriations for Fiscal Year 2021. Trump vetoed the bill due to disagreement with provisions related to Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, the renaming of certain military installations, limits on emergency military construction fund usage, and limits on troop withdrawals. This bill required a simple majority vote in the Senate on passage, and a two-thirds majority vote to overcome the veto. Passed (81-13) Yea Strengthening America's Security in the Middle East Act of 2019   The Strengthening America's Security in the Middle East Act of 2019 (S. 1) is a bill approved by the Senate that sought to address security in certain Middle Eastern countries by sending resources to Israel, extending defense cooperation in Jordan, establishing sanctions related to the conflict in Syria, and allowing states to divest from entities boycotting Israel. The bill required a simple majority vote in the Senate. Passed (77-23) Yea Continuing Appropriations Act, 2021 and Other Extensions Act   The Continuing Appropriations Act, 2021 and Other Extensions Act (H.R. 8337) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump on October 1st, 2020, continuing appropriations to federal agencies for Fiscal Year 2021 as well as extending certain expiring programs that address issues such as health care, surface transportation, agriculture, and veterans benefits. This bill required a simple majority vote in the Senate. Passed (84-10) Yea Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020   The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020 (H.R. 1158) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump on December 20, 2019, providing appropriations for the 2020 Fiscal Year for federal agencies. This bill required a simple majority vote in the Senate. Passed (81-11) Nay Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2020, and Further Health Extenders Act of 2019   The Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2020, and Further Health Extenders Act of 2019 (H.R. 3055) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump (R) on December 20, 2019, providing Fiscal Year 2020 appropriations to federal agencies through December 20, 2019 and extending certain programs and authorites that were set to expire. This bill prevented a government shutdown, and provided a pay raise for the military, repealed a revocation of state highway funding, and modified the United States Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Fund. This bill required a two-thirds majority vote in the Senate. Passed (74-20) Yea Never Forget the Heroes: James Zadroga, Ray Pfeifer, and Luis Alvarez Permanent Authorization of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund Act   The Never Forget the Heroes: James Zadroga, Ray Pfeifer, and Luis Alvarez Permanent Authorization of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund Act (H.R. 1327) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump on July 29, 2019, providing funds for the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001. Key features of the bill included allowing claims to be filed until October 2090, removing the cap on noneconomic damages in certain circumstances, and periodically adjusting the annual limit on economic loss compensation for inflation. This bill required a simple majority vote from the Senate. Passed (97-2) Not guilty Impeaching Donald John Trump, President of the United States, for high crimes and misdemeanors. (article 1)   The 2020 impeachment of Donald Trump (R) was a resolution before the 116th Congress to set forth two articles of impeachment saying that Trump abused his power and obstructed congress. The first article was related to allegations that Trump requested the Ukrainian government investigate former Vice President Joe Biden (D) and his son, Hunter Biden, in exchange for aid, and the second was related to Trump's response to the impeachment inquiry.The House of Representatives approved both articles of impeachment, and the Senate adjudged that Trump was not guilty of either charge. Conviction on the impeachment charges required a two-thirds majority vote in the Senate. Not Guilty (52-48) Not guilty Impeaching Donald John Trump, President of the United States, for high crimes and misdemeanors. (article 2)   The 2020 impeachment of Donald Trump (R) was a resolution before the 116th Congress to set forth two articles of impeachment saying that Trump abused his power and obstructed congress. The first article was related to allegations that Trump requested the Ukrainian government investigate former Vice President Joe Biden (D) and his son, Hunter Biden, in exchange for aid, and the second was related to Trump's response to the impeachment inquiry.The House of Representatives approved both articles of impeachment, and the Senate adjudged that Trump was not guilty of either charge. Conviction on the impeachment charges required a two-thirds majority vote in the Senate. Not Guilty (53-47) Yea United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement Implementation Act   