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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 1, 2006 | VA | HB 568 | Flat Tax on Communication Services | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11) |
| 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) |
| April 28, 2005 | National | H Con Res 95 | Budget FY2006 Appropriations Resolution | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (52 - 47) |
| April 29, 2004 | National | S 150 | Internet Access Tax Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (93 - 3) |
| Sept. 16, 2003 | National | S J Res 17 | FCC Media Ownership bill | Bill Passed - Senate (55 - 40) |
| Oct. 16, 2002 | National | HR 3295 | Help America Vote Act of 2002 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (92 - 2) |
| Oct. 25, 2001 | National | HR 3162 | USA Patriot Act of 2001 | Bill Passed - Senate (98 - 1) |
| Oct. 15, 1999 | National | HR 2684 | Veterans Affairs and HUD Appropriations bill, FY 2000 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (93 - 5) |
| Oct. 8, 1998 | National | S 442 | Internet Tax Freedom bill | Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 2) |
| July 23, 1998 | National | S Amdt 3266 | Internet Gambling Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (90 - 10) |
| July 22, 1998 | National | S Amdt 3263 | Phone Recording Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (50 - 50) |
| July 7, 1998 | National | S Amdt 3062 | Space Station Termination Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (33 - 66) |
| May 18, 1998 | National | S 1723 | Non-Immigrant Specialty Workers bill | Bill Passed - Senate (78 - 20) |
| May 12, 1998 | National | S 1150 | Agricultural Research bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (92 - 8) |
| Feb. 26, 1998 | National | S Amdt 1646 | Campaign Finance Reform Amendment | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (51 - 48) |
| Feb. 1, 1996 | National | S 652 | Telecommunications Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (91 - 5) |
| Aug. 10, 1995 | National | S Amdt 2401 | Space-Based Laser Program Amendment | Amendment Tabled - Senate (57 - 41) |
| June 15, 1995 | National | S 652 | Telecommunications Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (81 - 18) |
| June 6, 1995 | National | S Amdt 1215 | Anti-terrorism Wiretaps Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (77 - 19) |
| March 16, 1994 | National | HR 820 | National Competitiveness Act of 1993 | Bill Passed - Senate (59 - 40) |
| March 16, 1994 | National | HR 820 | National Competitiveness Act of 1993 | Bill Passed - Senate (59 - 40) |
| Sept. 22, 1993 | National | S Amdt 910 | Advanced Solid Rocket Motor Amendment | Amendment Tabled - Senate (53 - 47) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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) |
| 3/01 | HB 568 | Flat Tax on Communication Services | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11) |
| 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) |
| 4/28 | H Con Res 95 | Budget FY2006 Appropriations Resolution | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (52 - 47) |
| 4/29 | S 150 | Internet Access Tax Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (93 - 3) |
| 9/16 | S J Res 17 | FCC Media Ownership bill | Bill Passed - Senate (55 - 40) |
| 10/16 | HR 3295 | Help America Vote Act of 2002 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (92 - 2) |
| 10/25 | HR 3162 | USA Patriot Act of 2001 | Bill Passed - Senate (98 - 1) |
| 10/15 | HR 2684 | Veterans Affairs and HUD Appropriations bill, FY 2000 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (93 - 5) |
| 10/08 | S 442 | Internet Tax Freedom bill | Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 2) |
| 7/23 | S Amdt 3266 | Internet Gambling Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (90 - 10) |
| 7/22 | S Amdt 3263 | Phone Recording Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (50 - 50) |
| 7/07 | S Amdt 3062 | Space Station Termination Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (33 - 66) |
| 5/18 | S 1723 | Non-Immigrant Specialty Workers bill | Bill Passed - Senate (78 - 20) |
| 5/12 | S 1150 | Agricultural Research bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (92 - 8) |
| 2/26 | S Amdt 1646 | Campaign Finance Reform Amendment | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (51 - 48) |
| 2/01 | S 652 | Telecommunications Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (91 - 5) |
| 8/10 | S Amdt 2401 | Space-Based Laser Program Amendment | Amendment Tabled - Senate (57 - 41) |
| 6/15 | S 652 | Telecommunications Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (81 - 18) |
| 6/06 | S Amdt 1215 | Anti-terrorism Wiretaps Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (77 - 19) |
| 3/16 | HR 820 | National Competitiveness Act of 1993 | Bill Passed - Senate (59 - 40) |
| 3/16 | HR 820 | National Competitiveness Act of 1993 | Bill Passed - Senate (59 - 40) |
| 9/22 | S Amdt 910 | Advanced Solid Rocket Motor Amendment | Amendment Tabled - Senate (53 - 47) |