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National National Security 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
Nov. 19, 2013 National S Amdt 2175 Authorizes the Use of Funds for the Transfer or Release of Guantanamo Detainees to the United States Amendment Rejected - Senate (52 - 46)
June 18, 2013 National S Amdt 1197 Requires the Completion of the Fence Along the United States-Mexico Border Amendment Rejected - Senate (39 - 54)
March 7, 2013 National PN 48 Nomination of John Brennan to be Director of the Central Intelligence Agency Nomination Confirmed - Senate (63 - 34)
Dec. 28, 2012 National HR 5949 FISA Amendments Act Reauthorization Act of 2012 Bill Passed - Senate (73 - 23)
Dec. 21, 2012 National HR 4310 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (81 - 14)
Nov. 29, 2012 National S Amdt 3245 Prohibits the Use of Funds for the Transfer or Release of Individuals Detained at Guantanamo Bay Amendment Adopted - Senate (54 - 41)
Nov. 29, 2012 National S Amdt 3018 Prohibits the Indefinite Detention of Citizens and Lawful Permanent Residents Amendment Adopted - Senate (67 - 29)
Nov. 14, 2012 National S 3414 Cybersecurity Act of 2012 Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (51 - 47)
Aug. 2, 2012 National S 3414 Cybersecurity Act of 2012 Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (52 - 46)
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. 26, 2011 National HR 2608 Continuing Appropriations Act of 2012 Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (79 - 12)
Sept. 23, 2011 National S Amdt 655 Continuing Appropriations Act of 2012 Amendment Tabled - Senate (59 - 36)
Sept. 15, 2011 National S Amdt 602 Emergency Disaster Relief Appropriations Amendment Adopted - Senate (62 - 37)
May 26, 2011 National S 990 PATRIOT Act Extension Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (72 - 23)
May 23, 2011 National S 1038 PATRIOT Act Extension Cloture Invoked - Senate (74 - 8)
Feb. 15, 2011 National HR 514 Extension of Various USA PATRIOT Act Provisions Bill Passed - Senate (86 - 12)
Feb. 15, 2011 National S Amdt 14 Prohibiting Transportation Security Administration Employees from Collective Bargaining Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 51)
May 27, 2010 National S Amdt 4214 National Guard Deployment on Southern U.S. Land Border Motion Rejected - Senate (51 - 46)
Oct. 20, 2009 National HR 2892 2009-2010 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Authorizations Conference Report Adopted - Senate (79 - 19)
July 8, 2009 National S Amdt 1399 Requiring Completion of Reinforced Border Fencing Amendment Adopted - Senate (54 - 44)
July 9, 2008 National S Amdt 5064 Striking Telecom Immunity from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Bill Amendment Rejected - Senate (32 - 66)
July 9, 2008 National HR 6304 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (69 - 28)
March 13, 2008 National S Amdt 4231 Immigration Enforcement and Border Fence Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (61 - 37)
Feb. 13, 2008 National HR 2082 Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (51 - 45)
Feb. 12, 2008 National S Amdt 3910 FISA as Exclusive Means for Conducting Electronic Surveillance Amendment Rejected - Senate (57 - 41)
Date No. Title Outcome
11/19 S Amdt 2175 Authorizes the Use of Funds for the Transfer or Release of Guantanamo Detainees to the United States Amendment Rejected - Senate (52 - 46)
6/18 S Amdt 1197 Requires the Completion of the Fence Along the United States-Mexico Border Amendment Rejected - Senate (39 - 54)
3/07 PN 48 Nomination of John Brennan to be Director of the Central Intelligence Agency Nomination Confirmed - Senate (63 - 34)
12/28 HR 5949 FISA Amendments Act Reauthorization Act of 2012 Bill Passed - Senate (73 - 23)
12/21 HR 4310 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (81 - 14)
11/29 S Amdt 3245 Prohibits the Use of Funds for the Transfer or Release of Individuals Detained at Guantanamo Bay Amendment Adopted - Senate (54 - 41)
11/29 S Amdt 3018 Prohibits the Indefinite Detention of Citizens and Lawful Permanent Residents Amendment Adopted - Senate (67 - 29)
11/14 S 3414 Cybersecurity Act of 2012 Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (51 - 47)
8/02 S 3414 Cybersecurity Act of 2012 Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (52 - 46)
10/21 S Amdt 753 Prohibits the Use of Funds for Prosecution of Enemy Combatants in Civilian Courts Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 52)
9/26 HR 2608 Continuing Appropriations Act of 2012 Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (79 - 12)
9/23 S Amdt 655 Continuing Appropriations Act of 2012 Amendment Tabled - Senate (59 - 36)
9/15 S Amdt 602 Emergency Disaster Relief Appropriations Amendment Adopted - Senate (62 - 37)
5/26 S 990 PATRIOT Act Extension Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (72 - 23)
5/23 S 1038 PATRIOT Act Extension Cloture Invoked - Senate (74 - 8)
2/15 HR 514 Extension of Various USA PATRIOT Act Provisions Bill Passed - Senate (86 - 12)
2/15 S Amdt 14 Prohibiting Transportation Security Administration Employees from Collective Bargaining Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 51)
5/27 S Amdt 4214 National Guard Deployment on Southern U.S. Land Border Motion Rejected - Senate (51 - 46)
10/20 HR 2892 2009-2010 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Authorizations Conference Report Adopted - Senate (79 - 19)
7/08 S Amdt 1399 Requiring Completion of Reinforced Border Fencing Amendment Adopted - Senate (54 - 44)
7/09 S Amdt 5064 Striking Telecom Immunity from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Bill Amendment Rejected - Senate (32 - 66)
7/09 HR 6304 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (69 - 28)
3/13 S Amdt 4231 Immigration Enforcement and Border Fence Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (61 - 37)
2/13 HR 2082 Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (51 - 45)
2/12 S Amdt 3910 FISA as Exclusive Means for Conducting Electronic Surveillance Amendment Rejected - Senate (57 - 41)
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