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 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Dec. 6, 2006 | National | PN 2191 | Robert Gates, Secretary of Defense | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (95 - 2) |
Dec. 7, 2006 | National | PN 1396 | Andrew von Eschenbach, Commissioner of Food and Drugs | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (80 - 11) |
Jan. 31, 2006 | National | PN 1059 | Samuel Alito, Associate Justice | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (58 - 42) |
May 26, 2006 | National | PN 1552 | Michael Hayden, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (78 - 15) |
Sept. 7, 2006 | National | S Amdt 4909 | Media in the Middle East Amendment | Bill Tabled - Senate (51 - 44) |
May 18, 2006 | National | S Amdt 4073 | English as Unifying Language Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (58 - 39) |
July 11, 2006 | National | S Amdt 4560 | USEMA Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (87 - 11) |
May 3, 2006 | National | S Amdt 3688 | Influenza Vaccine Injury Compensation Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (53 - 46) |
July 13, 2006 | National | S Amdt 4615 | Firearm Confiscation Prohibition Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (84 - 16) |
May 17, 2006 | National | S Amdt 3965 | Employment-based Immigrant Visa Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (50 - 48) |
Aug. 2, 2006 | National | S Amdt 4775 | Triple-Layered Fencing Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (94 - 3) |
May 18, 2006 | National | S Amdt 4064 | English As National Language Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (62 - 35) |
March 16, 2006 | National | S Amdt 3074 | LIHEAP Funding Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (51 - 49) |
May 23, 2006 | National | S Amdt 4177 | Employer Verification Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (59 - 39) |
June 21, 2006 | National | S Amdt 4322 | Minimum Wage Adjustment Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (52 - 46) |
March 2, 2006 | National | HR 3199 | PATRIOT Act Reauthorization | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (89 - 10) |
June 15, 2006 | National | HR 4939 | Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2006 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (98 - 1) |
May 11, 2006 | National | HR 4297 | Tax Relief Extension Reconciliation Act of 2005 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (54 - 44) |
June 22, 2006 | National | S 2766 | Defense Department FY 2007 Authorization bill | Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 0) |
Feb. 2, 2006 | National | HR 4297 | Tax Relief Extension Reconciliation Act of 2005 | Bill Passed - Senate (66 - 31) |
May 4, 2006 | National | HR 4939 | Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2006 | Bill Passed - Senate (77 - 21) |
May 25, 2006 | National | S 2611 | Immigration Reform Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (62 - 36) |
Sept. 28, 2006 | National | S 3930 | Military Commissions Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - Senate (65 - 34) |
Sept. 29, 2006 | National | HR 6061 | Secure Fence Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - Senate (80 - 19) |
March 16, 2006 | National | H J Res 47 | Debt Limit Increase Resolution | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (52 - 48) |
Sept. 19, 2006 | National | HR 5684 | U.S.-Oman Free Trade Agreement Implementation | Bill Passed - Senate (62 - 32) |
March 16, 2006 | National | S Amdt 3128 | ANWR Revenues Amendment | Bill Passed - Senate (51 - 49) |
July 18, 2006 | National | HR 810 | Stem Cell Research Bill of 2005 | Bill Passed - Senate (63 - 37) |
June 29, 2006 | National | S 3569 | U.S. -Oman Free Trade Agreement | Bill Passed - Senate (60 - 34) |
July 25, 2006 | National | S 403 | Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act | Bill Passed - Senate (65 - 34) |
Aug. 1, 2006 | National | S 3711 | Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - Senate (71 - 25) |
March 16, 2006 | National | S Con Res 83 | 2007 Budget Resolution | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (51 - 49) |
Aug. 3, 2006 | National | HR 5970 | Death/Estate Tax and Minimum Wage Bill | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (56 - 42) |
June 7, 2006 | National | S J Res 1 | Same Sex Marriage Resolution | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (49 - 48) |
July 11, 2006 | National | S Amdt 4563 | FEMA Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (32 - 66) |
Feb. 2, 2006 | National | S Amdt 2737 | Military Funding and Tax Cuts Amendment | Motion Rejected - Senate (44 - 53) |
Feb. 2, 2006 | National | S Amdt 2735 | Tax Rate Extension Amendment | Motion Rejected - Senate (44 - 53) |
Feb. 2, 2006 | National | S Amdt 2730 | Medicare Part D Amendment | Motion Rejected - Senate (52 - 45) |
March 14, 2006 | National | S Amdt 3013 | Reinstate Pay-As-You-Go through 2011 Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (50 - 50) |
March 16, 2006 | National | S Amdt 3103 | Natural Resources and Environment Funding Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (48 - 49) |
March 16, 2006 | National | S Amdt 3071 | Education Funding Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (49 - 51) |
March 16, 2006 | National | S Amdt 3166 | National Defense Funding Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (50 - 50) |
May 2, 2006 | National | S Amdt 3617 | Sugarcane Growers Funding Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (40 - 59) |
May 18, 2006 | National | S Amdt 4072 | "State Criminal Alien Assistance Program" Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (43 - 52) |