The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement Implementation Act (H.R. 5430) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump (R) on October 21, 2020, establishing a trade agreement between the United States, Mexico, and Canada meant to replace the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) by establishing provisions such as labor and environment monitoring and enforcement, de minimis levels for U.S. exports, and cooperation among treaty members to prevent duty evasion. This bill required a simple majority vote in the Senate. Passed (89-10) Yea Pallone-Thune Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence Act   The Pallone-Thune Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence Act (S. 151) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump (R) on December 30, 2019, setting forth rules to reduce criminal robot calls. Some key featues of the bill included requiring voice service providers to develop call authentication technologies, creating rules to protect a subscriber from receiving unwanted calls or texts from a caller using an unauthenticated number, and protecting individuals from one-ring scams. This bill required a simple majority vote in the Senate. Passed (97-1) Yea Emergency Supplemental Appropriations for Humanitarian Assistance and Security at the Southern Border Act, 2019   The Emergency Supplemental Appropriations for Humanitarian Assistance and Security at the Southern Border Act, 2019 (H.R. 3401) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump (R) on July 1, 2019, providing emergency approprations for humanitarian assistance and security to respond to people attempting to enter the United States at the southern border. This bill required a three-fifths majority vote in the Senate. Passed (84-8) Yea Additional Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief Act, 2019   The Additional Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief Act, 2019 (H.R. 2157) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump on June 6, 2019, providing approprations to certain federal departments in order to address expenses incured by recent natural disasters. This bill required a simple majority vote in the Senate. Passed (85-8) Nay Relating to a national emergency declared by the President on February 15, 2019.   H.J.Res.46 (Relating to a national emergency declared by the President on February 15, 2019.) was a resolution passed by the 116th Congress and vetoed by President Donald Trump (R). This resolution sought to terminate the national emergency related to the U.S.-Mexico border, declared by President Trump on February 15, 2019. The bill required a simple majority vote in the Senate. Passed (59-41) 114th Congress The first session of the 114th Congress enacted into law six out of the 2,616 introduced bills (0.2 percent). Comparatively, the 113th Congress had 1.3 percent of introduced bills enacted into law in the first session. In the second session, the 114th Congress enacted 133 out of 3,159 introduced bills (4.2 percent). Comparatively, the 113th Congress had 7.0 percent of introduced bills enacted into law in the second session. The Senate confirmed 18,117 out of 21,815 executive nominations received (83 percent). For more information pertaining to Fischer's voting record in the 114th Congress, please see the below sections. Economic and fiscal Trade Act of 2015 See also: The Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, 2015 On May 22, 2015, the Senate passed HR 1314, which was used as a legislative vehicle for trade legislation with the titles "Trade Act of 2015" and the "Bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities and Accountability Act of 2015," by a vote of 62-37. The bill proposed giving the president trade promotion authority (TPA). TPA, also known as fast track authority, allows the president to negotiate trade deals that cannot be amended by Congress. Congress casts a simple up or down vote on a trade agreement, and the legislation only requires a simple majority for approval. The bill also included a statement of trade priorities and provisions for trade adjustment assistance. Fischer voted with 47 other Republican senators to approve the bill. Trade promotion authority On June 24, 2015, by a vote of 60-38, the Senate approved trade promotion authority (TPA) as part of HR 2146 - Defending Public Safety Employees' Retirement Act. Fischer was one of 47 Republicans to vote in favor of the bill. After, Senate Republican leadership honored a pledge to support trade adjustment assistance (TAA) by passing the measure as part of HR 1295 - Trade Preferences Extension Act of 2015 by voice vote. The House passed HR 1295 the following day, on June 25, 2015, and both TPA and TAA were signed into law on June 29, 2015. 