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40 Years of Senate Television on C-SPAN2

June 2, 1986 was Day One — the moment the United States Senate opened its chamber doors to television cameras for the first time, and C-SPAN2 was there to carry every word, gavel-to-gavel, without commercial interruption.

June 2, 2026, marks the 40th anniversary of that historic broadcast, and C-SPAN is marking the milestone with a special website featuring highlights and top moments from the Senate floor over four decades.

What C-SPAN2 has compiled of the U.S. Senate is staggering

43,830 hours of Senate sessions recorded
169,000 speeches
359 different Senators — Republicans, Democrats, and Independents
23,493 roll call votes

These 40 years are all indexed and available for viewing in the Congressional Chronicle.

Here's a small sampling of historic moments to spark your own memories and searching of Senate coverage.

The C-SPAN Networks are supported by America's cable, satellite, and streaming television as a public service, without taxpayer dollars or government involvement.

1986

June 2, 1986

Sen. Robert Byrd (D-WV), accompanied by C-SPAN Founder Brian Lamb and C-SPAN's Paul Fitzpatrick, throws the switch to send the Senate signal to American homes through C-SPAN2.

June 2, 1986

On the first day of Senate television, Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole (R-KS) commented that the Senate is "joining the 20th Century."

September 17, 1986

While criticizing William Rehnquist becoming Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Sen. Joe Biden (D-DE) says Justice-nominee Antonin Scalia will have "an open mind."

1987

July 1, 1987

On the day the President Reagan nominated, Judge Robert Bork to the Supreme Court, Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-MA) gave an oft-quoted speech about how "Robert Bork's America" was not safe for women.

1988

February 23, 1988

During the Campaign Finance filibuster an order was issued to arrest absent senators. Sen. Bob Packwood (R-OR) was in his Capitol hideaway when the Senate Sergeant at Arms carried Packwood to the Senate floor after using his key to enter the hideaway. Packwood's hand was injured in the process.

1989

March 9, 1989

Sen. Bob Dole (R-KS) defends former Texas Senator John Tower (R-TX) who President George H.W. Bush nominated as Secretary of Defense. His nomination was defeated by the Senate even after Tower pledged not to take a drink while serving.

September 28, 1989

In a late night Senate session, the frustration can be seen in Majority Leader George Mitchell (D-ME) expression as he tries to negotiate a unanimous consent agreement and Sen. Jesse Helms (R-NC) objects. Unanmous consent agreements are critical to Senate scheduling, but gaining agreement when all the senators are gathered is not always easy.

1990

March 29, 1990

During a showdown vote on Sen. Robert Byrd ‘s (D-WV) amendment to the Clean Air Act, West Virginia Democratic senators Byrd and Jay Rockefeller lobby Sen. Joe Biden (D-DE) at the Senate desk. Biden is escorted off the floor by the leadership to take a call from the White House. Biden returns, votes “No” on Byrd’s amendment and then leaves the floor.

October 18, 1990

Sen. Robert Byrd (D-WV) needles Sen. John Chafee (R-RI) when he objects to extending Byrd's time. Byrd, chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, disarms Chafee by thanking him for sending a recent card, presuming asking for an appropriation.

1991

October 8, 1991

Sen. Pat Moynihan (D-NY) moved that the Senate adjourn during the early debate on the Clarence Thomas nomination, While within his rights, it was a very unusual action that irritated majority leader Sen. George Mitchell (D-ME). The debate began after the sexual harassment charges were reported.

1993

July 22, 1993

Sen. Carol Moseley Braun (D-IL) leads an effort to kill a proposal by Sen. Jesse Helms (R-NC) to renew a design patent for the insignia of the United Daughters of the Confederacy. She spoke after the first vote approved the measure and was successful in killing the measure on reconciliation.

November 2, 1993

Sen. Robert Byrd (D-WV) says that it is time for Sen. Bob Packwood (R-OR) "to go." Packwood threaten to reveal his diary of other senators' transgressions when Packwood himself was accused of sexual harassment.

November 9, 1993

During a fiery exchange in 1993 over the assault weapons ban, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) says to Sen. Larry Craig (R-ID): "I am quite familiar with firearms. I became Mayor as a product of assassination. I found my assassinated colleague and put a finger through a bullet hole." This was a reference to Feinstein finding San Francisco Supervisor Harvey Milk on floor after he was shot.

1994

August 23, 1994

During 1994 floor debate over the crime bill, Sen. Joe Biden (D-DE) Says All Crime Bills Are "Democratic” crime bills and says "Lock The SOBs Up.”

August 25, 1994

Sen. Al D'Amato (R-NY) sings about President Clinton and pork while showing a picture of a pig. He was speaking against federal spending characterized by Republicans as "pork."

1995

January 4, 1995

Sen. Bob Dole (R-KS) jokes about Sen. Strom Thurmond's (R-SC) age when Thurmond becomes Senate president pro tempore an honor bestowed on the longest-serving majority party senator. Thurmond served until he was one hundred years old.

November 3, 1995

Sen. Robert Byrd (D-WV) explains the Byrd Rule. The rule was named after Byrd and limited the inclusion of extraneous matters during reconciliation in the Senate.

