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
April 21, 2005 National HR 1268 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2005 Bill Passed - Senate (99 - 0)
March 17, 2005 National S Amdt 220 Homeland Security Grant Program Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (63 - 37)
March 8, 2005 National S Amdt 47 Violent Protestor Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 53)
March 8, 2005 National S Amdt 47 Violent Protestor Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 53)
March 8, 2005 National S Amdt 47 Violent Protestor Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 53)
Oct. 6, 2004 National S 2845 National Intelligence Reform Act of 2004 Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 2)
June 23, 2004 National S 2400 Military Construction FY2005 Authorization Bill Bill Passed - Senate (97 - 0)
April 22, 2004 National S 2329 Victims' Rights Bill Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 1)
April 22, 2004 National S 2329 Victims' Rights Bill Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 1)
March 25, 2004 National HR 1997 Unborn Victims of Violence Act 2004 Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 38)
March 2, 2004 National S 1805 Firearms Manufacturers Protection Bill Bill Failed - Senate (8 - 90)
March 2, 2004 National S 1805 Firearms Manufacturers Protection Bill Bill Failed - Senate (8 - 90)
May 22, 2003 National S 1050 Fiscal 2004 Defense Authorization-Passage Bill Passed - Senate (98 - 1)
Nov. 19, 2002 National HR 5005 Establishing the Department of Homeland Security Bill Passed - Senate (90 - 9)
Oct. 16, 2002 National HR 3295 Help America Vote Act of 2002 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (92 - 2)
June 18, 2002 National S 2600 Terrorism Insurance Bill Bill Passed - Senate (84 - 14)
June 11, 2002 National S 625 Hate Crimes Bill Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (54 - 43)
April 11, 2002 National S 565 Equal Protection of Voting Rights Act of 2001 Bill Passed - Senate (99 - 1)
Feb. 27, 2002 National S Amdt 2937 Allowing Signatures for Voter Registration by Mail Amendment Not Tabled - Senate (46 - 51)
Dec. 7, 2001 National S Amdt 2336 International Courts Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (78 - 21)
Oct. 25, 2001 National HR 3162 USA Patriot Act of 2001 Bill Passed - Senate (98 - 1)
Oct. 25, 2001 National HR 3162 USA Patriot Act of 2001 Bill Passed - Senate (98 - 1)
June 20, 2000 National S Amdt 3473 Hate Crimes Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (57 - 42)
June 20, 2000 National S Amdt 3473 Hate Crimes Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (57 - 42)
Feb. 2, 2000 National S Amdt 2763 Violent Protesters Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (80 - 17)
Date No. Title Outcome
4/21 HR 1268 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2005 Bill Passed - Senate (99 - 0)
3/17 S Amdt 220 Homeland Security Grant Program Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (63 - 37)
3/08 S Amdt 47 Violent Protestor Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 53)
3/08 S Amdt 47 Violent Protestor Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 53)
3/08 S Amdt 47 Violent Protestor Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 53)
10/06 S 2845 National Intelligence Reform Act of 2004 Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 2)
6/23 S 2400 Military Construction FY2005 Authorization Bill Bill Passed - Senate (97 - 0)
4/22 S 2329 Victims' Rights Bill Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 1)
4/22 S 2329 Victims' Rights Bill Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 1)
3/25 HR 1997 Unborn Victims of Violence Act 2004 Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 38)
3/02 S 1805 Firearms Manufacturers Protection Bill Bill Failed - Senate (8 - 90)
3/02 S 1805 Firearms Manufacturers Protection Bill Bill Failed - Senate (8 - 90)
5/22 S 1050 Fiscal 2004 Defense Authorization-Passage Bill Passed - Senate (98 - 1)
11/19 HR 5005 Establishing the Department of Homeland Security Bill Passed - Senate (90 - 9)
10/16 HR 3295 Help America Vote Act of 2002 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (92 - 2)
6/18 S 2600 Terrorism Insurance Bill Bill Passed - Senate (84 - 14)
6/11 S 625 Hate Crimes Bill Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (54 - 43)
4/11 S 565 Equal Protection of Voting Rights Act of 2001 Bill Passed - Senate (99 - 1)
2/27 S Amdt 2937 Allowing Signatures for Voter Registration by Mail Amendment Not Tabled - Senate (46 - 51)
12/07 S Amdt 2336 International Courts Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (78 - 21)
10/25 HR 3162 USA Patriot Act of 2001 Bill Passed - Senate (98 - 1)
10/25 HR 3162 USA Patriot Act of 2001 Bill Passed - Senate (98 - 1)
6/20 S Amdt 3473 Hate Crimes Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (57 - 42)
6/20 S Amdt 3473 Hate Crimes Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (57 - 42)
2/02 S Amdt 2763 Violent Protesters Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (80 - 17)

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