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
Sept. 29, 2006 National HR 6061 Secure Fence Act of 2006 Bill Passed - Senate (80 - 19)
Sept. 29, 2006 National S 3930 Military Commissions Act of 2006 Bill Passed - House (250 - 170)
Sept. 28, 2006 National S Amdt 5087 Habeas Review Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (48 - 51)
Sept. 28, 2006 National S Amdt 5095 Oversight of CIA Interrogation and Detention Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 53)
Sept. 28, 2006 National S 3930 Military Commissions Act of 2006 Bill Passed - Senate (65 - 34)
Sept. 26, 2006 National HR 5092 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Bill Passed - House (277 - 131)
Sept. 26, 2006 National HR 2679 Public Expression of Religion Act of 2006 Bill Passed - House (244 - 173)
Sept. 21, 2006 National HR 6095 Immigration Law Enforcement Act of 2006 Bill Passed - House (277 - 140)
Sept. 21, 2006 National HR 6095 Immigration Law Enforcement Act of 2006 Bill Passed - House (277 - 140)
Sept. 20, 2006 National HR 4844 Federal Election Integrity Act of 2006 Bill Passed - House (228 - 196)
Sept. 14, 2006 National HR 6061 Secure Fence Act of 2006 Bill Passed - House (283 - 138)
Sept. 13, 2006 National HR 4893 Restricting Indian Gaming to Homelands of Tribes Act Bill Failed - House (247 - 171)
Sept. 7, 2006 National HR 503 Horse Slaughter Prohibition Bill Bill Passed - House (263 - 146)
Aug. 2, 2006 National S Amdt 4775 Triple-Layered Fencing Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (94 - 3)
July 25, 2006 National S Amdt 4689 Teen Pregnancy Education Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (48 - 51)
July 19, 2006 National HR 810 Stem Cell Research Bill of 2005 Veto Override Failed - House (235 - 193)
July 19, 2006 National HR 2389 Pledge Protection Act of 2006 Bill Passed - House (260 - 167)
July 18, 2006 National S 2754 Alternative Stem Cell Therapies Act Bill Failed - House (273 - 154)
July 18, 2006 National H J Res 88 Same-Sex Marriage Resolution Joint Resolution Failed - House (236 - 187)
July 18, 2006 National HR 810 Stem Cell Research Bill of 2005 Bill Passed - Senate (63 - 37)
July 13, 2006 National S Amdt 4615 Firearm Confiscation Prohibition Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (84 - 16)
July 13, 2006 National S Amdt 4659 Double-Layered Fencing Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (29 - 71)
July 13, 2006 National HR 9 Voting Rights Act Reauthorization Bill Passed - House (390 - 33)
July 11, 2006 National H Amdt 1179 Online Gambling Ban Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (114 - 297)
July 11, 2006 National HR 4411 Internet Gambling Bill Bill Passed - House (317 - 93)
June 29, 2006 National HR 5672 Commerce Department Appropriations Bill FY 2006 Bill Passed - House (393 - 23)
June 28, 2006 National H Amdt 1156 Trigger Lock Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (230 - 191)
June 9, 2006 National HR 5522 Foreign Operations and Export Finance Appropriation Act Bill Passed - House (373 - 34)
June 9, 2006 National HR 5522 Foreign Operations and Export Finance Appropriation Act Bill Passed - House (373 - 34)
June 7, 2006 National S J Res 1 Same Sex Marriage Resolution Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (49 - 48)
May 25, 2006 National S Amdt 4097 Confidentiality Requirement Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (49 - 49)
May 25, 2006 National S 2611 Immigration Reform Bill Bill Passed - Senate (62 - 36)
May 24, 2006 National S Amdt 4095 H-2C Visa Program Ammendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (48 - 49)
May 23, 2006 National S Amdt 4087 Orange Card Program Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (37 - 61)
May 23, 2006 National S Amdt 4177 Employer Verification Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (59 - 39)
May 18, 2006 National S Amdt 4072 "State Criminal Alien Assistance Program" Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (43 - 52)
May 18, 2006 National S Amdt 4073 English as Unifying Language Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (58 - 39)
May 18, 2006 National S Amdt 4064 English As National Language Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (62 - 35)
May 17, 2006 National S Amdt 3965 Employment-based Immigrant Visa Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (50 - 48)
