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In 1983, he voted for the [[Martin Luther King]] Holiday legislation, signed into law by President Reagan and taking effect in 1986 on the third Monday of January. In 1987, he backed the Civil Rights Restoration Act and also voted to  override President Reagan's veto of the legislation.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/100-1988/s432|title=To Pass S 557, Civil Rights Restoration Act|publisher=Govtrack.us|date=January 28, 1988|accessdate=May 27, 2020}}</ref> He supported the confirmation of [[Robert Bork]] and [[Clarence Thomas]] to the [[United States Supreme Court]]; Bork was rejected by senators, including some [[Moderate Republicans]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1987/10/24/us/senate-s-roll-call-on-the-bork-vote.html|title=Senate's Roll-Call on the Bork Vote|publisher=''The New York Times''|date=October 24, 1987|accessdate=May 27, 2020}}</ref> but Thomas was narrowly confirmed in 1991, 52 to 48, with the support of eleven Democrats.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1991/10/16/us/the-thomas-confirmation-how-the-senators-voted-on-thomas.html|title=The Thomas Confirmation: How the Senators Voted on Thomas|publisher=''The New York Times''|date=October 16, 1991|accessdate=May 27, 2020}}</ref>

In 1983, he voted for the [[Martin Luther King]] Holiday legislation, signed into law by President Reagan and taking effect in 1986 on the third Monday of January. In 1987, he backed the Civil Rights Restoration Act and also voted to  override President Reagan's veto of the legislation.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/100-1988/s432|title=To Pass S 557, Civil Rights Restoration Act|publisher=Govtrack.us|date=January 28, 1988|accessdate=May 27, 2020}}</ref> He supported the confirmation of [[Robert Bork]] and [[Clarence Thomas]] to the [[United States Supreme Court]]; Bork was rejected by senators, including some [[Moderate Republicans]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1987/10/24/us/senate-s-roll-call-on-the-bork-vote.html|title=Senate's Roll-Call on the Bork Vote|publisher=''The New York Times''|date=October 24, 1987|accessdate=May 27, 2020}}</ref> but Thomas was narrowly confirmed in 1991, 52 to 48, with the support of eleven Democrats.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1991/10/16/us/the-thomas-confirmation-how-the-senators-voted-on-thomas.html|title=The Thomas Confirmation: How the Senators Voted on Thomas|publisher=''The New York Times''|date=October 16, 1991|accessdate=May 27, 2020}}</ref>

In 1989, President [[George Herbert Walker Bush]] named D'Amato to the Commission on Aviation Security and Terrorism.​ He chaired the Senate Banking Committee and was a member of the Senate Finance Committee.<ref name=bioguide/> He became a leading critic of President [[Bill Clinton]] in the  [[Whitewater scandal]] and chaired the hearings of the special committee conducting the investigation into the matter. He supported efforts to assist [[Holocaust]] survivors in obtain their relatives' mony in Swiss bank accounts.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/society/dormant-accounts_how-switzerland-coped-with-holocaust-funds/44319054|title=How the Holocaust-Swiss banks deal was brokered|publisher=Swissinfo.ch|date=August 13, 2018|accessdate=May 27, 2020}}</ref>

In 1989, President [[George Herbert Walker Bush]] named D'Amato to the Commission on Aviation Security and Terrorism.​ He chaired the Senate Banking Committee and was a member of the Senate Finance Committee.<ref name=bioguide/> He became a leading critic of President [[Bill Clinton]] in the  [[Whitewater scandal]] and chaired the hearings of the special committee conducting the investigation into the matter. He supported efforts to assist [[Holocaust]] survivors in obtain their relatives' mony in Swiss bank accounts.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/society/dormant-accounts_how-switzerland-coped-with-holocaust-funds/44319054|title=How the Holocaust-Swiss banks deal was brokered|publisher=Swissinfo.ch|date=August 13, 2018|accessdate=May 27, 2020}}</ref>

Like  [[Governor]] [[Thomas Dewey]], D'Amato was viewed as the "boss" of the New York Republican Party. He was instrumental in securing the 1994 gubernatorial nomination for [[George Pataki]], who unseated Democratic Governor [[Mario Cuomo]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F30C12F93D5A0C768CDDA80994D0494D81 |publisher=''The New York Times''|author=Richard Perez-Pena |title=The 1998 Elections: New York State – The Parties – New Order for New York's G.O.P. and Democrats |date=November 5, 1998; accessdate=May 27, 2020}}</ref>​

Like  [[Governor]] [[Thomas Dewey]], D'Amato was viewed as the "boss" of the New York Republican Party. He was instrumental in securing the 1994 gubernatorial nomination for [[George Pataki]], who unseated Democratic Governor [[Mario Cuomo]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F30C12F93D5A0C768CDDA80994D0494D81 |publisher=''The New York Times''|author=Richard Perez-Pena |title=The 1998 Elections: New York State – The Parties – New Order for New York's G.O.P. and Democrats |date=November 5, 1998|accessdate=May 27, 2020}}</ref>​

