Notes
Slide Show
Outline
1
Introduction
2
Table of Contents (1)
  • Create Desktop Short Cut
  • Log On
  • Daily Digest, Senate Glossary and Senate Rules
  • Main
  • Votes / Rankings
    • Issues drop down list
    • Save to Excel
    • Range Option
    • Search Option
    • Search Option Print Version
    • Rankings
    • Reload Option
3
Table of Contents (2)
  • Consensus
  • Party Status
  • Senators (Description)
    • Senators (Find Senator by last name)
  • Voting Record (Access)
    • Voting Record (Description-top)
    • Voting Record (Description-bottom)
    • Voting Record (Select an Issue)
    • Voting Record (Search option)
  • Compare (Description)
    • Compare (Search option)
    • Compare (Print Version)
    • Compare (Save to Excel)
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Table of Contents (3)
  • Vote Summary
  • Glossary (Description)
    • Glossary (Definitions A-D)
    • Glossary (Definitions D-M)
    • Glossary (Definitions N-Q)
    • Glossary (Definitions R-S)
    • Glossary (Definitions T-Z)
  • Senate Glossary
  • Update Profile
  • Log Off
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Create Desktop Short Cut
  • Instructions:
  • Resize the browser window as shown.
  • Select the Login link.
  • Drag the SenateReports.com™ icon from the address bar to an empty space on the desktop.
  • That’s it, your done!
6
Log On
  • After completing member registration and creating a desktop short cut, please  “Login”.
    • Double click the SenateReports.com™  icon on your desktop.
    • Enter your User Name/Password and click the Login button to gain access to the main SenateReports.com™ database website.
  • After three (3) failed attempts member will be redirected to the Registration page.
    • Active Members can enter their valid email address in the “Forgot your password?” text box and your User Name and Password will be sent.
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Daily Digest Senate Glossary Senate Rules
  • Daily Digest external link:
  • Available on most pages within the
  • SenateReports.com™ main database web
  • site.
  • Opens the Library of Congress Daily
  • Digest on the United States Senate.
  • The Daily Digest gives a overview of
  • the Daily activities and schedule of the
  • United States Senate.


  • Senate Glossary external link
  • Opens the U.S. Senate: Reference
  • Home Glossary page on Official United
  • States Senate web site.


  • Senate Rules external link
  • Opens the Standing Rules of the
  • United States Senate web page.
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Main
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Votes / Rankings
  • The Votes / Rankings DataGrid by default is sorted by Vote Number descending order.
  • The Votes / Rankings DataGrid header columns are sort able with the exception of the Description column.
  • The Vote / Rankings DataGrid can be loaded with vote numbers by the Range, Search and Reload options.
  • Select the Excel button to save the DataGrid data as an Excel spreadsheet.
  • Select a Vote Number from the Vote / Rankings DataGrid to open the Vote Status DataGrid.
  • Select the Vote Number from the Vote Status DataGrid to transfer to the Vote Summary page.
  • Select the Search option, enter a search keywords separated by coma’s and click the Search button the Votes / Rankings DataGrid will fill with the search description results.
    • Example: Social, Security
  • Once the Search button is clicked the Rankings and Reset buttons are enabled.
  • Select The Rankings button will open the Rankings window (Internet Explorer 7 will minimize the window to OS status bar)
  • Select the Range option to fill the Votes / Rankings DataGrid with a range of vote numbers.
  • Select the Reload option to reload the Votes / Rankings DataGrid.
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Votes / Rankings (Select an Issue)
  • Select an Issue to search on from the Issues dropdown list.
  • The Votes/Rankings data grid fills with records containing the selected issue within the Description column.
  • The Rankings and Reset buttons become enabled once an issues is selected.
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Votes / Rankings (Save to Excel)
  • The Excel button will save the Data Grid as a Excel spreadsheet.
  • Selecting the Excel button:
  • Mozilla Firefox:
    • Accept the Open with option:
    • Save the Excel spreadsheet to a location on your hard drive.
  • Internet Explorer:
    • DO NOT click the Open button, this will open Excel in the browser window.
    • Select the Save button and save the Microsoft Excel spreadsheet to a location  on your hard drive
    • The File name will default to the page name, but you can enter in the File name text box whatever file name you choose.
    • Click Save again.
    • Download Complete command box will open.
    • Click Open to review the file in Excel.
    • Close or Save the Excel file.
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Votes / Rankings (Range option)
  • Selecting the Range option will enable the vote number drop down lists.
  • Before clicking the Range button.
    • The left side vote numbers drop down list should be selected with lower value vote number.
    • The right side vote number drop down list should be selected with higher value vote number.
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Votes / Rankings (Search option)
  • Selecting the Search option will display search text box.
  • The Search function searches thru the entire Description column on each vote number until it finds a match.
  • Type in any search description keyword such as TAX or tax the search function is not case sensitive then click the Search button.
  • Separate search keywords by a coma to perform a combine search.
    • Example: social, security
    • DO NOT use single or double quotes around the search item.
    • Select the Search button.
  • The Rankings and Reset buttons become enabled once the Search button is clicked.
  • Select the Rankings link button to open the Rankings window.
  • Senators are ranked by “Yea” votes on the search description keyword (s) entered.
  • Each time the Rankings link button is click will add to the ranking table.
  • Select the Reset button to reset the ranking table.
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Votes / Rankings  (Search Option Print Version)
  • Disable Paging before you select the Print Version link button.
  • Select the Print Version link button to display the printer friendly version of the Votes / Rankings page.
  • When the printer version page is displayed click the printer icon to print the page.
    • Set your browser’s print margins to 0 from Page Setup.
    • When the printer dialog box is displayed make sure to select Landscape orientation before clicking the Print button.
    • The Print Preview (example shown) will be the output to the printer.
  • Click the Live Version link button to return to the Votes / Rankings page.
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Votes / Rankings (Rankings)
  • Select the Rankings link button to open the Rankings window.
  • Senators are ranked by “Yea” and “Nay” votes on the search description keyword (s) entered.
  • Select the Print Version to see the Printer friendly version of the Ranking window.
  • Select a Save to Excel option “Yea” or “Nay”.
  • Select the Excel button to save the Ranking Data Grid data to an Excel spreadsheet format.
  • Select the Close link button to close the window.
  • Each time the Rankings link button is click will add to the ranking table.
  • Select the Reset button to reset the ranking table.
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Votes / Rankings (Reload option)
  • Selecting the Reload option will load the Votes/Rankings Data Grid to the it’s default values.


