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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 20, 2006 | NJ | A 2813 | New Jersey Transportation Trust Fund | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13) |
| March 20, 2006 | ID | S 1393 | Biodegradable Fuel | Bill Failed - Senate (11 - 23) |
| March 17, 2006 | MI | Sub for SB 297 | Motorcycle Helmets | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| March 16, 2006 | ID | H 609 | Motor Vehicle Special License Plate Program | Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 18) |
| March 14, 2006 | IN | HB 1008 | Indiana Toll Road | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 19) |
| March 10, 2006 | CO | HB 1125 | Seat Belt Enforcement Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 14) |
| March 9, 2006 | WI | ASA 3 | Ethanol Bill | Motion Agreed - Senate (17 - 15) |
| March 8, 2006 | OK | SB 1420 | Oklahoma Mandatory Seat Belt Use Act | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 20) |
| March 6, 2006 | OK | SB 1792 | Achieving Classroom Excellence Steering Committee | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 15) |
| Feb. 23, 2006 | KS | HB 2732 | Unattended and Unsupervised Children in Motor Vehicle Safety Act | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18) |
| Feb. 22, 2006 | WY | SF 36 | Open Containers of Alcohol in Vehicles | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 5) |
| Feb. 21, 2006 | IN | HB 1006 | Allocation of School Resources for Homeless Students | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 15) |
| Feb. 15, 2006 | PA | SB 1025 | PA Clean Vehicles Program | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 20) |
| Feb. 8, 2006 | AK | SB 85 | Off-Road Vehicle Use Near Dalton Highway | Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 9) |
| Jan. 31, 2006 | IN | SB 145 | Vehicle Seizure and Driving While Intoxicated | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 16) |
| Jan. 27, 2006 | MS | HB 409 | Seat Belt Law | Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 4) |
| Jan. 24, 2006 | IN | SB 88 | Seat Belt Requirement | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 21) |
| Oct. 20, 2005 | National | HR 3058 | Transportation, Treasury, HUD and Judiciary Appropriation | Bill Passed - Senate (93 - 1) |
| July 29, 2005 | National | HR 3 | Transportation Authorization Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (91 - 4) |
| July 14, 2005 | National | S Amdt 1189 | Air Cargo Security Programs Implementation Amendment | Motion Rejected - Senate (45 - 53) |
| May 17, 2005 | National | HR 3 | Transportation Authorization Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (89 - 11) |
| April 28, 2005 | National | H Con Res 95 | Budget FY2006 Appropriations Resolution | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (52 - 47) |
| Feb. 12, 2004 | National | S 1072 | Highway Trust Fund Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (76 - 21) |
| Dec. 4, 2001 | National | HR 2299 | Department of Transportation Appropriations Act, 2002 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (97 - 2) |
| Sept. 21, 2001 | National | S 1450 | Air Transportation Safety and System Stabilization Act | Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 1) |
| Oct. 4, 1999 | National | HR 2084 | Transportation Department FY2000 Appropriations bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (88 - 3) |
| May 22, 1998 | National | HR 2400 | Transportation Reauthorization bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (88 - 5) |
| March 12, 1998 | National | S Amdt 1676 | Intermodal Transportation Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (96 - 4) |
| March 6, 1998 | National | S Amdt 1708 | Disadvantaged Business Enterprises Amendment | Amendment Tabled - Senate (58 - 37) |
| March 4, 1998 | National | S Amdt 1682 | Blood Alcohol Content Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (62 - 32) |
| Oct. 3, 1996 | National | HR 3539 | Federal Aviation Authorization Act of 1996 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (92 - 2) |
| Nov. 17, 1995 | National | S 440 | National Highway System Designation Act of 1995 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (80 - 16) |
| June 21, 1995 | National | S Amdt 1446 | Drinking and Driving Minors Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (64 - 36) |
| June 20, 1995 | National | S Amdt 1427 | Commercial Vehicle Speed Limit Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (51 - 49) |
| June 20, 1995 | National | S Amdt 1437 | Motorcycle Helmet Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (44 - 53) |
