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National Legal 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
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)
Sept. 18, 1998 National HR 1122 Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion bill Veto Override Failed - Senate (64 - 36)
May 20, 1997 National HR 1122 Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion bill Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 36)
Sept. 8, 2011 National HR 1249 Patent Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (89 - 9)
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)
Oct. 7, 2005 National HR 2863 Defense Department FY2006 Appropriations Bill Bill Passed - Senate (97 - 0)
March 21, 1996 National HR 956 Product Liability bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (59 - 40)
May 10, 1995 National HR 956 Product Liability bill Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 37)
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)
April 23, 2015 National PN 4 Nomination of Loretta E. Lynch to be Attorney General Nomination Confirmed - Senate (56 - 43)
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)
March 10, 2021 National PN 78-7 Nomination of Merrick Garland as Attorney General Nomination Confirmed - Senate (70 - 30)
Nov. 8, 2007 National PN 958 Michael B. Mukasey, Attorney General Nomination Confirmed - Senate (53 - 40)
May 13, 1998 National S 1260 Securities Litigation Bill Passed - Senate (79 - 21)
March 2, 2004 National S 1805 Firearms Manufacturers Protection Bill Bill Failed - Senate (8 - 90)
April 26, 2012 National S 1925 Reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act Bill Passed - Senate (68 - 31)
Sept. 28, 2016 National S 2040 Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act Veto Override Passed - Senate (97 - 1)
March 20, 2007 National S 214 United States Attorneys Act of 2007 Bill Passed - Senate (94 - 2)
April 22, 2004 National S 2329 Victims' Rights Bill Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 1)
Nov. 17, 2010 National S 3772 Paycheck Fairness Act Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (58 - 41)
Sept. 28, 2006 National S 3930 Military Commissions Act of 2006 Bill Passed - Senate (65 - 34)
June 29, 1994 National S 687 Product Liability Bill Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (57 - 41)
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)
July 15, 1999 National S Amdt 1250 Patient Lawsuit Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (53 - 47)
Dec. 1, 2011 National S Amdt 1274 Authorizes Further Detention After Trial During Wartime Amendment Rejected - Senate (41 - 59)
March 31, 1998 National S Amdt 2168 Tobacco Immunity Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (79 - 19)
Dec. 7, 2001 National S Amdt 2336 International Courts Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (78 - 21)
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)
Nov. 10, 2005 National S Amdt 2516 Detainees at Guantanamo Bay Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (49 - 42)
Nov. 15, 2005 National S Amdt 2523 Judicial Review of Detainees Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (44 - 54)
Nov. 15, 2005 National S Amdt 2524 Guantanamo Bay Detainees Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (84 - 14)
Oct. 22, 2015 National S Amdt 2564 Prohibits Liability Immunity for Corporations that Break User Agreements Amendment Rejected - Senate (32 - 65)
Oct. 6, 2009 National S Amdt 2588 Prohibiting Federal Funding of Mandatory Arbitration Contracts Amendment Adopted - Senate (68 - 30)
March 8, 2005 National S Amdt 47 Violent Protestor Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 53)
Sept. 28, 2006 National S Amdt 5087 Habeas Review Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (48 - 51)
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)
June 11, 2007 National S J Res 14 Attorney General No Confidence Vote Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 38)
Date No. Title Outcome
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)
9/18 HR 1122 Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion bill Veto Override Failed - Senate (64 - 36)
5/20 HR 1122 Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion bill Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 36)
9/08 HR 1249 Patent Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (89 - 9)
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)
10/07 HR 2863 Defense Department FY2006 Appropriations Bill Bill Passed - Senate (97 - 0)
3/21 HR 956 Product Liability bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (59 - 40)
5/10 HR 956 Product Liability bill Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 37)
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)
4/23 PN 4 Nomination of Loretta E. Lynch to be Attorney General Nomination Confirmed - Senate (56 - 43)
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)
3/10 PN 78-7 Nomination of Merrick Garland as Attorney General Nomination Confirmed - Senate (70 - 30)
11/08 PN 958 Michael B. Mukasey, Attorney General Nomination Confirmed - Senate (53 - 40)
5/13 S 1260 Securities Litigation Bill Passed - Senate (79 - 21)
3/02 S 1805 Firearms Manufacturers Protection Bill Bill Failed - Senate (8 - 90)
4/26 S 1925 Reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act Bill Passed - Senate (68 - 31)
9/28 S 2040 Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act Veto Override Passed - Senate (97 - 1)
3/20 S 214 United States Attorneys Act of 2007 Bill Passed - Senate (94 - 2)
4/22 S 2329 Victims' Rights Bill Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 1)
11/17 S 3772 Paycheck Fairness Act Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (58 - 41)
9/28 S 3930 Military Commissions Act of 2006 Bill Passed - Senate (65 - 34)
6/29 S 687 Product Liability Bill Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (57 - 41)
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)
7/15 S Amdt 1250 Patient Lawsuit Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (53 - 47)
12/01 S Amdt 1274 Authorizes Further Detention After Trial During Wartime Amendment Rejected - Senate (41 - 59)
3/31 S Amdt 2168 Tobacco Immunity Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (79 - 19)
12/07 S Amdt 2336 International Courts Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (78 - 21)
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)
11/10 S Amdt 2516 Detainees at Guantanamo Bay Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (49 - 42)
11/15 S Amdt 2523 Judicial Review of Detainees Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (44 - 54)
11/15 S Amdt 2524 Guantanamo Bay Detainees Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (84 - 14)
10/22 S Amdt 2564 Prohibits Liability Immunity for Corporations that Break User Agreements Amendment Rejected - Senate (32 - 65)
10/06 S Amdt 2588 Prohibiting Federal Funding of Mandatory Arbitration Contracts Amendment Adopted - Senate (68 - 30)
3/08 S Amdt 47 Violent Protestor Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 53)
9/28 S Amdt 5087 Habeas Review Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (48 - 51)
10/21 S Amdt 753 Prohibits the Use of Funds for Prosecution of Enemy Combatants in Civilian Courts Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 52)
6/11 S J Res 14 Attorney General No Confidence Vote Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 38)
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