Just Politics

[blackcat]

the word is "Yea".

Not always.

There are two voice systems recognized for voice voting in the United States Congress, and neither is a choice between "aye" and "nay". For all votes on legislation, the United States Constitution, article 1, section 7, clause 2 states the following:

But in all such Cases the Votes of both Houses shall be determined by yeas and Nays...

Therefore all votes on legislation by both the Senate and the House of Representatives are officially cast as yea or nay.

To complicate matters, in the Rules of the House of Representatives (and therefore limited only to the House of Representatives), Rule 1, section 6 states the following:

The Speaker shall put a question in this form: ‘‘Those in favor (of the question),say ‘Aye.’’’; and after the affirmative voice is expressed, ‘‘Those opposed, say ‘No.’’’.

So many votes in the House of Representatives are recorded as between Aye and No. This rule is only in effect for official questions posed by the Speaker of the House on internal business, etc. As stated above, legislation must be voted on by the other system.