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 7, 2006 HI SB 3008 Public Work Projects; Hours and Wages; Violations Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 4)
March 1, 2006 IL SB 1991 Minority and Female Investors in Casinos Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 23)
Feb. 14, 2006 ID S 1327 Background Checks for Adults Who Work With Children Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
Feb. 14, 2006 NM SB 449 Minimum Wage Increase Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 18)
Feb. 8, 2006 WV SB 539 Mine Director Qualifications Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 3)
Feb. 8, 2006 WV SB 539 Mine Director Qualifications Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 3)
Feb. 2, 2006 RI S 2112 Minimum Wage Increase Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 2)
Jan. 26, 2006 AZ HB 2661 State Employees; Pay Increase Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 2)
Jan. 17, 2006 MD HB 391 Minimum Wage Increase Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 17)
Jan. 12, 2006 MD SB 790 Health Care for Large Companies Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 17)
Jan. 5, 2006 NJ S 1412 Development Subsidies Application and Reporting Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
Jan. 5, 2006 NJ S 1412 Development Subsidies Application and Reporting Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
March 7, 2005 National S Amdt 128 Minimum Wage Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (38 - 61)
March 7, 2005 National S Amdt 44 Minimum Wage Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 49)
April 8, 2004 National HR 3108 Pension Funding Equity Act of 2004 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (78 - 19)
March 21, 2001 National S Amdt 134 Campaign Reform Act - Union Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (69 - 31)
March 6, 2001 National S J Res 6 Ergonomics Regulations Resolution Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (56 - 44)
Feb. 2, 2000 National HR 833 Bankruptcy Reform bill Bill Passed - Senate (83 - 14)
Nov. 9, 1999 National S Amdt 2751 Two Year Minimum Wage Increase Amendment Amendment Tabled - Senate (50 - 48)
Nov. 9, 1999 National S Amdt 2547 Three Year Minimum Wage Increase Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (54 - 44)
July 23, 1998 National S Amdt 3258 Temporary Farm Workers Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (68 - 31)
May 18, 1998 National S Amdt 2417 U.S. Citizen Recruitment Amendment Amendment Tabled - Senate (59 - 39)
March 6, 1998 National S Amdt 1708 Disadvantaged Business Enterprises Amendment Amendment Tabled - Senate (58 - 37)
Nov. 8, 1997 National HR 2264 Appropriations bill FY98, Labor, HHS, Education Conference Report Adopted - Senate (91 - 4)
Oct. 3, 1996 National HR 3539 Federal Aviation Authorization Act of 1996 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (92 - 2)
Date No. Title Outcome
3/07 SB 3008 Public Work Projects; Hours and Wages; Violations Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 4)
3/01 SB 1991 Minority and Female Investors in Casinos Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 23)
2/14 S 1327 Background Checks for Adults Who Work With Children Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
2/14 SB 449 Minimum Wage Increase Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 18)
2/08 SB 539 Mine Director Qualifications Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 3)
2/08 SB 539 Mine Director Qualifications Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 3)
2/02 S 2112 Minimum Wage Increase Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 2)
1/26 HB 2661 State Employees; Pay Increase Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 2)
1/17 HB 391 Minimum Wage Increase Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 17)
1/12 SB 790 Health Care for Large Companies Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 17)
1/05 S 1412 Development Subsidies Application and Reporting Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
1/05 S 1412 Development Subsidies Application and Reporting Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
3/07 S Amdt 128 Minimum Wage Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (38 - 61)
3/07 S Amdt 44 Minimum Wage Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 49)
4/08 HR 3108 Pension Funding Equity Act of 2004 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (78 - 19)
3/21 S Amdt 134 Campaign Reform Act - Union Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (69 - 31)
3/06 S J Res 6 Ergonomics Regulations Resolution Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (56 - 44)
2/02 HR 833 Bankruptcy Reform bill Bill Passed - Senate (83 - 14)
11/09 S Amdt 2751 Two Year Minimum Wage Increase Amendment Amendment Tabled - Senate (50 - 48)
11/09 S Amdt 2547 Three Year Minimum Wage Increase Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (54 - 44)
7/23 S Amdt 3258 Temporary Farm Workers Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (68 - 31)
5/18 S Amdt 2417 U.S. Citizen Recruitment Amendment Amendment Tabled - Senate (59 - 39)
3/06 S Amdt 1708 Disadvantaged Business Enterprises Amendment Amendment Tabled - Senate (58 - 37)
11/08 HR 2264 Appropriations bill FY98, Labor, HHS, Education Conference Report Adopted - Senate (91 - 4)
10/03 HR 3539 Federal Aviation Authorization Act of 1996 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (92 - 2)

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