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© National Journal Group Inc.
Friday, March 2, 2007

Here are the 82 Senate votes on which National Journal's 2006 vote ratings are based. (Two of the original Senate votes were struck from the analysis because they were statistically unrelated to others in the same issue area.)

The Congressional Record roll-call number is followed by the bill number, a description of the vote, the date, the outcome, the prevailing side -- conservative (C) or liberal (L) -- and the weight given to each (from 1 for the lowest weight to 3 for the highest) based on how closely the vote fits the overall pattern.

The highlighted vote numbers below link to the complete roll call results for the vote in question on the Senate Web site.

Economic Issues (34 votes)

3/HR4297: Waive a procedural objection to consideration of a Democratic proposal to provide additional budget offsets for proposed tax cuts. February 2. (44-52; 60 votes required to waive the Budget Act) C-3

4/HR4297: Express the sense of the Senate supporting the progress made in implementing the Medicare prescription drug benefit. February 2. (42-54) L-3

9/HR4297: Express the sense of the Senate that limiting the impact of the alternative minimum tax is a higher priority than extending tax cuts on dividends and capital gains. February 2. (73-24) L-2

10/HR4297: Approve the fiscal 2006 tax reconciliation bill extending various tax cuts that are scheduled to expire by 2010. February 2. (66-31) C-2

13/S852: Table a proposal to strike a proposed $140 billion trust fund to compensate asbestos victims. February 9. (70-27) L-2

17/HR4297: Instruct Senate conferees on the fiscal 2006 tax reconciliation bill to reject a House provision extending tax cuts on dividends and capital gains. February 14. (47-53) C-3

21/S852: Waive a procedural objection to consideration of a proposed $140 billion trust fund to compensate asbestos victims. February 14. (58-41; 60 votes required to waive the Budget Act. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., voted no so that he could subsequently move to reconsider the vote.) C-1

30/S2320: Waive a procedural objection to providing $1 billion in additional funds for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program. March 2. (66-31; 60 votes required to waive the Budget Act) L-2

35/S2349: Approve a Democratic substitute to the lobbying and ethics reform bill. March 8. (44-55) C-3

36/S2349: Limit debate on the lobbying and ethics reform bill. March 9. (51-47; 66 votes required to invoke cloture in this case because the bill would amend Senate rules. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., voted no so that he could subsequently move to reconsider the vote.) L-3

38/SConRes83: Restore "pay-as-you-go" rules requiring budgetary offsets for entitlement or tax legislation that would increase the federal deficit. March 14. (50-50) C-3

39/SConRes83: Increase funding for education programs by $6.3 billion. March 14. (50-50) C-3

42/SConRes83: Increase funding for energy programs and Low-Income Home Energy Assistance by $4 billion. March 14. (46-54) C-3

44/SConRes83: Increase funding for the community development block grants by $1.3 billion. March 15. (60-38) C-2

50/SConRes83: Fund legislation to authorize the Health and Human Services secretary to negotiate lower Medicare prescription drug prices. March 15. (54-44) L-3

54/HJRes47: Increase the federal debt limit by $781 billion to $8.97 trillion. March 16. (52-48) C-3

58/SConRes83: Increase funding for health, education, job training, and low-income programs by $7 billion. March 16. (73-27) L-2

59/SConRes83: Increase funding for homeland-security programs by $8 billion. March 16. (43-53) C-3

62/SConRes83: Instruct Senate committees to report reconciliation legislation that cuts spending programs by $13 billion over five years. March 16. (43-57) L-3

65/SConRes83: Require 67 votes for the Senate to approve any nondefense discretionary spending that exceeds the previous year's spending level. March 16. (35-62) L-2

72/SConRes83: Create a fund for revenues from oil-drilling leases in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. March 16. (51-49) C-3

74/SConRes83: Approve the fiscal 2007 budget resolution. March 16. (51-49) C-3

95/HR4939: Add $1.9 billion for increased border security. April 26. (44-54) C-3

116/S23: Limit debate on a proposal to cap damages in medical-liability lawsuits against obstetricians and gynecologists. May 8. (49-44; 60 votes required to invoke cloture) L-3

