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 |
---|---|---|---|---|
March 28, 2007 | NH | HB 774 | Medical Marijuana | "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - House (186 - 177) |
April 4, 2007 | VA | Sub HB 2348 | Extension of "Triggerman Rule" | Veto Override Passed - House (79 - 21) |
April 4, 2007 | VA | Sub HB 2750 | Capital Murder of a Judge | Veto Override Passed - Senate (28 - 10) |
Dec. 20, 1995 | National | HR 1058 | Legal Reform bill | Veto Override Passed - House (319 - 100) |
April 4, 2007 | VA | Sub HB 2750 | Capital Murder of a Judge | Veto Override Passed - House (82 - 18) |
April 4, 2007 | VA | HB 2347 | Capital Murder of a Witness | Veto Override Passed - House (83 - 16) |
April 4, 2007 | VA | HB 2347 | Capital Murder of a Witness | Veto Override Passed - Senate (29 - 10) |
May 21, 2008 | SC | H 3816 | Bankruptcy Exemptions | Veto Override Passed - House (78 - 26) |
Dec. 22, 1995 | National | HR 1058 | Legal Reform bill | Veto Override Passed - Senate (68 - 30) |
July 23, 1998 | National | HR 1122 | Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion bill | Veto Override Passed - House (296 - 132) |
June 8, 2005 | National | PN 201 | Janice R Brown, Circuit Judge for the District of Columbia | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (56 - 43) |
Jan. 31, 2006 | National | PN 1059 | Samuel Alito, Associate Justice | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (58 - 42) |
June 14, 2005 | National | PN 202 | Thomas B. Griffith, Circuit Judge for the District of Columbia | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (73 - 24) |
July 29, 1994 | National | PN 1399 | Stephen G. Breyer, Associate Justice | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (87 - 9) |
Aug. 6, 2009 | National | PN 506 | Sonia Sotomayor, Associate Justice | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (68 - 31) |
Feb. 3, 2005 | National | PN 12 | Alberto R. Gonzales, Attorney General | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (60 - 36) |
Sept. 29, 2005 | National | PN 801 | Judge John G. Roberts, Jr., Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court | (78 - 22) |
Aug. 3, 1993 | National | PN 422 | Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Associate Justice | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (96 - 3) |
June 9, 2005 | National | PN 200 | William H. Pryor, Jr., Circuit Judge for the District of Columbia | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (53 - 45) |
Nov. 8, 2007 | National | PN 958 | Michael B. Mukasey, Attorney General | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (53 - 40) |
May 25, 2005 | National | PN 194 | Priscilla R. Owen, Fifth Circuit Judge | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (55 - 43) |
May 25, 2006 | SC | Amdt 3 to S 1084 | Inclusion of Unborn Child/Fetus in Definition for Civil Suits Amendment | Amendment Tabled - House (65 - 31) |
May 24, 2005 | National | PN 194 | Priscilla R. Owen, Fifth Circuit Judge | Cloture Invoked - Senate (81 - 18) |
April 16, 2008 | NH | HR 24 | Impeachment Petition | Resolution Tabled - House (227 - 95) |
June 15, 2007 | RI | Article 22 of H5300A | Classifying Seventeen Year-Olds as Adults in Criminal Cases | Amendment Adopted - House (48 - 19) |
Nov. 15, 2005 | National | S Amdt 2524 | Guantanamo Bay Detainees Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (84 - 14) |
May 1, 2009 | FL | HB 903 | Capping Attorney Fees in Workers' Compensation Lawsuits | Motion Agreed - Senate (22 - 16) |
April 27, 2006 | CT | LCO # 4811 | Chief Justice Powers Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (23 - 13) |
Oct. 6, 2009 | National | S Amdt 2588 | Prohibiting Federal Funding of Mandatory Arbitration Contracts | Amendment Adopted - Senate (68 - 30) |
Feb. 10, 1994 | National | H Amdt 436 | Bryant Amendment to Independent Counsel Reauthorization Act of 1993 | Amendment Adopted - House (230 - 188) |
Dec. 7, 2001 | National | S Amdt 2336 | International Courts Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (78 - 21) |
March 31, 1998 | National | S Amdt 2168 | Tobacco Immunity Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (79 - 19) |
July 6, 2009 | NC | SB 870 | Making General Statutes Gender Neutral | Motion Agreed - House (79 - 33) |
March 27, 2008 | MN | Seifert Amendment: Breaches of Insurance Policy | Amendment Adopted - House (80 - 52) | |
March 18, 2008 | MN | Scheid Amnd. | Insurance Payouts Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (37 - 30) |
March 26, 2008 | KS | Brownlee Amnd. | Prohibits Union from collecting dues from Undocumented Workers | Amendment Adopted - Senate (19 - 18) |
March 19, 2008 | GA | Fleming AM 29 0700 | Amending Capital Punishment Sentencing Procedures | Amendment Adopted - House (100 - 66) |
Feb. 26, 2008 | IN | Amnd. 2 | Permitting Lawsuits for Injuries Caused by Hazardous Substances | Amendment Adopted - House (52 - 45) |
March 15, 2006 | OH | Amdt. HB 9 | Concealed Weapons Permit Disclosure Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (51 - 43) |
Nov. 10, 2005 | National | S Amdt 2516 | Detainees at Guantanamo Bay Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (49 - 42) |
July 15, 1999 | National | S Amdt 1250 | Patient Lawsuit Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (53 - 47) |
