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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 12, 2006 | National | S Amdt 4587 | Transit Security Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (50 - 50) |
| July 12, 2006 | National | HR 2990 | Credit Rating Agency Duopoly Relief Act | Bill Passed - House (255 - 166) |
| July 11, 2006 | National | S Amdt 4560 | USEMA Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (87 - 11) |
| July 11, 2006 | National | H Amdt 1179 | Online Gambling Ban Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (114 - 297) |
| July 11, 2006 | National | S Amdt 4563 | FEMA Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (32 - 66) |
| July 11, 2006 | National | HR 4411 | Internet Gambling Bill | Bill Passed - House (317 - 93) |
| June 29, 2006 | National | H Res 895 | Intelligence and Law Enforcement Resolution | Resolution Passed - House (227 - 183) |
| June 29, 2006 | National | S 3569 | U.S. -Oman Free Trade Agreement | Bill Passed - Senate (60 - 34) |
| June 29, 2006 | National | HR 5672 | Commerce Department Appropriations Bill FY 2006 | Bill Passed - House (393 - 23) |
| June 29, 2006 | National | HR 4761 | Deep Ocean Energy Resources Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (232 - 187) |
| June 28, 2006 | National | H Amdt 1156 | Trigger Lock Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (230 - 191) |
| June 27, 2006 | National | S J Res 12 | Flag Desecration Constitutional Amendment | Resolution Failed - Senate (66 - 34) |
| June 22, 2006 | National | S Amdt 4442 | Troop Redeployment Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (13 - 86) |
| June 22, 2006 | National | S 2766 | Defense Department FY 2007 Authorization bill | Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 0) |
| June 22, 2006 | National | HR 4890 | Line Item Veto Bill | Bill Passed - House (247 - 172) |
| June 22, 2006 | National | HR 5638 | Death/Estate Tax Amendment | Bill Passed - House (269 - 156) |
| June 21, 2006 | National | S Amdt 4376 | Increasing Minimum Wage Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 53) |
| June 21, 2006 | National | S Amdt 4322 | Minimum Wage Adjustment Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (52 - 46) |
| June 20, 2006 | National | HR 5631 | Defense Department FY2007 Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - House (407 - 19) |
| June 16, 2006 | National | H Res 861 | Global War on Terror | Resolution Passed - House (256 - 153) |
| June 15, 2006 | National | HR 4939 | Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2006 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (98 - 1) |
| June 14, 2006 | National | HR 5576 | Transportation, Treasury and Housing Appropriations Act | Bill Passed - House (406 - 22) |
| June 13, 2006 | National | HR 4939 | Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2006 | Conference Report Adopted - House (351 - 67) |
| June 9, 2006 | National | HR 5522 | Foreign Operations and Export Finance Appropriation Act | Bill Passed - House (373 - 34) |
| June 8, 2006 | National | HR 5252 | COPE Bill of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (321 - 101) |
| June 7, 2006 | National | S J Res 1 | Same Sex Marriage Resolution | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (49 - 48) |
| June 7, 2006 | National | HR 5521 | Legislative Branch FY 2007 Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - House (361 - 53) |
| June 6, 2006 | National | HR 5441 | Department of Homeland Security Appropriation Act, 2007 | Bill Passed - House (389 - 9) |
| May 26, 2006 | National | PN 1552 | Michael Hayden, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (78 - 15) |
| May 25, 2006 | National | S Amdt 4097 | Confidentiality Requirement Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (49 - 49) |
| May 25, 2006 | National | S 2611 | Immigration Reform Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (62 - 36) |
| May 24, 2006 | National | S Amdt 4095 | H-2C Visa Program Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (48 - 49) |
| May 23, 2006 | National | S Amdt 4177 | Employer Verification Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (59 - 39) |
| May 23, 2006 | National | S Amdt 4087 | Orange Card Program Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (37 - 61) |
| May 23, 2006 | National | HR 5384 | Agriculture, Rural Development, FDA Appropriations Act | Bill Passed - House (378 - 46) |
| May 18, 2006 | National | H Amdt 856 | Outer Continental Shelf Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (217 - 203) |
| May 18, 2006 | National | H Amdt 842 | Outer Continental Shelf for Gas and Oil Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (141 - 279) |
| 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 18, 2006 | National | S Amdt 4073 | English as Unifying Language Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (58 - 39) |
| May 18, 2006 | National | HR 5386 | Interior Department FY2007 Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - House (293 - 128) |
| May 17, 2006 | National | S Amdt 3965 | Employment-based Immigrant Visa Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (50 - 48) |
| May 11, 2006 | National | HR 4297 | Tax Relief Extension Reconciliation Act of 2005 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (54 - 44) |
| May 10, 2006 | National | HR 4297 | Tax Relief Extension Reconciliation Act of 2005 | Conference Report Adopted - House (244 - 185) |
| May 4, 2006 | National | HR 4939 | Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2006 | Bill Passed - Senate (77 - 21) |
| May 3, 2006 | National | S Amdt 3688 | Influenza Vaccine Injury Compensation Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (53 - 46) |
| May 3, 2006 | National | HR 4975 | 527 Reform Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (217 - 213) |
| May 2, 2006 | National | S Amdt 3617 | Sugarcane Growers Funding Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (40 - 59) |
| April 5, 2006 | National | HR 513 | 527 Reform Act of 2005 | Bill Passed - House (218 - 209) |
| March 30, 2006 | National | H Res 746 | Jack Abramoff Investigation Resolution | Resolution Tabled - House (216 - 193) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7/12 | S Amdt 4587 | Transit Security Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (50 - 50) |
| 7/12 | HR 2990 | Credit Rating Agency Duopoly Relief Act | Bill Passed - House (255 - 166) |
| 7/11 | S Amdt 4560 | USEMA Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (87 - 11) |
| 7/11 | H Amdt 1179 | Online Gambling Ban Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (114 - 297) |
| 7/11 | S Amdt 4563 | FEMA Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (32 - 66) |
| 7/11 | HR 4411 | Internet Gambling Bill | Bill Passed - House (317 - 93) |
| 6/29 | H Res 895 | Intelligence and Law Enforcement Resolution | Resolution Passed - House (227 - 183) |
| 6/29 | S 3569 | U.S. -Oman Free Trade Agreement | Bill Passed - Senate (60 - 34) |
| 6/29 | HR 5672 | Commerce Department Appropriations Bill FY 2006 | Bill Passed - House (393 - 23) |
| 6/29 | HR 4761 | Deep Ocean Energy Resources Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (232 - 187) |
| 6/28 | H Amdt 1156 | Trigger Lock Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (230 - 191) |
| 6/27 | S J Res 12 | Flag Desecration Constitutional Amendment | Resolution Failed - Senate (66 - 34) |
| 6/22 | S Amdt 4442 | Troop Redeployment Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (13 - 86) |
| 6/22 | S 2766 | Defense Department FY 2007 Authorization bill | Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 0) |
| 6/22 | HR 4890 | Line Item Veto Bill | Bill Passed - House (247 - 172) |
| 6/22 | HR 5638 | Death/Estate Tax Amendment | Bill Passed - House (269 - 156) |
| 6/21 | S Amdt 4376 | Increasing Minimum Wage Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 53) |
| 6/21 | S Amdt 4322 | Minimum Wage Adjustment Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (52 - 46) |
| 6/20 | HR 5631 | Defense Department FY2007 Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - House (407 - 19) |
| 6/16 | H Res 861 | Global War on Terror | Resolution Passed - House (256 - 153) |
| 6/15 | HR 4939 | Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2006 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (98 - 1) |
| 6/14 | HR 5576 | Transportation, Treasury and Housing Appropriations Act | Bill Passed - House (406 - 22) |
| 6/13 | HR 4939 | Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2006 | Conference Report Adopted - House (351 - 67) |
| 6/09 | HR 5522 | Foreign Operations and Export Finance Appropriation Act | Bill Passed - House (373 - 34) |
| 6/08 | HR 5252 | COPE Bill of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (321 - 101) |
| 6/07 | S J Res 1 | Same Sex Marriage Resolution | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (49 - 48) |
| 6/07 | HR 5521 | Legislative Branch FY 2007 Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - House (361 - 53) |
| 6/06 | HR 5441 | Department of Homeland Security Appropriation Act, 2007 | Bill Passed - House (389 - 9) |
| 5/26 | PN 1552 | Michael Hayden, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (78 - 15) |
| 5/25 | S Amdt 4097 | Confidentiality Requirement Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (49 - 49) |
| 5/25 | S 2611 | Immigration Reform Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (62 - 36) |
| 5/24 | S Amdt 4095 | H-2C Visa Program Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (48 - 49) |
| 5/23 | S Amdt 4177 | Employer Verification Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (59 - 39) |
| 5/23 | S Amdt 4087 | Orange Card Program Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (37 - 61) |
| 5/23 | HR 5384 | Agriculture, Rural Development, FDA Appropriations Act | Bill Passed - House (378 - 46) |
| 5/18 | H Amdt 856 | Outer Continental Shelf Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (217 - 203) |
| 5/18 | H Amdt 842 | Outer Continental Shelf for Gas and Oil Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (141 - 279) |
| 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) |
| 5/18 | S Amdt 4073 | English as Unifying Language Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (58 - 39) |
| 5/18 | HR 5386 | Interior Department FY2007 Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - House (293 - 128) |
| 5/17 | S Amdt 3965 | Employment-based Immigrant Visa Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (50 - 48) |
| 5/11 | HR 4297 | Tax Relief Extension Reconciliation Act of 2005 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (54 - 44) |
| 5/10 | HR 4297 | Tax Relief Extension Reconciliation Act of 2005 | Conference Report Adopted - House (244 - 185) |
| 5/04 | HR 4939 | Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2006 | Bill Passed - Senate (77 - 21) |
| 5/03 | S Amdt 3688 | Influenza Vaccine Injury Compensation Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (53 - 46) |
| 5/03 | HR 4975 | 527 Reform Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (217 - 213) |
| 5/02 | S Amdt 3617 | Sugarcane Growers Funding Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (40 - 59) |
| 4/05 | HR 513 | 527 Reform Act of 2005 | Bill Passed - House (218 - 209) |
| 3/30 | H Res 746 | Jack Abramoff Investigation Resolution | Resolution Tabled - House (216 - 193) |