U.S. SENATE

James E. Risch

RepublicanIdahoCurrently serving

Sworn into the Senate on January 6, 2009 Source

How they voted 917

Their recorded votes in Congress, including what was decided and how they voted.

Yea/Aye supports the question being voted on. Nay/No opposes it. Colors describe the recorded choice, not a political rating.

Partial vote history. See collection coverage

All votes (917)Yea / Aye (659)Nay / No (232)Not Voting (26)

Jun 17, 2026Senate vote #178 · 2026Nomination PN730-33

Yea

Senate limited debate on George Holding’s bank directorship nomination

AI-assisted summary

The Senate agreed to limit the remaining debate on George Holding’s nomination to be the United States Director of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. The 54–41 vote concerned debate on the nomination, not whether to confirm him; confirmation would require a separate vote.

Context: Official Senate roll call held on June 17, 2026. The member’s recorded choice and the chamber’s overall result are separate.

Jun 17, 2026Senate vote #177 · 2026Nomination PN901-8

Yea

Senate confirmed Michelle Steel as ambassador to South Korea

AI-assisted summary

The Senate confirmed Michelle Steel as ambassador to the Republic of Korea. This was the vote on whether to approve her nomination, not a vote to limit debate. The nomination was confirmed by a 55–39 vote.

Context: Official Senate roll call held on June 17, 2026. The member’s recorded choice and the chamber’s overall result are separate.

Jun 17, 2026Senate vote #176 · 2026Nomination PN901-8

Yea

Senate limited debate on Michelle Steel’s ambassador nomination

AI-assisted summary

The Senate agreed to limit the remaining debate on Michelle Steel’s nomination to be ambassador to the Republic of Korea. The 54–41 vote did not itself confirm her; the Senate voted separately on confirmation.

Context: Official Senate roll call held on June 17, 2026. The member’s recorded choice and the chamber’s overall result are separate.

Jun 16, 2026Senate vote #175 · 2026H.R. 6644

Yea

Senate began considering housing supply legislation

AI-assisted summary

The Senate agreed to begin considering the House message accompanying H.R. 6644, a bill concerning housing supply and federal housing programs. The bill’s provisions include changes to affordable-housing financing and grants for housing and community development. This vote allowed consideration to begin; it did not pass the bill.

Context: The background summary describes a January 15, 2026 version of the bill; the text before the Senate may differ.

Jun 16, 2026Senate vote #174 · 2026S.J.Res. 172

Nay

Bring the Iran hostilities withdrawal resolution out of committee

AI-assisted summary

The resolution would direct the President to remove U.S. forces from hostilities within or against Iran unless Congress declares war or authorizes the use of military force. It would not prevent defense against attacks on the United States or its personnel or facilities abroad. The Senate rejected a motion to bring the resolution out of committee, 47–48; the vote did not decide whether to adopt the resolution.

Context: The policy description is based on the introduced version dated April 13, 2026; it may not reflect later text.

Jun 16, 2026Senate vote #173 · 2026S.J.Res. 190

Nay

Senate rejected beginning consideration of disapproval of immigration appeals rule

AI-assisted summary

S.J.Res. 190 would disapprove an Executive Office for Immigration Review rule on appellate procedures for the Board of Immigration Appeals. The Senate rejected a motion to begin considering the resolution, 46–48; this vote did not decide whether to approve or reject the resolution itself.

Context: Official Senate roll call held on June 16, 2026. The member’s recorded choice and the chamber’s overall result are separate.

Jun 15, 2026Senate vote #172 · 2026Nomination PN851-7

Yea

Senate confirmed Justin D. Smith for the Eighth Circuit judgeship

AI-assisted summary

The Senate confirmed Justin D. Smith, of Missouri, to be a United States Circuit Judge for the Eighth Circuit, 48–43.

Context: Official Senate roll call held on June 15, 2026. The member’s recorded choice and the chamber’s overall result are separate.

