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
Dec. 19, 2005 National S 1932 Budget Reconciliation Bill Conference Report Adopted - House (212 - 206)
Dec. 19, 2005 National S 1932 Budget Reconciliation Bill Conference Report Adopted - House (212 - 206)
Dec. 16, 2005 National HR 4437 Border Security Bill Bill Passed - House (239 - 182)
Dec. 14, 2005 National HR 3010 Labor, HHS and Education FY 2006 Appropriations Bill Conference Report Adopted - House (215 - 213)
Nov. 17, 2005 National S Amdt 2601 Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Amendment Motion Rejected - Senate (51 - 47)
Nov. 17, 2005 National HR 3010 Labor, HHS and Education FY 2006 Appropriations Bill Conference Report Rejected - House (209 - 224)
Nov. 16, 2005 National HR 2862 Commerce, Justice and Science Appropriations Bill, FY 2006 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (94 - 5)
Nov. 9, 2005 National HR 2862 Commerce, Justice and Science Appropriations Bill, FY 2006 Conference Report Adopted - House (397 - 19)
Nov. 3, 2005 National S Amdt 2357 Medicare Premiums Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (49 - 50)
Nov. 3, 2005 National S Amdt 2365 Medical Assistance and Prescription Drug Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (54 - 45)
Nov. 3, 2005 National S Amdt 2371 Medicare Prescription Drug Amendment Motion Rejected - Senate (51 - 48)
Nov. 3, 2005 National S Amdt 2356 Hurricane Health Care for Survivors Amendment Motion Rejected - Senate (48 - 51)
Nov. 3, 2005 National S Amdt 2409 Targeted Case Management Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 52)
Nov. 3, 2005 National S Amdt 2348 Medicaid Generic Drug Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (49 - 50)
Nov. 3, 2005 National S 1932 Budget Reconciliation Bill Bill Passed - Senate (52 - 47)
Oct. 27, 2005 National S Amdt 2259 AIDS Drug Assistance Program Amendment Motion Rejected - Senate (46 - 50)
Oct. 27, 2005 National HR 3010 Labor, HHS and Education FY 2006 Appropriations Bill Bill Passed - Senate (94 - 3)
Oct. 26, 2005 National S Amdt 2253 Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Funding Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 53)
Oct. 26, 2005 National S Amdt 2194 Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program Amendment Motion Rejected - Senate (54 - 43)
Oct. 20, 2005 National HR 3058 Transportation, Treasury, HUD and Judiciary Appropriation Bill Passed - Senate (93 - 1)
Oct. 5, 2005 National S Amdt 1937 Health Care for Veterans Amendment Motion Rejected - Senate (48 - 51)
July 28, 2005 National HR 5 Malpractice Liability Reform Bill Bill Passed - House (230 - 194)
July 20, 2005 National HR 2601 State Department FY 2006/2007 Authorization Bill Bill Passed - House (351 - 78)
July 14, 2005 National S Amdt 1171 Detention Beds Increase Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (42 - 56)
July 14, 2005 National HR 3100 East Asia Security Act of 2005 Bill Failed - House (215 - 203)
July 12, 2005 National HR 741 Independent Review of OSHA Act of 2005 Bill Passed - House (226 - 197)
June 30, 2005 National H Amdt 427 Eminent Domain Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (231 - 189)
June 30, 2005 National HR 3058 Transportation, Treasury, HUD and Judiciary Appropriation Bill Passed - House (405 - 18)
June 23, 2005 National H Amdt 343 Restoring Funds for Public Broadcasting Amendment Adopted - House (284 - 140)
June 23, 2005 National H Amdt 346 Annual Fit Test Funding Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (206 - 216)
June 20, 2005 National PN 326 John Bolton, Ambassador to the United Nations Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (54 - 38)
June 17, 2005 National HR 2745 United Nations Reform Act of 2005 Bill Passed - House (221 - 184)
June 16, 2005 National HR 2862 Commerce, Justice and Science Appropriations Bill, FY 2006 Bill Passed - House (418 - 7)