2016 Budget proposal On May 5, 2015, the Senate voted to approve SConRes11, a congressional budget proposal for fiscal year 2016, by a vote of 51-48. The non-binding resolution will be used to create 12 appropriations bills to fund the government. The vote marked the first time since 2009 that Congress approved a joint budget resolution. All 44 Democrats voted against the resolution. Fischer voted with 50 other Republican senators to approve the bill. Defense spending authorization On November 10, 2015, the Senate passed S 1356 - the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 by a vote of 91-3. The second version of the $607 billion national defense bill included "$5 billion in cuts to match what was approved in the budget" and language preventing the closure of the Guantanamo Bay military prison. Fischer voted with 47 Republicans, 42 Democrats and one independent to approve the bill. On November 5, 2015, the House passed the bill by a vote of 370-58, and President Barack Obama signed it into law on November 25, 2015. On June 18, 2015, the Senate passed HR 1735 - National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 by a vote of 71-25. The bill "authorizes FY2016 appropriations and sets forth policies for Department of Defense (DOD) programs and activities, including military personnel strengths. It does not provide budget authority, which is provided in subsequent appropriations legislation." Fischer voted with 48 Republicans, 21 Democrats and one Independent to approve the bill. The House passed the bill on May 15, 2015. President Barack Obama vetoed the bill on October 22, 2015. 2015 budget On October 30, 2015, the Senate passed HR 1314 - Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 by a vote of 64-35. The bill increased military and domestic spending levels and suspended the debt ceiling until March 2017. Fischer voted with 34 Republicans against the bill. It passed the House on October 28, 2015. President Barack Obama signed it into law on November 2, 2015. Foreign Affairs Iran nuclear deal See also: Iran nuclear agreement, 2015 On May 7, 2015, the Senate voted to approve HR 1191 - A bill to provide for congressional review and oversight of agreements relating to Iran's nuclear program, and for other purposes, by a vote of 98-1. The bill required President Barack Obama to submit the details of the nuclear deal with Iran for congressional review. Congress had 60 days to review the deal and vote to approve, disapprove or take no action on the deal. During the review period, sanctions on Iran could not be lifted. Fischer voted with 52 other Republican senators to approve the bill. Senator Tom Cotton (Ark.) was the only Republican who voted against the bill. Hire More Heroes Act of 2015 On September 10, 2015, the Senate voted to filibuster the measure to disapprove of the Iran nuclear deal by a vote of 58-42. Sixty votes were needed to proceed to HJ Res 61 - the Hire More Heroes Act of 2015, the legislative vehicle the Senate was expected to use to disapprove of the Iran nuclear deal. Fischer voted with 53 other Republicans and four Democrats to proceed to the measure of disapproval. Hire More Heroes Act of 2015 follow up votes On September 15, 2015, the Senate voted for a second time to filibuster the measure to disapprove of the Iran nuclear deal by a vote of 56-42. Sixty votes were needed to proceed to HJ Res 61 - the Hire More Heroes Act of 2015, the legislative vehicle the Senate was expected to use to disapprove of the Iran nuclear deal. Fischer voted with 51 Republicans and four Democrats to proceed to the measure of disapproval. The legislation was voted on for a third time on September 17, and it failed for a third time by a vote of 56-42. Hire More Heroes Act of 2015 fourth vote On September 17, 2015, the Senate voted to filibuster a vote on S.Amdt.2656 to S.Amdt.2640 by a vote of 53-45. The amendment proposed prohibiting "the President from waiving, suspending, reducing, providing relief from, or otherwise limiting the application of sanctions pursuant to an agreement related to the nuclear program of Iran." Fischer voted with 51 Republicans and one Democrat to proceed to the amendment. Domestic USA FREEDOM Act of 2015 On June 2, 2015, the Senate passed HR 2048 - the Uniting and Strengthening America by Fulfilling Rights and Ensuring Effective Discipline Over Monitoring Act of 2015 or the USA FREEDOM Act of 2015 by a vote of 67-32. The legislation revised HR 3199 - the USA PATRIOT Improvement and Reauthorization Act of 2005 by terminating the bulk collection of metadata under Sec. 215 of the act, requiring increased reporting from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court and requiring the use of "a specific selection term as the basis for national security letters that request information from wire or electronic communication service providers, financial institutions, or consumer reporting agencies." Fischer voted with 29 Republicans, one Democrat and one independent against the legislation. It became law on June 2, 2015. Loretta Lynch AG nomination On April 23, 2015, the Senate voted to confirm Loretta Lynch as United States Attorney General by a vote of 56-43. All 44 Democratic senators voted to confirm Lynch. Fischer voted with 42 other Republican senators against Lynch's confirmation. Cyber security On October 27, 2015, the Senate passed S 754 - the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act of 2015 by a vote of 74-21. The bill proposed procedures that would allow federal agencies and private entities to share information about cyber threats. Fischer voted with 42 Republicans, 30 Democrats and one independent in favor of the bill. Immigration On October 20, 2015, the Senate voted against proceeding to a vote on S 2146 - the Stop Sanctuary Policies and Protect Americans Act by a vote of 54-45. The bill proposed withholding federal funding from "sanctuary jurisdictions" that violate the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 and other federal immigration laws. In addition, the bill proposed increasing "penalties for individuals who illegally reenter the United States after being removed" and providing "liability protection for State and local law enforcement who cooperate with Federal law enforcement." Fischer voted with 51 Republicans and two Democrats in favor of proceeding to the bill. 113th Congress The second session of the 113th Congress enacted into law 224 out of the 3215 introduced bills (7 percent). Comparatively, the 112th Congress had 4.2 percent of introduced bills enacted into law in the second session. The Senate confirmed 13,949 out of 18,323 executive nominations received (76.1 percent). For more information pertaining to Fischer's voting record in the 113th Congress, please see the below sections. National security John Brennan CIA nomination Fischer voted against the confirmation of John Brennan as Director of the Central Intelligence Agency. The nomination was confirmed by the Senate on March 7, 2013, with a vote of 63 - 34. Most Democrats supported the nomination, while Republicans were somewhat divided with roughly one-third supporting the nomination. Drones filibuster See also: Rand Paul filibuster of John Brennan's CIA Nomination in March 2013 On March 6, 2013, Senator Rand Paul (R) led a 13-hour filibuster of President Obama's CIA Director nominee, John Brennan. Paul started the filibuster in order to highlight his concerns about the administration's drone policies. In particular, Paul said he was concerned about whether a drone could be used to kill an American citizen within the United States border, without any due process involved. Paul and other civil liberties activists criticized President Obama for not offering a clear response to the question. A total of 14 senators joined Paul in the filibuster -- 13 Republicans and one Democrat. Fischer was one of 30 Republican senators who did not support the filibuster. The day after the filibuster, Attorney General Eric Holder sent a letter to Paul, responding to the filibuster. Holder wrote, "Does the president have the authority to use a weaponized drone to kill an American not engaged in combat on U.S. soil? The answer to that is no." Economy No Budget, No Pay Act of 2013 Fischer voted against H.R.325 -- No Budget, No Pay Act of 2013. The bill passed the Senate on January 31, 2013, with a vote of 64 - 34. The purpose of the bill was to temporarily suspend the debt ceiling and withhold the pay of members of Congress until a budget could be passed. The vote largely followed party lines with Democrats overwhelmingly supporting it and many Republicans in opposition to the bill. Government shutdown See also: United States budget debate, 2013 During the shutdown in October 2013, the Senate rejected, down party lines, every House-originated bill that stripped the budget of funding for the Affordable Care Act. A deal was reached late on October 16, 2013, just hours before the debt ceiling deadline. The bill to reopen the government, H.R. 2775, lifted the $16.7 trillion debt limit and funded the government through January 15, 2014. Federal employees also received retroactive pay for the shutdown period. The only concession made by Senate Democrats was to require income verification for Obamacare subsidies. The final vote on H.R. 2775 was 81-18, with all 18 votes against the bill from Republican members. Fischer voted with the Democratic Party for the bill. Immigration Mexico-U.S. border Fischer voted for Senate Amendment 1197 -- Requires the Completion of the Fence Along the United States-Mexico Border. The amendment was rejected by the Senate on June 18, 2013, with a vote of 39 - 54. The purpose of the amendment was to require the completion of 350 miles of fence described in the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 before registered provisional immigrant status may be granted. It would also require 700 miles of fence be completed before the status of registered provisional immigrants may be changed to permanent resident status. The vote followed party lines. Social issues Violence Against Women (2013) Fischer voted for S.47 -- Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013. The bill was passed by the Senate on February 12, 2013, with a vote of 78 - 22. The purpose of the bill was to combat violence against women, from domestic violence to international trafficking in persons. All 22 dissenting votes were cast by Republicans.

