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
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 - Senate (52 - 47)
April 28, 2005 National H Con Res 95 Budget FY2006 Appropriations Resolution Conference Report Adopted - House (214 - 211)
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
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 - Senate (52 - 47)
4/28 H Con Res 95 Budget FY2006 Appropriations Resolution Conference Report Adopted - House (214 - 211)
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)

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