April 15, 2008 | KY | HB 683 | DNA Collection, Parole Board, and Felony Review | Conference Report Adopted - House (51 - 42) |
April 15, 2008 | KY | HB 683 | DNA Collection, Parole Board, and Felony Review | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (37 - 1) |
April 29, 2009 | IN | HB 1491 | St. Joseph Superior Court Judges | Conference Report Adopted - House (68 - 22) |
Oct. 13, 1998 | National | S 1260 | Securities Litigation | Conference Report Adopted - House (319 - 82) |
Oct. 30, 2007 | MI | SB 233 | 2007-2008 State Judiciary Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (102 - 7) |
March 29, 1996 | National | HR 956 | Product Liability bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (259 - 158) |
May 3, 2006 | CO | HB 1090 | Sexual Abuse Prosecution Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (18 - 17) |
April 14, 2008 | MN | SF 2822 | "Good Faith" Requirement for Insurance Companies | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (47 - 15) |
May 24, 2006 | NH | HB 656 | "Do Not Resuscitate" Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (168 - 165) |
July 25, 2006 | NC | HB 1323 | Establishment of NC Innocence Inquiry Commission | Conference Report Adopted - House (86 - 28) |
March 21, 1996 | National | HR 956 | Product Liability bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (59 - 40) |
May 26, 2006 | OK | SB 1807 | Prohibiting Death Sentence For Mentally Retarded Defendant | Conference Report Adopted - House (91 - 5) |
Dec. 21, 2005 | National | HR 2863 | Defense Department FY2006 Appropriations Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (93 - 0) |
May 24, 2006 | OK | SB 1807 | Prohibiting Death Sentence For Mentally Retarded Defendant | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 10) |
May 1, 2008 | HI | SB 2423 | Turtle Bay Acquisition | Conference Report Adopted - House (37 - 10) |
May 1, 2006 | KS | HB 2554 | DNA Sampling in Felony Cases | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (29 - 11) |
May 5, 2008 | KS | HB 2860 | Eminent Domain and Water Rights | Conference Report Adopted - House (64 - 57) |
Dec. 6, 1995 | National | HR 1058 | Legal Reform bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (320 - 102) |
April 29, 2009 | IN | HB 1491 | St. Joseph Superior Court Judges | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 18) |
Dec. 19, 2005 | National | HR 2863 | Defense Department FY2006 Appropriations Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (308 - 106) |
Dec. 5, 1995 | National | HR 1058 | Legal Reform bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (65 - 30) |
May 1, 2008 | HI | SB 2423 | Turtle Bay Acquisition | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (14 - 11) |
April 14, 2008 | MN | SF 2822 | "Good Faith" Requirement for Insurance Companies | Conference Report Adopted - House (93 - 39) |
June 21, 2008 | LA | HB 906 | Anonymity of Ethics Board Complaints | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (79 - 21) |
Jan. 27, 2006 | WA | Sub HB 2661 | Expanding the Jurisdiction of the Human Rights Commission | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (61 - 37) |
July 21, 2010 | National | HR 725 | Tribal Law Enforcement Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (326 - 92) |
Oct. 8, 1997 | National | HR 1122 | Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion bill | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (296 - 132) |
April 19, 2007 | OK | SB 507 | Comprehensive tort reform-Provide | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 23) |
June 2, 2007 | CT | Sub SB 167 | Restricting Eminent Domain | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (132 - 7) |
March 8, 2007 | MS | SB 2391 | Abortion Law Reform | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (49 - 2) |
April 28, 2006 | ME | HCA C to LD 1717 | Sentencing Requirements for Certain Sex Offenses | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 3) |
June 14, 2006 | LA | HB 1379 | Procedures for the Granting of a Divorce When There are Minor Children | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (67 - 20) |
March 29, 2006 | OH | Am Sub SB 17 | Child Abuse Reporting Requirements and Statute of Limitations Regarding Religious Figures | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (18 - 13) |
March 6, 2008 | WY | HB 137 | Deadly Force in Self Defense | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (57 - 2) |
Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|
3/28 | HB 774 | Medical Marijuana | "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - House (186 - 177) |
4/04 | Sub HB 2348 | Extension of "Triggerman Rule" | Veto Override Passed - House (79 - 21) |
4/04 | Sub HB 2750 | Capital Murder of a Judge | Veto Override Passed - Senate (28 - 10) |
12/20 | HR 1058 | Legal Reform bill | Veto Override Passed - House (319 - 100) |
4/04 | Sub HB 2750 | Capital Murder of a Judge | Veto Override Passed - House (82 - 18) |
4/04 | HB 2347 | Capital Murder of a Witness | Veto Override Passed - House (83 - 16) |
4/04 | HB 2347 | Capital Murder of a Witness | Veto Override Passed - Senate (29 - 10) |
5/21 | H 3816 | Bankruptcy Exemptions | Veto Override Passed - House (78 - 26) |
12/22 | HR 1058 | Legal Reform bill | Veto Override Passed - