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National Judicial Branch 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:
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Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
May 17, 2023 National S J Res 18 A joint resolution disapproving of the rule submitted by the Department of Homeland Security relating to "Public Charge Ground of Inadmissibility". Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (50 - 47)
April 7, 2022 National PN 1783 Nomination of Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court of the United States Nomination Confirmed - Senate (53 - 47)
March 10, 2021 National PN 78-7 Nomination of Merrick Garland as Attorney General Nomination Confirmed - Senate (70 - 30)
Oct. 26, 2020 National PN 2252 Nomination of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court of the United States Nomination Confirmed - Senate (52 - 48)
Oct. 25, 2020 National PN 2252 Nomination of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court of the United States Cloture Invoked - Senate (51 - 48)
Oct. 1, 2020 National S 4653 A bill to protect the healthcare of hundreds of millions of people of the United States and prevent efforts of the Department of Justice to advocate courts to strike down the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (51 - 43)
June 19, 2019 National PN 233 Nomination of Matthew Kacsmaryk to be U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of Texas (52 - 46)
Dec. 11, 2018 National PN 2117 Nomination of Jonathan A. Kobes to the Eighth Circuit Court (51 - 50)
Nov. 29, 2018 National PN 2117 Nomination of Jonathan A. Kobes to the Eighth Circuit Court Cloture Invoked - Senate (50 - 49)
Oct. 6, 2018 National PN 2259 Nomination of Brett M. Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court of the United States (50 - 48)
Oct. 5, 2018 National PN 2259 Nomination of Brett M. Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court of the United States Cloture Invoked - Senate (51 - 49)
July 18, 2018 National PN 1645 Nomination of Andrew S. Oldham to be United States Circuit Judge for the 5th Circuit (50 - 49)
July 17, 2018 National PN 1645 Nomination of Andrew S. Oldham to be United States Circuit Judge for the 5th Circuit Cloture Invoked - Senate (50 - 49)
April 7, 2017 National PN 55 Nomination of Neil M. Gorsuch to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States (54 - 45)
April 7, 2017 National PN 55 Nomination of Neil M. Gorsuch to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States (54 - 45)
April 6, 2017 National PN 55 Nomination of Neil M. Gorsuch to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States Cloture Invoked - Senate (55 - 45)
April 6, 2017 National PN 55 Nomination of Neil M. Gorsuch to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States Cloture Invoked - Senate (55 - 45)
Feb. 8, 2017 National PN 30 Nomination of Jeff Sessions to be Attorney General Nomination Confirmed - Senate (52 - 47)
Feb. 7, 2017 National PN 30 Nomination of Jeff Sessions to be Attorney General Cloture Invoked - Senate (52 - 47)
Sept. 28, 2016 National S 2040 Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act Veto Override Passed - Senate (97 - 1)
Jan. 19, 2016 National PN 367 Nomination of Wilhelmina Wright to Be U.S. District Judge Nomination Confirmed - Senate (58 - 36)
Oct. 22, 2015 National S Amdt 2564 Prohibits Liability Immunity for Corporations that Break User Agreements Amendment Rejected - Senate (32 - 65)
April 23, 2015 National PN 4 Nomination of Loretta E. Lynch to be Attorney General Nomination Confirmed - Senate (56 - 43)
Feb. 12, 2013 National S 47 Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 Bill Passed - Senate (78 - 22)
April 26, 2012 National S 1925 Reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act Bill Passed - Senate (68 - 31)
Feb. 2, 2012 National S 2038 Prohibits Insider Trading by Government Officials Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 3)
Dec. 6, 2011 National PN 5 Nomination of Caitlin Joan Halligan to the District of Columbia Circuit Court Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (54 - 45)
Dec. 1, 2011 National S Amdt 1274 Authorizes Further Detention After Trial During Wartime Amendment Rejected - Senate (41 - 59)
Dec. 1, 2011 National S Amdt 1125 Limits New Detention Rules to Prisoners Captured Outside the U.S. Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 55)
