Key Votes

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Vote Smart provides easy access to congressional and state voting records and maintains a collection of key votes grouped by issue. Vote Smart uses the following criteria to select key votes:

  1. The vote should be helpful in portraying how a member stands on a particular issue
  2. The vote should be clear for any person to understand
  3. The vote has received media attention
  4. The vote was passed or defeated by a very close margin
  5. Occasionally, if a specific bill is consistently inquired about on the Voter's Research Hotline, the vote will be added

Vote Smart provides a summary of the version of the bill text associated with each selected key vote. Our summaries are written by Vote Smart's staff and interns, who adhere to our strict policies and procedures in order to guarantee absolute impartiality and accuracy. They do not necessarily reflect the content of the final version of the bill, but rather the version voted on in that stage. While many procedural votes take place before a full chamber vote, our voting stages reflect the final reading of each chamber vote. Each key vote selection is reviewed by the project's community of advisors, who are political scientists and journalists from all fifty states.

For more information about the legislative process, see here.


results per page:
Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
Dec. 21, 2005 National S 1932 Budget Reconciliation Bill Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (51 - 50)
Dec. 19, 2005 National S 1932 Budget Reconciliation Bill Conference Report Adopted - House (212 - 206)
Dec. 8, 2005 National HR 4297 Tax Relief Extension Reconciliation Act of 2005 Bill Passed - House (234 - 197)
Nov. 18, 2005 National S 2020 Tax Reconciliation Bill Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 33)
Nov. 18, 2005 National HR 4241 Budget Reconciliation Bill Bill Passed - House (217 - 215)
Nov. 17, 2005 National S Amdt 2610 Tax Rate Amendment Motion Rejected - Senate (40 - 59)
Nov. 17, 2005 National S Amdt 2602 Hurricane Victims Tax Benefit Amendment Motion Rejected - Senate (44 - 55)
Nov. 17, 2005 National S Amdt 2616 Earned Income Tax Credit Amendment Motion Rejected - Senate (55 - 43)
Nov. 17, 2005 National S Amdt 2650 Pay As You Go Amendment Motion Rejected - Senate (50 - 48)
Nov. 17, 2005 National S Amdt 2626 Temporary Tax on Crude Oil Amendment Motion Rejected - Senate (50 - 48)
Nov. 16, 2005 National HR 2862 Commerce, Justice and Science Appropriations Bill, FY 2006 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (94 - 5)
Nov. 10, 2005 National HR 3057 Foreign Operations FY 2006 Appropriations Bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (91 - 0)
Nov. 9, 2005 National HR 2419 Energy and Water Appropriations Bill FY 2006 Conference Report Adopted - House (339 - 17)
Nov. 9, 2005 National HR 2862 Commerce, Justice and Science Appropriations Bill, FY 2006 Conference Report Adopted - House (397 - 19)
Nov. 4, 2005 National HR 3057 Foreign Operations FY 2006 Appropriations Bill Conference Report Adopted - House (358 - 39)
Nov. 3, 2005 National S Amdt 2351 Pay As You Go Amendment Motion Rejected - Senate (50 - 49)
Nov. 3, 2005 National S 1932 Budget Reconciliation Bill Bill Passed - Senate (52 - 47)
Oct. 20, 2005 National HR 3058 Transportation, Treasury, HUD and Judiciary Appropriation Bill Passed - Senate (93 - 1)
Sept. 15, 2005 National S Amdt 1678 Hurricane Katrina Relief Amendment Motion Rejected - Senate (43 - 52)
July 29, 2005 National HR 2985 Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2006 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (96 - 4)
July 29, 2005 National HR 3 Transportation Authorization Bill Conference Report Adopted - House (412 - 8)
July 29, 2005 National HR 2361 Interior Department FY 2006 Appropriations Bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (99 - 1)
July 29, 2005 National HR 3 Transportation Authorization Bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (91 - 4)
July 28, 2005 National HR 2361 Interior Department FY 2006 Appropriations Bill Conference Report Adopted - House (410 - 10)
