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
Jan. 25, 2007 WY SF 104 Sexual Abuse of Minors Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 5)
Jan. 25, 2007 MT SB 15 Funeral Picketing Ban Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 14)
Jan. 25, 2007 VA SJ 307 Voting Rights of Nonviolent Felons Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (29 - 10)
Jan. 25, 2007 WY SF 104 Sexual Abuse of Minors Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 5)
Jan. 23, 2007 VA Sub SB 1116 Capital Murder of a Judge or Witness Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 10)
Jan. 23, 2007 VA SB 1204 In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 8)
Jan. 11, 2007 National HR 3 Stem Cell Research Act of 2007 Bill Passed - House (253 - 174)
Sept. 29, 2006 National S 3930 Military Commissions Act of 2006 Bill Passed - House (250 - 170)
Sept. 29, 2006 National HR 6061 Secure Fence Act of 2006 Bill Passed - Senate (80 - 19)
Sept. 28, 2006 National S Amdt 5095 Oversight of CIA Interrogation and Detention Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 53)
Sept. 28, 2006 National S Amdt 5087 Habeas Review Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (48 - 51)
Sept. 28, 2006 National S 3930 Military Commissions Act of 2006 Bill Passed - Senate (65 - 34)
Sept. 26, 2006 National HR 5092 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Bill Passed - House (277 - 131)
Sept. 26, 2006 National HR 2679 Public Expression of Religion Act of 2006 Bill Passed - House (244 - 173)
Sept. 21, 2006 National HR 6095 Immigration Law Enforcement Act of 2006 Bill Passed - House (277 - 140)
Sept. 21, 2006 National HR 6095 Immigration Law Enforcement Act of 2006 Bill Passed - House (277 - 140)
Sept. 20, 2006 National HR 4844 Federal Election Integrity Act of 2006 Bill Passed - House (228 - 196)
Sept. 14, 2006 National HR 6061 Secure Fence Act of 2006 Bill Passed - House (283 - 138)
Sept. 13, 2006 National HR 4893 Restricting Indian Gaming to Homelands of Tribes Act Bill Failed - House (247 - 171)
Sept. 7, 2006 National HR 503 Horse Slaughter Prohibition Bill Bill Passed - House (263 - 146)
Aug. 31, 2006 CA SB 1578 Dog Restraint Regulations Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 16)
Aug. 31, 2006 CA SB 1578 Dog Restraint Regulations Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 16)
Aug. 31, 2006 CA SB 1578 Dog Restraint Regulations Bill Passed - House (46 - 32)
Aug. 31, 2006 CA SB 1578 Dog Restraint Regulations Bill Passed - House (46 - 32)
Aug. 30, 2006 CA AB 352 Microstamping of Bullets Fired from Semi-Automatic Guns Concurrence Vote Failed - House (40 - 37)
Date No. Title Outcome
1/25 SF 104 Sexual Abuse of Minors Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 5)
1/25 SB 15 Funeral Picketing Ban Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 14)
1/25 SJ 307 Voting Rights of Nonviolent Felons Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (29 - 10)
1/25 SF 104 Sexual Abuse of Minors Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 5)
1/23 Sub SB 1116 Capital Murder of a Judge or Witness Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 10)
1/23 SB 1204 In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 8)
1/11 HR 3 Stem Cell Research Act of 2007 Bill Passed - House (253 - 174)
9/29 S 3930 Military Commissions Act of 2006 Bill Passed - House (250 - 170)
9/29 HR 6061 Secure Fence Act of 2006 Bill Passed - Senate (80 - 19)
9/28 S Amdt 5095 Oversight of CIA Interrogation and Detention Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 53)
9/28 S Amdt 5087 Habeas Review Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (48 - 51)
9/28 S 3930 Military Commissions Act of 2006 Bill Passed - Senate (65 - 34)
9/26 HR 5092 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Bill Passed - House (277 - 131)
9/26 HR 2679 Public Expression of Religion Act of 2006 Bill Passed - House (244 - 173)
9/21 HR 6095 Immigration Law Enforcement Act of 2006 Bill Passed - House (277 - 140)
9/21 HR 6095 Immigration Law Enforcement Act of 2006 Bill Passed - House (277 - 140)
9/20 HR 4844 Federal Election Integrity Act of 2006 Bill Passed - House (228 - 196)
9/14 HR 6061 Secure Fence Act of 2006 Bill Passed - House (283 - 138)
9/13 HR 4893 Restricting Indian Gaming to Homelands of Tribes Act Bill Failed - House (247 - 171)
9/07 HR 503 Horse Slaughter Prohibition Bill Bill Passed - House (263 - 146)
8/31 SB 1578 Dog Restraint Regulations Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 16)
8/31 SB 1578 Dog Restraint Regulations Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 16)
8/31 SB 1578 Dog Restraint Regulations Bill Passed - House (46 - 32)
8/31 SB 1578 Dog Restraint Regulations Bill Passed - House (46 - 32)
8/30 AB 352 Microstamping of Bullets Fired from Semi-Automatic Guns Concurrence Vote Failed - House (40 - 37)

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