Dec. 1, 2011 National S Amdt 1126 Prohibits Detention of U.S. Citizens Without Trial Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 55)
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. 8, 2011 National HR 1249 Patent Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (89 - 9)
Nov. 17, 2010 National S 3772 Paycheck Fairness Act Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (58 - 41)
Aug. 5, 2010 National PN 1768 Elena Kagan, Associate Justice Nomination Confirmed - Senate (63 - 37)
Nov. 19, 2009 National PN 187 David F. Hamilton, Seventh Circuit Judge Nomination Confirmed - Senate (59 - 39)
Oct. 6, 2009 National S Amdt 2588 Prohibiting Federal Funding of Mandatory Arbitration Contracts Amendment Adopted - Senate (68 - 30)
Aug. 6, 2009 National PN 506 Sonia Sotomayor, Associate Justice Nomination Confirmed - Senate (68 - 31)
Nov. 8, 2007 National PN 958 Michael B. Mukasey, Attorney General Nomination Confirmed - Senate (53 - 40)
June 11, 2007 National S J Res 14 Attorney General No Confidence Vote Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 38)
March 20, 2007 National S 214 United States Attorneys Act of 2007 Bill Passed - Senate (94 - 2)
Sept. 28, 2006 National S Amdt 5087 Habeas Review Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (48 - 51)
Sept. 28, 2006 National S 3930 Military Commissions Act of 2006 Bill Passed - Senate (65 - 34)
Jan. 31, 2006 National PN 1059 Samuel Alito, Associate Justice Nomination Confirmed - Senate (58 - 42)
Dec. 21, 2005 National HR 2863 Defense Department FY2006 Appropriations Bill Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (56 - 44)
Dec. 21, 2005 National HR 2863 Defense Department FY2006 Appropriations Bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (93 - 0)
Nov. 15, 2005 National S Amdt 2524 Guantanamo Bay Detainees Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (84 - 14)
Nov. 15, 2005 National S Amdt 2523 Judicial Review of Detainees Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (44 - 54)
Nov. 10, 2005 National S Amdt 2516 Detainees at Guantanamo Bay Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (49 - 42)
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)
Oct. 20, 2005 National HR 3058 Transportation, Treasury, HUD and Judiciary Appropriation Bill Passed - Senate (93 - 1)
Oct. 7, 2005 National HR 2863 Defense Department FY2006 Appropriations Bill Bill Passed - Senate (97 - 0)
Sept. 29, 2005 National PN 801 Judge John G. Roberts, Jr., Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court (78 - 22)
June 14, 2005 National PN 202 Thomas B. Griffith, Circuit Judge for the District of Columbia Nomination Confirmed - Senate (73 - 24)
June 9, 2005 National PN 200 William H. Pryor, Jr., Circuit Judge for the District of Columbia Nomination Confirmed - Senate (53 - 45)
June 8, 2005 National PN 201 Janice R Brown, Circuit Judge for the District of Columbia Nomination Confirmed - Senate (56 - 43)
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)
March 8, 2005 National S Amdt 47 Violent Protestor Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 53)
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)
April 22, 2004 National S 2329 Victims' Rights Bill Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 1)
March 2, 2004 National S 1805 Firearms Manufacturers Protection Bill Bill Failed - Senate (8 - 90)
Dec. 7, 2001 National S Amdt 2336 International Courts Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (78 - 21)
Oct. 5, 1999 National PN 49 Ronnie L. White, United States District Judge in Missouri Nomination Rejected - Senate (45 - 54)
July 15, 1999 National S Amdt 1250 Patient Lawsuit Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (53 - 47)
Sept. 18, 1998 National HR 1122 Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion bill Veto Override Failed - Senate (64 - 36)
May 13, 1998 National S 1260 Securities Litigation Bill Passed - Senate (79 - 21)
March 31, 1998 National S Amdt 2168 Tobacco Immunity Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (79 - 19)
May 20, 1997 National HR 1122 Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion bill Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 36)
March 21, 1996 National HR 956 Product Liability bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (59 - 40)
Dec. 22, 1995 National HR 1058 Legal Reform bill Veto Override Passed - Senate (68 - 30)