| Sept. 29, 1994 | National | HR 4556 | Transportation FY95 Appropriations Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (89 - 11) |
| July 21, 1994 | National | HR 4556 | Transportation FY95 Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (91 - 9) |
| Oct. 6, 1993 | National | HR 2750 | Transportation Fiscal Year 1994 Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (90 - 9) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/20 | A 2813 | New Jersey Transportation Trust Fund | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13) |
| 3/20 | S 1393 | Biodegradable Fuel | Bill Failed - Senate (11 - 23) |
| 3/17 | Sub for SB 297 | Motorcycle Helmets | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| 3/16 | H 609 | Motor Vehicle Special License Plate Program | Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 18) |
| 3/14 | HB 1008 | Indiana Toll Road | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 19) |
| 3/10 | HB 1125 | Seat Belt Enforcement Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 14) |
| 3/09 | ASA 3 | Ethanol Bill | Motion Agreed - Senate (17 - 15) |
| 3/08 | SB 1420 | Oklahoma Mandatory Seat Belt Use Act | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 20) |
| 3/06 | SB 1792 | Achieving Classroom Excellence Steering Committee | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 15) |
| 2/23 | HB 2732 | Unattended and Unsupervised Children in Motor Vehicle Safety Act | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18) |
| 2/22 | SF 36 | Open Containers of Alcohol in Vehicles | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 5) |
| 2/21 | HB 1006 | Allocation of School Resources for Homeless Students | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 15) |
| 2/15 | SB 1025 | PA Clean Vehicles Program | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 20) |
| 2/08 | SB 85 | Off-Road Vehicle Use Near Dalton Highway | Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 9) |
| 1/31 | SB 145 | Vehicle Seizure and Driving While Intoxicated | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 16) |
| 1/27 | HB 409 | Seat Belt Law | Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 4) |
| 1/24 | SB 88 | Seat Belt Requirement | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 21) |
| 10/20 | HR 3058 | Transportation, Treasury, HUD and Judiciary Appropriation | Bill Passed - Senate (93 - 1) |
| 7/29 | HR 3 | Transportation Authorization Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (91 - 4) |
| 7/14 | S Amdt 1189 | Air Cargo Security Programs Implementation Amendment | Motion Rejected - Senate (45 - 53) |
| 5/17 | HR 3 | Transportation Authorization Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (89 - 11) |
| 4/28 | H Con Res 95 | Budget FY2006 Appropriations Resolution | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (52 - 47) |
| 2/12 | S 1072 | Highway Trust Fund Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (76 - 21) |
| 12/04 | HR 2299 | Department of Transportation Appropriations Act, 2002 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (97 - 2) |
| 9/21 | S 1450 | Air Transportation Safety and System Stabilization Act | Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 1) |
| 10/04 | HR 2084 | Transportation Department FY2000 Appropriations bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (88 - 3) |
| 5/22 | HR 2400 | Transportation Reauthorization bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (88 - 5) |
| 3/12 | S Amdt 1676 | Intermodal Transportation Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (96 - 4) |
| 3/06 | S Amdt 1708 | Disadvantaged Business Enterprises Amendment | Amendment Tabled - Senate (58 - 37) |
| 3/04 | S Amdt 1682 | Blood Alcohol Content Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (62 - 32) |
| 10/03 | HR 3539 | Federal Aviation Authorization Act of 1996 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (92 - 2) |
| 11/17 | S 440 | National Highway System Designation Act of 1995 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (80 - 16) |
| 6/21 | S Amdt 1446 | Drinking and Driving Minors Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (64 - 36) |
| 6/20 | S Amdt 1427 | Commercial Vehicle Speed Limit Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (51 - 49) |
| 6/20 | S Amdt 1437 | Motorcycle Helmet Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (44 - 53) |
| 9/29 | HR 4556 | Transportation FY95 Appropriations Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (89 - 11) |
| 7/21 | HR 4556 | Transportation FY95 Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (91 - 9) |
| 10/06 | HR 2750 | Transportation Fiscal Year 1994 Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (90 - 9) |