Jun 11, 2026Senate vote #171 · 2026Nomination PN851-7

Yea

Senate limited debate on Justin D. Smith’s Eighth Circuit nomination

AI-assisted summary

Justin D. Smith was nominated to be a United States Circuit Judge for the Eighth Circuit. The Senate agreed to limit debate on his nomination, 47–43. This vote did not confirm him; confirmation was decided separately.

Context: Limiting debate does not instantly end all debate or decide the nomination.

Jun 11, 2026Senate vote #170 · 2026Nomination PN901-4

Yea

Senate confirmed Brock Dahl as State Department legal adviser

AI-assisted summary

The Senate confirmed Brock Dahl, of Maryland, to be Legal Adviser of the Department of State, 49–44.

Context: Official Senate roll call held on June 11, 2026. The member’s recorded choice and the chamber’s overall result are separate.

Jun 10, 2026Senate vote #169 · 2026Nomination PN901-4

Yea

Limit debate on Brock Dahl's nomination as State Department legal adviser

AI-assisted summary

Brock Dahl was nominated to serve as Legal Adviser of the Department of State. The Senate agreed to limit the remaining debate on his nomination, clearing the way for a later vote on whether to confirm him. This vote limited debate; it did not confirm Dahl.

Context: Official Senate roll call held on June 10, 2026. The member’s recorded choice and the chamber’s overall result are separate.

Jun 10, 2026Senate vote #168 · 2026Nomination PN851-5

Yea

Confirm Anthony J. Powell as a Kansas federal district judge

AI-assisted summary

Anthony J. Powell was nominated to be a United States District Judge for the District of Kansas. The Senate confirmed his nomination, approving him for that judgeship.

Context: Official Senate roll call held on June 10, 2026. The member’s recorded choice and the chamber’s overall result are separate.

Jun 10, 2026Senate vote #167 · 2026Nomination PN851-5

Yea

Limit debate on Anthony J. Powell's Kansas judgeship nomination

AI-assisted summary

Anthony J. Powell was nominated to be a United States District Judge for the District of Kansas. The Senate agreed to limit the remaining debate on his nomination, allowing the Senate to move toward a later confirmation vote. This vote ended neither all debate instantly nor confirmed Powell.

Context: Official Senate roll call held on June 10, 2026. The member’s recorded choice and the chamber’s overall result are separate.

Jun 9, 2026Senate vote #166 · 2026Nomination PN851-4

Yea

Senate confirmed Anthony W. Mattivi as a U.S. district judge

AI-assisted summary

The Senate confirmed Anthony W. Mattivi, of Kansas, to be a United States District Judge for the District of Kansas. This vote completed the Senate’s decision on the nomination; it was a confirmation vote, not a vote merely to limit debate.

Context: Official Senate roll call held on June 9, 2026. The member’s recorded choice and the chamber’s overall result are separate.

Jun 8, 2026Senate vote #165 · 2026Nomination PN851-4

Not Voting

Limit debate on Anthony W. Mattivi’s district judge nomination

AI-assisted summary

The vote concerned Anthony W. Mattivi’s nomination to be a U.S. District Judge for the District of Kansas. The Senate agreed to limit debate on the nomination, 49-42; this did not confirm him. A separate vote would be needed to decide whether to confirm the nomination.

Context: Official Senate roll call held on June 8, 2026. The member’s recorded choice and the chamber’s overall result are separate.

Jun 5, 2026Senate vote #164 · 2026S. 1318

Yea

Begin considering a bill on Jewish servicemember grave markers

AI-assisted summary

The bill would direct the American Battle Monuments Commission to identify American-Jewish servicemembers buried in overseas U.S. military cemeteries under markers that misrepresent their religion and heritage. The Senate rejected a motion to begin considering the bill, 47–52; that vote did not decide whether to pass it.