118/HR4297: Approve the conference report on the fiscal 2006 tax reconciliation bill extending various tax cuts that are scheduled to expire by 2010. May 11. (54-44) C-3

119/S1955: Limit debate on a proposal to permit small businesses to pool their employees for group health insurance coverage. May 11. (55-43; 60 votes required to invoke cloture) L-3

164/HR8: Limit debate on a proposal to permanently repeal the estate tax. June 8. (57-41; 60 votes required to invoke cloture) L-3

179/S2766: Increase the minimum wage to $7.25 per hour in two years. June 21. (52-46; 60 votes required because of a unanimous consent agreement) C-3

191/HR5441: Bar funds to prevent individuals from importing prescription drugs from Canada. July 11. (68-32) L-2

194/HR5441: Waive a procedural objection to a proposal to add $1.1 billion for security grants for rail and transit. July 12. (50-50; 60 votes required to waive the Budget Act) C-3

195/HR5441: Waive a procedural objection to a proposal to add $790 million for first-responder grants. July 12. (47-53; 60 votes required to waive the budget resolution) C-3

219/S3711: Authorize oil and gas drilling in parts of the Gulf of Mexico. August 1. (71-25) C-2

229/HR5970: Limit debate on the "trifecta" bill to provide estate-tax relief, extend expiring tax breaks, and increase the minimum wage to $7.25 per hour. August 3. (56-42; 60 votes required to invoke cloture. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., voted no so that he could subsequently move to reconsider the vote.) L-3

246/HR4954: Require the Homeland Security secretary to prepare a plan in 180 days to scan all cargo containers serving U.S. ports. September 13. (43-55) C-3

Social Issues (31 votes)

1/-: Limit debate on the nomination of Samuel Alito to serve as an associate justice on the Supreme Court. January 30. (72-25; 60 votes required to invoke cloture) C-3

2/-: Confirm Samuel Alito as an associate justice on the Supreme Court. January 31. (58-42) C-3

23/S2271: Limit debate on three provisions to restrict seizure of records under the USA PATRIOT Act. February 28. (69-30; 60 votes required to invoke cloture) C-2

28/HR3199: Limit debate on the conference report on legislation reauthorizing the PATRIOT Act. March 1. (84-15; 60 votes required to invoke cloture) C-1

29/HR3199: Approve the conference report on legislation reauthorizing the PATRIOT Act. March 2. (89-10) C-1

88/S2454: Limit debate on a substitute amendment to the immigration bill that would provide a comprehensive overhaul of U.S. policy, including options for legal residency. April 6. (39-60; 60 votes required to invoke cloture) C-3

121/S2611: Require secure borders before implementation of other policy changes in immigration reform legislation. May 16. (40-55) L-2

127/S2611: Strike provisions that permit illegal immigrants to obtain legal residence and citizenship. May 17. (33-66) L-2

128/S2611: Require guest workers to have been employed for at least four years before they seek immigrant visas. May 17. (50-48) C-3

129/S2611: Permit guest workers to seek permanent residency status without a requirement of employer certification. May 18. (56-43) L-3

131/S2611: Establish English as the national language and require immigrants to pass proficiency tests. May 18. (62-35) C-3

132/S2611: State that English is the "common and unifying" language of the United States. May 18. (58-39) L-3

135/S2611: Table a proposal to strike provisions that would allow guest workers to apply for legal resident status. May 18. (58-35) L-2

138/S2611: Permit all illegal immigrants in the United States to apply for permanent resident status after six years of work. May 23. (37-61) C-3

141/S2611: Table a proposal to expand enforcement of employment laws to cover undocumented workers. May 23. (57-40) C-3

143/S2611: Table a proposal to require all voters to present federally mandated photo identification at the polls. May 24. (48-49) C-3

151/S2611: Permit government agencies to share data from immigration applications. May 25. (49-49) L-3

