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:
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.
| Date | State | Bill No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 2, 2006 | LA | HB 685 | Minimum Ethanol and Bio-Diesel Standards | Bill Passed - House (59 - 41) |
| May 2, 2006 | LA | HB 685 | Minimum Ethanol and Bio-Diesel Standards | Bill Passed - House (59 - 41) |
| April 30, 2006 | CT | LCO # 5219 | Repeal of Estate/Death Tax for Primary Residence & Working Farm Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (63 - 84) |
| April 28, 2006 | ME | LD 1789 | Environmental Terrorism Protection | Bill Passed - House (74 - 66) |
| April 25, 2006 | VT | S 18 | Genetically Modified Seed Liability Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (77 - 63) |
| April 25, 2006 | VT | S 18 | Genetically Modified Seed Liability Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (77 - 63) |
| April 25, 2006 | MN | SF 2734 | Sales Tax Dedicated to the Environment and the Arts Constitutional Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (78 - 55) |
| April 19, 2006 | OK | HCS SB 1444 | Manure as a Hazardous Waste | Bill Passed - House (68 - 27) |
| April 19, 2006 | OK | HCS SB 1444 | Manure as a Hazardous Waste | Bill Passed - House (68 - 27) |
| April 18, 2006 | AZ | SB 1356 | Air Pollutant Regulation | Bill Passed - House (31 - 26) |
| April 7, 2006 | MD | HB 853 | Prohibiting Dredging for Oysters & Clams in Atlantic Coastal Bays | Bill Passed - House (88 - 44) |
| April 7, 2006 | MD | HB 853 | Prohibiting Dredging for Oysters & Clams in Atlantic Coastal Bays | Bill Passed - House (88 - 44) |
| March 31, 2006 | MD | SB 154 | Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative and Additional Emission Caps | Bill Passed - House (107 - 27) |
| March 31, 2006 | MD | SB 154 | Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative and Additional Emission Caps | Bill Passed - House (107 - 27) |
| March 29, 2006 | OH | Am Sub SB 265 | Air Pollution | Bill Passed - House (67 - 29) |
| March 16, 2006 | National | HR 4939 | Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2006 | Bill Passed - House (348 - 71) |
| March 8, 2006 | VA | SB 262 | Virginia Energy Plan | Bill Passed - House (74 - 21) |
| March 8, 2006 | VA | SB 262 | Virginia Energy Plan | Bill Passed - House (74 - 21) |
| March 7, 2006 | HI | HB 3115 | Gasoline Industry Controls | Bill Passed - House (49 - 1) |
| March 7, 2006 | HI | HB 3115 | Gasoline Industry Controls | Bill Passed - House (49 - 1) |
| March 6, 2006 | IA | HF 2540 | 2006-2007 Agriculture and Natural Resources Budget | Bill Passed - House (52 - 47) |
| March 6, 2006 | IA | HF 2540 | 2006-2007 Agriculture and Natural Resources Budget | Bill Passed - House (52 - 47) |
| Feb. 22, 2006 | GA | HCS HB 1325 | Natural Gas Distribution Regulations | Bill Passed - House (110 - 59) |
| Feb. 22, 2006 | NH | HB 1269 | Red Deer or Elk Farming and Hunting | Bill Passed - House (217 - 98) |
| Feb. 22, 2006 | NH | HB 1269 | Red Deer or Elk Farming and Hunting | Bill Passed - House (217 - 98) |
| Feb. 10, 2006 | WA | Sub HB 2738 | Minimum Renewable Fuel Content Requirements | Bill Passed - House (70 - 28) |
| Feb. 10, 2006 | WA | Sub HB 2738 | Minimum Renewable Fuel Content Requirements | Bill Passed - House (70 - 28) |
| Feb. 7, 2006 | MI | Sub for HB 5453 | Changes to the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act | Bill Passed - House (63 - 42) |
| Feb. 3, 2006 | MS | HB 1089 | Deer Baiting | Bill Passed - House (63 - 46) |
| Feb. 3, 2006 | MS | HB 1089 | Deer Baiting | Bill Passed - House (63 - 46) |