May 23, 2006 | National | S Amdt 4087 | Orange Card Program Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (37 - 61) |
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) |
June 21, 2006 | National | S Amdt 4376 | Increasing Minimum Wage Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 53) |
June 22, 2006 | National | S Amdt 4442 | Troop Redeployment Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (13 - 86) |
July 12, 2006 | National | S Amdt 4553 | Rail and Transit Security Amendment | Motion Rejected - Senate (50 - 50) |
Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|
12/06 | PN 2191 | Robert Gates, Secretary of Defense | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (95 - 2) |
12/07 | PN 1396 | Andrew von Eschenbach, Commissioner of Food and Drugs | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (80 - 11) |
1/31 | PN 1059 | Samuel Alito, Associate Justice | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (58 - 42) |
5/26 | PN 1552 | Michael Hayden, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (78 - 15) |
9/07 | S Amdt 4909 | Media in the Middle East Amendment | Bill Tabled - Senate (51 - 44) |
5/18 | S Amdt 4073 | English as Unifying Language Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (58 - 39) |
7/11 | S Amdt 4560 | USEMA Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (87 - 11) |
5/03 | S Amdt 3688 | Influenza Vaccine Injury Compensation Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (53 - 46) |
7/13 | S Amdt 4615 | Firearm Confiscation Prohibition Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (84 - 16) |
5/17 | S Amdt 3965 | Employment-based Immigrant Visa Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (50 - 48) |
8/02 | S Amdt 4775 | Triple-Layered Fencing Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (94 - 3) |
5/18 | S Amdt 4064 | English As National Language Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (62 - 35) |
3/16 | S Amdt 3074 | LIHEAP Funding Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (51 - 49) |
5/23 | S Amdt 4177 | Employer Verification Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (59 - 39) |
6/21 | S Amdt 4322 | Minimum Wage Adjustment Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (52 - 46) |
3/02 | HR 3199 | PATRIOT Act Reauthorization | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (89 - 10) |
6/15 | HR 4939 | Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2006 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (98 - 1) |
5/11 | HR 4297 | Tax Relief Extension Reconciliation Act of 2005 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (54 - 44) |
6/22 | S 2766 | Defense Department FY 2007 Authorization bill | Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 0) |
2/02 | HR 4297 | Tax Relief Extension Reconciliation Act of 2005 | Bill Passed - Senate (66 - 31) |
5/04 | HR 4939 | Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2006 | Bill Passed - Senate (77 - 21) |
5/25 | S 2611 | Immigration Reform Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (62 - 36) |
9/28 | S 3930 | Military Commissions Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - Senate (65 - 34) |
9/29 | HR 6061 | Secure Fence Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - Senate (80 - 19) |
3/16 | H J Res 47 | Debt Limit Increase Resolution | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (52 - 48) |
9/19 | HR 5684 | U.S.-Oman Free Trade Agreement Implementation | Bill Passed - Senate (62 - 32) |
3/16 | S Amdt 3128 | ANWR Revenues Amendment | Bill Passed - Senate (51 - 49) |
7/18 | HR 810 | Stem Cell Research Bill of 2005 | Bill Passed - Senate (63 - 37) |
6/29 | S 3569 | U.S. -Oman Free Trade Agreement | Bill Passed - Senate (60 - 34) |
7/25 | S 403 | Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act | Bill Passed - Senate (65 - 34) |
8/01 | S 3711 | Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - Senate (71 - 25) |
3/16 | S Con Res 83 | 2007 Budget Resolution | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (51 - 49) |
8/03 | HR 5970 | Death/Estate Tax and Minimum Wage Bill | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (56 - 42) |
6/07 | S J Res 1 | Same Sex Marriage Resolution | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (49 - 48) |
7/11 | S Amdt 4563 | FEMA Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (32 - 66) |
2/02 | S Amdt 2737 | Military Funding and Tax Cuts Amendment | Motion Rejected - Senate (44 - 53) |
2/02 | S Amdt 2735 | Tax Rate Extension Amendment | Motion Rejected - Senate (44 - 53) |
2/02 | S Amdt 2730 | Medicare Part D Amendment | Motion Rejected - Senate (52 - 45) |
3/14 | S Amdt 3013 | Reinstate Pay-As-You-Go through 2011 Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (50 - 50) |
3/16 | S Amdt 3103 | Natural Resources and Environment Funding Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (48 - 49) |
3/16 | S Amdt 3071 | Education Funding Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (49 - 51) |
3/16 | S Amdt 3166 | National Defense Funding Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (50 - 50) |
5/02 | S Amdt 3617 | Sugarcane Growers Funding Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (40 - 59) |
5/18 | S Amdt 4072 | "State Criminal Alien Assistance Program" Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (43 - 52) |
5/23 | S Amdt 4087 | Orange Card Program Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (37 - 61) |
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) |
6/21 | S Amdt 4376 | Increasing Minimum Wage Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 53) |
6/22 | S Amdt 4442 | Troop Redeployment Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (13 - 86) |
7/12 | S Amdt 4553 | Rail and Transit Security Amendment | Motion Rejected - Senate (50 - 50) |