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 |
---|---|---|---|---|
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) |
Sept. 21, 2006 | National | S 2832 | Appalachian Regional Development Act Amendments of 2006 | Bill Failed - House (215 - 204) |
Feb. 1, 2006 | National | H Res 653 | Budget Reconciliation Adoption | Resolution Passed - House (216 - 214) |
May 25, 2006 | National | S Amdt 4097 | Confidentiality Requirement Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (49 - 49) |
June 20, 2006 | National | HR 5631 | Defense Department FY2007 Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - House (407 - 19) |
June 22, 2006 | National | S 2766 | Defense Department FY 2007 Authorization bill | Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 0) |
May 23, 2006 | National | S Amdt 4177 | Employer Verification Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (59 - 39) |
May 17, 2006 | National | S Amdt 3965 | Employment-based Immigrant Visa Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (50 - 48) |
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) |
June 16, 2006 | National | H Res 861 | Global War on Terror | Resolution Passed - House (256 - 153) |
May 24, 2006 | National | S Amdt 4095 | H-2C Visa Program Ammendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (48 - 49) |
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) |
May 25, 2006 | National | S 2611 | Immigration Reform Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (62 - 36) |
June 21, 2006 | National | S Amdt 4376 | Increasing Minimum Wage Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 53) |
March 16, 2006 | National | S Amdt 3074 | LIHEAP Funding Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (51 - 49) |
June 22, 2006 | National | HR 4890 | Line Item Veto Bill | Bill Passed - House (247 - 172) |
Feb. 2, 2006 | National | S Amdt 2730 | Medicare Part D Amendment | Motion Rejected - Senate (52 - 45) |
Sept. 28, 2006 | National | S Amdt 5104 | Military Commissions Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 52) |
Feb. 2, 2006 | National | S Amdt 2737 | Military Funding and Tax Cuts Amendment | Motion Rejected - Senate (44 - 53) |
June 21, 2006 | National | S Amdt 4322 | Minimum Wage Adjustment Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (52 - 46) |
May 23, 2006 | National | S Amdt 4087 | Orange Card Program Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (37 - 61) |
July 19, 2006 | National | HR 2389 | Pledge Protection Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (260 - 167) |
Sept. 13, 2006 | National | HR 4893 | Restricting Indian Gaming to Homelands of Tribes Act | Bill Failed - House (247 - 171) |
March 30, 2006 | National | H Amdt 772 | Reverse the Raid on Student Aid Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (200 - 220) |
Sept. 29, 2006 | National | HR 6061 | Secure Fence Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - Senate (80 - 19) |
Sept. 14, 2006 | National | HR 6061 | Secure Fence Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (283 - 138) |
May 18, 2006 | National | S Amdt 4072 | "State Criminal Alien Assistance Program" Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (43 - 52) |
Feb. 2, 2006 | National | S Amdt 2735 | Tax Rate Extension Amendment | Motion Rejected - Senate (44 - 53) |
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 29, 2006 | National | HR 5970 | Death/Estate Tax and Minimum Wage Bill | Bill Passed - House (230 - 180) |
Jan. 31, 2006 | National | PN 1059 | Samuel Alito, Associate Justice | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (58 - 42) |
July 18, 2006 | National | H J Res 88 | Same-Sex Marriage Resolution | Joint Resolution Failed - House (236 - 187) |
Aug. 2, 2006 | National | S Amdt 4775 | Triple-Layered Fencing Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (94 - 3) |
June 7, 2006 | National | HR 5521 | Legislative Branch FY 2007 Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - House (361 - 53) |
March 30, 2006 | National | H Res 746 | Jack Abramoff Investigation Resolution | Resolution Tabled - House (216 - 193) |
Sept. 26, 2006 | National | N/A | Motion to Resolve Into Secret Session | Motion Rejected - House (171 - 217) |
Sept. 26, 2006 | National | HR 5631 | Department Defense Appropriations Act, FY 2007 | Conference Report Adopted - House (394 - 22) |
