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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 20, 2006 | AZ | SB 1477 | Psychotropic drugs; Testing; Informed Consent | Bill Passed - House (34 - 23) |
| April 19, 2006 | NH | SCR 6 | Stem Cell Research Resolution | Resolution Passed - House (198 - 140) |
| April 18, 2006 | AZ | SB 1356 | Air Pollutant Regulation | Bill Passed - House (31 - 26) |
| April 17, 2006 | AZ | SB 1477 | Psychotropic drugs; Testing; Informed Consent | Bill Failed - House (25 - 30) |
| April 12, 2006 | MO | HA 9 | Eminent Domain Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (23 - 129) |
| April 12, 2006 | AZ | HB 2142 | Human Eggs; Sale; Prohibition | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (38 - 21) |
| April 11, 2006 | VA | Amdt Item 4-0.01 | Stem Cell Funding Prohibition Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (64 - 30) |
| April 11, 2006 | AZ | HB 2142 | Human Eggs; Sale; Prohibition | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 11) |
| April 6, 2006 | FL | A 990241 | Stem Cell Research Funding Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (40 - 73) |
| March 24, 2006 | KS | HCS SB 1 | Anti-Cloning and Bioscience | Motion Agreed - House (63 - 52) |
| March 23, 2006 | MD | Amendment 953927 | Stem Cell Funding Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (46 - 93) |
| March 14, 2006 | AZ | SB 1477 | Psychotropic drugs; Testing; Informed Consent | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13) |
| March 8, 2006 | AZ | SB 1356 | Air Pollutant Regulation | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 12) |
| March 7, 2006 | National | S 2271 | PATRIOT Act Reauthorization bill | Bill Passed - House (280 - 138) |
| March 3, 2006 | MD | HB 1 | Maryland Stem Cell Research Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (85 - 54) |
| March 2, 2006 | OK | HB 2107 | Science Instruction | Bill Passed - House (77 - 10) |
| March 1, 2006 | AZ | HB 2142 | Human Eggs; Sale; Prohibition | Bill Passed - House (33 - 22) |
| March 1, 2006 | VA | HB 568 | Flat Tax on Communication Services | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11) |
| Feb. 22, 2006 | MS | HB 1638 | Funding for Wireless Communications and Cooperative Data Systems | Bill Passed - House (80 - 42) |
| Feb. 1, 2006 | MS | HB 1416 | Notification of Public Funds Used in the Media | Bill Passed - House (89 - 30) |
| Jan. 26, 2006 | VA | HB 568 | Flat Tax on Communication Services | Bill Passed - House (62 - 35) |
| Jan. 3, 2006 | RI | H 6052 Sub. A | Medical Marijuana Bill | Veto Override Passed - House (59 - 13) |
| Jan. 3, 2006 | RI | H 6052 Sub. A | Medical Marijuana Bill | Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 5) |
| Nov. 16, 2005 | National | HR 2862 | Commerce, Justice and Science Appropriations Bill, FY 2006 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (94 - 5) |
| Nov. 9, 2005 | National | HR 2862 | Commerce, Justice and Science Appropriations Bill, FY 2006 | Conference Report Adopted - House (397 - 19) |
| Nov. 2, 2005 | National | HR 1606 | Online Freedom of Speech Act | Bill Failed - House (225 - 182) |
| July 22, 2005 | National | H Amdt 511 | Advanced Research Opportunities Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (192 - 206) |
| June 16, 2005 | National | HR 2862 | Commerce, Justice and Science Appropriations Bill, FY 2006 | Bill Passed - House (418 - 7) |
| April 28, 2005 | National | H Con Res 95 | Budget FY2006 Appropriations Resolution | Conference Report Adopted - House (214 - 211) |
| April 28, 2005 | National | H Con Res 95 | Budget FY2006 Appropriations Resolution | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (52 - 47) |
