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
Sept. 28, 2006 National HR 5825 Electronic Surveillance Modernization Act Bill Passed - House (232 - 191)
Sept. 27, 2006 National HR 6166 Military Commissions Act of 2006 Bill Passed - House (253 - 168)
Sept. 14, 2006 National HR 6061 Secure Fence Act of 2006 Bill Passed - House (283 - 138)
June 29, 2006 National H Res 895 Intelligence and Law Enforcement Resolution Resolution Passed - House (227 - 183)
June 16, 2006 National H Res 861 Global War on Terror Resolution Passed - House (256 - 153)
June 13, 2006 National HR 4939 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2006 Conference Report Adopted - House (351 - 67)
June 6, 2006 National HR 5441 Department of Homeland Security Appropriation Act, 2007 Bill Passed - House (389 - 9)
April 6, 2006 AZ SB 1425 Prohibition on Confiscation of Firearms During an Emergency Bill Passed - House (45 - 12)
April 6, 2006 AZ SB 1273 Border Radar Lease Appropriation Bill Passed - House (38 - 19)
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)
Dec. 19, 2005 National HR 2863 Defense Department FY2006 Appropriations Bill Conference Report Adopted - House (308 - 106)
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)
Sept. 15, 2005 National H Res 437 Bipartisan Committee to Investigate Hurricane Katrina Resolution Passed - House (224 - 188)
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)
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 5, 2005 National HR 1268 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2005 Conference Report Adopted - House (368 - 58)
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)
Date No. Title Outcome
9/28 HR 5825 Electronic Surveillance Modernization Act Bill Passed - House (232 - 191)
9/27 HR 6166 Military Commissions Act of 2006 Bill Passed - House (253 - 168)
9/14 HR 6061 Secure Fence Act of 2006 Bill Passed - House (283 - 138)
6/29 H Res 895 Intelligence and Law Enforcement Resolution Resolution Passed - House (227 - 183)
6/16 H Res 861 Global War on Terror Resolution Passed - House (256 - 153)
6/13 HR 4939 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2006 Conference Report Adopted - House (351 - 67)
6/06 HR 5441 Department of Homeland Security Appropriation Act, 2007 Bill Passed - House (389 - 9)
4/06 SB 1425 Prohibition on Confiscation of Firearms During an Emergency Bill Passed - House (45 - 12)
4/06 SB 1273 Border Radar Lease Appropriation Bill Passed - House (38 - 19)
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)
12/19 HR 2863 Defense Department FY2006 Appropriations Bill Conference Report Adopted - House (308 - 106)
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)
9/15 H Res 437 Bipartisan Committee to Investigate Hurricane Katrina Resolution Passed - House (224 - 188)
7/21 HR 3199 PATRIOT Act Reauthorization Motion Rejected - House (209 - 218)
7/21 HR 3199 PATRIOT Act Reauthorization Bill Passed - House (257 - 171)
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)
5/05 HR 1268 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2005 Conference Report Adopted - House (368 - 58)
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)

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