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.


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Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
Sept. 29, 2006 National HR 6061 Secure Fence Act of 2006 Bill Passed - Senate (80 - 19)
Sept. 28, 2006 National S Amdt 5104 Military Commissions Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 52)
Sept. 26, 2006 National HR 5631 Department Defense Appropriations Act, FY 2007 Conference Report Adopted - House (394 - 22)
Sept. 26, 2006 National N/A Motion to Resolve Into Secret Session Motion Rejected - House (171 - 217)
Sept. 21, 2006 National HR 6095 Immigration Law Enforcement Act of 2006 Bill Passed - House (277 - 140)
Sept. 21, 2006 National S 2832 Appalachian Regional Development Act Amendments of 2006 Bill Failed - House (215 - 204)
Sept. 21, 2006 National HR 6095 Immigration Law Enforcement Act of 2006 Bill Passed - House (277 - 140)
Sept. 14, 2006 National HR 6061 Secure Fence Act of 2006 Bill Passed - House (283 - 138)
Sept. 13, 2006 National HR 4893 Restricting Indian Gaming to Homelands of Tribes Act Bill Failed - House (247 - 171)
Aug. 3, 2006 National HR 5970 Death/Estate Tax and Minimum Wage Bill Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (56 - 42)
Aug. 2, 2006 National S Amdt 4775 Triple-Layered Fencing Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (94 - 3)
July 29, 2006 National HR 5970 Death/Estate Tax and Minimum Wage Bill Bill Passed - House (230 - 180)
July 19, 2006 National HR 2389 Pledge Protection Act of 2006 Bill Passed - House (260 - 167)
July 18, 2006 National H J Res 88 Same-Sex Marriage Resolution Joint Resolution Failed - House (236 - 187)
July 13, 2006 National S Amdt 4659 Double-Layered Fencing Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (29 - 71)
June 22, 2006 National S 2766 Defense Department FY 2007 Authorization bill Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 0)
June 22, 2006 National HR 4890 Line Item Veto Bill Bill Passed - House (247 - 172)
June 21, 2006 National S Amdt 4322 Minimum Wage Adjustment Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (52 - 46)
June 21, 2006 National S Amdt 4376 Increasing Minimum Wage Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 53)
June 20, 2006 National HR 5631 Defense Department FY2007 Appropriations Bill Bill Passed - House (407 - 19)
June 16, 2006 National H Res 861 Global War on Terror Resolution Passed - House (256 - 153)
June 7, 2006 National S J Res 1 Same Sex Marriage Resolution Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (49 - 48)
June 7, 2006 National HR 5521 Legislative Branch FY 2007 Appropriations Bill Bill Passed - House (361 - 53)
May 25, 2006 National S Amdt 4097 Confidentiality Requirement Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (49 - 49)
May 25, 2006 National S 2611 Immigration Reform Bill Bill Passed - Senate (62 - 36)
Date No. Title Outcome
9/29 HR 6061 Secure Fence Act of 2006 Bill Passed - Senate (80 - 19)
9/28 S Amdt 5104 Military Commissions Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 52)
9/26 HR 5631 Department Defense Appropriations Act, FY 2007 Conference Report Adopted - House (394 - 22)
9/26 N/A Motion to Resolve Into Secret Session Motion Rejected - House (171 - 217)
9/21 HR 6095 Immigration Law Enforcement Act of 2006 Bill Passed - House (277 - 140)
9/21 S 2832 Appalachian Regional Development Act Amendments of 2006 Bill Failed - House (215 - 204)
9/21 HR 6095 Immigration Law Enforcement Act of 2006 Bill Passed - House (277 - 140)
9/14 HR 6061 Secure Fence Act of 2006 Bill Passed - House (283 - 138)
9/13 HR 4893 Restricting Indian Gaming to Homelands of Tribes Act Bill Failed - House (247 - 171)
8/03 HR 5970 Death/Estate Tax and Minimum Wage Bill Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (56 - 42)
8/02 S Amdt 4775 Triple-Layered Fencing Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (94 - 3)
7/29 HR 5970 Death/Estate Tax and Minimum Wage Bill Bill Passed - House (230 - 180)
7/19 HR 2389 Pledge Protection Act of 2006 Bill Passed - House (260 - 167)
7/18 H J Res 88 Same-Sex Marriage Resolution Joint Resolution Failed - House (236 - 187)
7/13 S Amdt 4659 Double-Layered Fencing Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (29 - 71)
6/22 S 2766 Defense Department FY 2007 Authorization bill Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 0)
6/22 HR 4890 Line Item Veto Bill Bill Passed - House (247 - 172)
6/21 S Amdt 4322 Minimum Wage Adjustment Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (52 - 46)
6/21 S Amdt 4376 Increasing Minimum Wage Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 53)
6/20 HR 5631 Defense Department FY2007 Appropriations Bill Bill Passed - House (407 - 19)
6/16 H Res 861 Global War on Terror Resolution Passed - House (256 - 153)
6/07 S J Res 1 Same Sex Marriage Resolution Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (49 - 48)
6/07 HR 5521 Legislative Branch FY 2007 Appropriations Bill Bill Passed - House (361 - 53)
5/25 S Amdt 4097 Confidentiality Requirement Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (49 - 49)
5/25 S 2611 Immigration Reform Bill Bill Passed - Senate (62 - 36)

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