July 28, 2005 National HR 2985 Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2006 Conference Report Adopted - House (305 - 122)
July 20, 2005 National HR 3057 Foreign Operations FY 2006 Appropriations Bill Bill Passed - Senate (98 - 1)
July 19, 2005 National S Amdt 1241 US Agency for International Development Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (59 - 40)
July 14, 2005 National HR 2360 Homeland Security Department FY 2006 Appropriations Act Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 1)
July 1, 2005 National HR 2419 Energy and Water Appropriations Bill FY 2006 Bill Passed - Senate (92 - 3)
June 30, 2005 National HR 3058 Transportation, Treasury, HUD and Judiciary Appropriation Bill Passed - House (405 - 18)
June 29, 2005 National HR 2361 Interior Department FY 2006 Appropriations Bill Bill Passed - Senate (94 - 0)
June 28, 2005 National HR 3057 Foreign Operations FY 2006 Appropriations Bill Bill Passed - House (393 - 32)
June 23, 2005 National H Amdt 343 Restoring Funds for Public Broadcasting Amendment Adopted - House (284 - 140)
June 22, 2005 National HR 2985 Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2006 Bill Passed - House (330 - 82)
June 17, 2005 National HR 2745 United Nations Reform Act of 2005 Bill Passed - House (221 - 184)
June 16, 2005 National HR 2862 Commerce, Justice and Science Appropriations Bill, FY 2006 Bill Passed - House (418 - 7)
May 24, 2005 National HR 2419 Energy and Water Appropriations Bill FY 2006 Bill Passed - House (416 - 13)
May 19, 2005 National HR 2361 Interior Department FY 2006 Appropriations Bill Bill Passed - House (329 - 89)
May 17, 2005 National HR 3 Transportation Authorization Bill Bill Passed - Senate (89 - 11)
May 17, 2005 National HR 2360 Homeland Security Department FY 2006 Appropriations Act Bill Passed - House (424 - 1)
May 10, 2005 National HR 1268 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2005 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (100 - 0)
May 5, 2005 National HR 1268 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2005 Conference Report Adopted - House (368 - 58)
April 28, 2005 National H Con Res 95 Budget FY2006 Appropriations Resolution Conference Report Adopted - Senate (52 - 47)
April 28, 2005 National H Con Res 95 Budget FY2006 Appropriations Resolution Conference Report Adopted - House (214 - 211)
April 21, 2005 National HR 1268 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2005 Bill Passed - Senate (99 - 0)
April 13, 2005 National HR 8 Death/Estate Tax Repeal Permanency Act of 2005 Bill Passed - House (272 - 162)
March 17, 2005 National S Amdt 210 Tax Subsidy for Domestic Companies Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (40 - 59)
March 17, 2005 National S Con Res 18 Budget FY2006 Appropriations Resolution Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (51 - 49)
March 17, 2005 National H Con Res 95 Budget FY2006 Appropriations Resolution Joint Resolution Passed - House (218 - 214)
March 16, 2005 National HR 1268 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2005 Bill Passed - House (388 - 43)
March 10, 2005 National HR 3 Transportation Authorization Bill Bill Passed - House (417 - 9)
Date No. Title Outcome
12/21 S 1932 Budget Reconciliation Bill Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (51 - 50)
12/19 S 1932 Budget Reconciliation Bill Conference Report Adopted - House (212 - 206)
12/08 HR 4297 Tax Relief Extension Reconciliation Act of 2005 Bill Passed - House (234 - 197)
11/18 S 2020 Tax Reconciliation Bill Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 33)
11/18 HR 4241 Budget Reconciliation Bill Bill Passed - House (217 - 215)
11/17 S Amdt 2610 Tax Rate Amendment Motion Rejected - Senate (40 - 59)
11/17 S Amdt 2602 Hurricane Victims Tax Benefit Amendment Motion Rejected - Senate (44 - 55)
11/17 S Amdt 2616 Earned Income Tax Credit Amendment Motion Rejected - Senate (55 - 43)
11/17 S Amdt 2650 Pay As You Go Amendment Motion Rejected - Senate (50 - 48)
11/17 S Amdt 2626 Temporary Tax on Crude Oil Amendment Motion Rejected - Senate (50 - 48)
