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 6, 2007 | National | S Amdt 1333 | Barring Immigrants with Certain Criminal Histories | Amendment Adopted - Senate (66 - 32) |
| June 6, 2007 | National | S Amdt 1202 | Point Based Immigration Expiration Date | Amendment Rejected - Senate (42 - 55) |
| June 6, 2007 | National | S Amdt 1316 | Five Year Expiration for Guest Worker Program | Amendment Adopted - Senate (49 - 48) |
| June 6, 2007 | National | S Amdt 1384 | English as the Common Language | Amendment Adopted - Senate (58 - 39) |
| June 6, 2007 | National | S Amdt 1250 | Law Enforcement Review of Z Visa Applications | Amendment Adopted - Senate (57 - 39) |
| June 6, 2007 | National | S Amdt 1184 | Denying Legal Status for Immigrants Convicted of Certain Crimes | Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 51) |
| June 6, 2007 | National | S Amdt 1151 | Declaring English the National Language | Amendment Adopted - Senate (64 - 33) |
| June 4, 2007 | CA | SB 60 | Expanding Driver's License Eligibility | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 15) |
| June 1, 2007 | CT | HB 5656 | Immigrants and Postsecondary Education Act | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 15) |
| May 23, 2007 | National | S Amdt 1169 | Guest Worker Number Reduction Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (74 - 24) |
| May 23, 2007 | AZ | HB 2779 | Employment of Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 4) |
| May 16, 2007 | MN | SF 653 | Resident Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (44 - 20) |
| May 2, 2007 | AZ | SB 1132 | Volunteer Homeland Security Force | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (18 - 11) |
| April 24, 2007 | NV | SB 52 | Governor Guinn Millennium Teaching Scholarship Program | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 7) |
| April 24, 2007 | NV | SB 415 | Undocumented Students and State Financial Aid Act | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 4) |
| April 24, 2007 | AZ | HB 2589 | Labor Solicitation and Criminal Trespass | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 13) |
| March 22, 2007 | MN | SF 1989 | 2008-2009 Higher Education Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 2) |
| March 20, 2007 | KS | HB 2140 | English as the Official Language | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 8) |
| March 8, 2007 | AZ | SB 1132 | Volunteer Homeland Security Force | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 8) |
| March 7, 2007 | ID | S 1172 | English as the Official Language | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| March 5, 2007 | TN | SB 201 | English-Only Driver's License Exam | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 6) |
| Jan. 23, 2007 | VA | SB 1204 | In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 8) |
| Sept. 29, 2006 | National | HR 6061 | Secure Fence Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - Senate (80 - 19) |
| Aug. 2, 2006 | National | S Amdt 4775 | Triple-Layered Fencing Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (94 - 3) |
| July 13, 2006 | National | S Amdt 4659 | Double-Layered Fencing Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (29 - 71) |
| July 10, 2006 | CO | HB 1017 | Employer Verification of Employee Work Status Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 8) |
| July 10, 2006 | CO | HB 1023 | Public Benefits for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13) |
| July 8, 2006 | CO | HB 1020 | Business Deductions for Employees Restrictions | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13) |
| June 1, 2006 | CA | SB 1160 | Drivers Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| June 1, 2006 | LA | SB 753 | Hiring of Undocumented Immigrants Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9) |
| May 25, 2006 | National | S Amdt 4097 | Confidentiality Requirement Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (49 - 49) |
| May 25, 2006 | AZ | HB 2577 | Immigration Law; Employment; Enforcement | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (16 - 9) |
| May 25, 2006 | National | S 2611 | Immigration Reform Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (62 - 36) |
| May 24, 2006 | MA | H 4479 | MassHealth Immigrant Eligibility Veto Override | Veto Override Passed - Senate (34 - 5) |
| May 24, 2006 | National | S Amdt 4095 | H-2C Visa Program Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (48 - 49) |
| May 23, 2006 | National | S Amdt 4177 | Employer Verification Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (59 - 39) |
| May 23, 2006 | National | S Amdt 4087 | Orange Card Program Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (37 - 61) |
| May 18, 2006 | National | S Amdt 4072 | "State Criminal Alien Assistance Program" Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (43 - 52) |
| May 18, 2006 | National | S Amdt 4073 | English as Unifying Language Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (58 - 39) |
| May 18, 2006 | National | S Amdt 4064 | English As National Language Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (62 - 35) |
| May 17, 2006 | National | S Amdt 3965 | Employment-based Immigrant Visa Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (50 - 48) |
| May 16, 2006 | AZ | HB 2577 | Immigration Law; Employment; Enforcement | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 7) |
| May 2, 2006 | TX | HB 3 | Business Tax Revisions | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 14) |
| April 27, 2006 | CA | SCR 113 | The Great American Boycott 2006 | Resolution Passed - Senate (24 - 13) |
| April 19, 2006 | VA | Governor's Recommendation: DMV Voter Registration Requirements | Amendment Adopted - Senate (21 - 17) | |
| April 19, 2006 | TN | SB 303 | Driver's License Examination English Language Requirement | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 14) |