Dec. 5, 1995 National HR 1058 Legal Reform bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (65 - 30)
June 28, 1995 National HR 1058 Legal Reform bill Bill Passed - Senate (69 - 30)
May 10, 1995 National HR 956 Product Liability bill Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 37)
July 29, 1994 National PN 1399 Stephen G. Breyer, Associate Justice Nomination Confirmed - Senate (87 - 9)
June 29, 1994 National S 687 Product Liability Bill Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (57 - 41)
Aug. 3, 1993 National PN 422 Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Associate Justice Nomination Confirmed - Senate (96 - 3)
Date No. Title Outcome
5/17 S J Res 18 A joint resolution disapproving of the rule submitted by the Department of Homeland Security relating to "Public Charge Ground of Inadmissibility". Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (50 - 47)
4/07 PN 1783 Nomination of Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court of the United States Nomination Confirmed - Senate (53 - 47)
3/10 PN 78-7 Nomination of Merrick Garland as Attorney General Nomination Confirmed - Senate (70 - 30)
10/26 PN 2252 Nomination of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court of the United States Nomination Confirmed - Senate (52 - 48)
10/25 PN 2252 Nomination of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court of the United States Cloture Invoked - Senate (51 - 48)
10/01 S 4653 A bill to protect the healthcare of hundreds of millions of people of the United States and prevent efforts of the Department of Justice to advocate courts to strike down the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (51 - 43)
6/19 PN 233 Nomination of Matthew Kacsmaryk to be U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of Texas (52 - 46)
12/11 PN 2117 Nomination of Jonathan A. Kobes to the Eighth Circuit Court (51 - 50)
11/29 PN 2117 Nomination of Jonathan A. Kobes to the Eighth Circuit Court Cloture Invoked - Senate (50 - 49)
10/06 PN 2259 Nomination of Brett M. Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court of the United States (50 - 48)
10/05 PN 2259 Nomination of Brett M. Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court of the United States Cloture Invoked - Senate (51 - 49)
7/18 PN 1645 Nomination of Andrew S. Oldham to be United States Circuit Judge for the 5th Circuit (50 - 49)
7/17 PN 1645 Nomination of Andrew S. Oldham to be United States Circuit Judge for the 5th Circuit Cloture Invoked - Senate (50 - 49)
4/07 PN 55 Nomination of Neil M. Gorsuch to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States (54 - 45)
4/07 PN 55 Nomination of Neil M. Gorsuch to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States (54 - 45)
4/06 PN 55 Nomination of Neil M. Gorsuch to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States Cloture Invoked - Senate (55 - 45)
4/06 PN 55 Nomination of Neil M. Gorsuch to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States Cloture Invoked - Senate (55 - 45)
2/08 PN 30 Nomination of Jeff Sessions to be Attorney General Nomination Confirmed - Senate (52 - 47)
2/07 PN 30 Nomination of Jeff Sessions to be Attorney General Cloture Invoked - Senate (52 - 47)
9/28 S 2040 Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act Veto Override Passed - Senate (97 - 1)
1/19 PN 367 Nomination of Wilhelmina Wright to Be U.S. District Judge Nomination Confirmed - Senate (58 - 36)
10/22 S Amdt 2564 Prohibits Liability Immunity for Corporations that Break User Agreements Amendment Rejected - Senate (32 - 65)
4/23 PN 4 Nomination of Loretta E. Lynch to be Attorney General Nomination Confirmed - Senate (56 - 43)
2/12 S 47 Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 Bill Passed - Senate (78 - 22)
4/26 S 1925 Reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act Bill Passed - Senate (68 - 31)
2/02 S 2038 Prohibits Insider Trading by Government Officials Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 3)
12/06 PN 5 Nomination of Caitlin Joan Halligan to the District of Columbia Circuit Court Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (54 - 45)
12/01 S Amdt 1274 Authorizes Further Detention After Trial During Wartime Amendment Rejected - Senate (41 - 59)
12/01 S Amdt 1125 Limits New Detention Rules to Prisoners Captured Outside the U.S. Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 55)
