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 |
---|---|---|---|---|
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) |
Sept. 21, 2006 | National | HR 6095 | Immigration Law Enforcement Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (277 - 140) |
Sept. 28, 2006 | National | S 3930 | Military Commissions Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - Senate (65 - 34) |
Sept. 29, 2006 | National | S 3930 | Military Commissions Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (250 - 170) |
July 23, 1998 | National | HR 1122 | Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion bill | Veto Override Passed - House (296 - 132) |
Sept. 18, 1998 | National | HR 1122 | Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion bill | Veto Override Failed - Senate (64 - 36) |
March 7, 2006 | National | S 2271 | PATRIOT Act Reauthorization bill | Bill Passed - House (280 - 138) |
July 19, 2006 | National | HR 2389 | Pledge Protection Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (260 - 167) |
Sept. 26, 2006 | National | HR 4772 | Private Property Rights Implementation Act of 2005 | Bill Failed - House (234 - 172) |
Sept. 29, 2006 | National | HR 4772 | Private Property Rights Implementation Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (231 - 181) |
March 21, 1996 | National | HR 956 | Product Liability bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (59 - 40) |
March 29, 1996 | National | HR 956 | Product Liability bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (259 - 158) |
May 10, 1995 | National | HR 956 | Product Liability bill | Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 37) |
Sept. 26, 2006 | National | HR 2679 | Public Expression of Religion Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (244 - 173) |
Oct. 13, 1998 | National | S 1260 | Securities Litigation | Conference Report Adopted - House (319 - 82) |
March 21, 2005 | National | S 686 | Terri Schiavo Incapacitated Persons Protection Bill | Bill Passed - House (203 - 58) |
May 9, 1996 | National | HR 956 | Product Liability bill | Veto Override Failed - House (258 - 163) |
Feb. 3, 2005 | National | PN 12 | Alberto R. Gonzales, Attorney General | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (60 - 36) |
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) |
Nov. 3, 2005 | National | S Amdt 2400 | Alaska Judicial Review of Oil Revenue Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (48 - 51) |
Nov. 3, 2005 | National | S Amdt 2409 | Targeted Case Management Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 52) |
March 8, 2005 | National | S Amdt 47 | Violent Protestor Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 53) |
Jan. 31, 2006 | National | PN 1059 | Samuel Alito, Associate Justice | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (58 - 42) |
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) |
9/21 | HR 6095 | Immigration Law Enforcement Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (277 - 140) |
9/28 | S 3930 | Military Commissions Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - Senate (65 - 34) |
9/29 | S 3930 | Military Commissions Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (250 - 170) |
7/23 | HR 1122 | Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion bill | Veto Override Passed - House (296 - 132) |
9/18 | HR 1122 | Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion bill | Veto Override Failed - Senate (64 - 36) |
3/07 | S 2271 | PATRIOT Act Reauthorization bill | Bill Passed - House (280 - 138) |
7/19 | HR 2389 | Pledge Protection Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (260 - 167) |
9/26 | HR 4772 | Private Property Rights Implementation Act of 2005 | Bill Failed - House (234 - 172) |
9/29 | HR 4772 | Private Property Rights Implementation Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (231 - 181) |
3/21 | HR 956 | Product Liability bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (59 - 40) |
3/29 | HR 956 | Product Liability bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (259 - 158) |
5/10 | HR 956 | Product Liability bill | Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 37) |
9/26 | HR 2679 | Public Expression of Religion Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (244 - 173) |
10/13 | S 1260 | Securities Litigation | Conference Report Adopted - House (319 - 82) |
3/21 | S 686 | Terri Schiavo Incapacitated Persons Protection Bill | Bill Passed - House (203 - 58) |
5/09 | HR 956 | Product Liability bill | Veto Override Failed - House (258 - 163) |
2/03 | PN 12 | Alberto R. Gonzales, Attorney General | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (60 - 36) |
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) |
11/03 | S Amdt 2400 | Alaska Judicial Review of Oil Revenue Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (48 - 51) |
11/03 | S Amdt 2409 | Targeted Case Management Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 52) |
3/08 | S Amdt 47 | Violent Protestor Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 53) |
1/31 | PN 1059 | Samuel Alito, Associate Justice | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (58 - 42) |