Elections

2024

See also: United States Senate election in Nebraska, 2024

General election

General election for U.S. Senate Nebraska

Incumbent Deb Fischer defeated Dan Osborn in the general election for U.S. Senate Nebraska on November 5, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Deb Fischer (R)	53.2	499,124
		Dan Osborn (Nonpartisan)	46.5	436,493
		Other/Write-in votes	0.3	2,719

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 938,336
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Kerry Eddy (Legal Marijuana Now Party)

Democratic primary election

No Democratic candidates ran in the primary.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Paul Theobald (D)
• Michael Janulewicz (D)

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. Senate Nebraska

Incumbent Deb Fischer defeated Arron Kowalski in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate Nebraska on May 14, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Deb Fischer	79.8	174,820
	Submit photo	Arron Kowalski	20.2	44,334

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 219,154
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Legal Marijuana Now Party primary election

Legal Marijuana Now Party primary for U.S. Senate Nebraska

Kerry Eddy defeated Kenneth Peterson in the Legal Marijuana Now Party primary for U.S. Senate Nebraska on May 14, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Kerry Eddy	70.8	743
		Kenneth Peterson	29.2	306

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 1,049
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Endorsements

Fischer received the following endorsements.

• Former President Donald Trump (Republican Party, Conservative Party)

Pledges

Fischer signed the following pledges.

• Taxpayer Protection Pledge, Americans for Tax Reform
• U.S. Term Limits

2018

See also: United States Senate election in Nebraska, 2018

General election

General election for U.S. Senate Nebraska

Incumbent Deb Fischer defeated Jane Raybould and Jim Schultz in the general election for U.S. Senate Nebraska on November 6, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Deb Fischer (R)	57.7	403,151
		Jane Raybould (D)	38.6	269,917
		Jim Schultz (L)	3.6	25,349
		Other/Write-in votes	0.1	466

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 698,883 (100.00% precincts reporting)
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. Senate Nebraska

Jane Raybould defeated Chris Janicek, Frank Svoboda, and Larry Marvin in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate Nebraska on May 15, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Jane Raybould	63.7	59,067
		Chris Janicek	20.2	18,752
	Submit photo	Frank Svoboda	11.4	10,548
		Larry Marvin	4.7	4,393

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified.	Total votes: 92,760
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. Senate Nebraska

Incumbent Deb Fischer defeated Todd Watson, Jack Heidel, Jeffrey Lynn Stein, and Dennis Macek in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate Nebraska on May 15, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Deb Fischer	75.8	128,157
		Todd Watson	11.6	19,661
		Jack Heidel	5.6	9,413
	Submit photo	Jeffrey Lynn Stein	3.8	6,380
	Submit photo	Dennis Macek	3.2	5,483

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified.	Total votes: 169,094
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Libertarian primary election

Libertarian primary for U.S. Senate Nebraska

Jim Schultz advanced from the Libertarian primary for U.S. Senate Nebraska on May 15, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Jim Schultz	100.0	1,202

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified.	Total votes: 1,202
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Mark Elworth Jr. (L)

Endorsements

On June 18, 2018, Fischer's campaign announced that the Nebraska Hospital Association had endorsed her re-election bid.

2012

See also: United States Senate elections in Nebraska, 2012

Fischer won election to the U.S. Senate in 2012. Fischer defeated Bob Kerrey (D) and Russell Anderson (I) in the general election. She defeated Jon Bruning, Sharyn Elander, Pat Flynn, Don Stenberg and Spencer Zimmerman in the May 15 Republican primary. She had been trailing in the polls heading into the primary. Outside groups spent more than $2 million on advertising, with more than $1 million going into ads opposing Bruning.

U.S. Senate, Nebraska General Election, 2012

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Deb Fischer	57.8%	455,593
	Democratic	Bob Kerrey	42.2%	332,979
Total Votes				788,572
Source: Nebraska Secretary of State "Official Election Results, 2012 General Election"

US Senate - Nebraska Republican Primary, 2012

Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Deb Fischer	40.8%	77,594
Jon Bruning	36.1%	68,796
Don Stenberg	18.9%	35,984
Pat Flynn	2.8%	5,251
Spencer Zimmerman	0.8%	1,526
Sharyn Elander	0.6%	1,236
Total Votes		190,387
Source: http://www.sos.ne.gov/elec/2012/pdf/canvass-report-2012-primary.pdf

Endorsements

On September 21, 2011, Fischer announced that the following 13 state senators in the Nebraska Unicameral had endorsed her candidacy for the U.S. Senate:

• Greg Adams
• Brad Ashford
• Kathy Campbell
• Mark Christensen
• Abbie Cornett
• Galen Hadley
• Thomas Hansen
• John Harms
• Lavon Heidemann
• Bob Krist
• Dave Pankonin
• Pete Pirsch
• John Wightman

2008

On November 4, 2008, Fischer won re-election to the 43rd District Seat in the Nebraska Senate unopposed.

