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.


results per page:
Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
Oct. 26, 2005 National S Amdt 2275 Elementary and Secondary Education Act Amendment Motion Rejected - Senate (44 - 51)
Oct. 25, 2005 National S Amdt 2213 Federal Pell Grant Increase Amendment Motion Rejected - Senate (48 - 51)
Oct. 20, 2005 National HR 3058 Transportation, Treasury, HUD and Judiciary Appropriation Bill Passed - Senate (93 - 1)
Oct. 18, 2005 National S Amdt 2062 Congressional Pay Raise Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (92 - 6)
Oct. 7, 2005 National HR 2863 Defense Department FY2006 Appropriations Bill Bill Passed - Senate (97 - 0)
Oct. 5, 2005 National S Amdt 1937 Health Care for Veterans Amendment Motion Rejected - Senate (48 - 51)
Oct. 5, 2005 National S Amdt 2033 Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program Amendment Motion Rejected - Senate (50 - 49)
Sept. 29, 2005 National PN 801 Judge John G. Roberts, Jr., Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court (78 - 22)
Sept. 22, 2005 National HR 2744 Agriculture, Rural Development and FDA Appropriations Act Bill Passed - Senate (97 - 2)
Sept. 15, 2005 National S Amdt 1678 Hurricane Katrina Relief Amendment Motion Rejected - Senate (43 - 52)
Sept. 14, 2005 National S Amdt 1660 Congressional Commission on Hurricane Katrina Motion Rejected - Senate (44 - 54)
Sept. 14, 2005 National S Amdt 1670 Special Committee on Contracts in Afghanistan and Iraq Motion Rejected - Senate (44 - 53)
Sept. 13, 2005 National S J Res 20 EPA's Clean Air Mercury Rule Bill Failed - Senate (47 - 51)
July 29, 2005 National HR 2985 Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2006 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (96 - 4)
July 29, 2005 National HR 3 Transportation Authorization Bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (91 - 4)
July 29, 2005 National HR 2361 Interior Department FY 2006 Appropriations Bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (99 - 1)
July 29, 2005 National HR 6 Energy Policy Act of 2005 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (74 - 26)
July 29, 2005 National S 397 Firearms Manufacturers Protection Bill Bill Passed - Senate (65 - 31)
July 28, 2005 National S Amdt 1626 Child Safety Lock Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (70 - 30)
July 28, 2005 National HR 3045 CAFTA Implementation Bill Bill Passed - Senate (55 - 45)
July 26, 2005 National S 1042 Defense Department FY2006 Authorization Bill Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (50 - 48)
July 26, 2005 National S Amdt 1351 Corporate Financing of Terrorism Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 51)
July 20, 2005 National HR 3057 Foreign Operations FY 2006 Appropriations Bill Bill Passed - Senate (98 - 1)
July 19, 2005 National S Amdt 1241 US Agency for International Development Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (59 - 40)
July 14, 2005 National S Amdt 1189 Air Cargo Security Programs Implementation Amendment Motion Rejected - Senate (45 - 53)
July 14, 2005 National S Amdt 1222 Disclosure of Classified Information Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (44 - 53)
July 14, 2005 National S Amdt 1171 Detention Beds Increase Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (42 - 56)
July 14, 2005 National HR 2360 Homeland Security Department FY 2006 Appropriations Act Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 1)
July 1, 2005 National HR 2419 Energy and Water Appropriations Bill FY 2006 Bill Passed - Senate (92 - 3)
June 30, 2005 National S 1307 CAFTA Implementation Bill Bill Passed - Senate (54 - 45)
June 29, 2005 National HR 2361 Interior Department FY 2006 Appropriations Bill Bill Passed - Senate (94 - 0)
June 28, 2005 National HR 6 Energy Policy Act of 2005 Bill Passed - Senate (85 - 12)
June 20, 2005 National PN 326 John Bolton, Ambassador to the United Nations Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (54 - 38)
June 16, 2005 National S Amdt 784 Reduction in Dependence on Foreign Oil Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 53)
June 16, 2005 National S Amdt 791 Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (52 - 48)
June 14, 2005 National PN 202 Thomas B. Griffith, Circuit Judge for the District of Columbia Nomination Confirmed - Senate (73 - 24)
June 14, 2005 National S Amdt 781 Environmental Effects Caused by Ethanol Amendment Amendment Tabled - Senate (59 - 38)
June 9, 2005 National PN 200 William H. Pryor, Jr., Circuit Judge for the District of Columbia Nomination Confirmed - Senate (53 - 45)
June 8, 2005 National PN 201 Janice R Brown, Circuit Judge for the District of Columbia Nomination Confirmed - Senate (56 - 43)
May 26, 2005 National PN 326 John Bolton, Ambassador to the United Nations Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (56 - 42)
May 25, 2005 National PN 194 Priscilla R. Owen, Fifth Circuit Judge Nomination Confirmed - Senate (55 - 43)
May 24, 2005 National PN 194 Priscilla R. Owen, Fifth Circuit Judge Cloture Invoked - Senate (81 - 18)
May 17, 2005 National HR 3 Transportation Authorization Bill Bill Passed - Senate (89 - 11)
May 10, 2005 National HR 1268 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2005 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (100 - 0)
April 28, 2005 National H Con Res 95 Budget FY2006 Appropriations Resolution Conference Report Adopted - Senate (52 - 47)
April 21, 2005 National HR 1268 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2005 Bill Passed - Senate (99 - 0)
