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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 17, 2005 | National | S Amdt 177 | Education Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (51 - 49) |
| March 17, 2005 | National | S Amdt 211 | Native American Funding Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 55) |
| March 17, 2005 | National | S Amdt 244 | Unintended Pregnancy Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 53) |
| March 17, 2005 | National | S Amdt 214 | Prescription Drugs Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (49 - 50) |
| March 17, 2005 | National | S Amdt 229 | Medicaid Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (49 - 51) |
| March 17, 2005 | National | S Con Res 18 | Budget FY2006 Appropriations Resolution | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (51 - 49) |
| March 16, 2005 | National | S Amdt 168 | Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Drilling Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (49 - 51) |
| March 10, 2005 | National | S 256 | Bankruptcy Reform Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (74 - 25) |
| March 8, 2005 | National | S Amdt 47 | Violent Protestor Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 53) |
| March 7, 2005 | National | S Amdt 128 | Minimum Wage Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (38 - 61) |
| March 7, 2005 | National | S Amdt 44 | Minimum Wage Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 49) |
| Feb. 10, 2005 | National | S 5 | Class Action Fairness Act of 2005 | Bill Passed - Senate (72 - 26) |
| Feb. 3, 2005 | National | PN 12 | Alberto R. Gonzales, Attorney General | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (60 - 36) |
| Jan. 26, 2005 | National | PN 8 | Condoleezza Rice, Secretary of State | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (85 - 13) |
| Oct. 11, 2004 | National | HR 4520 | JOBS (Jumpstart Our Business Strength) | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (69 - 17) |
| Oct. 6, 2004 | National | S 2845 | National Intelligence Reform Act of 2004 | Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 2) |
| Sept. 23, 2004 | National | HR 1308 | Child Tax Credit Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (92 - 3) |
| Sept. 21, 2004 | National | HR 4755 | Legislative Branch FY2005 Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (94 - 2) |
| July 22, 2004 | National | HR 4613 | Defense Department FY2005 Appropriations Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (96 - 0) |
| July 14, 2004 | National | S J Res 40 | Federal Marriage Amendment | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (48 - 50) |
| June 23, 2004 | National | S 2400 | Military Construction FY2005 Authorization Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (97 - 0) |
| May 21, 2004 | National | S Res 356 | Resolution Condemning Abuse of Iraqi Prisoners | Resolution Passed - Senate (92 - 0) |
| May 13, 2004 | National | HR 1350 | Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act | Bill Passed - Senate (95 - 3) |
| May 11, 2004 | National | S Amdt 3114 | Unemployment Benefits Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (59 - 40) |
| May 11, 2004 | National | S 1637 | Jumpstart Our Business Strength (JOBS) Act | Bill Passed - Senate (92 - 5) |
| April 29, 2004 | National | S 150 | Internet Access Tax Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (93 - 3) |
| April 22, 2004 | National | S 2329 | Victims' Rights Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 1) |
| April 8, 2004 | National | HR 3108 | Pension Funding Equity Act of 2004 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (78 - 19) |
| March 25, 2004 | National | HR 1997 | Unborn Victims of Violence Act 2004 | Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 38) |
| March 12, 2004 | National | S Con Res 95 | Budget Appropriations- FY 2005 Resolution | Resolution Passed - Senate (51 - 45) |
| March 2, 2004 | National | S 1805 | Firearms Manufacturers Protection Bill | Bill Failed - Senate (8 - 90) |
| Feb. 12, 2004 | National | S 1072 | Highway Trust Fund Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (76 - 21) |
| Jan. 22, 2004 | National | HR 2673 | Consolidated Appropriations Act | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (65 - 28) |
| Nov. 25, 2003 | National | HR 1 | Medicare Prescription Drug bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (54 - 44) |
| Nov. 12, 2003 | National | HR 1588 | Defense Department FY2004 Authorization bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (95 - 3) |
| Oct. 28, 2003 | National | PN 884 | Michael Leavitt, Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency | (88 - 8) |
| Oct. 23, 2003 | National | S Amdt 1904 | Congressional Pay Raise Amendment | Amendment Tabled - Senate (60 - 34) |
| Oct. 21, 2003 | National | S 3 | Prohibit Partial-Birth/Late Term Abortion bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (64 - 34) |
| Oct. 17, 2003 | National | S 1689 | Emergency Appropriations for Iraq and Afghanistan | Bill Passed - Senate (87 - 12) |
| Sept. 16, 2003 | National | S J Res 17 | FCC Media Ownership bill | Bill Passed - Senate (55 - 40) |
| July 31, 2003 | National | HR 6 | Energy Omnibus bill | Bill Passed - Senate (84 - 14) |
| July 31, 2003 | National | HR 2739 | U.S.-Singapore Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act | Bill Passed - Senate (66 - 32) |
| July 31, 2003 | National | HR 2738 | U.S.-Chile Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act | Bill Passed - Senate (65 - 32) |
| July 11, 2003 | National | HR 2657 | Emergency Supplemental Appropriation, FY 2003 bill | Bill Passed - Senate (85 - 7) |
| June 27, 2003 | National | S 1 | Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit bill | Bill Passed - Senate (76 - 21) |
| June 10, 2003 | National | S Amdt 865 | Hydrogen Fuel Cell Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (67 - 32) |
