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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
Dec. 1, 2011 National S Amdt 1274 Authorizes Further Detention After Trial During Wartime Amendment Rejected - Senate (41 - 59)
Oct. 27, 2011 WI SB 12 Limits Attorney Fees in Consumer Cases Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 15)
Oct. 21, 2011 National S Amdt 753 Prohibits the Use of Funds for Prosecution of Enemy Combatants in Civilian Courts Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 52)
Sept. 8, 2011 National HR 1249 Patent Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (89 - 9)
June 21, 2011 PA SB 1131 Tort Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 18)
April 14, 2011 GA HB 24 Amending Rules of Evidence Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 3)
April 5, 2011 MD HB 302 Parole Approval Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 15)
March 2, 2011 NC SB 33 Medical Malpractice Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 13)
Feb. 23, 2011 OK SB 863 Compensation for Non-Economic Damages Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 18)
Feb. 22, 2011 WY HB 39 Funding for Lawsuit Against Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Bill Failed - Senate (10 - 19)
Feb. 22, 2011 UT SB 96 Alimony Amendments Bill Failed - Senate (11 - 17)
Feb. 3, 2011 VA SB 831 Amending the Virginia Fraud Against Taxpayers Act Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16)
Nov. 17, 2010 National S 3772 Paycheck Fairness Act Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (58 - 41)
June 3, 2010 CA SB 1113 Income Tax Appeal Modifications Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 20)
June 2, 2010 CA SB 399 Authorizing Youth Offenders to Appeal Life Without Parole Sentences Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
June 1, 2010 CA SB 1168 Grand Juries for Misdemeanors in the County of Los Angeles Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9)
Oct. 6, 2009 National S Amdt 2588 Prohibiting Federal Funding of Mandatory Arbitration Contracts Amendment Adopted - Senate (68 - 30)
Nov. 8, 2007 National PN 958 Michael B. Mukasey, Attorney General Nomination Confirmed - Senate (53 - 40)
June 11, 2007 National S J Res 14 Attorney General No Confidence Vote Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 38)
March 20, 2007 National S 214 United States Attorneys Act of 2007 Bill Passed - Senate (94 - 2)
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)
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)
Nov. 15, 2005 National S Amdt 2523 Judicial Review of Detainees Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (44 - 54)
Nov. 15, 2005 National S Amdt 2524 Guantanamo Bay Detainees Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (84 - 14)
Nov. 10, 2005 National S Amdt 2516 Detainees at Guantanamo Bay Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (49 - 42)
Nov. 3, 2005 National S Amdt 2409 Targeted Case Management Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 52)
Nov. 3, 2005 National S Amdt 2400 Alaska Judicial Review of Oil Revenue Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (48 - 51)
Oct. 7, 2005 National HR 2863 Defense Department FY2006 Appropriations Bill Bill Passed - Senate (97 - 0)
March 8, 2005 National S Amdt 47 Violent Protestor Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 53)
April 22, 2004 National S 2329 Victims' Rights Bill Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 1)
March 2, 2004 National S 1805 Firearms Manufacturers Protection Bill Bill Failed - Senate (8 - 90)
Dec. 7, 2001 National S Amdt 2336 International Courts Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (78 - 21)
July 15, 1999 National S Amdt 1250 Patient Lawsuit Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (53 - 47)
Sept. 18, 1998 National HR 1122 Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion bill Veto Override Failed - Senate (64 - 36)
May 13, 1998 National S 1260 Securities Litigation Bill Passed - Senate (79 - 21)
March 31, 1998 National S Amdt 2168 Tobacco Immunity Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (79 - 19)
May 20, 1997 National HR 1122 Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion bill Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 36)
March 21, 1996 National HR 956 Product Liability bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (59 - 40)
Dec. 22, 1995 National HR 1058 Legal Reform bill Veto Override Passed - Senate (68 - 30)
Dec. 5, 1995 National HR 1058 Legal Reform bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (65 - 30)
June 28, 1995 National HR 1058 Legal Reform bill Bill Passed - Senate (69 - 30)
May 10, 1995 National HR 956 Product Liability bill Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 37)
June 29, 1994 National S 687 Product Liability Bill Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (57 - 41)
Date No. Title Outcome
12/01 S Amdt 1274 Authorizes Further Detention After Trial During Wartime Amendment Rejected - Senate (41 - 59)
10/27 SB 12 Limits Attorney Fees in Consumer Cases Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 15)
10/21 S Amdt 753 Prohibits the Use of Funds for Prosecution of Enemy Combatants in Civilian Courts Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 52)
9/08 HR 1249 Patent Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (89 - 9)
6/21 SB 1131 Tort Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 18)
4/14 HB 24 Amending Rules of Evidence Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 3)
4/05 HB 302 Parole Approval Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 15)
3/02 SB 33 Medical Malpractice Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 13)
2/23 SB 863 Compensation for Non-Economic Damages Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 18)
2/22 HB 39 Funding for Lawsuit Against Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Bill Failed - Senate (10 - 19)
2/22 SB 96 Alimony Amendments Bill Failed - Senate (11 - 17)
2/03 SB 831 Amending the Virginia Fraud Against Taxpayers Act Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16)
11/17 S 3772 Paycheck Fairness Act Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (58 - 41)
6/03 SB 1113 Income Tax Appeal Modifications Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 20)
6/02 SB 399 Authorizing Youth Offenders to Appeal Life Without Parole Sentences Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
6/01 SB 1168 Grand Juries for Misdemeanors in the County of Los Angeles Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9)
10/06 S Amdt 2588 Prohibiting Federal Funding of Mandatory Arbitration Contracts Amendment Adopted - Senate (68 - 30)
11/08 PN 958 Michael B. Mukasey, Attorney General Nomination Confirmed - Senate (53 - 40)
6/11 S J Res 14 Attorney General No Confidence Vote Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 38)
3/20 S 214 United States Attorneys Act of 2007 Bill Passed - Senate (94 - 2)
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)
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)
11/15 S Amdt 2523 Judicial Review of Detainees Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (44 - 54)
11/15 S Amdt 2524 Guantanamo Bay Detainees Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (84 - 14)
11/10 S Amdt 2516 Detainees at Guantanamo Bay Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (49 - 42)
11/03 S Amdt 2409 Targeted Case Management Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 52)
11/03 S Amdt 2400 Alaska Judicial Review of Oil Revenue Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (48 - 51)
10/07 HR 2863 Defense Department FY2006 Appropriations Bill Bill Passed - Senate (97 - 0)
3/08 S Amdt 47 Violent Protestor Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 53)
4/22 S 2329 Victims' Rights Bill Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 1)
3/02 S 1805 Firearms Manufacturers Protection Bill Bill Failed - Senate (8 - 90)
12/07 S Amdt 2336 International Courts Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (78 - 21)
7/15 S Amdt 1250 Patient Lawsuit Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (53 - 47)
9/18 HR 1122 Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion bill Veto Override Failed - Senate (64 - 36)
5/13 S 1260 Securities Litigation Bill Passed - Senate (79 - 21)
3/31 S Amdt 2168 Tobacco Immunity Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (79 - 19)
5/20 HR 1122 Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion bill Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 36)
3/21 HR 956 Product Liability bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (59 - 40)
12/22 HR 1058 Legal Reform bill Veto Override Passed - Senate (68 - 30)
12/05 HR 1058 Legal Reform bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (65 - 30)
6/28 HR 1058 Legal Reform bill Bill Passed - Senate (69 - 30)
5/10 HR 956 Product Liability bill Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 37)
6/29 S 687 Product Liability Bill Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (57 - 41)
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