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
Sept. 28, 2006 National S Amdt 5087 Habeas Review Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (48 - 51)
Sept. 21, 2006 National HR 6095 Immigration Law Enforcement Act of 2006 Bill Passed - House (277 - 140)
May 25, 2006 National S 2611 Immigration Reform Bill Bill Passed - Senate (62 - 36)
May 25, 2006 National S 2611 Immigration Reform Bill Bill Passed - Senate (62 - 36)
June 29, 2006 National H Res 895 Intelligence and Law Enforcement Resolution Resolution Passed - House (227 - 183)
Sept. 29, 2006 National S 3930 Military Commissions Act of 2006 Bill Passed - House (250 - 170)
Sept. 29, 2006 National S 3930 Military Commissions Act of 2006 Bill Passed - House (250 - 170)
Sept. 28, 2006 National S 3930 Military Commissions Act of 2006 Bill Passed - Senate (65 - 34)
Sept. 28, 2006 National S 3930 Military Commissions Act of 2006 Bill Passed - Senate (65 - 34)
Sept. 28, 2006 National S Amdt 5104 Military Commissions Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 52)
Sept. 28, 2006 National S Amdt 5104 Military Commissions Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 52)
Feb. 2, 2006 National S Amdt 2737 Military Funding and Tax Cuts Amendment Motion Rejected - Senate (44 - 53)
Feb. 2, 2006 National S Amdt 2737 Military Funding and Tax Cuts Amendment Motion Rejected - Senate (44 - 53)
March 16, 2006 National S Amdt 3166 National Defense Funding Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (50 - 50)
March 16, 2006 National S Amdt 3166 National Defense Funding Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (50 - 50)
March 16, 2006 National S Amdt 3166 National Defense Funding Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (50 - 50)
May 23, 2006 National S Amdt 4087 Orange Card Program Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (37 - 61)
Sept. 28, 2006 National S Amdt 5095 Oversight of CIA Interrogation and Detention Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 53)
Sept. 28, 2006 National S Amdt 5095 Oversight of CIA Interrogation and Detention Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 53)
March 7, 2006 National S 2271 PATRIOT Act Reauthorization bill Bill Passed - House (280 - 138)
Dec. 6, 2006 National PN 2191 Robert Gates, Secretary of Defense Nomination Confirmed - Senate (95 - 2)
Sept. 29, 2006 National HR 6061 Secure Fence Act of 2006 Bill Passed - Senate (80 - 19)
Sept. 14, 2006 National HR 6061 Secure Fence Act of 2006 Bill Passed - House (283 - 138)
Sept. 14, 2006 National HR 6061 Secure Fence Act of 2006 Bill Passed - House (283 - 138)
Sept. 29, 2006 National HR 6061 Secure Fence Act of 2006 Bill Passed - Senate (80 - 19)
Date No. Title Outcome
9/28 S Amdt 5087 Habeas Review Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (48 - 51)
9/21 HR 6095 Immigration Law Enforcement Act of 2006 Bill Passed - House (277 - 140)
5/25 S 2611 Immigration Reform Bill Bill Passed - Senate (62 - 36)
5/25 S 2611 Immigration Reform Bill Bill Passed - Senate (62 - 36)
6/29 H Res 895 Intelligence and Law Enforcement Resolution Resolution Passed - House (227 - 183)
9/29 S 3930 Military Commissions Act of 2006 Bill Passed - House (250 - 170)
9/29 S 3930 Military Commissions Act of 2006 Bill Passed - House (250 - 170)
9/28 S 3930 Military Commissions Act of 2006 Bill Passed - Senate (65 - 34)
9/28 S 3930 Military Commissions Act of 2006 Bill Passed - Senate (65 - 34)
9/28 S Amdt 5104 Military Commissions Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 52)
9/28 S Amdt 5104 Military Commissions Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 52)
2/02 S Amdt 2737 Military Funding and Tax Cuts Amendment Motion Rejected - Senate (44 - 53)
2/02 S Amdt 2737 Military Funding and Tax Cuts Amendment Motion Rejected - Senate (44 - 53)
3/16 S Amdt 3166 National Defense Funding Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (50 - 50)
3/16 S Amdt 3166 National Defense Funding Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (50 - 50)
3/16 S Amdt 3166 National Defense Funding Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (50 - 50)
5/23 S Amdt 4087 Orange Card Program Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (37 - 61)
9/28 S Amdt 5095 Oversight of CIA Interrogation and Detention Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 53)
9/28 S Amdt 5095 Oversight of CIA Interrogation and Detention Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 53)
3/07 S 2271 PATRIOT Act Reauthorization bill Bill Passed - House (280 - 138)
12/06 PN 2191 Robert Gates, Secretary of Defense Nomination Confirmed - Senate (95 - 2)
9/29 HR 6061 Secure Fence Act of 2006 Bill Passed - Senate (80 - 19)
9/14 HR 6061 Secure Fence Act of 2006 Bill Passed - House (283 - 138)
9/14 HR 6061 Secure Fence Act of 2006 Bill Passed - House (283 - 138)
9/29 HR 6061 Secure Fence Act of 2006 Bill Passed - Senate (80 - 19)

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