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
Feb. 8, 2006 AK SB 85 Off-Road Vehicle Use Near Dalton Highway Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 9)
Feb. 7, 2006 MS SB 2511 Parole Eligibility for First-Time Nonviolent Offenders Under Twenty-Five Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 18)
Feb. 2, 2006 National S Amdt 2730 Medicare Part D Amendment Motion Rejected - Senate (52 - 45)
Jan. 31, 2006 NM SB 258 Medical Marijuana Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 6)
Jan. 31, 2006 NM SB 258 Medical Marijuana Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 6)
Jan. 31, 2006 SD SB 175 Emergency Contraceptives for Rape Victims Bill Failed - Senate (9 - 26)
Jan. 30, 2006 IN SB 354 Forestry Classifications Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 20)
Jan. 23, 2006 SD SB 1 Mandatory Bodily Substance Samples in Drunk Driving Arrests Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13)
Jan. 20, 2006 UT SB 19 Additions to Smoking Ban Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 12)
Jan. 19, 2006 IN SB 111 Student Nutrition and Physical Activity Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 7)
Jan. 12, 2006 MD SB 790 Health Care for Large Companies Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 17)
Jan. 5, 2006 NJ S 2907 Reimbursement for Contaminated Sites Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 15)
Jan. 3, 2006 RI H 6052 Sub. A Medical Marijuana Bill Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 5)
Jan. 3, 2006 RI H 6052 Sub. A Medical Marijuana Bill Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 5)
Dec. 21, 2005 National HR 2863 Defense Department FY2006 Appropriations Bill Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (56 - 44)
Dec. 21, 2005 National HR 2863 Defense Department FY2006 Appropriations Bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (93 - 0)
Dec. 21, 2005 National S Con Res 74 Removal of ANWR Provision from HR 2863 Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (48 - 45)
Nov. 17, 2005 National S Amdt 2601 Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Amendment Motion Rejected - Senate (51 - 47)
Nov. 16, 2005 National HR 2862 Commerce, Justice and Science Appropriations Bill, FY 2006 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (94 - 5)
Nov. 3, 2005 National S Amdt 2357 Medicare Premiums Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (49 - 50)
Nov. 3, 2005 National S Amdt 2356 Hurricane Health Care for Survivors Amendment Motion Rejected - Senate (48 - 51)
Nov. 3, 2005 National S Amdt 2409 Targeted Case Management Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 52)
Nov. 3, 2005 National S Amdt 2358 ANWR Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (48 - 51)
Nov. 3, 2005 National S Amdt 2400 Alaska Judicial Review of Oil Revenue Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (48 - 51)
Nov. 3, 2005 National S Amdt 2348 Medicaid Generic Drug Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (49 - 50)
Date No. Title Outcome
2/08 SB 85 Off-Road Vehicle Use Near Dalton Highway Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 9)
2/07 SB 2511 Parole Eligibility for First-Time Nonviolent Offenders Under Twenty-Five Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 18)
2/02 S Amdt 2730 Medicare Part D Amendment Motion Rejected - Senate (52 - 45)
1/31 SB 258 Medical Marijuana Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 6)
1/31 SB 258 Medical Marijuana Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 6)
1/31 SB 175 Emergency Contraceptives for Rape Victims Bill Failed - Senate (9 - 26)
1/30 SB 354 Forestry Classifications Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 20)
1/23 SB 1 Mandatory Bodily Substance Samples in Drunk Driving Arrests Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13)
1/20 SB 19 Additions to Smoking Ban Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 12)
1/19 SB 111 Student Nutrition and Physical Activity Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 7)
1/12 SB 790 Health Care for Large Companies Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 17)
1/05 S 2907 Reimbursement for Contaminated Sites Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 15)
1/03 H 6052 Sub. A Medical Marijuana Bill Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 5)
1/03 H 6052 Sub. A Medical Marijuana Bill Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 5)
12/21 HR 2863 Defense Department FY2006 Appropriations Bill Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (56 - 44)
12/21 HR 2863 Defense Department FY2006 Appropriations Bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (93 - 0)
12/21 S Con Res 74 Removal of ANWR Provision from HR 2863 Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (48 - 45)
11/17 S Amdt 2601 Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Amendment Motion Rejected - Senate (51 - 47)
11/16 HR 2862 Commerce, Justice and Science Appropriations Bill, FY 2006 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (94 - 5)
11/03 S Amdt 2357 Medicare Premiums Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (49 - 50)
11/03 S Amdt 2356 Hurricane Health Care for Survivors Amendment Motion Rejected - Senate (48 - 51)
11/03 S Amdt 2409 Targeted Case Management Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 52)
11/03 S Amdt 2358 ANWR Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (48 - 51)
11/03 S Amdt 2400 Alaska Judicial Review of Oil Revenue Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (48 - 51)
11/03 S Amdt 2348 Medicaid Generic Drug Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (49 - 50)

arrow_upward