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 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Jan. 31, 2006 | National | PN 1059 | Samuel Alito, Associate Justice | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (58 - 42) |
March 30, 2006 | National | H Res 746 | Jack Abramoff Investigation Resolution | Resolution Tabled - House (216 - 193) |
May 23, 2006 | National | S Amdt 4177 | Employer Verification Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (59 - 39) |
Aug. 2, 2006 | National | S Amdt 4775 | Triple-Layered Fencing Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (94 - 3) |
March 16, 2006 | National | S Amdt 3074 | LIHEAP Funding Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (51 - 49) |
May 18, 2006 | National | S Amdt 4064 | English As National Language Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (62 - 35) |
May 18, 2006 | National | S Amdt 4073 | English as Unifying Language Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (58 - 39) |
May 17, 2006 | National | S Amdt 3965 | Employment-based Immigrant Visa Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (50 - 48) |
June 21, 2006 | National | S Amdt 4322 | Minimum Wage Adjustment Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (52 - 46) |
Sept. 26, 2006 | National | HR 5631 | Department Defense Appropriations Act, FY 2007 | Conference Report Adopted - House (394 - 22) |
May 10, 2006 | National | HR 4297 | Tax Relief Extension Reconciliation Act of 2005 | Conference Report Adopted - House (244 - 185) |
May 11, 2006 | National | HR 4297 | Tax Relief Extension Reconciliation Act of 2005 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (54 - 44) |
May 25, 2006 | National | S 2611 | Immigration Reform Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (62 - 36) |
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) |
Sept. 29, 2006 | National | HR 6061 | Secure Fence Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - Senate (80 - 19) |
Feb. 1, 2006 | National | H Res 653 | Budget Reconciliation Adoption | Resolution Passed - House (216 - 214) |
March 16, 2006 | National | S Con Res 83 | 2007 Budget Resolution | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (51 - 49) |
May 3, 2006 | National | HR 4975 | 527 Reform Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (217 - 213) |
May 23, 2006 | National | HR 5384 | Agriculture, Rural Development, FDA Appropriations Act | Bill Passed - House (378 - 46) |
June 7, 2006 | National | HR 5521 | Legislative Branch FY 2007 Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - House (361 - 53) |
June 16, 2006 | National | H Res 861 | Global War on Terror | Resolution Passed - House (256 - 153) |
June 20, 2006 | National | HR 5631 | Defense Department FY2007 Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - House (407 - 19) |
June 22, 2006 | National | HR 4890 | Line Item Veto Bill | Bill Passed - House (247 - 172) |
July 19, 2006 | National | HR 2389 | Pledge Protection Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (260 - 167) |
July 29, 2006 | National | HR 5970 | Death/Estate Tax and Minimum Wage Bill | Bill Passed - House (230 - 180) |
Sept. 14, 2006 | National | HR 6061 | Secure Fence Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (283 - 138) |
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) |
June 7, 2006 | National | S J Res 1 | Same Sex Marriage Resolution | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (49 - 48) |
Aug. 3, 2006 | National | HR 5970 | Death/Estate Tax and Minimum Wage Bill | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (56 - 42) |
July 13, 2006 | National | S Amdt 4659 | Double-Layered Fencing Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (29 - 71) |
June 21, 2006 | National | S Amdt 4376 | Increasing Minimum Wage Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 53) |
March 30, 2006 | National | H Amdt 772 | Reverse the Raid on Student Aid Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (200 - 220) |
Feb. 2, 2006 | National | S Amdt 2735 | Tax Rate Extension Amendment | Motion Rejected - Senate (44 - 53) |
Sept. 28, 2006 | National | S Amdt 5104 | Military Commissions Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 52) |
May 18, 2006 | National | S Amdt 4072 | "State Criminal Alien Assistance Program" Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (43 - 52) |
Feb. 2, 2006 | National | S Amdt 2737 | Military Funding and Tax Cuts Amendment | Motion Rejected - Senate (44 - 53) |
Feb. 2, 2006 | National | S Amdt 2730 | Medicare Part D Amendment | Motion Rejected - Senate (52 - 45) |
May 24, 2006 | National | S Amdt 4095 | H-2C Visa Program Ammendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (48 - 49) |
May 25, 2006 | National | S Amdt 4097 | Confidentiality Requirement Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (49 - 49) |
May 23, 2006 | National | S Amdt 4087 | Orange Card Program Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (37 - 61) |
