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
Dec. 18, 2007 National HR 2764 Inclusion of Iraq and Afghanistan Military Operations Funding with the Consolidated Appropriations Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (76 - 17)
Dec. 11, 2007 WI SB 176 Compensation for Discharged Police Officers Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 3)
Dec. 10, 2007 NJ S 171 Eliminating the Death Penalty Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 16)
Dec. 10, 2007 NJ S 171 Eliminating the Death Penalty Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 16)
Nov. 8, 2007 National PN 958 Michael B. Mukasey, Attorney General Nomination Confirmed - Senate (53 - 40)
Nov. 8, 2007 National PN 958 Michael B. Mukasey, Attorney General Nomination Confirmed - Senate (53 - 40)
Nov. 1, 2007 National HR 3963 Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007 (CHIP) Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 30)
Oct. 31, 2007 MI SB 229 2007-2008 Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (29 - 8)
Oct. 31, 2007 MI SB 232 2007-2008 Department of Human Services Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (20 - 16)
Oct. 30, 2007 MI S Sub for Sub HB 4344 2007-2008 Department of Community Health Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 3)
Oct. 30, 2007 MI S Sub for Sub HB 4348 2007-2008 Department of Corrections Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 3)
Oct. 29, 2007 MI SB 238 2007-2008 Department of State Police Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (36 - 2)
Oct. 18, 2007 MI S Sub for Sub HB 4749 Motorcycle Helmet Law Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
Oct. 18, 2007 MI S Sub for Sub HB 4749 Motorcycle Helmet Law Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
Oct. 16, 2007 National HR 3093 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2008 Bill Passed - Senate (75 - 19)
Oct. 3, 2007 IL SB 1463 Silent Reflection and Student Prayer Veto Override Passed - Senate (42 - 9)
Sept. 27, 2007 National HR 976 State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (67 - 29)
Sept. 19, 2007 National S Amdt 2022 Habeas Corpus for Detainees of the United States Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (56 - 43)
Sept. 19, 2007 National S Amdt 2022 Habeas Corpus for Detainees of the United States Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (56 - 43)
Aug. 30, 2007 CA SB 33 Underage Driver Cellphone Ban Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 14)
Aug. 3, 2007 National S 1927 Foreign Intelligence Acquisition Bill Passed - Senate (60 - 28)
Aug. 2, 2007 National HR 976 State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization Bill Passed - Senate (68 - 31)
July 26, 2007 National S Amdt 2405 REAL ID Funding Amendment Tabled - Senate (50 - 44)
July 26, 2007 National S Amdt 2480 Border Fence and Customs Appropriations Amendment Adopted - Senate (89 - 1)
July 26, 2007 National HR 1 Implementing the 9/11 Commission Recommendations Act Conference Report Adopted - Senate (85 - 8)
Date No. Title Outcome
12/18 HR 2764 Inclusion of Iraq and Afghanistan Military Operations Funding with the Consolidated Appropriations Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (76 - 17)
12/11 SB 176 Compensation for Discharged Police Officers Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 3)
12/10 S 171 Eliminating the Death Penalty Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 16)
12/10 S 171 Eliminating the Death Penalty Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 16)
11/08 PN 958 Michael B. Mukasey, Attorney General Nomination Confirmed - Senate (53 - 40)
11/08 PN 958 Michael B. Mukasey, Attorney General Nomination Confirmed - Senate (53 - 40)
11/01 HR 3963 Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007 (CHIP) Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 30)
10/31 SB 229 2007-2008 Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (29 - 8)
10/31 SB 232 2007-2008 Department of Human Services Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (20 - 16)
10/30 S Sub for Sub HB 4344 2007-2008 Department of Community Health Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 3)
10/30 S Sub for Sub HB 4348 2007-2008 Department of Corrections Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 3)
10/29 SB 238 2007-2008 Department of State Police Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (36 - 2)
10/18 S Sub for Sub HB 4749 Motorcycle Helmet Law Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
10/18 S Sub for Sub HB 4749 Motorcycle Helmet Law Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
10/16 HR 3093 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2008 Bill Passed - Senate (75 - 19)
10/03 SB 1463 Silent Reflection and Student Prayer Veto Override Passed - Senate (42 - 9)
9/27 HR 976 State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (67 - 29)
9/19 S Amdt 2022 Habeas Corpus for Detainees of the United States Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (56 - 43)
9/19 S Amdt 2022 Habeas Corpus for Detainees of the United States Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (56 - 43)
8/30 SB 33 Underage Driver Cellphone Ban Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 14)
8/03 S 1927 Foreign Intelligence Acquisition Bill Passed - Senate (60 - 28)
8/02 HR 976 State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization Bill Passed - Senate (68 - 31)
7/26 S Amdt 2405 REAL ID Funding Amendment Tabled - Senate (50 - 44)
7/26 S Amdt 2480 Border Fence and Customs Appropriations Amendment Adopted - Senate (89 - 1)
7/26 HR 1 Implementing the 9/11 Commission Recommendations Act Conference Report Adopted - Senate (85 - 8)

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