11/16 HR 2862 Commerce, Justice and Science Appropriations Bill, FY 2006 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (94 - 5)
11/10 HR 3057 Foreign Operations FY 2006 Appropriations Bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (91 - 0)
11/09 HR 2419 Energy and Water Appropriations Bill FY 2006 Conference Report Adopted - House (339 - 17)
11/09 HR 2862 Commerce, Justice and Science Appropriations Bill, FY 2006 Conference Report Adopted - House (397 - 19)
11/04 HR 3057 Foreign Operations FY 2006 Appropriations Bill Conference Report Adopted - House (358 - 39)
11/03 S Amdt 2351 Pay As You Go Amendment Motion Rejected - Senate (50 - 49)
11/03 S 1932 Budget Reconciliation Bill Bill Passed - Senate (52 - 47)
10/20 HR 3058 Transportation, Treasury, HUD and Judiciary Appropriation Bill Passed - Senate (93 - 1)
9/15 S Amdt 1678 Hurricane Katrina Relief Amendment Motion Rejected - Senate (43 - 52)
7/29 HR 2985 Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2006 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (96 - 4)
7/29 HR 3 Transportation Authorization Bill Conference Report Adopted - House (412 - 8)
7/29 HR 2361 Interior Department FY 2006 Appropriations Bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (99 - 1)
7/29 HR 3 Transportation Authorization Bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (91 - 4)
7/28 HR 2361 Interior Department FY 2006 Appropriations Bill Conference Report Adopted - House (410 - 10)
7/28 HR 2985 Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2006 Conference Report Adopted - House (305 - 122)
7/20 HR 3057 Foreign Operations FY 2006 Appropriations Bill Bill Passed - Senate (98 - 1)
7/19 S Amdt 1241 US Agency for International Development Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (59 - 40)
7/14 HR 2360 Homeland Security Department FY 2006 Appropriations Act Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 1)
7/01 HR 2419 Energy and Water Appropriations Bill FY 2006 Bill Passed - Senate (92 - 3)
6/30 HR 3058 Transportation, Treasury, HUD and Judiciary Appropriation Bill Passed - House (405 - 18)
6/29 HR 2361 Interior Department FY 2006 Appropriations Bill Bill Passed - Senate (94 - 0)
6/28 HR 3057 Foreign Operations FY 2006 Appropriations Bill Bill Passed - House (393 - 32)
6/23 H Amdt 343 Restoring Funds for Public Broadcasting Amendment Adopted - House (284 - 140)
6/22 HR 2985 Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2006 Bill Passed - House (330 - 82)
6/17 HR 2745 United Nations Reform Act of 2005 Bill Passed - House (221 - 184)
6/16 HR 2862 Commerce, Justice and Science Appropriations Bill, FY 2006 Bill Passed - House (418 - 7)
5/24 HR 2419 Energy and Water Appropriations Bill FY 2006 Bill Passed - House (416 - 13)
5/19 HR 2361 Interior Department FY 2006 Appropriations Bill Bill Passed - House (329 - 89)
5/17 HR 3 Transportation Authorization Bill Bill Passed - Senate (89 - 11)
5/17 HR 2360 Homeland Security Department FY 2006 Appropriations Act Bill Passed - House (424 - 1)
5/10 HR 1268 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2005 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (100 - 0)
5/05 HR 1268 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2005 Conference Report Adopted - House (368 - 58)
4/28 H Con Res 95 Budget FY2006 Appropriations Resolution Conference Report Adopted - Senate (52 - 47)
4/28 H Con Res 95 Budget FY2006 Appropriations Resolution Conference Report Adopted - House (214 - 211)
4/21 HR 1268 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2005 Bill Passed - Senate (99 - 0)
4/13 HR 8 Death/Estate Tax Repeal Permanency Act of 2005 Bill Passed - House (272 - 162)
3/17 S Amdt 210 Tax Subsidy for Domestic Companies Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (40 - 59)
3/17 S Con Res 18 Budget FY2006 Appropriations Resolution Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (51 - 49)
3/17 H Con Res 95 Budget FY2006 Appropriations Resolution Joint Resolution Passed - House (218 - 214)
3/16 HR 1268 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2005 Bill Passed - House (388 - 43)
3/10 HR 3 Transportation Authorization Bill Bill Passed - House (417 - 9)

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