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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 18, 2006 | National | S Amdt 4064 | English As National Language Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (62 - 35) |
| May 18, 2006 | National | S Amdt 4072 | "State Criminal Alien Assistance Program" Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (43 - 52) |
| May 17, 2006 | National | S Amdt 3965 | Employment-based Immigrant Visa Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (50 - 48) |
| May 16, 2006 | AZ | HB 2577 | Immigration Law; Employment; Enforcement | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 7) |
| May 4, 2006 | National | HR 4939 | Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2006 | Bill Passed - Senate (77 - 21) |
| May 4, 2006 | National | HR 4939 | Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2006 | Bill Passed - Senate (77 - 21) |
| May 4, 2006 | National | HR 4939 | Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2006 | Bill Passed - Senate (77 - 21) |
| May 2, 2006 | TX | HB 3 | Business Tax Revisions | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 14) |
| April 27, 2006 | CA | SCR 113 | The Great American Boycott 2006 | Resolution Passed - Senate (24 - 13) |
| April 26, 2006 | AZ | SB 1425 | Prohibition of Confiscation of Firearms During an Emergency | Veto Override Failed - Senate (19 - 10) |
| April 19, 2006 | VA | Governor's Recommendation: DMV Voter Registration Requirements | Amendment Adopted - Senate (21 - 17) | |
| April 19, 2006 | TN | SB 303 | Driver's License Examination English Language Requirement | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 14) |
| April 13, 2006 | NE | LB 239 | In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants | Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 16) |
| April 13, 2006 | NE | LB 239 | In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 18) |
| April 13, 2006 | NH | HB 345 | Photo ID for Voting | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 9) |
| April 12, 2006 | AZ | SB 1157 | Trespassing by Undocumented Immigrants | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 12) |
| March 27, 2006 | GA | CCS SB 529 | Georgia Security and Immigration Compliance Act | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (39 - 16) |
| March 24, 2006 | CO | HB 1010 | Requiring Legislative Approval Before Entering International Trade Agreements | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17) |
| March 16, 2006 | National | S Amdt 3166 | National Defense Funding Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (50 - 50) |
| March 16, 2006 | National | S Amdt 3166 | National Defense Funding Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (50 - 50) |
| March 16, 2006 | National | S Amdt 3166 | National Defense Funding Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (50 - 50) |
| March 16, 2006 | National | S Con Res 83 | 2007 Budget Resolution | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (51 - 49) |
| March 8, 2006 | GA | SCS SB 529 | Georgia Security and Immigration Compliance Act | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 13) |
| March 7, 2006 | AZ | HB 2701 | National Guard Mobilization; Border; Appropriation | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 11) |
| March 6, 2006 | AZ | SB 1273 | Border Radar Lease Appropriation | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 6) |
| March 6, 2006 | AZ | SB 1273 | Border Radar Lease Appropriation | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 6) |
| March 6, 2006 | AZ | SB 1273 | Border Radar Lease Appropriation | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 6) |
| March 6, 2006 | AZ | SB 1425 | Prohibition of Confiscation of Firearms During an Emergency. | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 3) |
| March 2, 2006 | National | HR 3199 | PATRIOT Act Reauthorization | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (89 - 10) |
| March 2, 2006 | AZ | HB 2064 | English Language Learners | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (16 - 13) |
| Feb. 23, 2006 | WI | SB 567 | Limit Public Assistance to Citizens or Legal Residents of the United States | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14) |
| Feb. 16, 2006 | AZ | SB 1157 | Trespassing by Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 11) |
| Feb. 14, 2006 | VA | Sub SB 677 | In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 3) |
| Feb. 6, 2006 | VA | Sub SB 313 | DMV Reporting Requirements for Non-citizens | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 15) |
| Feb. 2, 2006 | National | S Amdt 2737 | Military Funding and Tax Cuts Amendment | Motion Rejected - Senate (44 - 53) |
| Feb. 2, 2006 | National | S Amdt 2737 | Military Funding and Tax Cuts Amendment | Motion Rejected - Senate (44 - 53) |