  • Default  Votes/Rankings Data Grid values are:
    • Total vote numbers in selected Congressional Session.
    • Vote numbers sorted by vote number descending order.
    • DataGrid paging enabled.


  • Votes/Rankings Data Grid Navigational buttons:
    • Next: Moves forward one page.
    • Back: Moves back one page.
    • First: Moves to page one.
    • Last: Moves to the last page.
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Vote Summary
  • Selecting the vote number from any Vote Status DataGrid will open the Vote Summary page.


  • Selecting a vote number from the Voting Record and Compare page DataGrids will also open the Vote Summary page.
    • The Progress Bar page will appear for about 15 seconds before the Vote Summary page opens.
  • The Vote Summary page displays:
    • United States Senate button.
      • Review the vote number on the official  United States Senate web site.
    • Help link button.
      • Opens this slide online  from the Vote Summary page.
    • Save to Excel options.
    • Print Version link button.
    • Vote Summary Data Grid
      • Selecting a Vote Number will close/open the  Vote Status Data Grid.
    • Yea Votes Data Grid
    • Nay Votes Data Grid
    • Not Voting Votes Data Grid


  • Selecting a Senator’s last name from any of the Votes Data Grids will bring up the Voting Record page for that Senator (secondary method).
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Consensus
  • The Senate Consensus page displays the
  • following information:


  • The number of voting days this session.
  • Total Yea votes.
  • The total count and percentage representation of the Senate’s Democratic and Republican majorities voting together this session.
  • The total count and percentage representation of Senate’s Democratic and Republican majorities voting Nay this session.
  • The total count the Senate vote was Tied.
  • The total times the Vice President of the United States of America has voted to break a tie in the Senate.
  • Hyperlinks to the tie break  and Vetoes pages of the United States Senate official web site.
  • The total Number of Presidential Vetoes and  Senate Overrides
  • Selecting the Tie Breaks link button will load the Consensus Data Grid with tie break data.
  • The Independent party Senators are counted with the Democratic Senators because they “Caucus” with the Democrat Party.
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Party Status
  • The Party Status page displays:


  • Senate and House Bills passed by a party’s majority without the other party’s majority of votes.
  • Average, maximum and minimum Party Percents for each party.
    • See Glossary for the definition of Party Percent.
  • Legislation and Successful counts and Successful Percent.
  • Senators Party Percent above 85% and below 75% grouped by party.
  • Select a Senator’s last name from the Party Percent DataGrids to open up the Voting Record page for that Senator (secondary method).
  • Help, Save to Excel, Print Version, Charts link buttons.


