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
Feb. 14, 2006 MI Sub for SB 1028 Changes to the Family Independent Agency Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15)
Feb. 10, 2006 NM SB 294 Open Committee Meetings Bill Failed - Senate (16 - 22)
Feb. 9, 2006 NM SB 344 Campaign Contributions by Procurement Contractors Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 4)
Feb. 9, 2006 NM SB 344 Campaign Contributions by Procurement Contractors Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 4)
Feb. 9, 2006 MS SB 2309 Voter Identification Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 18)
Feb. 6, 2006 VA Sub SB 313 DMV Reporting Requirements for Non-citizens Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 15)
Feb. 6, 2006 MS SB 2119 School Board Elections, Superintendent Appointments, and Consolidation Issues Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 20)
Feb. 2, 2006 MS SB 2604 Mississippi Adequate Education Program Revisions Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 15)
Feb. 1, 2006 MS SB 2602 Mississippi Education Reform Act Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 19)
Jan. 31, 2006 National PN 1059 Samuel Alito, Associate Justice Nomination Confirmed - Senate (58 - 42)
Jan. 31, 2006 OH HB 3 Election Law Reform Bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (21 - 12)
Jan. 30, 2006 IN SB 354 Forestry Classifications Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 20)
Jan. 27, 2006 WA Sub HB 2661 Expanding the Jurisdiction of the Human Rights Commission Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 23)
Jan. 26, 2006 AZ HB 2661 State Employees; Pay Increase Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 2)
Jan. 25, 2006 MI SB 957 Single Tax Credit: Alternative Tax Rate and Percentage Reduction in Liability Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 14)
Jan. 25, 2006 VA SB 526 Defining Marriage Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 11)
Jan. 24, 2006 GA SB 84 Voter Identification Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 22)
Jan. 23, 2006 SD SB 1 Mandatory Bodily Substance Samples in Drunk Driving Arrests Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13)
Jan. 19, 2006 MI SB 957 Single Tax Credit: Alternative Tax Rate and Percentage Reduction in Liability Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15)
Jan. 12, 2006 GA SB 386 State Senatorial District Composition Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 18)
Jan. 12, 2006 GA SB 386 State Senatorial District Composition Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 18)
Jan. 6, 2006 MS SB 2310 Food and Tobacco Taxes Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 15)
Jan. 5, 2006 NJ S 1412 Development Subsidies Application and Reporting Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
Jan. 5, 2006 NJ S 2907 Reimbursement for Contaminated Sites Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 15)
Dec. 21, 2005 National S 1932 Budget Reconciliation Bill Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (51 - 50)
Nov. 17, 2005 National S Amdt 2602 Hurricane Victims Tax Benefit Amendment Motion Rejected - Senate (44 - 55)
Nov. 3, 2005 National S Amdt 2351 Pay As You Go Amendment Motion Rejected - Senate (50 - 49)
Oct. 20, 2005 National HR 3058 Transportation, Treasury, HUD and Judiciary Appropriation Bill Passed - Senate (93 - 1)
Oct. 18, 2005 National S Amdt 2062 Congressional Pay Raise Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (92 - 6)
Sept. 29, 2005 National PN 801 Judge John G. Roberts, Jr., Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court (78 - 22)
Sept. 15, 2005 National S Amdt 1678 Hurricane Katrina Relief Amendment Motion Rejected - Senate (43 - 52)
Sept. 14, 2005 National S Amdt 1670 Special Committee on Contracts in Afghanistan and Iraq Motion Rejected - Senate (44 - 53)
July 29, 2005 National HR 3 Transportation Authorization Bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (91 - 4)
July 29, 2005 National HR 2985 Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2006 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (96 - 4)
June 14, 2005 National PN 202 Thomas B. Griffith, Circuit Judge for the District of Columbia Nomination Confirmed - Senate (73 - 24)
June 9, 2005 National PN 200 William H. Pryor, Jr., Circuit Judge for the District of Columbia Nomination Confirmed - Senate (53 - 45)
June 8, 2005 National PN 201 Janice R Brown, Circuit Judge for the District of Columbia Nomination Confirmed - Senate (56 - 43)
May 25, 2005 National PN 194 Priscilla R. Owen, Fifth Circuit Judge Nomination Confirmed - Senate (55 - 43)
May 24, 2005 National PN 194 Priscilla R. Owen, Fifth Circuit Judge Cloture Invoked - Senate (81 - 18)
May 17, 2005 National HR 3 Transportation Authorization Bill Bill Passed - Senate (89 - 11)
Feb. 10, 2005 National S 5 Class Action Fairness Act of 2005 Bill Passed - Senate (72 - 26)
Feb. 3, 2005 National PN 12 Alberto R. Gonzales, Attorney General Nomination Confirmed - Senate (60 - 36)
Jan. 26, 2005 National PN 8 Condoleezza Rice, Secretary of State Nomination Confirmed - Senate (85 - 13)
Sept. 21, 2004 National HR 4755 Legislative Branch FY2005 Appropriations Bill Bill Passed - Senate (94 - 2)
July 14, 2004 National S J Res 40 Federal Marriage Amendment Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (48 - 50)
July 14, 2004 National S J Res 40 Federal Marriage Amendment Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (48 - 50)
Oct. 23, 2003 National S Amdt 1904 Congressional Pay Raise Amendment Amendment Tabled - Senate (60 - 34)