| Feb. 2, 2006 | National | HR 4297 | Tax Relief Extension Reconciliation Act of 2005 | Bill Passed - Senate (66 - 31) |
| Jan. 24, 2006 | AZ | HB 2002 | English Language Learners; Structured English Immersion Models; Budget Requests | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 14) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5/18 | S Amdt 4064 | English As National Language Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (62 - 35) |
| 5/18 | S Amdt 4072 | "State Criminal Alien Assistance Program" Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (43 - 52) |
| 5/17 | S Amdt 3965 | Employment-based Immigrant Visa Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (50 - 48) |
| 5/16 | HB 2577 | Immigration Law; Employment; Enforcement | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 7) |
| 5/04 | HR 4939 | Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2006 | Bill Passed - Senate (77 - 21) |
| 5/04 | HR 4939 | Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2006 | Bill Passed - Senate (77 - 21) |
| 5/04 | HR 4939 | Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2006 | Bill Passed - Senate (77 - 21) |
| 5/02 | HB 3 | Business Tax Revisions | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 14) |
| 4/27 | SCR 113 | The Great American Boycott 2006 | Resolution Passed - Senate (24 - 13) |
| 4/26 | SB 1425 | Prohibition of Confiscation of Firearms During an Emergency | Veto Override Failed - Senate (19 - 10) |
| 4/19 | Governor's Recommendation: DMV Voter Registration Requirements | Amendment Adopted - Senate (21 - 17) | |
| 4/19 | SB 303 | Driver's License Examination English Language Requirement | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 14) |
| 4/13 | LB 239 | In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants | Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 16) |
| 4/13 | LB 239 | In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 18) |
| 4/13 | HB 345 | Photo ID for Voting | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 9) |
| 4/12 | SB 1157 | Trespassing by Undocumented Immigrants | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 12) |
| 3/27 | CCS SB 529 | Georgia Security and Immigration Compliance Act | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (39 - 16) |
| 3/24 | HB 1010 | Requiring Legislative Approval Before Entering International Trade Agreements | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17) |
| 3/16 | S Amdt 3166 | National Defense Funding Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (50 - 50) |
| 3/16 | S Amdt 3166 | National Defense Funding Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (50 - 50) |
| 3/16 | S Amdt 3166 | National Defense Funding Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (50 - 50) |
| 3/16 | S Con Res 83 | 2007 Budget Resolution | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (51 - 49) |
| 3/08 | SCS SB 529 | Georgia Security and Immigration Compliance Act | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 13) |
| 3/07 | HB 2701 | National Guard Mobilization; Border; Appropriation | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 11) |
| 3/06 | SB 1273 | Border Radar Lease Appropriation | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 6) |
| 3/06 | SB 1273 | Border Radar Lease Appropriation | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 6) |
| 3/06 | SB 1273 | Border Radar Lease Appropriation | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 6) |
| 3/06 | SB 1425 | Prohibition of Confiscation of Firearms During an Emergency. | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 3) |
| 3/02 | HR 3199 | PATRIOT Act Reauthorization | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (89 - 10) |
| 3/02 | HB 2064 | English Language Learners | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (16 - 13) |
| 2/23 | SB 567 | Limit Public Assistance to Citizens or Legal Residents of the United States | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14) |
| 2/16 | SB 1157 | Trespassing by Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 11) |
| 2/14 | Sub SB 677 | In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 3) |
| 2/06 | Sub SB 313 | DMV Reporting Requirements for Non-citizens | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 15) |
| 2/02 | S Amdt 2737 | Military Funding and Tax Cuts Amendment | Motion Rejected - Senate (44 - 53) |
| 2/02 | S Amdt 2737 | Military Funding and Tax Cuts Amendment | Motion Rejected - Senate (44 - 53) |
| 2/02 | HR 4297 | Tax Relief Extension Reconciliation Act of 2005 | Bill Passed - Senate (66 - 31) |
| 1/24 | HB 2002 | English Language Learners; Structured English Immersion Models; Budget Requests | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 14) |