| Jan. 26, 2006 | CA | AB 802 | Local Governments Assessment of Flood Risks | Bill Passed - House (41 - 34) |
| Jan. 26, 2006 | MS | HB 1318 | Hurricane Katrina Response and Recovery Oversight Act | Bill Passed - House (79 - 42) |
| Jan. 24, 2006 | SD | SB 27 | State Fair Appropriation | Bill Passed - House (61 - 7) |
| Dec. 19, 2005 | National | HR 2863 | Defense Department FY2006 Appropriations Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (308 - 106) |
| Dec. 19, 2005 | National | S 1932 | Budget Reconciliation Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (212 - 206) |
| 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. 9, 2005 | National | HR 2419 | Energy and Water Appropriations Bill FY 2006 | Conference Report Adopted - House (339 - 17) |
| Oct. 28, 2005 | National | HR 2744 | Agriculture, Rural Development and FDA Appropriations Act | Conference Report Adopted - House (318 - 63) |
| Oct. 7, 2005 | National | HR 3893 | Gasoline for America's Security Act of 2005 | Bill Passed - House (212 - 210) |
| Sept. 29, 2005 | National | H Amdt 588 | Endangered Species Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (206 - 216) |
| Sept. 29, 2005 | National | HR 3824 | Endangered Species Reauthorization Bill | Bill Passed - House (229 - 193) |
| Sept. 15, 2005 | National | H Res 437 | Bipartisan Committee to Investigate Hurricane Katrina | Resolution Passed - House (224 - 188) |
| July 28, 2005 | National | HR 6 | Energy Policy Act of 2005 | Conference Report Adopted - House (275 - 156) |
| July 28, 2005 | National | HR 2361 | Interior Department FY 2006 Appropriations Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (410 - 10) |
| June 20, 2005 | National | HR 2863 | Defense Department FY2006 Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - House (398 - 19) |
| June 16, 2005 | National | HR 2862 | Commerce, Justice and Science Appropriations Bill, FY 2006 | Bill Passed - House (418 - 7) |
| June 8, 2005 | National | HR 2744 | Agriculture, Rural Development and FDA Appropriations Act | Bill Passed - House (408 - 18) |
| May 24, 2005 | National | HR 2419 | Energy and Water Appropriations Bill FY 2006 | Bill Passed - House (416 - 13) |
| May 24, 2005 | National | HR 2419 | Energy and Water Appropriations Bill FY 2006 | Bill Passed - House (416 - 13) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5/02 | HB 685 | Minimum Ethanol and Bio-Diesel Standards | Bill Passed - House (59 - 41) |
| 5/02 | HB 685 | Minimum Ethanol and Bio-Diesel Standards | Bill Passed - House (59 - 41) |
| 4/30 | LCO # 5219 | Repeal of Estate/Death Tax for Primary Residence & Working Farm Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (63 - 84) |
| 4/28 | LD 1789 | Environmental Terrorism Protection | Bill Passed - House (74 - 66) |
| 4/25 | S 18 | Genetically Modified Seed Liability Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (77 - 63) |
| 4/25 | S 18 | Genetically Modified Seed Liability Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (77 - 63) |
| 4/25 | SF 2734 | Sales Tax Dedicated to the Environment and the Arts Constitutional Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (78 - 55) |
| 4/19 | HCS SB 1444 | Manure as a Hazardous Waste | Bill Passed - House (68 - 27) |
| 4/19 | HCS SB 1444 | Manure as a Hazardous Waste | Bill Passed - House (68 - 27) |
| 4/18 | SB 1356 | Air Pollutant Regulation | Bill Passed - House (31 - 26) |
| 4/07 | HB 853 | Prohibiting Dredging for Oysters & Clams in Atlantic Coastal Bays | Bill Passed - House (88 - 44) |
| 4/07 | HB 853 | Prohibiting Dredging for Oysters & Clams in Atlantic Coastal Bays | Bill Passed - House (88 - 44) |