| March 17, 2005 | National | H Con Res 95 | Budget FY2006 Appropriations Resolution | Joint Resolution Passed - House (218 - 214) |
| April 29, 2004 | National | S 150 | Internet Access Tax Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (93 - 3) |
| March 11, 2004 | National | HR 3717 | FCC Indecency Penalties Bill | Bill Passed - House (391 - 22) |
| Nov. 22, 2003 | National | S 877 | Reduction of SPAM bill | Bill Passed - House (392 - 5) |
| Sept. 25, 2003 | National | HR 3161 | Do-Not-Call-Registry bill | Bill Passed - House (412 - 8) |
| Sept. 16, 2003 | National | S J Res 17 | FCC Media Ownership bill | Bill Passed - Senate (55 - 40) |
| June 10, 2003 | National | HR 2143 | Unlawful Internet Gambling Funding Prohibition Act | Bill Passed - House (319 - 104) |
| April 10, 2003 | National | S 151 | Enhance AMBER Alert bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (400 - 25) |
| Feb. 27, 2003 | National | HR 534 | Cloning of Humans bill | Bill Passed - House (241 - 155) |
| Oct. 16, 2002 | National | HR 3295 | Help America Vote Act of 2002 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (92 - 2) |
| Oct. 10, 2002 | National | HR 3295 | Help America Vote Act of 2002 | Conference Report Adopted - House (357 - 48) |
| Oct. 25, 2001 | National | HR 3162 | USA Patriot Act of 2001 | Bill Passed - Senate (98 - 1) |
| Oct. 24, 2001 | National | HR 3162 | USA Patriot Act of 2001 | Bill Passed - House (357 - 66) |
| May 10, 2000 | National | HR 3709 | Regarding Internet Taxation | Bill Passed - House (352 - 75) |
| Oct. 15, 1999 | National | HR 2684 | Veterans Affairs and HUD Appropriations bill, FY 2000 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (93 - 5) |
| Oct. 14, 1999 | National | HR 2684 | Veterans Affairs and HUD Appropriations bill, FY 2000 | Conference Report Adopted - House (406 - 18) |
| Sept. 9, 1999 | National | HR 2684 | Veterans Affairs and HUD Appropriations bill, FY 2000 | Bill Passed - House (235 - 187) |
| Sept. 8, 1999 | National | H Amdt 423 | International Space Station Funding Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (121 - 298) |
| Sept. 8, 1999 | National | H Amdt 423 | International Space Station Funding Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (121 - 298) |
| May 19, 1999 | National | HR 1654 | NASA Authorization bill | Bill Passed - House (259 - 168) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4/20 | SB 1477 | Psychotropic drugs; Testing; Informed Consent | Bill Passed - House (34 - 23) |
| 4/19 | SCR 6 | Stem Cell Research Resolution | Resolution Passed - House (198 - 140) |
| 4/18 | SB 1356 | Air Pollutant Regulation | Bill Passed - House (31 - 26) |
| 4/17 | SB 1477 | Psychotropic drugs; Testing; Informed Consent | Bill Failed - House (25 - 30) |
| 4/12 | HA 9 | Eminent Domain Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (23 - 129) |
| 4/12 | HB 2142 | Human Eggs; Sale; Prohibition | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (38 - 21) |
| 4/11 | Amdt Item 4-0.01 | Stem Cell Funding Prohibition Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (64 - 30) |
| 4/11 | HB 2142 | Human Eggs; Sale; Prohibition | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 11) |
| 4/06 | A 990241 | Stem Cell Research Funding Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (40 - 73) |
| 3/24 | HCS SB 1 | Anti-Cloning and Bioscience | Motion Agreed - House (63 - 52) |
| 3/23 | Amendment 953927 | Stem Cell Funding Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (46 - 93) |
| 3/14 | SB 1477 | Psychotropic drugs; Testing; Informed Consent | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13) |
| 3/08 | SB 1356 | Air Pollutant Regulation | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 12) |