  • Charts link button:
  • Displays Bar charts on Party Percents and Successful Legislation, Legislation Counts and Senators Party Percent Counts. Select Congressional Session check boxes to review bar chart data.
  • Select the Print link button to print a chart or select the Close link button to close the chart window.
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Senators (Description)
  • All Data Grid header columns are sort able.
  • Refer to the Glossary page for definitions of the header columns.
  • The Senators Data Grid defaults to all 100 Senators order by state.
  • Select the Senator’s image to open the Senator’s web site.
  • If you know the last name of your Senator enter it in the Last Name text box and press the Enter key.
  • If you know the first letter of your Senator’s last name enter it in the Last Name text box and press the Enter key. All Senators with the last name beginning with that letter will fill the Senators Data Grid.
  • Go to next slide for a demonstration of both methods of finding a Senator.
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Senators (Find Senator by last name)
  • The example shows the honorable Senator
  • Barbara Boxer from the great state of California.


  • Select the Last Name option.
  • Enter the first letter of the last name of a Senator or enter the entire last name of a Senator into the Last Name text box and press the Enter key.
    • The Senators Data Grid is fill with Senators that start with the letter entered.
  • Select a Senator from the Senators Data Grid.
  • Select the Senator’s image to open the Senator’s web site.
  • Select the Senator’s last name from the Senator DataGrid to open the Senator’s Voting Record page.
  • Select another option to fill the Senators Data Grid.
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Voting Record (Access)
  • Primary Method:
    • Select Senator’s last name from the Senators DataGrid on the Senators page.
  • Secondary Methods
    • Selecting a Senator’s last name from any of the Party Percent DataGrids from the Party Status page.
    • Selecting a Senator’s last name from any of the Votes DataGrids on the Vote Summary page.
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Voting Record (Description-top)
  • Example shows the honorable Senator Barrack Obama from
  • the great state of Illinois.
  • The Voting Record page displays:
  • Select an Issue dropdown list:
    • Select an issue to load the Voting Record data grid with only data containing the issue selected.
  • Senators DataList:
    • Selecting a Senator will enable the Search option, Search button and display the Search text box.
    • Select the Search button to search the Senator’s last name thru entire Description field. This will compare the current Senator’s voting record against the selected Senator’s legislation.
  • Senator’s Image:
    • Select Senator’s image to go to the Senator’s web site.
  • Select the Political Party icon to go to the Senator’s political party’s web site.


  • Compare link button:
    • If a Senator is selected from the Senators Data List, clicking the Compare link button will open the Compare page.
    • The Compare page compares the Senators entire Congressional Session alike or not alike voting records.
  • Source button:
    • Opens the Senator’s Biographical Directory of the United States Congress web page.
  • Party Status Data Grid:
    • Summary of Senator’s Party Status data.

  • Legislation Data Grid:
    • Displays Senate voting results and other data on the Senator’s legislation that made it to the floor of the Senate.
  • Voting Record Data Grid check box:
    • Select to view the Voting Record Data Grid only.
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Voting Record (Description-bottom)
  • Voting Record DataGrid:
    • Displays the voting record for a Senator selected from the Senators (primary method) page, Party Status  or Voting Summary pages (secondary methods).
  • Voting Record DataGrid check box:
    • Select to make the Voting Record DataGrid visible only.
  • Range option:
    • Selecting the Range option will enable the vote number drop down lists.
    • The left side vote numbers drop down list should be selected with lower value vote number and the right side vote number drop down list should be selected with higher value vote number before clicking the Range button.
  • Search option:
    • Selecting the Search option will display the search text box.
    • The Search function searches thru the entire Description column for each vote number.
    • Type in any search description keyword(s) such as national, security or tax the search function is not case sensitive then click the Search button.
    • Separate search keywords by a coma to perform a combine search.
      • Example: social, security
      • DO NOT use single or double quotes around the search item.
      • The Rankings and Reset buttons become enabled once the Search button is clicked.
  • Reload option:
    • Loads Voting Record DataGrid with Senator’s voting data.
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Voting Record (Select an Issue)
  • Select an Issue Dropdown List:
  • Select an Issue from the dropdown list to load the Voting Record DataGrid with data matching the selected issue.
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Voting Record (Search option)

  • Search option:


