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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 15, 2006 | National | HR 4939 | Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2006 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (98 - 1) |
| June 15, 2006 | MD | HB 2 | Mandatory Sentences and Other Penalties for Sex Offenders | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 5) |
| June 13, 2006 | National | HR 4939 | Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2006 | Conference Report Adopted - House (351 - 67) |
| June 13, 2006 | NY | S 6771 | Death Penalty and Life Imprisonment Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 23) |
| June 12, 2006 | PA | HB 698 | Mental Retardation Consideration in Murder Cases | Bill Passed - House (169 - 28) |
| June 9, 2006 | National | HR 5522 | Foreign Operations and Export Finance Appropriation Act | Bill Passed - House (373 - 34) |
| June 7, 2006 | MA | H 4176 | Sale of Hypodermic Needles and Syringes | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8) |
| June 6, 2006 | PA | HB 2381 | Marriage Definition Constitutional Amendment | Joint Resolution Passed - House (136 - 61) |
| June 6, 2006 | National | HR 5441 | Department of Homeland Security Appropriation Act, 2007 | Bill Passed - House (389 - 9) |
| June 6, 2006 | MI | HB 5143 | "Self-Defense Act" | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10) |
| June 6, 2006 | MI | HB 5143 | "Self-Defense Act" | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10) |
| June 6, 2006 | MI | HB 5143 | "Self-Defense Act" | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10) |
| May 31, 2006 | SC | S 1267 | Death Penalty for Repeat Sex Offenders | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (84 - 27) |
| May 31, 2006 | CA | AB 2076 | Needle Exchange Program | Bill Passed - House (45 - 34) |
| May 31, 2006 | LA | SB 33 | Prohibits Abortion Except When Necessary to Save the Life or Health of the Woman | Bill Passed - House (85 - 17) |
| May 30, 2006 | MI | HB 6085 | Disclosure of Citizenship on Driver's License | Bill Passed - House (76 - 27) |
| May 26, 2006 | National | PN 1552 | Michael Hayden, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (78 - 15) |
| May 26, 2006 | OK | SB 1800 | Death Penalty for Second Offender Sex Offenders | Conference Report Adopted - House (88 - 8) |
| May 26, 2006 | OK | SB 1807 | Prohibiting Death Sentence For Mentally Retarded Defendant | Conference Report Adopted - House (91 - 5) |
| May 26, 2006 | OK | SB 1807 | Prohibiting Death Sentence For Mentally Retarded Defendant | Conference Report Adopted - House (91 - 5) |
| May 25, 2006 | SC | Amdt 3 to S 1084 | Inclusion of Unborn Child/Fetus in Definition for Civil Suits Amendment | Amendment Tabled - House (65 - 31) |
| May 25, 2006 | AZ | HB 2577 | Immigration Law; Employment; Enforcement | Conference Report Adopted - House (33 - 22) |
| May 25, 2006 | AZ | HB 2577 | Immigration Law; Employment; Enforcement | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (16 - 9) |
| May 25, 2006 | OH | Sub HB 184 | U.S. and Ohio Mottos in Schools | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (82 - 13) |
| May 25, 2006 | National | S 2611 | Immigration Reform Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (62 - 36) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6/15 | HR 4939 | Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2006 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (98 - 1) |
| 6/15 | HB 2 | Mandatory Sentences and Other Penalties for Sex Offenders | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 5) |
| 6/13 | HR 4939 | Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2006 | Conference Report Adopted - House (351 - 67) |
| 6/13 | S 6771 | Death Penalty and Life Imprisonment Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 23) |
| 6/12 | HB 698 | Mental Retardation Consideration in Murder Cases | Bill Passed - House (169 - 28) |
| 6/09 | HR 5522 | Foreign Operations and Export Finance Appropriation Act | Bill Passed - House (373 - 34) |
| 6/07 | H 4176 | Sale of Hypodermic Needles and Syringes | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8) |
| 6/06 | HB 2381 | Marriage Definition Constitutional Amendment | Joint Resolution Passed - House (136 - 61) |
| 6/06 | HR 5441 | Department of Homeland Security Appropriation Act, 2007 | Bill Passed - House (389 - 9) |
| 6/06 | HB 5143 | "Self-Defense Act" | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10) |
| 6/06 | HB 5143 | "Self-Defense Act" | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10) |
| 6/06 | HB 5143 | "Self-Defense Act" | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10) |
| 5/31 | S 1267 | Death Penalty for Repeat Sex Offenders | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (84 - 27) |
| 5/31 | AB 2076 | Needle Exchange Program | Bill Passed - House (45 - 34) |
| 5/31 | SB 33 | Prohibits Abortion Except When Necessary to Save the Life or Health of the Woman | Bill Passed - House (85 - 17) |
| 5/30 | HB 6085 | Disclosure of Citizenship on Driver's License | Bill Passed - House (76 - 27) |
| 5/26 | PN 1552 | Michael Hayden, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (78 - 15) |
| 5/26 | SB 1800 | Death Penalty for Second Offender Sex Offenders | Conference Report Adopted - House (88 - 8) |
| 5/26 | SB 1807 | Prohibiting Death Sentence For Mentally Retarded Defendant | Conference Report Adopted - House (91 - 5) |
| 5/26 | SB 1807 | Prohibiting Death Sentence For Mentally Retarded Defendant | Conference Report Adopted - House (91 - 5) |
| 5/25 | Amdt 3 to S 1084 | Inclusion of Unborn Child/Fetus in Definition for Civil Suits Amendment | Amendment Tabled - House (65 - 31) |
| 5/25 | HB 2577 | Immigration Law; Employment; Enforcement | Conference Report Adopted - House (33 - 22) |
| 5/25 | HB 2577 | Immigration Law; Employment; Enforcement | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (16 - 9) |
| 5/25 | Sub HB 184 | U.S. and Ohio Mottos in Schools | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (82 - 13) |
| 5/25 | S 2611 | Immigration Reform Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (62 - 36) |