July 13, 2006 | National | S Amdt 4659 | Double-Layered Fencing Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (29 - 71) |
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) |
Feb. 2, 2006 | National | HR 4297 | Tax Relief Extension Reconciliation Act of 2005 | Bill Passed - Senate (66 - 31) |
Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|
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) |
9/21 | S 2832 | Appalachian Regional Development Act Amendments of 2006 | Bill Failed - House (215 - 204) |
2/01 | H Res 653 | Budget Reconciliation Adoption | Resolution Passed - House (216 - 214) |
5/25 | S Amdt 4097 | Confidentiality Requirement Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (49 - 49) |
6/20 | HR 5631 | Defense Department FY2007 Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - House (407 - 19) |
6/22 | S 2766 | Defense Department FY 2007 Authorization bill | Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 0) |
5/23 | S Amdt 4177 | Employer Verification Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (59 - 39) |
5/17 | S Amdt 3965 | Employment-based Immigrant Visa Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (50 - 48) |
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) |
6/16 | H Res 861 | Global War on Terror | Resolution Passed - House (256 - 153) |
5/24 | S Amdt 4095 | H-2C Visa Program Ammendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (48 - 49) |
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) |
5/25 | S 2611 | Immigration Reform Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (62 - 36) |
6/21 | S Amdt 4376 | Increasing Minimum Wage Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 53) |
3/16 | S Amdt 3074 | LIHEAP Funding Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (51 - 49) |
6/22 | HR 4890 | Line Item Veto Bill | Bill Passed - House (247 - 172) |
2/02 | S Amdt 2730 | Medicare Part D Amendment | Motion Rejected - Senate (52 - 45) |
9/28 | S Amdt 5104 | Military Commissions Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 52) |
2/02 | S Amdt 2737 | Military Funding and Tax Cuts Amendment | Motion Rejected - Senate (44 - 53) |
6/21 | S Amdt 4322 | Minimum Wage Adjustment Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (52 - 46) |
5/23 | S Amdt 4087 | Orange Card Program Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (37 - 61) |
7/19 | HR 2389 | Pledge Protection Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (260 - 167) |
9/13 | HR 4893 | Restricting Indian Gaming to Homelands of Tribes Act | Bill Failed - House (247 - 171) |
3/30 | H Amdt 772 | Reverse the Raid on Student Aid Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (200 - 220) |
9/29 | HR 6061 | Secure Fence Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - Senate (80 - 19) |
9/14 | HR 6061 | Secure Fence Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (283 - 138) |
5/18 | S Amdt 4072 | "State Criminal Alien Assistance Program" Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (43 - 52) |
2/02 | S Amdt 2735 | Tax Rate Extension Amendment | Motion Rejected - Senate (44 - 53) |
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) |
7/29 | HR 5970 | Death/Estate Tax and Minimum Wage Bill | Bill Passed - House (230 - 180) |
1/31 | PN 1059 | Samuel Alito, Associate Justice | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (58 - 42) |
7/18 | H J Res 88 | Same-Sex Marriage Resolution | Joint Resolution Failed - House (236 - 187) |
8/02 | S Amdt 4775 | Triple-Layered Fencing Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (94 - 3) |
6/07 | HR 5521 | Legislative Branch FY 2007 Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - House (361 - 53) |
3/30 | H Res 746 | Jack Abramoff Investigation Resolution | Resolution Tabled - House (216 - 193) |
9/26 | N/A | Motion to Resolve Into Secret Session | Motion Rejected - House (171 - 217) |
9/26 | HR 5631 | Department Defense Appropriations Act, FY 2007 | Conference Report Adopted - House (394 - 22) |
7/13 | S Amdt 4659 | Double-Layered Fencing Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (29 - 71) |
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) |
2/02 | HR 4297 | Tax Relief Extension Reconciliation Act of 2005 | Bill Passed - Senate (66 - 31) |