  • Search the entire Description column on keywords such as Internal, Revenue.
  • Select a Senator from the Senators DataList to search.
    • The Search text box is fill with the selected Senator’s last name.
  • Selecting the Search button will load the Voting Record DataGrid with Senator’s 2 Congressional Session legislation.
  • Review how Senator 1 (Obama) voted on Senator’s 2 (McCain) Congressional Session legislation.
  • Select Senator’s 1 image to open Senator’s 1 web site.
  • Select Senator’s 2 (McCain) image to load the Voting Record page and Voting Record DataGrid with Senator’s 2 voting data. Senator 2 now becomes Senator 1 on the Voting Record page.
  • Compare link button:
    • Transfers to the Compare page to compare Senator 1 with Senator 2 Alike or Not Alike voting data.
      • Only when Senator 1 and Senator 2 are displayed!
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Compare (Description)
  • The honorable Senator Barrack Obama
  • (Senator 1) from the great state of Illinois
  • and the honorable Senator John McCain
  • (Senator 2) from the great state of
  • Arizona.


  • Select an Alike/NotAlike option:
    • The Compare DataGrid will load with Alike/NotAlike data
    • When the Progress bar stops data has been loaded into the Compare Data Grid.
      • Example shows Compare page bottom view.
      • Data Grid paging buttons.
  • Compare DataGrid check box:
    • Toggles (Visible) Senator 1 and Senator 2 images, Party Percent DataGrids and Years of Service data.
      • Example shows Compare page top view
    • Compare DataGrid is mostly visible.
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Compare (Search option)
  • Search option:


  • Selecting the Search option will display the search description text box.
  • The Search function searches thru the entire Description column on each vote number to find a match on the keyword entered.
  • Type in any search description keyword such as hurricane (search function is not case sensitive) then click the Search button.
  • Separate search keywords by a coma to perform a combine search.
  • Example: national, security
    • DO NOT use single or double quotes around the search keyword.
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Compare (Print Version)
  • Select the Disable Paging (toggle) link button.
    • Enable Paging should be display.
  • Select the Print Version link button.
  • Select the Print button.
    • Set your browsers print margins to 0 from Page Setup.
    • Internet Explorer users must also set the print orientation to landscape.
    • Mozilla Firefox default print orientation is set to landscape.
    • The Print Preview is an example of the out put to the printer.
  • Select the Live Version link button to return to Live Version mode of the Compare page.
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Compare (Save to Excel)
  • Select the Save to Excel button.
  • Internet Explorer users.
    • DO NOT select the Open button from the File Download window.
    • Select the Save Button.
    • Enter the File name of your choice from the Save As window and save it to a location on your hard drive.
    • Select the Open button from the Download complete window.
    • Review the Excel file and then close the file.
  • Mozilla Firefox users.
    • Accept the default values.
      • Landscape is the default print orientation.
    • Click the Ok button.
    • Review and save the Excel file to a location on your hard drive.
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Glossary (Description)
  • The Glossary link is on every page within
  • Senate Reports with the exception of the
  • Registration, Update Profile and print
  • version pages.
  • Select the Glossary link.
  • The Glossary window displays Glossary Items.
  • Select a Glossary Item.
    • Example uses VoteNumber
    • The description for VoteNumber is displayed above the Glossary Data Grid.
  • Select the Print link button.
    • Mozilla Firefox users set the print orientation to Portrait.
    • Internet Explorer default print orientation is Portrait.
    • Select the Print button from the Print window.
    • The Print Preview is a example of the output to the printer.
  • Close the Glossary window.
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Glossary (Definitions A-D)
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Glossary (Definitions D - M)
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Glossary (Definitions N-Q)
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Glossary (Definitions R-S)
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Glossary (Definitions T-Z)
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Senate Glossary
  • Select the Senate Glossary link will
  • bring up the U.S. Senate: Reference
  • Home > Glossary page on the official
  • United States Senate  web site.
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Update Profile
  • Update member profile information


  • The Update Profile page displays.
    • Member profile data (editable for update).
      • User name and password are encrypted and stored case sensitive for added security.
    • Order History (not editable for update) and total paid memberships.
  • Edit member information
    • A new password should be entered on every update for security reasons
    • Click the Update button
    • Member profile has been updated.
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Log Off
  • The Log Off link is available in every
  • page with the exception of the
  • Registration, Update Profile and print
  • version pages.


  • Members should always Log Off and not just close the browser.
    • Closing the browser without logging off will result in a 30 minute time out until member can log in again (security feature).
    • MAKE SURE TO ALWAYS LOG OFF!
  • Select the Log Off link to Log Off and end “Member Session”.
    • See Glossary Definitions (F-M) Member Session
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