Context: The dated background summary describes a different subject—FISA surveillance and a ban on a Federal Reserve digital currency—and does not establish that it is the version considered in this vote. The bill document title is used here; the actual text considered cannot be confirmed from the supplied records.

Jun 5, 2026Senate vote #163 · 2026S. 2

Yea

Pass the Secure America Act on immigration and border funding

AI-assisted summary

The Secure America Act provides funding through FY2029 for the Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, including immigration enforcement and border security. The Senate passed S. 2, as amended, 52–47. This was a vote to pass the bill, not merely to begin considering it.

Context: The June 5 background summarizes the passed Senate version; it does not establish that an earlier or introduced version had identical text. The vote title identifies the bill as amended, but no amendment purpose is supplied.

Jun 5, 2026Senate vote #162 · 2026S.Amdt. 5740

Nay

Waive budget rules for Schiff amendment on judgments and settlements

AI-assisted summary

Schiff Amendment 5740 concerned limits on judgments, awards, and compromise settlements paid under federal law. The Senate rejected, 51-48, a motion to waive applicable budget rules for considering the amendment; the required threshold was three-fifths. This vote did not itself adopt or reject the amendment’s policy.

Context: The supplied record gives the amendment’s purpose, not its full text.

Jun 5, 2026Senate vote #161 · 2026S.Amdt. 5632

Nay

Waive budget rules for Van Hollen amendment restricting certain payments

AI-assisted summary

Van Hollen Amendment 5632 concerned prohibiting the use of funds to make payments to certain individuals. The Senate rejected, 53-46, a motion to waive applicable budget rules; the required threshold was three-fifths. This vote addressed the waiver, not whether the amendment’s restriction would be adopted.

Context: The supplied record gives the amendment’s purpose, not its full text.

Jun 5, 2026Senate vote #160 · 2026S.Amdt. 5463

Nay

Reject amendment to fund local law enforcement hiring programs

AI-assisted summary

Cortez Masto Amendment 5463 proposed appropriating money for local law enforcement hiring programs. The Senate rejected the amendment, 45-53. The vote concerned this amendment, not the broader border security and immigration enforcement bill to which it was attached.

Context: The supplied record gives the amendment’s purpose, not its full text.

Jun 5, 2026Senate vote #159 · 2026S.Amdt. 5812

Nay

Waive budget rules for compensation to Capitol officers

AI-assisted summary

The amendment would provide compensation to law enforcement officers who defended the Capitol on January 6, 2021. The Senate rejected the motion to waive budgetary rules for this amendment, 52–47, short of the required three-fifths majority; this vote did not decide whether to adopt the amendment itself.

Context: The supplied record gives the amendment’s submitted purpose, not its full text; the exact terms are not established here.

BACKGROUND

About James E. Risch

Education: University of Idaho (B.S., forestry; J.D.)
Experience: Idaho governor; lieutenant governor
First elected: U.S. Senate, 2008

Committees 119th Congress

Ethics
United States Senate Caucus on International Narcotics Control
Intelligence
Energy & Natural Resources
Small Business & Entrepreneurship
Foreign Relations · Chair

Subcommittees (10)

Energy
Public Lands, Forests & Mining
Water & Power
Africa & Global Health Policy · ex officio
East Asia, the Pacific & International Cybersecurity Policy · ex officio
Europe & Regional Security Cooperation · ex officio
Multilateral International Development, Multilateral Institutions & International Economic, Energy & Environmental Policy · ex officio
Near East, South Asia, Central Asia & Counterterrorism · ex officio
State Department & USAID Management, International Operations & Bilateral International Development · ex officio
Western Hemisphere, Transnational Crime, Civilian Security, Democracy, Human Rights & Global Women's Issues · ex officio

Sources

Profile sources

Official identity source

Identity last checked 11/11/2026.

Photo: Biographical Directory of the United States Congress; official portrait indexed by Bioguide ID; photograph date not established. Original

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