| June 10, 2003 | National | S Amdt 871 | Reduction of Foreign Oil Dependence Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (99 - 1) |
| May 23, 2003 | National | HR 2 | Jobs and Economic Growth bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (51 - 50) |
| May 22, 2003 | National | S 1050 | Fiscal 2004 Defense Authorization-Passage | Bill Passed - Senate (98 - 1) |
| April 11, 2003 | National | H Con Res 95 | Congressional Budget for fiscal year 2004 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (51 - 50) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/17 | S Amdt 177 | Education Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (51 - 49) |
| 3/17 | S Amdt 211 | Native American Funding Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 55) |
| 3/17 | S Amdt 244 | Unintended Pregnancy Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 53) |
| 3/17 | S Amdt 214 | Prescription Drugs Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (49 - 50) |
| 3/17 | S Amdt 229 | Medicaid Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (49 - 51) |
| 3/17 | S Con Res 18 | Budget FY2006 Appropriations Resolution | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (51 - 49) |
| 3/16 | S Amdt 168 | Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Drilling Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (49 - 51) |
| 3/10 | S 256 | Bankruptcy Reform Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (74 - 25) |
| 3/08 | S Amdt 47 | Violent Protestor Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 53) |
| 3/07 | S Amdt 128 | Minimum Wage Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (38 - 61) |
| 3/07 | S Amdt 44 | Minimum Wage Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 49) |
| 2/10 | S 5 | Class Action Fairness Act of 2005 | Bill Passed - Senate (72 - 26) |
| 2/03 | PN 12 | Alberto R. Gonzales, Attorney General | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (60 - 36) |
| 1/26 | PN 8 | Condoleezza Rice, Secretary of State | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (85 - 13) |
| 10/11 | HR 4520 | JOBS (Jumpstart Our Business Strength) | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (69 - 17) |
| 10/06 | S 2845 | National Intelligence Reform Act of 2004 | Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 2) |
| 9/23 | HR 1308 | Child Tax Credit Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (92 - 3) |
| 9/21 | HR 4755 | Legislative Branch FY2005 Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (94 - 2) |
| 7/22 | HR 4613 | Defense Department FY2005 Appropriations Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (96 - 0) |
| 7/14 | S J Res 40 | Federal Marriage Amendment | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (48 - 50) |
| 6/23 | S 2400 | Military Construction FY2005 Authorization Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (97 - 0) |
| 5/21 | S Res 356 | Resolution Condemning Abuse of Iraqi Prisoners | Resolution Passed - Senate (92 - 0) |
| 5/13 | HR 1350 | Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act | Bill Passed - Senate (95 - 3) |
| 5/11 | S Amdt 3114 | Unemployment Benefits Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (59 - 40) |
| 5/11 | S 1637 | Jumpstart Our Business Strength (JOBS) Act | Bill Passed - Senate (92 - 5) |
| 4/29 | S 150 | Internet Access Tax Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (93 - 3) |
| 4/22 | S 2329 | Victims' Rights Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 1) |
| 4/08 | HR 3108 | Pension Funding Equity Act of 2004 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (78 - 19) |
| 3/25 | HR 1997 | Unborn Victims of Violence Act 2004 | Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 38) |
| 3/12 | S Con Res 95 | Budget Appropriations- FY 2005 Resolution | Resolution Passed - Senate (51 - 45) |
| 3/02 | S 1805 | Firearms Manufacturers Protection Bill | Bill Failed - Senate (8 - 90) |
| 2/12 | S 1072 | Highway Trust Fund Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (76 - 21) |
| 1/22 | HR 2673 | Consolidated Appropriations Act | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (65 - 28) |
| 11/25 | HR 1 | Medicare Prescription Drug bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (54 - 44) |
| 11/12 | HR 1588 | Defense Department FY2004 Authorization bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (95 - 3) |
| 10/28 | PN 884 | Michael Leavitt, Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency | (88 - 8) |
| 10/23 | S Amdt 1904 | Congressional Pay Raise Amendment | Amendment Tabled - Senate (60 - 34) |
| 10/21 | S 3 | Prohibit Partial-Birth/Late Term Abortion bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (64 - 34) |
| 10/17 | S 1689 | Emergency Appropriations for Iraq and Afghanistan | Bill Passed - Senate (87 - 12) |
| 9/16 | S J Res 17 | FCC Media Ownership bill | Bill Passed - Senate (55 - 40) |
| 7/31 | HR 6 | Energy Omnibus bill | Bill Passed - Senate (84 - 14) |
| 7/31 | HR 2739 | U.S.-Singapore Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act | Bill Passed - Senate (66 - 32) |
| 7/31 | HR 2738 | U.S.-Chile Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act | Bill Passed - Senate (65 - 32) |
| 7/11 | HR 2657 | Emergency Supplemental Appropriation, FY 2003 bill | Bill Passed - Senate (85 - 7) |
| 6/27 | S 1 | Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit bill | Bill Passed - Senate (76 - 21) |
| 6/10 | S Amdt 865 | Hydrogen Fuel Cell Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (67 - 32) |
| 6/10 | S Amdt 871 | Reduction of Foreign Oil Dependence Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (99 - 1) |
| 5/23 | HR 2 | Jobs and Economic Growth bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (51 - 50) |
| 5/22 | S 1050 | Fiscal 2004 Defense Authorization-Passage | Bill Passed - Senate (98 - 1) |
| 4/11 | H Con Res 95 | Congressional Budget for fiscal year 2004 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (51 - 50) |