12/01 S Amdt 1126 Prohibits Detention of U.S. Citizens Without Trial Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 55)
10/21 S Amdt 753 Prohibits the Use of Funds for Prosecution of Enemy Combatants in Civilian Courts Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 52)
9/08 HR 1249 Patent Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (89 - 9)
11/17 S 3772 Paycheck Fairness Act Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (58 - 41)
8/05 PN 1768 Elena Kagan, Associate Justice Nomination Confirmed - Senate (63 - 37)
11/19 PN 187 David F. Hamilton, Seventh Circuit Judge Nomination Confirmed - Senate (59 - 39)
10/06 S Amdt 2588 Prohibiting Federal Funding of Mandatory Arbitration Contracts Amendment Adopted - Senate (68 - 30)
8/06 PN 506 Sonia Sotomayor, Associate Justice Nomination Confirmed - Senate (68 - 31)
11/08 PN 958 Michael B. Mukasey, Attorney General Nomination Confirmed - Senate (53 - 40)
6/11 S J Res 14 Attorney General No Confidence Vote Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 38)
3/20 S 214 United States Attorneys Act of 2007 Bill Passed - Senate (94 - 2)
9/28 S Amdt 5087 Habeas Review Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (48 - 51)
9/28 S 3930 Military Commissions Act of 2006 Bill Passed - Senate (65 - 34)
1/31 PN 1059 Samuel Alito, Associate Justice Nomination Confirmed - Senate (58 - 42)
12/21 HR 2863 Defense Department FY2006 Appropriations Bill Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (56 - 44)
12/21 HR 2863 Defense Department FY2006 Appropriations Bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (93 - 0)
11/15 S Amdt 2524 Guantanamo Bay Detainees Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (84 - 14)
11/15 S Amdt 2523 Judicial Review of Detainees Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (44 - 54)
11/10 S Amdt 2516 Detainees at Guantanamo Bay Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (49 - 42)
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)
10/20 HR 3058 Transportation, Treasury, HUD and Judiciary Appropriation Bill Passed - Senate (93 - 1)
10/07 HR 2863 Defense Department FY2006 Appropriations Bill Bill Passed - Senate (97 - 0)
9/29 PN 801 Judge John G. Roberts, Jr., Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court (78 - 22)
6/14 PN 202 Thomas B. Griffith, Circuit Judge for the District of Columbia Nomination Confirmed - Senate (73 - 24)
6/09 PN 200 William H. Pryor, Jr., Circuit Judge for the District of Columbia Nomination Confirmed - Senate (53 - 45)
6/08 PN 201 Janice R Brown, Circuit Judge for the District of Columbia Nomination Confirmed - Senate (56 - 43)
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)
3/08 S Amdt 47 Violent Protestor Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 53)
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)
4/22 S 2329 Victims' Rights Bill Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 1)
3/02 S 1805 Firearms Manufacturers Protection Bill Bill Failed - Senate (8 - 90)
12/07 S Amdt 2336 International Courts Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (78 - 21)
10/05 PN 49 Ronnie L. White, United States District Judge in Missouri Nomination Rejected - Senate (45 - 54)
7/15 S Amdt 1250 Patient Lawsuit Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (53 - 47)
9/18 HR 1122 Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion bill Veto Override Failed - Senate (64 - 36)
5/13 S 1260 Securities Litigation Bill Passed - Senate (79 - 21)
3/31 S Amdt 2168 Tobacco Immunity Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (79 - 19)
5/20 HR 1122 Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion bill Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 36)
3/21 HR 956 Product Liability bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (59 - 40)
12/22 HR 1058 Legal Reform bill Veto Override Passed - Senate (68 - 30)
12/05 HR 1058 Legal Reform bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (65 - 30)
6/28 HR 1058 Legal Reform bill Bill Passed - Senate (69 - 30)
5/10 HR 956 Product Liability bill Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 37)
7/29 PN 1399 Stephen G. Breyer, Associate Justice Nomination Confirmed - Senate (87 - 9)
6/29 S 687 Product Liability Bill Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (57 - 41)
8/03 PN 422 Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Associate Justice Nomination Confirmed - Senate (96 - 3)
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