1996

June 11, 1996

Majority Leader Sen. Bob Dole (R-KS) delivers his final speech before resigning to run for president in 1996.

1999

January 21, 1999

Former Sen. Dale Bumpers (D-AK) closing speech at the Clinton Impeachment Trial. Bumpers was a Democratic senator from Clinton's home state of Arkansas and was chosen by Clinton to defend him before the other senators who were the jury.

February 12, 1999

Sen. Trent Lott (R-MS) presents Chief Justice William Rehnquist a golden gavel for presiding over the Clinton impeachment trial.

October 13, 1999

Senate defeats the first treaty since the Treaty of Versailles was defeated in 1919. The treaty was proposed by President Clinton despite the Republican opposition and failed to receive the constitutionally required two-thirds vote.

2001

January 3, 2001

Sen. Tom Daschle (D-SD) speaks on the opening day of the divided 50-50 Senate. However, the Democrats only controlled the Senate for 17 days when on January 20, 2021 the Republican Vice President, Dick Cheney, allowed the Republicans to have the majority. This majority lasted only until June 6, 2021 when Sen. Jim Jeffords (R-VT) switched parties and gave the Democrats a 51-vote majority.

September 14, 2001

Following the 9/11 attacks, the Senate approves a far-reaching authorization for the use of force. The senators were planning to attend the memorial in the National Cathedral so the Senate approved the resolution before the debate.

2004

September 21, 2004

On Sept. 21, 2004, Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell (D-CO) addressed the Senate in traditional Native American clothing the day the National Museum of the American Indian opened. Campbell was a member of the Northern Cheyenne Tribe.

2005

April 12, 2005

Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) gave remarks on the 50th anniversary of the polio vaccine and recounted his childhood experience with polio.

2007

July 19, 2007

Sen. Robert Byrd (D-WV) raises his voice saying that dog fighting is "barbaric." This speech came after professional football player Michael Vick was convicted of involvement in a dog fighting ring. Byrd, a dog lover, would often talk about his dog named Trouble on the Senate floor.

December 8, 2007

Sen. Trent Lott (R-MS) speaks fondly of the "Singing Senators" during a Senate floor tribute shortly before his retirement. This was a group of four Republican senators.

2008

July 9, 2008

Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA) makes a surprise appearance on the floor to vote on a health bill while suffering from cancer. He was greeted with applause and hugs by the senators.

2013

April 25, 2013

Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) uses a sign language interpreter on the Senate Floor.

September 24, 2013

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) reads the "Green Eggs and Ham" story to his children watching C-SPAN2 during his filibuster.

October 8, 2013

Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) cuts and then tears up a poster of a credit card while discussing federal debt,

November 21, 2013

By a simple majority, the Senate overturned the ruling of the chair and established a new precedent that nominations other than Supreme Court Justices would require just a majority vote. Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) made the motion which was called the "Nuclear Option" on November 21, 2013.

2014

March 6, 2014

Dalai Lama serves as the Senate guest chaplain.

December 12, 2014

Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA), author of the Americans With Disabilities Act, closes his Farewell Speech in American Sign Language

2015

February 26, 2015

Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-OK) makes a point about global warming and climate change while throwing a snowball in the Senate chamber.

November 3, 2015

Sen. Ben Sasse (R-NE) delivers his maiden speech on the Senate floor one year after being elected to office. In the speech he was critical of the modern Senate.

2016

July 13, 2016

Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) speaks about his own personal experiences with police in Washington and on Capitol Hill. His comments come in the wake of several recent high-profile shootings in Louisiana, Minnesota, and Dallas.

2017

April 6, 2017

Sen. McConnell (R-KY) invoked the "Nuclear Option" to establish the precedent that Supreme Court confirmations would take only a simple majority. This action took place on April 6, 2017.

July 27, 2017

Sen. John McCain (R-SC) votes against healthcare repeal by coming in near the end and pointing his thumb down.

2020

January 24, 2020

Democratic Impeachment Manager, Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY) speaks about the Founder's limits on presidential powers in the first Trump impeachment trial.

2021

January 27, 2021

Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) indicates he is retiring his well worn climate change poster. It did reappear after this, however.

February 9, 2021

During the second Trump impeachment trial, his attorney argues that a former president cannot be impeached. He cited scholars and Founding Fathers.

March 5, 2021

Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ) gives a thumbs down and curtsy when she votes no on raising the federal minimum wage.

2024

February 28, 2024

Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) announced he would step down as Republican leader in November 2024. His term as party leader, since 2007, is the longest in Senate history.

2025

March 31, 2025

Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) gives the longest speech in Senate history. His 25-hour 5-minute speech surpassed Sen. Strom Thurmond's 1957 record.

June 2, 2025

On the anniversary of Senate television, Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) praised C-SPAN2's Senate coverage and talked about the need for streaming services to carry the three C-SPAN networks.

June 2, 2025

Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) spoke about C-SPAN's history of covering the Senate since 1986 and the Senate resolution recognizing C-SPAN2 Senate coverage.

June 18, 2025

The Senate recognizes 39 years of C-SPAN2 television coverage.