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
May 11, 2006 National HR 4297 Tax Relief Extension Reconciliation Act of 2005 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (54 - 44)
Sept. 26, 2006 National HR 5631 Department Defense Appropriations Act, FY 2007 Conference Report Adopted - House (394 - 22)
June 13, 2006 National HR 4939 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2006 Conference Report Adopted - House (351 - 67)
Sept. 29, 2006 National HR 5441 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act 2007 Conference Report Adopted - House (412 - 6)
June 15, 2006 National HR 4939 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2006 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (98 - 1)
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)
Feb. 2, 2006 National HR 4297 Tax Relief Extension Reconciliation Act of 2005 Bill Passed - Senate (66 - 31)
June 22, 2006 National S 2766 Defense Department FY 2007 Authorization bill Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 0)
May 25, 2006 National S 2611 Immigration Reform Bill Bill Passed - Senate (62 - 36)
July 18, 2006 National HR 810 Stem Cell Research Bill of 2005 Bill Passed - Senate (63 - 37)
Feb. 1, 2006 National H Res 653 Budget Reconciliation Adoption Resolution Passed - House (216 - 214)
March 7, 2006 National S 2271 PATRIOT Act Reauthorization bill Bill Passed - House (280 - 138)
March 8, 2006 National HR 4167 National Uniformity for Food Act Bill Passed - House (283 - 139)
March 16, 2006 National H J Res 47 Debt Limit Increase Resolution Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (52 - 48)
March 16, 2006 National HR 4939 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2006 Bill Passed - House (348 - 71)
March 16, 2006 National S Amdt 3128 ANWR Revenues Amendment Bill Passed - Senate (51 - 49)
March 16, 2006 National S Con Res 83 2007 Budget Resolution Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (51 - 49)
March 30, 2006 National HR 609 College Access and Opportunity Act of 2005 Bill Passed - House (221 - 199)
April 5, 2006 National HR 513 527 Reform Act of 2005 Bill Passed - House (218 - 209)
May 3, 2006 National HR 4975 527 Reform Act of 2006 Bill Passed - House (217 - 213)
May 18, 2006 National HR 5386 Interior Department FY2007 Appropriations Bill Bill Passed - House (293 - 128)
May 23, 2006 National HR 5384 Agriculture, Rural Development, FDA Appropriations Act Bill Passed - House (378 - 46)
June 6, 2006 National HR 5441 Department of Homeland Security Appropriation Act, 2007 Bill Passed - House (389 - 9)
June 7, 2006 National HR 5521 Legislative Branch FY 2007 Appropriations Bill Bill Passed - House (361 - 53)
Date No. Title Outcome
5/11 HR 4297 Tax Relief Extension Reconciliation Act of 2005 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (54 - 44)
9/26 HR 5631 Department Defense Appropriations Act, FY 2007 Conference Report Adopted - House (394 - 22)
6/13 HR 4939 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2006 Conference Report Adopted - House (351 - 67)
9/29 HR 5441 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act 2007 Conference Report Adopted - House (412 - 6)
6/15 HR 4939 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2006 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (98 - 1)
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)
2/02 HR 4297 Tax Relief Extension Reconciliation Act of 2005 Bill Passed - Senate (66 - 31)
6/22 S 2766 Defense Department FY 2007 Authorization bill Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 0)
5/25 S 2611 Immigration Reform Bill Bill Passed - Senate (62 - 36)
7/18 HR 810 Stem Cell Research Bill of 2005 Bill Passed - Senate (63 - 37)
2/01 H Res 653 Budget Reconciliation Adoption Resolution Passed - House (216 - 214)
3/07 S 2271 PATRIOT Act Reauthorization bill Bill Passed - House (280 - 138)
3/08 HR 4167 National Uniformity for Food Act Bill Passed - House (283 - 139)
3/16 H J Res 47 Debt Limit Increase Resolution Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (52 - 48)
3/16 HR 4939 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2006 Bill Passed - House (348 - 71)
3/16 S Amdt 3128 ANWR Revenues Amendment Bill Passed - Senate (51 - 49)
3/16 S Con Res 83 2007 Budget Resolution Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (51 - 49)
3/30 HR 609 College Access and Opportunity Act of 2005 Bill Passed - House (221 - 199)
4/05 HR 513 527 Reform Act of 2005 Bill Passed - House (218 - 209)
5/03 HR 4975 527 Reform Act of 2006 Bill Passed - House (217 - 213)
5/18 HR 5386 Interior Department FY2007 Appropriations Bill Bill Passed - House (293 - 128)
5/23 HR 5384 Agriculture, Rural Development, FDA Appropriations Act Bill Passed - House (378 - 46)
6/06 HR 5441 Department of Homeland Security Appropriation Act, 2007 Bill Passed - House (389 - 9)
6/07 HR 5521 Legislative Branch FY 2007 Appropriations Bill Bill Passed - House (361 - 53)

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