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
May 26, 2006 National PN 1552 Michael Hayden, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency Nomination Confirmed - Senate (78 - 15)
May 25, 2006 National S 2611 Immigration Reform Bill Bill Passed - Senate (62 - 36)
May 4, 2006 National HR 4939 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2006 Bill Passed - Senate (77 - 21)
April 26, 2006 AZ SB 1425 Prohibition of Confiscation of Firearms During an Emergency Veto Override Failed - Senate (19 - 10)
April 6, 2006 AZ SB 1273 Border Radar Lease Appropriation Bill Passed - House (38 - 19)
April 6, 2006 AZ SB 1425 Prohibition on Confiscation of Firearms During an Emergency Bill Passed - House (45 - 12)
March 16, 2006 National S Amdt 3166 National Defense Funding Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (50 - 50)
March 16, 2006 National HR 4939 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2006 Bill Passed - House (348 - 71)
March 7, 2006 National S 2271 PATRIOT Act Reauthorization bill Bill Passed - House (280 - 138)
March 6, 2006 AZ SB 1425 Prohibition of Confiscation of Firearms During an Emergency. Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 3)
March 6, 2006 AZ SB 1273 Border Radar Lease Appropriation Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 6)
March 2, 2006 National HR 3199 PATRIOT Act Reauthorization Conference Report Adopted - Senate (89 - 10)
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. 19, 2005 National HR 2863 Defense Department FY2006 Appropriations Bill Conference Report Adopted - House (308 - 106)
Dec. 16, 2005 National HR 3199 PATRIOT Act Reauthorization Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (52 - 47)
Dec. 16, 2005 National HR 4437 Border Security Bill Bill Passed - House (239 - 182)
Dec. 14, 2005 National HR 3199 PATRIOT Act Reauthorization Conference Report Adopted - House (251 - 174)
Oct. 7, 2005 National HR 2863 Defense Department FY2006 Appropriations Bill Bill Passed - Senate (97 - 0)
Sept. 15, 2005 National H Res 437 Bipartisan Committee to Investigate Hurricane Katrina Resolution Passed - House (224 - 188)
Sept. 14, 2005 National S Amdt 1660 Congressional Commission on Hurricane Katrina Motion Rejected - Senate (44 - 54)
July 26, 2005 National S Amdt 1351 Corporate Financing of Terrorism Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 51)
July 21, 2005 National HR 3199 PATRIOT Act Reauthorization Motion Rejected - House (209 - 218)
July 21, 2005 National HR 3199 PATRIOT Act Reauthorization Bill Passed - House (257 - 171)
July 14, 2005 National S Amdt 1222 Disclosure of Classified Information Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (44 - 53)
July 14, 2005 National S Amdt 1171 Detention Beds Increase Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (42 - 56)
July 14, 2005 National HR 2360 Homeland Security Department FY 2006 Appropriations Act Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 1)
June 20, 2005 National HR 2863 Defense Department FY2006 Appropriations Bill Bill Passed - House (398 - 19)
June 15, 2005 National H Amdt 280 Patriot Act Amendment - Library Records Amendment Adopted - House (238 - 187)
May 18, 2005 National HR 1817 Homeland Security Department Authorization Act FY06 Bill Passed - House (424 - 4)
May 17, 2005 National HR 2360 Homeland Security Department FY 2006 Appropriations Act Bill Passed - House (424 - 1)
May 10, 2005 National HR 1268 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2005 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (100 - 0)
May 5, 2005 National HR 1268 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2005 Conference Report Adopted - House (368 - 58)
April 21, 2005 National HR 1268 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2005 Bill Passed - Senate (99 - 0)
March 17, 2005 National S Amdt 220 Homeland Security Grant Program Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (63 - 37)
March 16, 2005 National HR 1268 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2005 Bill Passed - House (388 - 43)
Feb. 10, 2005 National HR 418 Real ID Act of 2005 Bill Passed - House (261 - 161)
Oct. 8, 2004 National HR 10 9/11 Recommendations Implementation Act Bill Passed - House (282 - 134)
Oct. 6, 2004 National S 2845 National Intelligence Reform Act of 2004 Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 2)
June 23, 2004 National S 2400 Military Construction FY2005 Authorization Bill Bill Passed - Senate (97 - 0)
June 23, 2004 National HR 4548 Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2005 Bill Passed - House (360 - 61)
June 18, 2004 National HR 4567 Homeland Security Department FY2005 Appropriations Bill Bill Passed - House (400 - 5)
Nov. 20, 2003 National HR 253 Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2003 Bill Passed - House (352 - 67)
Sept. 24, 2003 National HR 2555 Homeland Security Appropriations, FY 2004 bill Conference Report Adopted - House (417 - 8)
Sept. 24, 2003 National HR 2658 Terrorism Information Awareness bill Conference Report Adopted - House (407 - 15)
July 25, 2003 National HR 2859 Emergency Appropriations for Disaster Relief Act,2003 Bill Passed - House (352 - 60)