| 3/07 | S 2271 | PATRIOT Act Reauthorization bill | Bill Passed - House (280 - 138) |
| 3/03 | HB 1 | Maryland Stem Cell Research Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (85 - 54) |
| 3/02 | HB 2107 | Science Instruction | Bill Passed - House (77 - 10) |
| 3/01 | HB 2142 | Human Eggs; Sale; Prohibition | Bill Passed - House (33 - 22) |
| 3/01 | HB 568 | Flat Tax on Communication Services | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11) |
| 2/22 | HB 1638 | Funding for Wireless Communications and Cooperative Data Systems | Bill Passed - House (80 - 42) |
| 2/01 | HB 1416 | Notification of Public Funds Used in the Media | Bill Passed - House (89 - 30) |
| 1/26 | HB 568 | Flat Tax on Communication Services | Bill Passed - House (62 - 35) |
| 1/03 | H 6052 Sub. A | Medical Marijuana Bill | Veto Override Passed - House (59 - 13) |
| 1/03 | H 6052 Sub. A | Medical Marijuana Bill | Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 5) |
| 11/16 | HR 2862 | Commerce, Justice and Science Appropriations Bill, FY 2006 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (94 - 5) |
| 11/09 | HR 2862 | Commerce, Justice and Science Appropriations Bill, FY 2006 | Conference Report Adopted - House (397 - 19) |
| 11/02 | HR 1606 | Online Freedom of Speech Act | Bill Failed - House (225 - 182) |
| 7/22 | H Amdt 511 | Advanced Research Opportunities Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (192 - 206) |
| 6/16 | HR 2862 | Commerce, Justice and Science Appropriations Bill, FY 2006 | Bill Passed - House (418 - 7) |
| 4/28 | H Con Res 95 | Budget FY2006 Appropriations Resolution | Conference Report Adopted - House (214 - 211) |
| 4/28 | H Con Res 95 | Budget FY2006 Appropriations Resolution | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (52 - 47) |
| 3/17 | H Con Res 95 | Budget FY2006 Appropriations Resolution | Joint Resolution Passed - House (218 - 214) |
| 4/29 | S 150 | Internet Access Tax Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (93 - 3) |
| 3/11 | HR 3717 | FCC Indecency Penalties Bill | Bill Passed - House (391 - 22) |
| 11/22 | S 877 | Reduction of SPAM bill | Bill Passed - House (392 - 5) |
| 9/25 | HR 3161 | Do-Not-Call-Registry bill | Bill Passed - House (412 - 8) |
| 9/16 | S J Res 17 | FCC Media Ownership bill | Bill Passed - Senate (55 - 40) |
| 6/10 | HR 2143 | Unlawful Internet Gambling Funding Prohibition Act | Bill Passed - House (319 - 104) |
| 4/10 | S 151 | Enhance AMBER Alert bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (400 - 25) |
| 2/27 | HR 534 | Cloning of Humans bill | Bill Passed - House (241 - 155) |
| 10/16 | HR 3295 | Help America Vote Act of 2002 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (92 - 2) |
| 10/10 | HR 3295 | Help America Vote Act of 2002 | Conference Report Adopted - House (357 - 48) |
| 10/25 | HR 3162 | USA Patriot Act of 2001 | Bill Passed - Senate (98 - 1) |
| 10/24 | HR 3162 | USA Patriot Act of 2001 | Bill Passed - House (357 - 66) |
| 5/10 | HR 3709 | Regarding Internet Taxation | Bill Passed - House (352 - 75) |
| 10/15 | HR 2684 | Veterans Affairs and HUD Appropriations bill, FY 2000 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (93 - 5) |
| 10/14 | HR 2684 | Veterans Affairs and HUD Appropriations bill, FY 2000 | Conference Report Adopted - House (406 - 18) |
| 9/09 | HR 2684 | Veterans Affairs and HUD Appropriations bill, FY 2000 | Bill Passed - House (235 - 187) |
| 9/08 | H Amdt 423 | International Space Station Funding Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (121 - 298) |
| 9/08 | H Amdt 423 | International Space Station Funding Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (121 - 298) |
| 5/19 | HR 1654 | NASA Authorization bill | Bill Passed - House (259 - 168) |