May 11, 2006 National HR 4297 Tax Relief Extension Reconciliation Act of 2005 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (54 - 44)
May 10, 2006 National HR 4297 Tax Relief Extension Reconciliation Act of 2005 Conference Report Adopted - House (244 - 185)
March 2, 2006 National HR 3199 PATRIOT Act Reauthorization Conference Report Adopted - Senate (89 - 10)
Date No. Title Outcome
9/29 HR 6061 Secure Fence Act of 2006 Bill Passed - Senate (80 - 19)
9/29 S 3930 Military Commissions Act of 2006 Bill Passed - House (250 - 170)
9/28 S Amdt 5087 Habeas Review Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (48 - 51)
9/28 S Amdt 5095 Oversight of CIA Interrogation and Detention Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 53)
9/28 S 3930 Military Commissions Act of 2006 Bill Passed - Senate (65 - 34)
9/26 HR 5092 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Bill Passed - House (277 - 131)
9/26 HR 2679 Public Expression of Religion Act of 2006 Bill Passed - House (244 - 173)
9/21 HR 6095 Immigration Law Enforcement Act of 2006 Bill Passed - House (277 - 140)
9/21 HR 6095 Immigration Law Enforcement Act of 2006 Bill Passed - House (277 - 140)
9/20 HR 4844 Federal Election Integrity Act of 2006 Bill Passed - House (228 - 196)
9/14 HR 6061 Secure Fence Act of 2006 Bill Passed - House (283 - 138)
9/13 HR 4893 Restricting Indian Gaming to Homelands of Tribes Act Bill Failed - House (247 - 171)
9/07 HR 503 Horse Slaughter Prohibition Bill Bill Passed - House (263 - 146)
8/02 S Amdt 4775 Triple-Layered Fencing Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (94 - 3)
7/25 S Amdt 4689 Teen Pregnancy Education Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (48 - 51)
7/19 HR 810 Stem Cell Research Bill of 2005 Veto Override Failed - House (235 - 193)
7/19 HR 2389 Pledge Protection Act of 2006 Bill Passed - House (260 - 167)
7/18 S 2754 Alternative Stem Cell Therapies Act Bill Failed - House (273 - 154)
7/18 H J Res 88 Same-Sex Marriage Resolution Joint Resolution Failed - House (236 - 187)
7/18 HR 810 Stem Cell Research Bill of 2005 Bill Passed - Senate (63 - 37)
7/13 S Amdt 4615 Firearm Confiscation Prohibition Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (84 - 16)
7/13 S Amdt 4659 Double-Layered Fencing Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (29 - 71)
7/13 HR 9 Voting Rights Act Reauthorization Bill Passed - House (390 - 33)
7/11 H Amdt 1179 Online Gambling Ban Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (114 - 297)
7/11 HR 4411 Internet Gambling Bill Bill Passed - House (317 - 93)
6/29 HR 5672 Commerce Department Appropriations Bill FY 2006 Bill Passed - House (393 - 23)
6/28 H Amdt 1156 Trigger Lock Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (230 - 191)
6/09 HR 5522 Foreign Operations and Export Finance Appropriation Act Bill Passed - House (373 - 34)
6/09 HR 5522 Foreign Operations and Export Finance Appropriation Act Bill Passed - House (373 - 34)
6/07 S J Res 1 Same Sex Marriage Resolution Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (49 - 48)
5/25 S Amdt 4097 Confidentiality Requirement Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (49 - 49)
5/25 S 2611 Immigration Reform Bill Bill Passed - Senate (62 - 36)
5/24 S Amdt 4095 H-2C Visa Program Ammendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (48 - 49)
5/23 S Amdt 4087 Orange Card Program Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (37 - 61)
5/23 S Amdt 4177 Employer Verification Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (59 - 39)
5/18 S Amdt 4072 "State Criminal Alien Assistance Program" Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (43 - 52)
5/18 S Amdt 4073 English as Unifying Language Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (58 - 39)
5/18 S Amdt 4064 English As National Language Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (62 - 35)
5/17 S Amdt 3965 Employment-based Immigrant Visa Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (50 - 48)
5/11 HR 4297 Tax Relief Extension Reconciliation Act of 2005 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (54 - 44)
5/10 HR 4297 Tax Relief Extension Reconciliation Act of 2005 Conference Report Adopted - House (244 - 185)
3/02 HR 3199 PATRIOT Act Reauthorization Conference Report Adopted - Senate (89 - 10)

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