D'Amato was mostly conservative in his early career. He backed  [[capital punishment]] and heavy sentences for [[narcotics]] offenses. In time he became more of a [[Moderate Republican]] and was one of only three senators of his party to vote to allow [[homosexual]]s  to serve openly in the U. S. military. In 1996, D'Amato voted for the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, pushed by the Democrats. In his failed 1998 reelection bid, in which George Pataki nevertheless won a second term as governor, D'Amato was endorsed by the homosexual Human Rights Campaign..<ref>{{cite web|author=Adam Nagourney|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/10/21/nyregion/d-amato-wins-endorsement-of-gay-group.html|title=D'Amato Wins Endorsement Of Gay Group|publisher=''The New York Times''|date=October 21, 1998|accessdate=May 27, 2020}}</ref> In 1996, D'Amato,  voted for the [[Defense of Marriage Act]], which drew the opposition of liberals.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/104-1996/s280|title=H.R. 3396 (104th): Defense of Marriage Act -- Senate Vote #280 -- Sep 10, 1996|website=GovTrack.us}}</ref>​

D'Amato was mostly conservative in his early career. He backed  [[capital punishment]] and heavy sentences for [[narcotics]] offenses. In time he became more of a [[Moderate Republican]] and was one of only three senators of his party to vote to allow [[homosexual]]s  to serve openly in the U. S. military. In 1996, D'Amato voted for the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, pushed by the Democrats. In his failed 1998 reelection bid, in which George Pataki nevertheless won a second term as governor, D'Amato was endorsed by the homosexual Human Rights Campaign..<ref>{{cite web|author=Adam Nagourney|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/10/21/nyregion/d-amato-wins-endorsement-of-gay-group.html|title=D'Amato Wins Endorsement Of Gay Group|publisher=''The New York Times''|date=October 21, 1998|accessdate=May 27, 2020}}</ref> In 1996, D'Amato,  voted for the [[Defense of Marriage Act]], which drew the opposition of liberals.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/104-1996/s280|title=H.R. 3396 (104th): Defense of Marriage Act -- Senate Vote #280 -- Sep 10, 1996|website=GovTrack.us}}</ref>​

Schumer as a "putzhead," a [[Yiddish]] vulgarity.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/damato-and-schumer-slug-it-out/|title=D'Amato and Schumer Slug It Out|publisher=[[CBS]] News|date=October 26, 1998|accessdate=May 27, 2020}}</ref>

Schumer as a "putzhead," a [[Yiddish]] vulgarity.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/damato-and-schumer-slug-it-out/|title=D'Amato and Schumer Slug It Out|publisher=[[CBS]] News|date=October 26, 1998|accessdate=May 27, 2020}}</ref>

Prior to leaving office, Senator D'Amato published his memoir entitled "Power, Pasta and Politics.'' He also became a columnist for the since defunct ''George'' [[magazine]] and a contributor to [[Fox News]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/stories/1999/03/09/damato/|title=D'Amato to pen advice column|date=March 9, 1999}}</ref>

Prior to leaving office, Senator D'Amato published his memoir entitled "Power, Pasta and Politics.'' He also became a columnist for the since defunct ''George'' [[magazine]] and a contributor to [[Fox News]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/stories/1999/03/09/damato/|title=D'Amato to pen advice column|date=March 9, 1999|publisher=[[CNN]]|accessdate=May 27, 2020}}</ref>

In 2008, D'Amato endorsed U.S. Senator [[Fred Thompson]] of [[Tennessee]] for the Republican presidential nomination, which instead went to [[John McCain]], who was handily defeated by [[Barack Obama]]. In 2012, D'Amato supported  [[Mitt Romney]], the former governor of [[Massachusetts]] and the current junior U. S. Senator from [[Utah]]], in the second losing race to Obama. In 2016, he endorsed [[Ohio]] Governor [[John Kasich]], a Moderate Republican who claimed the ability to stop runaway deficits. In that race, former Governor Pataki was also a candidate. Kasich was quickly upended by D'Amato's fellow New York Republican, [[Donald Trump]].

In 2008, D'Amato endorsed U.S. Senator [[Fred Thompson]] of [[Tennessee]] for the Republican presidential nomination, which instead went to [[John McCain]], who was handily defeated by [[Barack Obama]]. In 2012, D'Amato supported  [[Mitt Romney]], the former governor of [[Massachusetts]] and the current junior U. S. Senator from [[Utah]]], in the second losing race to Obama. In 2016, he endorsed [[Ohio]] Governor [[John Kasich]], a Moderate Republican who claimed the ability to stop runaway deficits. In that race, former Governor Pataki was also a candidate. Kasich was quickly upended by D'Amato's fellow New York Republican, [[Donald Trump]].