June 15, 2005 National H Amdt 270 Bans Use of Funds to Enforce Cuba Regulations Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (210 - 216)
May 26, 2005 National PN 326 John Bolton, Ambassador to the United Nations Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (56 - 42)
May 18, 2005 National HR 1817 Homeland Security Department Authorization Act FY06 Bill Passed - House (424 - 4)
May 10, 2005 National HR 1268 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2005 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (100 - 0)
May 5, 2005 National HR 1268 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2005 Conference Report Adopted - House (368 - 58)
April 28, 2005 National H Con Res 95 Budget FY2006 Appropriations Resolution Conference Report Adopted - Senate (52 - 47)
April 28, 2005 National H Con Res 95 Budget FY2006 Appropriations Resolution Conference Report Adopted - House (214 - 211)
April 28, 2005 National H Con Res 95 Budget FY2006 Appropriations Resolution Conference Report Adopted - House (214 - 211)
April 28, 2005 National H Con Res 95 Budget FY2006 Appropriations Resolution Conference Report Adopted - Senate (52 - 47)
April 21, 2005 National HR 1268 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2005 Bill Passed - Senate (99 - 0)
April 14, 2005 National S 256 Bankruptcy Reform Bill Bill Passed - House (302 - 126)
April 13, 2005 National HR 8 Death/Estate Tax Repeal Permanency Act of 2005 Bill Passed - House (272 - 162)
March 17, 2005 National S Amdt 214 Prescription Drugs Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (49 - 50)
March 17, 2005 National S Amdt 229 Medicaid Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (49 - 51)
March 17, 2005 National H Con Res 95 Budget FY2006 Appropriations Resolution Joint Resolution Passed - House (218 - 214)
March 17, 2005 National H Con Res 95 Budget FY2006 Appropriations Resolution Joint Resolution Passed - House (218 - 214)
March 16, 2005 National HR 1268 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2005 Bill Passed - House (388 - 43)
March 10, 2005 National S 256 Bankruptcy Reform Bill Bill Passed - Senate (74 - 25)
March 8, 2005 National S Amdt 47 Violent Protestor Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 53)
Feb. 10, 2005 National HR 418 Real ID Act of 2005 Bill Passed - House (261 - 161)
Date No. Title Outcome
12/19 S 1932 Budget Reconciliation Bill Conference Report Adopted - House (212 - 206)
12/19 S 1932 Budget Reconciliation Bill Conference Report Adopted - House (212 - 206)
12/16 HR 4437 Border Security Bill Bill Passed - House (239 - 182)
12/14 HR 3010 Labor, HHS and Education FY 2006 Appropriations Bill Conference Report Adopted - House (215 - 213)
11/17 S Amdt 2601 Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Amendment Motion Rejected - Senate (51 - 47)
11/17 HR 3010 Labor, HHS and Education FY 2006 Appropriations Bill Conference Report Rejected - House (209 - 224)
11/16 HR 2862 Commerce, Justice and Science Appropriations Bill, FY 2006 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (94 - 5)
11/09 HR 2862 Commerce, Justice and Science Appropriations Bill, FY 2006 Conference Report Adopted - House (397 - 19)
11/03 S Amdt 2357 Medicare Premiums Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (49 - 50)
11/03 S Amdt 2365 Medical Assistance and Prescription Drug Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (54 - 45)
11/03 S Amdt 2371 Medicare Prescription Drug Amendment Motion Rejected - Senate (51 - 48)
11/03 S Amdt 2356 Hurricane Health Care for Survivors Amendment Motion Rejected - Senate (48 - 51)
11/03 S Amdt 2409 Targeted Case Management Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 52)
11/03 S Amdt 2348 Medicaid Generic Drug Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (49 - 50)
