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.


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Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
March 20, 2007 National S 214 United States Attorneys Act of 2007 Bill Passed - Senate (94 - 2)
March 20, 2007 GA SB 174 Physical Fitness Standards for State Employees Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 1)
Feb. 22, 2007 KS Sub SB 152 Elections for Senate Vacancies Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 15)
Jan. 24, 2007 SC S 287 The Appointment of the Commissioner of Agriculture Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (30 - 15)
Jan. 24, 2007 SC S 285 The Appointment of the Comptroller General Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (32 - 11)
Jan. 24, 2007 SC S 288 Appointment of the Secretary of State Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (30 - 13)
Jan. 24, 2007 SC S 284 The Appointment of the Adjutant General Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (27 - 18)
Jan. 24, 2007 SC S 286 Appointment of the Superintendent of Education Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (27 - 19)
Jan. 24, 2007 SC S 101 Reorganization of the State Government Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (22 - 23)
Sept. 28, 2006 National S Amdt 5104 Military Commissions Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 52)
June 23, 2006 RI H 6885 International Trade Agreements Veto Override Passed - Senate (26 - 4)
March 7, 2006 AZ HB 2701 National Guard Mobilization; Border; Appropriation Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 11)
Jan. 26, 2005 National PN 8 Condoleezza Rice, Secretary of State Nomination Confirmed - Senate (85 - 13)
Nov. 19, 2002 National HR 5005 Establishing the Department of Homeland Security Bill Passed - Senate (90 - 9)
Feb. 1, 2001 National PN 107 John Ashcroft, Attorney General Nomination Confirmed - Senate (58 - 42)
Jan. 30, 2001 National PN 96 Gale Ann Norton, Secretary of the Interior Nomination Confirmed - Senate (75 - 24)
Sept. 14, 1999 National S J Res 33 Puerto Rican Nationals resolution Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (95 - 2)
Aug. 5, 1999 National PN 100 Richard Holbrooke, Representative to the United Nations Nomination Confirmed - Senate (81 - 16)
Feb. 12, 1999 National H Res 611 Impeachment Resolution: Article One Resolution Failed - Senate (45 - 55)
Feb. 12, 1999 National H Res 611 Impeachment Resolution: Article One Resolution Failed - Senate (50 - 50)
June 25, 1998 National S Amdt 2981 Military Closure Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (48 - 45)
June 24, 1998 National S Amdt 2912 Bosnia and Herzegovina Withdrawal Amendment Amendment Tabled - Senate (65 - 31)
Feb. 25, 1998 National HR 2631 Line Item Veto Cancellation bill Veto Override Passed - Senate (78 - 20)
Feb. 10, 1998 National PN 623 David Satcher, Surgeon General of the Public Health Service Nomination Confirmed - Senate (63 - 35)
April 30, 1997 National PN 82 Alexis M. Herman, Secretary of Labor Nomination Confirmed - Senate (85 - 13)
March 27, 1996 National S 4 Line-Item Veto bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (69 - 31)
March 21, 1996 National HR 956 Product Liability bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (59 - 40)
Nov. 15, 1995 National HR 2020 Appropriations bill FY96, Treasury, Postal Service Conference Report Adopted - Senate (63 - 35)
June 22, 1995 National PN 245 Henry W. Foster Jr., Medical Director in the Regular Corps of the Public Health Service Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (57 - 43)
May 10, 1995 National HR 956 Product Liability bill Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 37)
March 23, 1995 National S 4 Line-Item Veto bill Bill Passed - Senate (69 - 29)
June 29, 1994 National S Amdt 2117 Military Operations in Haiti Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (34 - 65)
Oct. 1, 1992 National HR 5318 Conditional Extension of Most-Favored-Nation Trade Status to China Veto Override Failed - Senate (59 - 40)
Date No. Title Outcome
3/20 S 214 United States Attorneys Act of 2007 Bill Passed - Senate (94 - 2)
3/20 SB 174 Physical Fitness Standards for State Employees Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 1)
2/22 Sub SB 152 Elections for Senate Vacancies Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 15)
1/24 S 287 The Appointment of the Commissioner of Agriculture Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (30 - 15)
1/24 S 285 The Appointment of the Comptroller General Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (32 - 11)
1/24 S 288 Appointment of the Secretary of State Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (30 - 13)
1/24 S 284 The Appointment of the Adjutant General Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (27 - 18)
1/24 S 286 Appointment of the Superintendent of Education Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (27 - 19)
1/24 S 101 Reorganization of the State Government Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (22 - 23)
9/28 S Amdt 5104 Military Commissions Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 52)
6/23 H 6885 International Trade Agreements Veto Override Passed - Senate (26 - 4)
3/07 HB 2701 National Guard Mobilization; Border; Appropriation Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 11)
1/26 PN 8 Condoleezza Rice, Secretary of State Nomination Confirmed - Senate (85 - 13)
11/19 HR 5005 Establishing the Department of Homeland Security Bill Passed - Senate (90 - 9)
2/01 PN 107 John Ashcroft, Attorney General Nomination Confirmed - Senate (58 - 42)
1/30 PN 96 Gale Ann Norton, Secretary of the Interior Nomination Confirmed - Senate (75 - 24)
9/14 S J Res 33 Puerto Rican Nationals resolution Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (95 - 2)
8/05 PN 100 Richard Holbrooke, Representative to the United Nations Nomination Confirmed - Senate (81 - 16)
2/12 H Res 611 Impeachment Resolution: Article One Resolution Failed - Senate (45 - 55)
2/12 H Res 611 Impeachment Resolution: Article One Resolution Failed - Senate (50 - 50)
6/25 S Amdt 2981 Military Closure Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (48 - 45)
6/24 S Amdt 2912 Bosnia and Herzegovina Withdrawal Amendment Amendment Tabled - Senate (65 - 31)
2/25 HR 2631 Line Item Veto Cancellation bill Veto Override Passed - Senate (78 - 20)
2/10 PN 623 David Satcher, Surgeon General of the Public Health Service Nomination Confirmed - Senate (63 - 35)
4/30 PN 82 Alexis M. Herman, Secretary of Labor Nomination Confirmed - Senate (85 - 13)
3/27 S 4 Line-Item Veto bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (69 - 31)
3/21 HR 956 Product Liability bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (59 - 40)
11/15 HR 2020 Appropriations bill FY96, Treasury, Postal Service Conference Report Adopted - Senate (63 - 35)
6/22 PN 245 Henry W. Foster Jr., Medical Director in the Regular Corps of the Public Health Service Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (57 - 43)
5/10 HR 956 Product Liability bill Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 37)
3/23 S 4 Line-Item Veto bill Bill Passed - Senate (69 - 29)
6/29 S Amdt 2117 Military Operations in Haiti Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (34 - 65)
10/01 HR 5318 Conditional Extension of Most-Favored-Nation Trade Status to China Veto Override Failed - Senate (59 - 40)

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