Clair Engle

During the effort to break the filibuster on the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the clerk reached U.S. senator Clair Engle of California for his vote. Because of Engle's brain cancer which partially paralyzed him and robbed his ability to speak, he slowly lifted up a crippled arm and pointed to his eye, signaling his "aye" vote. The vote was 71-29, four votes more than the necessary amount to end the filibuster. Nine days later the Senate approved the act.

Engle died a month and a half later.