Ceremonial stuff like naming post offices and awarding the Congressional Gold Medal. (When Ron Paul was in the House he usually provided the sole objection to the medals, as he believed them to be unconstitutional.)
OK, but the ceremonial stuff tends to pass because it’s not worth opposing.
Are there weighty, difficult, costly matters that still tend to get unanimous support or rejection? (The declaration of war, i,e., as an example.)
Not facetious at all. Our state legislature meets for four and a half months, officially. If they have to run a few extra weeks, they have to pass a bill authorizing funding, including funding for their own pay. Goes through both bodies in about five minutes.
Occasionally, some member will propose funding the session (staff salaries, expenses, and other costs) but NOT legislator salaries, on the theory that this will encourage them to wrap things up quickly. This proposal is generally ignored.
On March 16, 2016, HR 4596 “Small Business Broadband Deployment Act” passed the House 411-0. “An Act To ensure that small business providers of broadband Internet access service can devote resources to broadband deployment rather than compliance with cumbersome regulatory requirements.”
On March 14, 2016, S. 2426: “A bill to direct the Secretary of State to develop a strategy to obtain observer status for Taiwan” passed the House 381-0. On March 8, 2016, it passed the Senate by Unanimous Consent.
A topical issue but most Presidential appointments are passed with near unanimity. If a nominee isn’t going to be confirmed, their name is usually withdrawn before it comes to a formal vote. The late Antonin Scalia, for example, was confirmed 98-0.
Thanks for noting UC. In fact, many non-controversial measures may not even come up for a roll call vote in either house. Or they may be added to other measures without a vote.
Historically, yes, but considering how many Obama appointees have been held up in the Senate (frequently by only one or two senators) I suspect that tradition is dead.