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
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)
April 21, 2005 National H Amdt 370 Liability Shield Language Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (213 - 219)
March 21, 2005 National S 686 Terri Schiavo Incapacitated Persons Protection Bill Bill Passed - House (203 - 58)
March 8, 2005 National S Amdt 47 Violent Protestor Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 53)
Feb. 17, 2005 National S 5 Class Action Fairness Act of 2005 Bill Passed - House (279 - 149)
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)
Sept. 23, 2004 National HR 2028 Pledge of Allegiance Protection Bill Bill Passed - House (247 - 173)
Sept. 14, 2004 National HR 4571 Lawsuit Abuse Reduction Act of 2004 Bill Passed - House (229 - 174)
May 12, 2004 National HR 4280 Medical Malpractice Liability Limitation Bill Bill Passed - House (229 - 197)
April 22, 2004 National S 2329 Victims' Rights Bill Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 1)
March 10, 2004 National HR 339 Food Industry Obesity Lawsuits (Cheeseburger Bill) Bill Passed - House (276 - 139)
March 2, 2004 National S 1805 Firearms Manufacturers Protection Bill Bill Failed - Senate (8 - 90)
April 9, 2003 National HR 1036 Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act Bill Passed - House (285 - 140)
March 13, 2003 National HR 5 Malpractice Liability bill Bill Passed - House (229 - 196)
Dec. 7, 2001 National S Amdt 2336 International Courts Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (78 - 21)
Feb. 16, 2000 National HR 2366 Small Business Liability Reform bill Bill Passed - House (221 - 193)
Oct. 5, 1999 National PN 49 Ronnie L. White, United States District Judge in Missouri Nomination Rejected - Senate (45 - 54)
July 15, 1999 National S Amdt 1250 Patient Lawsuit Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (53 - 47)
June 17, 1999 National HR 1501 Juvenile Justice bill Bill Passed - House (287 - 139)
Oct. 13, 1998 National S 1260 Securities Litigation Conference Report Adopted - House (319 - 82)
Sept. 18, 1998 National HR 1122 Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion bill Veto Override Failed - Senate (64 - 36)
July 23, 1998 National HR 1122 Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion bill Veto Override Passed - House (296 - 132)
Date No. Title Outcome
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)
4/21 H Amdt 370 Liability Shield Language Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (213 - 219)
3/21 S 686 Terri Schiavo Incapacitated Persons Protection Bill Bill Passed - House (203 - 58)
3/08 S Amdt 47 Violent Protestor Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 53)
2/17 S 5 Class Action Fairness Act of 2005 Bill Passed - House (279 - 149)
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)
9/23 HR 2028 Pledge of Allegiance Protection Bill Bill Passed - House (247 - 173)
9/14 HR 4571 Lawsuit Abuse Reduction Act of 2004 Bill Passed - House (229 - 174)
5/12 HR 4280 Medical Malpractice Liability Limitation Bill Bill Passed - House (229 - 197)
4/22 S 2329 Victims' Rights Bill Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 1)
3/10 HR 339 Food Industry Obesity Lawsuits (Cheeseburger Bill) Bill Passed - House (276 - 139)
3/02 S 1805 Firearms Manufacturers Protection Bill Bill Failed - Senate (8 - 90)
4/09 HR 1036 Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act Bill Passed - House (285 - 140)
3/13 HR 5 Malpractice Liability bill Bill Passed - House (229 - 196)
12/07 S Amdt 2336 International Courts Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (78 - 21)
2/16 HR 2366 Small Business Liability Reform bill Bill Passed - House (221 - 193)
10/05 PN 49 Ronnie L. White, United States District Judge in Missouri Nomination Rejected - Senate (45 - 54)
7/15 S Amdt 1250 Patient Lawsuit Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (53 - 47)
6/17 HR 1501 Juvenile Justice bill Bill Passed - House (287 - 139)
10/13 S 1260 Securities Litigation Conference Report Adopted - House (319 - 82)
9/18 HR 1122 Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion bill Veto Override Failed - Senate (64 - 36)
7/23 HR 1122 Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion bill Veto Override Passed - House (296 - 132)

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