Sept. 13, 2006 | National | HR 4893 | Restricting Indian Gaming to Homelands of Tribes Act | Bill Failed - House (247 - 171) |
Sept. 21, 2006 | National | S 2832 | Appalachian Regional Development Act Amendments of 2006 | Bill Failed - House (215 - 204) |
July 18, 2006 | National | H J Res 88 | Same-Sex Marriage Resolution | Joint Resolution Failed - House (236 - 187) |
Sept. 26, 2006 | National | N/A | Motion to Resolve Into Secret Session | Motion Rejected - House (171 - 217) |
Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|
1/31 | PN 1059 | Samuel Alito, Associate Justice | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (58 - 42) |
3/30 | H Res 746 | Jack Abramoff Investigation Resolution | Resolution Tabled - House (216 - 193) |
5/23 | S Amdt 4177 | Employer Verification Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (59 - 39) |
8/02 | S Amdt 4775 | Triple-Layered Fencing Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (94 - 3) |
3/16 | S Amdt 3074 | LIHEAP Funding Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (51 - 49) |
5/18 | S Amdt 4064 | English As National Language Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (62 - 35) |
5/18 | S Amdt 4073 | English as Unifying Language Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (58 - 39) |
5/17 | S Amdt 3965 | Employment-based Immigrant Visa Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (50 - 48) |
6/21 | S Amdt 4322 | Minimum Wage Adjustment Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (52 - 46) |
9/26 | HR 5631 | Department Defense Appropriations Act, FY 2007 | Conference Report Adopted - House (394 - 22) |
5/10 | HR 4297 | Tax Relief Extension Reconciliation Act of 2005 | Conference Report Adopted - House (244 - 185) |
5/11 | HR 4297 | Tax Relief Extension Reconciliation Act of 2005 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (54 - 44) |
5/25 | S 2611 | Immigration Reform Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (62 - 36) |
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) |
9/29 | HR 6061 | Secure Fence Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - Senate (80 - 19) |
2/01 | H Res 653 | Budget Reconciliation Adoption | Resolution Passed - House (216 - 214) |
3/16 | S Con Res 83 | 2007 Budget Resolution | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (51 - 49) |
5/03 | HR 4975 | 527 Reform Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (217 - 213) |
5/23 | HR 5384 | Agriculture, Rural Development, FDA Appropriations Act | Bill Passed - House (378 - 46) |
6/07 | HR 5521 | Legislative Branch FY 2007 Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - House (361 - 53) |
6/16 | H Res 861 | Global War on Terror | Resolution Passed - House (256 - 153) |
6/20 | HR 5631 | Defense Department FY2007 Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - House (407 - 19) |
6/22 | HR 4890 | Line Item Veto Bill | Bill Passed - House (247 - 172) |
7/19 | HR 2389 | Pledge Protection Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (260 - 167) |
7/29 | HR 5970 | Death/Estate Tax and Minimum Wage Bill | Bill Passed - House (230 - 180) |
9/14 | HR 6061 | Secure Fence Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (283 - 138) |
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) |
6/07 | S J Res 1 | Same Sex Marriage Resolution | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (49 - 48) |
8/03 | HR 5970 | Death/Estate Tax and Minimum Wage Bill | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (56 - 42) |
7/13 | S Amdt 4659 | Double-Layered Fencing Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (29 - 71) |
6/21 | S Amdt 4376 | Increasing Minimum Wage Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 53) |
3/30 | H Amdt 772 | Reverse the Raid on Student Aid Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (200 - 220) |
2/02 | S Amdt 2735 | Tax Rate Extension Amendment | Motion Rejected - Senate (44 - 53) |
9/28 | S Amdt 5104 | Military Commissions Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 52) |
5/18 | S Amdt 4072 | "State Criminal Alien Assistance Program" Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (43 - 52) |
2/02 | S Amdt 2737 | Military Funding and Tax Cuts Amendment | Motion Rejected - Senate (44 - 53) |
2/02 | S Amdt 2730 | Medicare Part D Amendment | Motion Rejected - Senate (52 - 45) |
5/24 | S Amdt 4095 | H-2C Visa Program Ammendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (48 - 49) |
5/25 | S Amdt 4097 | Confidentiality Requirement Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (49 - 49) |
5/23 | S Amdt 4087 | Orange Card Program Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (37 - 61) |
9/13 | HR 4893 | Restricting Indian Gaming to Homelands of Tribes Act | Bill Failed - House (247 - 171) |
9/21 | S 2832 | Appalachian Regional Development Act Amendments of 2006 | Bill Failed - House (215 - 204) |
7/18 | H J Res 88 | Same-Sex Marriage Resolution | Joint Resolution Failed - House (236 - 187) |
9/26 | N/A | Motion to Resolve Into Secret Session | Motion Rejected - House (171 - 217) |