| April 13, 2006 | NE | LB 239 | In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants | Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 16) |
| April 13, 2006 | NE | LB 239 | In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 18) |
| April 13, 2006 | NH | HB 345 | Photo ID for Voting | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 9) |
| April 12, 2006 | AZ | SB 1157 | Trespassing by Undocumented Immigrants | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 12) |
| March 27, 2006 | GA | CCS SB 529 | Georgia Security and Immigration Compliance Act | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (39 - 16) |
| March 8, 2006 | GA | SCS SB 529 | Georgia Security and Immigration Compliance Act | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 13) |
| March 6, 2006 | AZ | SB 1273 | Border Radar Lease Appropriation | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 6) |
| March 2, 2006 | AZ | HB 2064 | English Language Learners | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (16 - 13) |
| Feb. 23, 2006 | WI | SB 567 | Limit Public Assistance to Citizens or Legal Residents of the United States | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14) |
| Feb. 16, 2006 | AZ | SB 1157 | Trespassing by Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 11) |
| Feb. 14, 2006 | VA | Sub SB 677 | In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 3) |
| Feb. 6, 2006 | VA | Sub SB 313 | DMV Reporting Requirements for Non-citizens | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 15) |
| Jan. 24, 2006 | AZ | HB 2002 | English Language Learners; Structured English Immersion Models; Budget Requests | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 14) |
| July 14, 2005 | National | S Amdt 1171 | Detention Beds Increase Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (42 - 56) |
| May 10, 2005 | National | HR 1268 | Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2005 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (100 - 0) |
| April 21, 2005 | National | HR 1268 | Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2005 | Bill Passed - Senate (99 - 0) |
| Oct. 3, 2000 | National | S 2045 | American Competitiveness in the 21st Century Act, 2000 | Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 1) |
| 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) |
| May 18, 1998 | National | S 1723 | Non-Immigrant Specialty Workers bill | Bill Passed - Senate (78 - 20) |
| March 20, 1997 | National | S Amdt 25 | U.S.- Mexico Drug Trafficking Prevention Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (94 - 5) |
| May 2, 1996 | National | S Amdt 3840 | Public Assistance to Legal Immigrants Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (40 - 60) |
| May 2, 1996 | National | HR 2202 | Immigration Reform bill | Bill Passed - Senate (97 - 3) |
| May 1, 1996 | National | S Amdt 3752 | Citizen Verification Pilot Program Amendment | Amendment Tabled - Senate (54 - 46) |
| May 1, 1996 | National | S Amdt 3780 | Asylum Seeker Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (51 - 49) |
| April 30, 1996 | National | S Amdt 3820 | Legal Immigrants Assistance Eligibility Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 53) |
| April 25, 1996 | National | S Amdt 3670 | Foreign Student Program Amendment | Amendment Tabled - Senate (53 - 47) |
| April 25, 1996 | National | S Amdt 3669 | Foreign Student Public Education Amendment | Amendment Tabled - Senate (53 - 46) |
| April 17, 1996 | National | S 735 | Comprehensive Terrorism Prevention Act | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (91 - 8) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6/06 | S Amdt 1333 | Barring Immigrants with Certain Criminal Histories | Amendment Adopted - Senate (66 - 32) |
| 6/06 | S Amdt 1202 | Point Based Immigration Expiration Date | Amendment Rejected - Senate (42 - 55) |
| 6/06 | S Amdt 1316 | Five Year Expiration for Guest Worker Program | Amendment Adopted - Senate (49 - 48) |
| 6/06 | S Amdt 1384 | English as the Common Language | Amendment Adopted - Senate (58 - 39) |
| 6/06 | S Amdt 1250 | Law Enforcement Review of Z Visa Applications | Amendment Adopted - Senate (57 - 39) |
| 6/06 | S Amdt 1184 | Denying Legal Status for Immigrants Convicted of Certain Crimes | Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 51) |
| 6/06 | S Amdt 1151 | Declaring English the National Language | Amendment Adopted - Senate (64 - 33) |
| 6/04 | SB 60 | Expanding Driver's License Eligibility | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 15) |
| 6/01 | HB 5656 | Immigrants and Postsecondary Education Act | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 15) |
| 5/23 | S Amdt 1169 | Guest Worker Number Reduction Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (74 - 24) |
| 5/23 | HB 2779 | Employment of Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 4) |
| 5/16 | SF 653 | Resident Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (44 - 20) |
| 5/02 | SB 1132 | Volunteer Homeland Security Force | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (18 - 11) |
| 4/24 | SB 52 | Governor Guinn Millennium Teaching Scholarship Program | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 7) |
| 4/24 | SB 415 | Undocumented Students and State Financial Aid Act | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 4) |
| 4/24 | HB 2589 | Labor Solicitation and Criminal Trespass | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 13) |
| 3/22 | SF 1989 | 2008-2009 Higher Education Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 2) |
| 3/20 | HB 2140 | English as the Official Language | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 8) |
| 3/08 | SB 1132 | Volunteer Homeland Security Force | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 8) |
| 3/07 | S 1172 | English as the Official Language | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| 3/05 | SB 201 | English-Only Driver's License Exam | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 6) |