Nebraska State Senate, District 43 (2008)
Candidates		Votes
Deb Fischer		13,756

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Deb Fischer did not complete Ballotpedia's 2024 Candidate Connection survey.

2012

Campaign website

Fischer's campaign website stated the following:

“	2nd Amendment Rights "I’m a strong supporter of the 2nd Amendment and I’ve opposed every attempt by liberals to intrude on our right to own firearms. In the Nebraska Legislature, I have an A+ rating from the National Rifle Association. In the U.S. Senate, I will continue to be an advocate for gun owners and our constitutional rights." Agriculture "As someone involved in a family ranch business, I know firsthand the challenges and responsibilities people in agriculture face. Agriculture plays a crucial role in our Nebraska economy and provides a stable and safe food supply for our nation and for the world. As a U.S. Senator, I can be a key ally for Nebraska agriculture." Energy "Being dependent on oil coming from countries who are – or who soon could be – enemies of the United States just isn’t wise. I support efforts to produce new sources of energy from wind and solar power and want to advance those technologies so they can become competitive with fossil fuels. In the meantime, I support efforts to increase efficient energy use and to use new technologies to reduce energy consumption. I support renewable energy sources, including ethanol, but I still believe the United States needs to be committed to exploring and recovering all of the potential energy sources we have here at home. In times where gasoline is approaching four dollars per gallon, I strongly believe that we need promote responsible oil drilling in our country." Healthcare "The government takeover of health care supported by President Obama and Senator Ben Nelson will move medical care in the wrong direction. As your U.S. Senator, I will vote to repeal Obamacare." Illegal Immigration "Keeping our borders secure is a primary responsibility of the federal government. If elected, I will support increased agents/troops on our southern border to beef up security. I support the E-verify system of validating legal immigrants when they apply for a new job. I will not tolerate those who break immigration laws and enter our country illegally." National Security "The most important job of the federal government is to keep us safe and secure. Our brave men and women in uniform perform their duty to protect all of us admirably and effectively. In the Senate, I will not play politics with our security and our troops. I will give our military the tools they need to keep America safe and free, and I will ensure our troops and their families are supported and that their needs are met." Protecting Life "I am proud to be pro-life and to have had a solid pro-life voting record during my seven years in the Nebraska Legislature. I will continue to support a culture of life by supporting pro-life policies in U.S. Senate." Small Businesses "Congress needs to set legislative priorities that will reward entrepreneurship, growth and innovation. When elected to the U.S. Senate, Deb Fischer will have five legislative priorities that she will address to give our small businesses a chance to succeed and create jobs." Taxes and Spending "Our federal debt is almost $15 trillion dollars. That is just unacceptable. We simply can not continue to print money to pay our national debt. Our first priority must be to cut federal spending. We cannot tax our way to prosperity like President Obama has proposed. The appetite for big spending programs is strong in Washington D.C. and we need to change politics-as-usual. That’s why I strongly support a balanced budget amendment at the federal level."	”
—Deb Fischer's campaign website (2012)

Campaign finance summary

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Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.

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Deb Fischer campaign contribution history

Year	Office	Status	Contributions	Expenditures
2024*	U.S. Senate Nebraska	Won general	$8,687,977	$9,174,382
2018	U.S. Senate Nebraska	Won general	$6,449,173	$6,048,167
2012	U.S.Senate (Nebraska)	Won	$5,253,975	N/A**
Grand total			$20,391,125	$15,222,550
Sources: OpenSecrets,  Federal Elections Commission ***This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
* Data from this year may not be complete
** Data on expenditures is not available for this election cycle
Note: Totals above reflect only available data.