July 16, 2003 National HR 2122 Project BioShield Act of 2003 Bill Passed - House (421 - 2)
July 8, 2003 National HR 2658 Terrorism Information Awareness bill Bill Passed - House (399 - 19)
June 24, 2003 National HR 2555 Homeland Security Appropriations, FY 2004 bill Bill Passed - House (425 - 2)
May 22, 2003 National S 1050 Fiscal 2004 Defense Authorization-Passage Bill Passed - Senate (98 - 1)
Date No. Title Outcome
5/26 PN 1552 Michael Hayden, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency Nomination Confirmed - Senate (78 - 15)
5/25 S 2611 Immigration Reform Bill Bill Passed - Senate (62 - 36)
5/04 HR 4939 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2006 Bill Passed - Senate (77 - 21)
4/26 SB 1425 Prohibition of Confiscation of Firearms During an Emergency Veto Override Failed - Senate (19 - 10)
4/06 SB 1273 Border Radar Lease Appropriation Bill Passed - House (38 - 19)
4/06 SB 1425 Prohibition on Confiscation of Firearms During an Emergency Bill Passed - House (45 - 12)
3/16 S Amdt 3166 National Defense Funding Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (50 - 50)
3/16 HR 4939 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2006 Bill Passed - House (348 - 71)
3/07 S 2271 PATRIOT Act Reauthorization bill Bill Passed - House (280 - 138)
3/06 SB 1425 Prohibition of Confiscation of Firearms During an Emergency. Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 3)
3/06 SB 1273 Border Radar Lease Appropriation Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 6)
3/02 HR 3199 PATRIOT Act Reauthorization Conference Report Adopted - Senate (89 - 10)
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)
12/19 HR 2863 Defense Department FY2006 Appropriations Bill Conference Report Adopted - House (308 - 106)
12/16 HR 3199 PATRIOT Act Reauthorization Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (52 - 47)
12/16 HR 4437 Border Security Bill Bill Passed - House (239 - 182)
12/14 HR 3199 PATRIOT Act Reauthorization Conference Report Adopted - House (251 - 174)
10/07 HR 2863 Defense Department FY2006 Appropriations Bill Bill Passed - Senate (97 - 0)
9/15 H Res 437 Bipartisan Committee to Investigate Hurricane Katrina Resolution Passed - House (224 - 188)
9/14 S Amdt 1660 Congressional Commission on Hurricane Katrina Motion Rejected - Senate (44 - 54)
7/26 S Amdt 1351 Corporate Financing of Terrorism Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 51)
7/21 HR 3199 PATRIOT Act Reauthorization Motion Rejected - House (209 - 218)
7/21 HR 3199 PATRIOT Act Reauthorization Bill Passed - House (257 - 171)
7/14 S Amdt 1222 Disclosure of Classified Information Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (44 - 53)
7/14 S Amdt 1171 Detention Beds Increase Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (42 - 56)
7/14 HR 2360 Homeland Security Department FY 2006 Appropriations Act Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 1)
6/20 HR 2863 Defense Department FY2006 Appropriations Bill Bill Passed - House (398 - 19)
6/15 H Amdt 280 Patriot Act Amendment - Library Records Amendment Adopted - House (238 - 187)
5/18 HR 1817 Homeland Security Department Authorization Act FY06 Bill Passed - House (424 - 4)
5/17 HR 2360 Homeland Security Department FY 2006 Appropriations Act Bill Passed - House (424 - 1)
5/10 HR 1268 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2005 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (100 - 0)
5/05 HR 1268 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2005 Conference Report Adopted - House (368 - 58)
4/21 HR 1268 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2005 Bill Passed - Senate (99 - 0)
3/17 S Amdt 220 Homeland Security Grant Program Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (63 - 37)
3/16 HR 1268 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2005 Bill Passed - House (388 - 43)
2/10 HR 418 Real ID Act of 2005 Bill Passed - House (261 - 161)
10/08 HR 10 9/11 Recommendations Implementation Act Bill Passed - House (282 - 134)
10/06 S 2845 National Intelligence Reform Act of 2004 Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 2)
6/23 S 2400 Military Construction FY2005 Authorization Bill Bill Passed - Senate (97 - 0)
6/23 HR 4548 Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2005 Bill Passed - House (360 - 61)
6/18 HR 4567 Homeland Security Department FY2005 Appropriations Bill Bill Passed - House (400 - 5)
11/20 HR 253 Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2003 Bill Passed - House (352 - 67)
9/24 HR 2555 Homeland Security Appropriations, FY 2004 bill Conference Report Adopted - House (417 - 8)
9/24 HR 2658 Terrorism Information Awareness bill Conference Report Adopted - House (407 - 15)
7/25 HR 2859 Emergency Appropriations for Disaster Relief Act,2003 Bill Passed - House (352 - 60)
7/16 HR 2122 Project BioShield Act of 2003 Bill Passed - House (421 - 2)
7/08 HR 2658 Terrorism Information Awareness bill Bill Passed - House (399 - 19)
6/24 HR 2555 Homeland Security Appropriations, FY 2004 bill Bill Passed - House (425 - 2)
5/22 S 1050 Fiscal 2004 Defense Authorization-Passage Bill Passed - Senate (98 - 1)

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