11/03 S 1932 Budget Reconciliation Bill Bill Passed - Senate (52 - 47)
10/27 S Amdt 2259 AIDS Drug Assistance Program Amendment Motion Rejected - Senate (46 - 50)
10/27 HR 3010 Labor, HHS and Education FY 2006 Appropriations Bill Bill Passed - Senate (94 - 3)
10/26 S Amdt 2253 Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Funding Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 53)
10/26 S Amdt 2194 Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program Amendment Motion Rejected - Senate (54 - 43)
10/20 HR 3058 Transportation, Treasury, HUD and Judiciary Appropriation Bill Passed - Senate (93 - 1)
10/05 S Amdt 1937 Health Care for Veterans Amendment Motion Rejected - Senate (48 - 51)
7/28 HR 5 Malpractice Liability Reform Bill Bill Passed - House (230 - 194)
7/20 HR 2601 State Department FY 2006/2007 Authorization Bill Bill Passed - House (351 - 78)
7/14 S Amdt 1171 Detention Beds Increase Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (42 - 56)
7/14 HR 3100 East Asia Security Act of 2005 Bill Failed - House (215 - 203)
7/12 HR 741 Independent Review of OSHA Act of 2005 Bill Passed - House (226 - 197)
6/30 H Amdt 427 Eminent Domain Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (231 - 189)
6/30 HR 3058 Transportation, Treasury, HUD and Judiciary Appropriation Bill Passed - House (405 - 18)
6/23 H Amdt 343 Restoring Funds for Public Broadcasting Amendment Adopted - House (284 - 140)
6/23 H Amdt 346 Annual Fit Test Funding Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (206 - 216)
6/20 PN 326 John Bolton, Ambassador to the United Nations Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (54 - 38)
6/17 HR 2745 United Nations Reform Act of 2005 Bill Passed - House (221 - 184)
6/16 HR 2862 Commerce, Justice and Science Appropriations Bill, FY 2006 Bill Passed - House (418 - 7)
6/15 H Amdt 270 Bans Use of Funds to Enforce Cuba Regulations Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (210 - 216)
5/26 PN 326 John Bolton, Ambassador to the United Nations Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (56 - 42)
5/18 HR 1817 Homeland Security Department Authorization Act FY06 Bill Passed - House (424 - 4)
5/10 HR 1268 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2005 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (100 - 0)
5/05 HR 1268 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2005 Conference Report Adopted - House (368 - 58)
4/28 H Con Res 95 Budget FY2006 Appropriations Resolution Conference Report Adopted - Senate (52 - 47)
4/28 H Con Res 95 Budget FY2006 Appropriations Resolution Conference Report Adopted - House (214 - 211)
4/28 H Con Res 95 Budget FY2006 Appropriations Resolution Conference Report Adopted - House (214 - 211)
4/28 H Con Res 95 Budget FY2006 Appropriations Resolution Conference Report Adopted - Senate (52 - 47)
4/21 HR 1268 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2005 Bill Passed - Senate (99 - 0)
4/14 S 256 Bankruptcy Reform Bill Bill Passed - House (302 - 126)
4/13 HR 8 Death/Estate Tax Repeal Permanency Act of 2005 Bill Passed - House (272 - 162)
3/17 S Amdt 214 Prescription Drugs Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (49 - 50)
3/17 S Amdt 229 Medicaid Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (49 - 51)
3/17 H Con Res 95 Budget FY2006 Appropriations Resolution Joint Resolution Passed - House (218 - 214)
3/17 H Con Res 95 Budget FY2006 Appropriations Resolution Joint Resolution Passed - House (218 - 214)
3/16 HR 1268 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2005 Bill Passed - House (388 - 43)
3/10 S 256 Bankruptcy Reform Bill Bill Passed - Senate (74 - 25)
3/08 S Amdt 47 Violent Protestor Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 53)
2/10 HR 418 Real ID Act of 2005 Bill Passed - House (261 - 161)

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