Notable endorsements

See also: Ballotpedia: Our approach to covering endorsements

This section displays endorsements this individual made in elections within Ballotpedia's coverage scope.

Notable candidate endorsements by Deb Fischer

Endorsee	Election	Stage	Outcome
Donald Trump  source  (Conservative Party, R)	President of the United States (2024)	Primary	Won General
Vicky Hartzler  source  (R)	U.S. Senate Missouri (2022)	Primary	Lost Primary

Notable ballot measure endorsements by Deb Fischer

Measure	Position	Outcome
Nebraska Initiative 439, Right to Abortion Initiative (2024)  source	Oppose	Defeated

Personal Gain Index

See also: Personal Gain Index (U.S. Congress)

The Personal Gain Index (U.S. Congress) is a two-part measurement that illustrates the extent to which members of the U.S. Congress have prospered during their tenure as public servants.
It consists of two different metrics:

• Changes in Net Worth
• The Donation Concentration Metric

PGI: Change in net worth

See also: Changes in Net Worth of U.S. Senators and Representatives (Personal Gain Index) and Net worth of United States Senators and Representatives

Based on congressional financial disclosure forms and calculations made available by OpenSecrets.org, Fischer's net worth as of 2012 was estimated between $-4,403,992 and $4,899,995. That averages to $248,001.50, which is lower than the average net worth of Republican senators in 2012 of $6,956,438.47. Fischer ranked as the 51st most wealthy senator in 2012. Between 2011 and 2012, Fischer's calculated net worth decreased by an average of 25 percent per year. Between 2004 and 2012, the average annual percentage increase for a member of Congress was 15.4 percent.

Deb Fischer Yearly Net Worth
Year	Average Net Worth
2011	$330,196
2012	$248,001
Growth from 2011 to 2012:	−25%
Average annual growth:	−25%
Comparatively, the American citizen experienced a median yearly decline in net worth of -0.94%.

The data used to calculate changes in net worth may include changes resulting from assets gained through marriage, inheritance, changes in family estates and/or trusts, changes in family business ownership, and many other variables unrelated to a member's behavior in Congress.

PGI: Donation Concentration Metric

See also: The Donation Concentration Metric (U.S. Congress Personal Gain Index)

Filings required by the Federal Election Commission report on the industries that give to each candidate. Using campaign filings and information calculated by OpenSecrets.org, Ballotpedia calculated the percentage of donations by industry received by each incumbent over the course of his or her career (or 1989 and later, if elected prior to 1988). Fischer received the most donations from individuals and PACs employed by the Retired industry.

From 2011-2014, 19.61 percent of Fischer's career contributions came from the top five industries as listed below.

Deb Fischer Campaign Contributions
Total Raised	$5,711,816
Total Spent	$5,628,833
Top five industries that contributed to campaign committee
Retired	$336,917
Leadership PACs	$264,308
Republican/Conservative	$189,271
Crop Production & Basic Processing	$173,912
Commercial Banks	$155,750
% total in top industry	5.9%
% total in top two industries	10.53%
% total in top five industries	19.61%

Analysis

Ideology and leadership

See also: GovTrack's Political Spectrum & Legislative Leadership ranking

Based on an analysis of bill sponsorship by GovTrack, Fischer was a moderate Republican follower as of July 2014.

Like-minded colleagues

The website OpenCongress tracks the voting records of each member to determine with whom he or she votes most and least often. The results include a member from each party.

Fischer most often votes with:

• Chuck Grassley
• Joe Manchin

Fischer least often votes with:

• Susan Collins
• Ron Wyden

Lifetime voting record

See also: Lifetime voting records of United States Senators and Representatives

According to the website GovTrack, Fischer missed 0 of 926 roll call votes from January 2013 to September 2015. This amounts to 0 percent, which is better than the median of 1.6 percent among current senators as of September 2015.

National Journal vote ratings

See also: National Journal vote ratings

Each year National Journal publishes an analysis of how liberally or conservatively each member of Congress voted in the previous year. Click the link above for the full ratings of all members of Congress.

2013

Fischer ranked 26th in the conservative rankings in 2013.