154/S2611: Prohibit illegal immigrants who have gained legal status under immigration legislation from receiving the Earned Income Tax Credit until they become citizens. May 25. (37-60) L-2

157/S2611: Approve comprehensive immigration reform legislation providing a path to citizenship for most illegal immigrants but requiring those living in the United States for less than two years to return to their native country. May 25. (62-36) L-2

158/-: Limit debate on the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to serve on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. May 25. (67-30; 60 votes required to invoke cloture) C-3

159/-: Confirm Brett Kavanaugh to serve on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. May 26. (57-36) C-3

163/SJRes1: Limit debate on a constitutional amendment to define marriage as the union of a man and a woman. June 7. (49-48; 60 votes required to invoke cloture) L-3

189/SJRes12: Amend the Constitution to prohibit desecration of the U.S. flag. June 27. (66-34; 67 votes required in this case to pass a constitutional amendment) L-2

200/HR5441: Increase fencing along the U.S.-Mexico border. July 13. (29-71) L-2

206/HR810: Permit federal funds for embryonic-stem-cell research. July 18. (63-37) L-2

213/-: Confirm Jerome Holmes to serve on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit. July 25. (67-30) C-3

214/S403: Create federal grants to support sex education programs. July 25. (48-51) C-3

216/S403: Make it a federal crime to take a minor across state lines to obtain an abortion without parental notification or consent. July 25. (65-34) C-3

251/-: Confirm Alice Fisher as assistant attorney general for the Justice Department's Criminal Division. September 19. (61-35) C-3

260/HR6061: Limit debate on a proposal to authorize 700 miles of fencing along the U.S.-Mexico border. September 28. (71-28; 60 votes required to invoke cloture) C-2

263/S403: Limit debate on a motion to concur in the House amendment on a bill making it a federal crime to take a minor across state lines to obtain an abortion without parental notification or consent. September 29. (57-42; 60 votes required to invoke cloture) L-3

Foreign Policy Issues (17 votes)

91/-: Confirm Dorrance Smith as an assistant Defense secretary. April 7. (59-34) C-3

160/-: Confirm Michael Hayden as director of the Central Intelligence Agency. May 26. (78-15) C-1

172/S2766: Impose sanctions against foreign governments and companies that invest in Iran's energy sector. June 15. (46-53) L-2

177/S2766: Commend Iraq for opposing granting amnesty to terrorists who attack U.S. forces. June 20. (64-34) C-2

178/S2766: Express the sense of Congress that Iraq should not grant amnesty to persons known to have attacked U.S. forces. June 20. (79-19) L-1

181/S2766: Require the president to withdraw all U.S. troops from Iraq by July 2007. June 22. (13-86) C-1

182/S2766: Express the sense of Congress that the president should start to withdraw U.S. troops from Iraq in 2006. June 22. (39-60) C-3

190/S3569: Approve a free-trade agreement with Oman. June 29. (60-34) C-2

227/HR5631: Add $77 million for research and development to modify the Trident ballistic missile. August 3. (31-67) L-2

232/HR5631: Set conditions for the use or sale of cluster bombs. September 6. (30-70) C-3

233/HR5631: Table a proposal to require the secretaries of Defense and State to advise Congress on whether there is civil war in Iraq and on a strategy to protect U.S. troops. September 6. (54-44) C-3

237/HR5631: Table a proposal to add $700 million to limit opium and heroin production that could be used to support terrorist activities. September 7. (45-51) L-3

254/S3930: Approve a Democratic-backed substitute to a proposal establishing military tribunals to try detainees. September 27. (43-54) C-3

255/S3930: Remove provisions that limit habeas corpus rights for military detainees. September 28. (48-51) C-3

259/S3930: Approve legislation creating military tribunals to try detainees described as unlawful enemy combatants. September 28. (65-34) C-3

265/S3709: Require India to stop producing fissile material for nuclear weapons. November 16. (26-73) C-2

270/HR5682: Approve the U.S.-India agreement on nuclear energy. November 16. (85-12) C-1