April 18, 2005 National S Amdt 464 Future Military Funding for Iraq Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (61 - 31)
March 17, 2005 National S Amdt 210 Tax Subsidy for Domestic Companies Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (40 - 59)
March 17, 2005 National S Amdt 172 Perkins Vocational Education Program Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (44 - 56)
March 17, 2005 National S Amdt 220 Homeland Security Grant Program Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (63 - 37)
Date No. Title Outcome
10/26 S Amdt 2275 Elementary and Secondary Education Act Amendment Motion Rejected - Senate (44 - 51)
10/25 S Amdt 2213 Federal Pell Grant Increase Amendment Motion Rejected - Senate (48 - 51)
10/20 HR 3058 Transportation, Treasury, HUD and Judiciary Appropriation Bill Passed - Senate (93 - 1)
10/18 S Amdt 2062 Congressional Pay Raise Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (92 - 6)
10/07 HR 2863 Defense Department FY2006 Appropriations Bill Bill Passed - Senate (97 - 0)
10/05 S Amdt 1937 Health Care for Veterans Amendment Motion Rejected - Senate (48 - 51)
10/05 S Amdt 2033 Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program Amendment Motion Rejected - Senate (50 - 49)
9/29 PN 801 Judge John G. Roberts, Jr., Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court (78 - 22)
9/22 HR 2744 Agriculture, Rural Development and FDA Appropriations Act Bill Passed - Senate (97 - 2)
9/15 S Amdt 1678 Hurricane Katrina Relief Amendment Motion Rejected - Senate (43 - 52)
9/14 S Amdt 1660 Congressional Commission on Hurricane Katrina Motion Rejected - Senate (44 - 54)
9/14 S Amdt 1670 Special Committee on Contracts in Afghanistan and Iraq Motion Rejected - Senate (44 - 53)
9/13 S J Res 20 EPA's Clean Air Mercury Rule Bill Failed - Senate (47 - 51)
7/29 HR 2985 Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2006 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (96 - 4)
7/29 HR 3 Transportation Authorization Bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (91 - 4)
7/29 HR 2361 Interior Department FY 2006 Appropriations Bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (99 - 1)
7/29 HR 6 Energy Policy Act of 2005 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (74 - 26)
7/29 S 397 Firearms Manufacturers Protection Bill Bill Passed - Senate (65 - 31)
7/28 S Amdt 1626 Child Safety Lock Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (70 - 30)
7/28 HR 3045 CAFTA Implementation Bill Bill Passed - Senate (55 - 45)
7/26 S 1042 Defense Department FY2006 Authorization Bill Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (50 - 48)
7/26 S Amdt 1351 Corporate Financing of Terrorism Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 51)
7/20 HR 3057 Foreign Operations FY 2006 Appropriations Bill Bill Passed - Senate (98 - 1)
7/19 S Amdt 1241 US Agency for International Development Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (59 - 40)
7/14 S Amdt 1189 Air Cargo Security Programs Implementation Amendment Motion Rejected - Senate (45 - 53)
7/14 S Amdt 1222 Disclosure of Classified Information Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (44 - 53)
7/14 S Amdt 1171 Detention Beds Increase Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (42 - 56)
7/14 HR 2360 Homeland Security Department FY 2006 Appropriations Act Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 1)
7/01 HR 2419 Energy and Water Appropriations Bill FY 2006 Bill Passed - Senate (92 - 3)
6/30 S 1307 CAFTA Implementation Bill Bill Passed - Senate (54 - 45)
6/29 HR 2361 Interior Department FY 2006 Appropriations Bill Bill Passed - Senate (94 - 0)
6/28 HR 6 Energy Policy Act of 2005 Bill Passed - Senate (85 - 12)
6/20 PN 326 John Bolton, Ambassador to the United Nations Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (54 - 38)
6/16 S Amdt 784 Reduction in Dependence on Foreign Oil Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 53)
6/16 S Amdt 791 Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (52 - 48)
6/14 PN 202 Thomas B. Griffith, Circuit Judge for the District of Columbia Nomination Confirmed - Senate (73 - 24)
6/14 S Amdt 781 Environmental Effects Caused by Ethanol Amendment Amendment Tabled - Senate (59 - 38)
6/09 PN 200 William H. Pryor, Jr., Circuit Judge for the District of Columbia Nomination Confirmed - Senate (53 - 45)
6/08 PN 201 Janice R Brown, Circuit Judge for the District of Columbia Nomination Confirmed - Senate (56 - 43)
5/26 PN 326 John Bolton, Ambassador to the United Nations Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (56 - 42)
5/25 PN 194 Priscilla R. Owen, Fifth Circuit Judge Nomination Confirmed - Senate (55 - 43)
5/24 PN 194 Priscilla R. Owen, Fifth Circuit Judge Cloture Invoked - Senate (81 - 18)
5/17 HR 3 Transportation Authorization Bill Bill Passed - Senate (89 - 11)
5/10 HR 1268 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2005 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (100 - 0)
4/28 H Con Res 95 Budget FY2006 Appropriations Resolution Conference Report Adopted - Senate (52 - 47)
4/21 HR 1268 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2005 Bill Passed - Senate (99 - 0)
4/18 S Amdt 464 Future Military Funding for Iraq Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (61 - 31)
3/17 S Amdt 210 Tax Subsidy for Domestic Companies Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (40 - 59)
3/17 S Amdt 172 Perkins Vocational Education Program Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (44 - 56)
3/17 S Amdt 220 Homeland Security Grant Program Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (63 - 37)

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