July 11, 2003 National HR 2657 Emergency Supplemental Appropriation, FY 2003 bill Bill Passed - Senate (85 - 7)
April 11, 2003 National H Con Res 95 Congressional Budget for fiscal year 2004 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (51 - 50)
March 26, 2003 National S Con Res 23 Budget Resolution FY2004 Resolution Passed - Senate (56 - 44)
Date No. Title Outcome
2/14 Sub for SB 1028 Changes to the Family Independent Agency Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15)
2/10 SB 294 Open Committee Meetings Bill Failed - Senate (16 - 22)
2/09 SB 344 Campaign Contributions by Procurement Contractors Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 4)
2/09 SB 344 Campaign Contributions by Procurement Contractors Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 4)
2/09 SB 2309 Voter Identification Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 18)
2/06 Sub SB 313 DMV Reporting Requirements for Non-citizens Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 15)
2/06 SB 2119 School Board Elections, Superintendent Appointments, and Consolidation Issues Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 20)
2/02 SB 2604 Mississippi Adequate Education Program Revisions Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 15)
2/01 SB 2602 Mississippi Education Reform Act Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 19)
1/31 PN 1059 Samuel Alito, Associate Justice Nomination Confirmed - Senate (58 - 42)
1/31 HB 3 Election Law Reform Bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (21 - 12)
1/30 SB 354 Forestry Classifications Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 20)
1/27 Sub HB 2661 Expanding the Jurisdiction of the Human Rights Commission Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 23)
1/26 HB 2661 State Employees; Pay Increase Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 2)
1/25 SB 957 Single Tax Credit: Alternative Tax Rate and Percentage Reduction in Liability Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 14)
1/25 SB 526 Defining Marriage Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 11)
1/24 SB 84 Voter Identification Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 22)
1/23 SB 1 Mandatory Bodily Substance Samples in Drunk Driving Arrests Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13)
1/19 SB 957 Single Tax Credit: Alternative Tax Rate and Percentage Reduction in Liability Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15)
1/12 SB 386 State Senatorial District Composition Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 18)
1/12 SB 386 State Senatorial District Composition Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 18)
1/06 SB 2310 Food and Tobacco Taxes Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 15)
1/05 S 1412 Development Subsidies Application and Reporting Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
1/05 S 2907 Reimbursement for Contaminated Sites Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 15)
12/21 S 1932 Budget Reconciliation Bill Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (51 - 50)
11/17 S Amdt 2602 Hurricane Victims Tax Benefit Amendment Motion Rejected - Senate (44 - 55)
11/03 S Amdt 2351 Pay As You Go Amendment Motion Rejected - Senate (50 - 49)
10/20 HR 3058 Transportation, Treasury, HUD and Judiciary Appropriation Bill Passed - Senate (93 - 1)
10/18 S Amdt 2062 Congressional Pay Raise Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (92 - 6)
9/29 PN 801 Judge John G. Roberts, Jr., Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court (78 - 22)
9/15 S Amdt 1678 Hurricane Katrina Relief Amendment Motion Rejected - Senate (43 - 52)
9/14 S Amdt 1670 Special Committee on Contracts in Afghanistan and Iraq Motion Rejected - Senate (44 - 53)
7/29 HR 3 Transportation Authorization Bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (91 - 4)
7/29 HR 2985 Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2006 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (96 - 4)
6/14 PN 202 Thomas B. Griffith, Circuit Judge for the District of Columbia Nomination Confirmed - Senate (73 - 24)
6/09 PN 200 William H. Pryor, Jr., Circuit Judge for the District of Columbia Nomination Confirmed - Senate (53 - 45)
6/08 PN 201 Janice R Brown, Circuit Judge for the District of Columbia Nomination Confirmed - Senate (56 - 43)
5/25 PN 194 Priscilla R. Owen, Fifth Circuit Judge Nomination Confirmed - Senate (55 - 43)
5/24 PN 194 Priscilla R. Owen, Fifth Circuit Judge Cloture Invoked - Senate (81 - 18)
5/17 HR 3 Transportation Authorization Bill Bill Passed - Senate (89 - 11)
2/10 S 5 Class Action Fairness Act of 2005 Bill Passed - Senate (72 - 26)
2/03 PN 12 Alberto R. Gonzales, Attorney General Nomination Confirmed - Senate (60 - 36)
1/26 PN 8 Condoleezza Rice, Secretary of State Nomination Confirmed - Senate (85 - 13)
9/21 HR 4755 Legislative Branch FY2005 Appropriations Bill Bill Passed - Senate (94 - 2)
7/14 S J Res 40 Federal Marriage Amendment Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (48 - 50)
7/14 S J Res 40 Federal Marriage Amendment Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (48 - 50)
10/23 S Amdt 1904 Congressional Pay Raise Amendment Amendment Tabled - Senate (60 - 34)
7/11 HR 2657 Emergency Supplemental Appropriation, FY 2003 bill Bill Passed - Senate (85 - 7)
4/11 H Con Res 95 Congressional Budget for fiscal year 2004 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (51 - 50)
3/26 S Con Res 23 Budget Resolution FY2004 Resolution Passed - Senate (56 - 44)

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