Key Votes

Chamber

Keyword Search

Search string must be longer than 3 characters.

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
July 13, 2006 MA H 126 Unsigned Political Posters Veto Override Passed - House (132 - 24)
July 13, 2006 MA H 4176 Sale of Hypodermic Needles and Syringes Veto Override Passed - House (115 - 42)
July 13, 2006 National S Amdt 4615 Firearm Confiscation Prohibition Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (84 - 16)
July 13, 2006 National S Amdt 4659 Double-Layered Fencing Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (29 - 71)
July 13, 2006 National HR 9 Voting Rights Act Reauthorization Bill Passed - House (390 - 33)
July 12, 2006 National S Amdt 4587 Transit Security Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (50 - 50)
July 12, 2006 National S Amdt 4553 Rail and Transit Security Amendment Motion Rejected - Senate (50 - 50)
July 11, 2006 National S Amdt 4560 USEMA Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (87 - 11)
July 11, 2006 National S Amdt 4563 FEMA Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (32 - 66)
June 29, 2006 DE SB 60 Sterile Needle and Syringe Exchange Pilot Program Bill Passed - House (24 - 14)
June 29, 2006 National HR 5672 Commerce Department Appropriations Bill FY 2006 Bill Passed - House (393 - 23)
June 29, 2006 National H Res 895 Intelligence and Law Enforcement Resolution Resolution Passed - House (227 - 183)
June 29, 2006 DE SB 60 Sterile Needle and Syringe Exchange Pilot Program Bill Passed - House (24 - 14)
June 28, 2006 NH SB 318 Use of Deadly Force Veto Override Failed - Senate (11 - 11)
June 28, 2006 NH SB 318 Use of Deadly Force Veto Override Failed - Senate (11 - 11)
June 28, 2006 National H Amdt 1156 Trigger Lock Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (230 - 191)
June 28, 2006 PA HB 804 Handheld Cell Phone Ban While Driving Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 7)
June 27, 2006 CA SB 1137 Sentences for Non-Violent Drug Offenders Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 2)
June 27, 2006 CA SB 1137 Sentences for Non-Violent Drug Offenders Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 2)
June 27, 2006 CA SB 1137 Sentences for Non-Violent Drug Offenders Bill Passed - House (64 - 8)
June 27, 2006 CA SB 1137 Sentences for Non-Violent Drug Offenders Bill Passed - House (64 - 8)
June 21, 2006 PA HB 2381 Marriage Definition Constitutional Amendment Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (38 - 12)
June 21, 2006 NY S 8446 DNA Database Expansion Bill Passed - Senate (56 - 2)
June 21, 2006 NY S 8446 DNA Database Expansion Bill Passed - Senate (56 - 2)
June 16, 2006 National H Res 861 Global War on Terror Resolution Passed - House (256 - 153)
Date No. Title Outcome
7/13 H 126 Unsigned Political Posters Veto Override Passed - House (132 - 24)
7/13 H 4176 Sale of Hypodermic Needles and Syringes Veto Override Passed - House (115 - 42)
7/13 S Amdt 4615 Firearm Confiscation Prohibition Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (84 - 16)
7/13 S Amdt 4659 Double-Layered Fencing Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (29 - 71)
7/13 HR 9 Voting Rights Act Reauthorization Bill Passed - House (390 - 33)
7/12 S Amdt 4587 Transit Security Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (50 - 50)
7/12 S Amdt 4553 Rail and Transit Security Amendment Motion Rejected - Senate (50 - 50)
7/11 S Amdt 4560 USEMA Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (87 - 11)
7/11 S Amdt 4563 FEMA Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (32 - 66)
6/29 SB 60 Sterile Needle and Syringe Exchange Pilot Program Bill Passed - House (24 - 14)
6/29 HR 5672 Commerce Department Appropriations Bill FY 2006 Bill Passed - House (393 - 23)
6/29 H Res 895 Intelligence and Law Enforcement Resolution Resolution Passed - House (227 - 183)
6/29 SB 60 Sterile Needle and Syringe Exchange Pilot Program Bill Passed - House (24 - 14)
6/28 SB 318 Use of Deadly Force Veto Override Failed - Senate (11 - 11)
6/28 SB 318 Use of Deadly Force Veto Override Failed - Senate (11 - 11)
6/28 H Amdt 1156 Trigger Lock Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (230 - 191)
6/28 HB 804 Handheld Cell Phone Ban While Driving Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 7)
6/27 SB 1137 Sentences for Non-Violent Drug Offenders Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 2)
6/27 SB 1137 Sentences for Non-Violent Drug Offenders Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 2)
6/27 SB 1137 Sentences for Non-Violent Drug Offenders Bill Passed - House (64 - 8)
6/27 SB 1137 Sentences for Non-Violent Drug Offenders Bill Passed - House (64 - 8)
6/21 HB 2381 Marriage Definition Constitutional Amendment Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (38 - 12)
6/21 S 8446 DNA Database Expansion Bill Passed - Senate (56 - 2)
6/21 S 8446 DNA Database Expansion Bill Passed - Senate (56 - 2)
6/16 H Res 861 Global War on Terror Resolution Passed - House (256 - 153)

arrow_upward