| 3/31 | SB 154 | Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative and Additional Emission Caps | Bill Passed - House (107 - 27) |
| 3/31 | SB 154 | Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative and Additional Emission Caps | Bill Passed - House (107 - 27) |
| 3/29 | Am Sub SB 265 | Air Pollution | Bill Passed - House (67 - 29) |
| 3/16 | HR 4939 | Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2006 | Bill Passed - House (348 - 71) |
| 3/08 | SB 262 | Virginia Energy Plan | Bill Passed - House (74 - 21) |
| 3/08 | SB 262 | Virginia Energy Plan | Bill Passed - House (74 - 21) |
| 3/07 | HB 3115 | Gasoline Industry Controls | Bill Passed - House (49 - 1) |
| 3/07 | HB 3115 | Gasoline Industry Controls | Bill Passed - House (49 - 1) |
| 3/06 | HF 2540 | 2006-2007 Agriculture and Natural Resources Budget | Bill Passed - House (52 - 47) |
| 3/06 | HF 2540 | 2006-2007 Agriculture and Natural Resources Budget | Bill Passed - House (52 - 47) |
| 2/22 | HCS HB 1325 | Natural Gas Distribution Regulations | Bill Passed - House (110 - 59) |
| 2/22 | HB 1269 | Red Deer or Elk Farming and Hunting | Bill Passed - House (217 - 98) |
| 2/22 | HB 1269 | Red Deer or Elk Farming and Hunting | Bill Passed - House (217 - 98) |
| 2/10 | Sub HB 2738 | Minimum Renewable Fuel Content Requirements | Bill Passed - House (70 - 28) |
| 2/10 | Sub HB 2738 | Minimum Renewable Fuel Content Requirements | Bill Passed - House (70 - 28) |
| 2/07 | Sub for HB 5453 | Changes to the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act | Bill Passed - House (63 - 42) |
| 2/03 | HB 1089 | Deer Baiting | Bill Passed - House (63 - 46) |
| 2/03 | HB 1089 | Deer Baiting | Bill Passed - House (63 - 46) |
| 1/26 | AB 802 | Local Governments Assessment of Flood Risks | Bill Passed - House (41 - 34) |
| 1/26 | HB 1318 | Hurricane Katrina Response and Recovery Oversight Act | Bill Passed - House (79 - 42) |
| 1/24 | SB 27 | State Fair Appropriation | Bill Passed - House (61 - 7) |
| 12/19 | HR 2863 | Defense Department FY2006 Appropriations Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (308 - 106) |
| 12/19 | S 1932 | Budget Reconciliation Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (212 - 206) |
| 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) |
| 11/09 | HR 2419 | Energy and Water Appropriations Bill FY 2006 | Conference Report Adopted - House (339 - 17) |
| 10/28 | HR 2744 | Agriculture, Rural Development and FDA Appropriations Act | Conference Report Adopted - House (318 - 63) |
| 10/07 | HR 3893 | Gasoline for America's Security Act of 2005 | Bill Passed - House (212 - 210) |
| 9/29 | H Amdt 588 | Endangered Species Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (206 - 216) |
| 9/29 | HR 3824 | Endangered Species Reauthorization Bill | Bill Passed - House (229 - 193) |
| 9/15 | H Res 437 | Bipartisan Committee to Investigate Hurricane Katrina | Resolution Passed - House (224 - 188) |
| 7/28 | HR 6 | Energy Policy Act of 2005 | Conference Report Adopted - House (275 - 156) |
| 7/28 | HR 2361 | Interior Department FY 2006 Appropriations Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (410 - 10) |
| 6/20 | HR 2863 | Defense Department FY2006 Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - House (398 - 19) |
| 6/16 | HR 2862 | Commerce, Justice and Science Appropriations Bill, FY 2006 | Bill Passed - House (418 - 7) |
| 6/08 | HR 2744 | Agriculture, Rural Development and FDA Appropriations Act | Bill Passed - House (408 - 18) |
| 5/24 | HR 2419 | Energy and Water Appropriations Bill FY 2006 | Bill Passed - House (416 - 13) |
| 5/24 | HR 2419 | Energy and Water Appropriations Bill FY 2006 | Bill Passed - House (416 - 13) |