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
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)

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