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
Sept. 28, 2006 National HR 5825 Electronic Surveillance Modernization Act Bill Passed - House (232 - 191)
Sept. 7, 2006 National S Amdt 4909 Media in the Middle East Amendment Bill Tabled - Senate (51 - 44)
Aug. 31, 2006 CA SB 1613 Prohibition on Wireless Phone Use While Driving Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 16)
Aug. 29, 2006 CA SB 1613 Prohibition on Wireless Phone Use While Driving Bill Passed - House (50 - 28)
July 27, 2006 National HR 4157 Better Health Information Systems Act of 2006 Bill Passed - House (270 - 148)
July 11, 2006 National H Amdt 1179 Online Gambling Ban Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (114 - 297)
July 11, 2006 National HR 4411 Internet Gambling Bill Bill Passed - House (317 - 93)
June 8, 2006 National HR 5252 COPE Bill of 2006 Bill Passed - House (321 - 101)
March 7, 2006 National S 2271 PATRIOT Act Reauthorization bill Bill Passed - House (280 - 138)
March 1, 2006 VA HB 568 Flat Tax on Communication Services Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11)
Feb. 22, 2006 MS HB 1638 Funding for Wireless Communications and Cooperative Data Systems Bill Passed - House (80 - 42)
Feb. 1, 2006 MS HB 1416 Notification of Public Funds Used in the Media Bill Passed - House (89 - 30)
Jan. 26, 2006 VA HB 568 Flat Tax on Communication Services Bill Passed - House (62 - 35)
Date No. Title Outcome
9/28 HR 5825 Electronic Surveillance Modernization Act Bill Passed - House (232 - 191)
9/07 S Amdt 4909 Media in the Middle East Amendment Bill Tabled - Senate (51 - 44)
8/31 SB 1613 Prohibition on Wireless Phone Use While Driving Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 16)
8/29 SB 1613 Prohibition on Wireless Phone Use While Driving Bill Passed - House (50 - 28)
7/27 HR 4157 Better Health Information Systems Act of 2006 Bill Passed - House (270 - 148)
7/11 H Amdt 1179 Online Gambling Ban Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (114 - 297)
7/11 HR 4411 Internet Gambling Bill Bill Passed - House (317 - 93)
6/08 HR 5252 COPE Bill of 2006 Bill Passed - House (321 - 101)
3/07 S 2271 PATRIOT Act Reauthorization bill Bill Passed - House (280 - 138)
3/01 HB 568 Flat Tax on Communication Services Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11)
2/22 HB 1638 Funding for Wireless Communications and Cooperative Data Systems Bill Passed - House (80 - 42)
2/01 HB 1416 Notification of Public Funds Used in the Media Bill Passed - House (89 - 30)
1/26 HB 568 Flat Tax on Communication Services Bill Passed - House (62 - 35)

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