Voting with party

The website OpenCongress tracks how often members of Congress vote with the majority of the chamber caucus.

2014

Fischer voted with the Republican Party 91.9 percent of the time, which ranked fifth among the 45 Senate Republican members as of July 2014.

2013

Fischer voted with the Republican Party 91.9 percent of the time, which ranked eighth among the 46 Senate Republican members as of June 2013.

Noteworthy events

Letter calling for change to Nebraska's electoral vote allocation method (2024)

See also: Presidential election in Nebraska, 2024

Heading into the 2024 presidential election, several noteworthy officeholders expressed support for changing Nebraska's method of electoral vote allocation to a winner-take-all system. In 2024, Nebraska allocated two of its electoral votes based on the statewide presidential election results, and the other three based on election results in each congressional district. Nebraska was one of two states, along with Maine, that did not allocate its electoral votes with a winner-take-all system.

On September 18, 2024, U.S. Sens. Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), and U.S. Reps. Mike Flood (R-Neb.), Don Bacon (R-Neb.), and Adrian Smith (R-Neb.) signed a letter calling on Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen (R) and Nebraska State Senate Speaker John Arch (R) to change Nebraska's electoral vote allocation system to winner-take-all. The letter said, "Senators and Governors are elected by the state as a whole because they represent all of the people of Nebraska equally, and the state should speak with a united voice in presidential elections as well." Both Gov. Pillen and Senate Speaker Arch had previously expressed support for such legislation. As of September 20, 2024, Pillen had not called the legislature into a special session to address the proposal.

On September 23, 2024, Nebraska State Sen. Mike McDonnell (R), whose support was needed to pass the bill, announced he would not support it. In a statement, McDonnell said, "I have taken time to listen carefully to Nebraskans and national leaders on both sides of the issue. After deep consideration, it is clear to me that right now, 43 days from Election Day, is not the moment to make this change."

The Nebraska State Legislature proposed a bill that sought to change the state's method of allocating electoral votes to a winner-take-all system earlier in the year. The bill did not pass in the state legislature during the 2024 regular session, failing to clear a procedural vote in April 2024. Eight legislators voted in favor of introducing the legislation.

Letter to Iran

On March 9, 2015, Senator Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) wrote a letter to Iran's leadership, warning them that signing a nuclear deal with the Obama administration without congressional approval constituted only an executive agreement. The letter also stated that "The next president could revoke such an executive agreement with the stroke of a pen and future Congresses could modify the terms of the agreement at any time." The letter was signed by 47 Republican members of the Senate. Fischer was one of the 47 who signed the letter. No Democrats signed it.

Members of the Obama administration and of Congress reacted to the letter. Vice President Joe Biden said of the letter, "In thirty-six years in the United States Senate, I cannot recall another instance in which senators wrote directly to advise another country — much less a longtime foreign adversary — that the president does not have the constitutional authority to reach a meaningful understanding with them."

2016 presidential election

On October 8, 2016, after The Washington Post released a 2005 video of Donald Trump making derogatory comments about women, Fischer called on Trump to step aside as the 2016 Republican nominee for president. On October 11, 2016, Fischer said she would vote for Trump.

State legislative tenure

Committee assignments

2011-2012

In the 2011-2012 legislative session, Fischer served on these committees:

• Revenue
• Transportation and Telecommunications, Chair

2009-2010

In the 2009-2010 legislative session, Fischer served on these committees:

• Natural Resources Committee
• Transportation and Telecommunications Committee

Personal

Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Fischer (née Strobel) has been married to Bruce Fischer since 1972; they have three children. She is a part-time rancher by trade.

See also

2024 Elections

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Government

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External links

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U.S. Senate Nebraska

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Footnotes

Political offices
Preceded by Ben Nelson (D)	U.S. Senate Nebraska 2013-Present	Succeeded by -
Preceded by -	Nebraska State Senate District 43 2005-2013	Succeeded by -

[show]

Nebraska's current delegation to the United States Congress

Senators

Deb Fischer (R)

Pete Ricketts (R)

Representatives

District 1

Mike Flood (R)

District 2

Don Bacon (R)

District 3

Adrian Smith (R)

Republican Party (5)