| 1/23 | SB 1204 | In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 8) |
| 9/29 | HR 6061 | Secure Fence Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - Senate (80 - 19) |
| 8/02 | S Amdt 4775 | Triple-Layered Fencing Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (94 - 3) |
| 7/13 | S Amdt 4659 | Double-Layered Fencing Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (29 - 71) |
| 7/10 | HB 1017 | Employer Verification of Employee Work Status Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 8) |
| 7/10 | HB 1023 | Public Benefits for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13) |
| 7/08 | HB 1020 | Business Deductions for Employees Restrictions | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13) |
| 6/01 | SB 1160 | Drivers Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| 6/01 | SB 753 | Hiring of Undocumented Immigrants Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9) |
| 5/25 | S Amdt 4097 | Confidentiality Requirement Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (49 - 49) |
| 5/25 | HB 2577 | Immigration Law; Employment; Enforcement | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (16 - 9) |
| 5/25 | S 2611 | Immigration Reform Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (62 - 36) |
| 5/24 | H 4479 | MassHealth Immigrant Eligibility Veto Override | Veto Override Passed - Senate (34 - 5) |
| 5/24 | S Amdt 4095 | H-2C Visa Program Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (48 - 49) |
| 5/23 | S Amdt 4177 | Employer Verification Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (59 - 39) |
| 5/23 | S Amdt 4087 | Orange Card Program Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (37 - 61) |
| 5/18 | S Amdt 4072 | "State Criminal Alien Assistance Program" Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (43 - 52) |
| 5/18 | S Amdt 4073 | English as Unifying Language Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (58 - 39) |
| 5/18 | S Amdt 4064 | English As National Language Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (62 - 35) |
| 5/17 | S Amdt 3965 | Employment-based Immigrant Visa Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (50 - 48) |
| 5/16 | HB 2577 | Immigration Law; Employment; Enforcement | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 7) |
| 5/02 | HB 3 | Business Tax Revisions | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 14) |
| 4/27 | SCR 113 | The Great American Boycott 2006 | Resolution Passed - Senate (24 - 13) |
| 4/19 | Governor's Recommendation: DMV Voter Registration Requirements | Amendment Adopted - Senate (21 - 17) | |
| 4/19 | SB 303 | Driver's License Examination English Language Requirement | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 14) |
| 4/13 | LB 239 | In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants | Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 16) |
| 4/13 | LB 239 | In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 18) |
| 4/13 | HB 345 | Photo ID for Voting | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 9) |
| 4/12 | SB 1157 | Trespassing by Undocumented Immigrants | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 12) |
| 3/27 | CCS SB 529 | Georgia Security and Immigration Compliance Act | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (39 - 16) |
| 3/08 | SCS SB 529 | Georgia Security and Immigration Compliance Act | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 13) |
| 3/06 | SB 1273 | Border Radar Lease Appropriation | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 6) |
| 3/02 | HB 2064 | English Language Learners | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (16 - 13) |
| 2/23 | SB 567 | Limit Public Assistance to Citizens or Legal Residents of the United States | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14) |
| 2/16 | SB 1157 | Trespassing by Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 11) |
| 2/14 | Sub SB 677 | In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 3) |
| 2/06 | Sub SB 313 | DMV Reporting Requirements for Non-citizens | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 15) |
| 1/24 | HB 2002 | English Language Learners; Structured English Immersion Models; Budget Requests | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 14) |
| 7/14 | S Amdt 1171 | Detention Beds Increase Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (42 - 56) |
| 5/10 | HR 1268 | Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2005 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (100 - 0) |
| 4/21 | HR 1268 | Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2005 | Bill Passed - Senate (99 - 0) |
| 10/03 | S 2045 | American Competitiveness in the 21st Century Act, 2000 | Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 1) |
| 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) |
| 5/18 | S 1723 | Non-Immigrant Specialty Workers bill | Bill Passed - Senate (78 - 20) |
| 3/20 | S Amdt 25 | U.S.- Mexico Drug Trafficking Prevention Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (94 - 5) |
| 5/02 | S Amdt 3840 | Public Assistance to Legal Immigrants Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (40 - 60) |
| 5/02 | HR 2202 | Immigration Reform bill | Bill Passed - Senate (97 - 3) |
| 5/01 | S Amdt 3752 | Citizen Verification Pilot Program Amendment | Amendment Tabled - Senate (54 - 46) |
| 5/01 | S Amdt 3780 | Asylum Seeker Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (51 - 49) |
| 4/30 | S Amdt 3820 | Legal Immigrants Assistance Eligibility Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 53) |
| 4/25 | S Amdt 3670 | Foreign Student Program Amendment | Amendment Tabled - Senate (53 - 47) |
| 4/25 | S Amdt 3669 | Foreign Student Public Education Amendment | Amendment Tabled - Senate (53 - 46) |
| 4/17 | S 735 | Comprehensive Terrorism Prevention Act | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (91 - 8) |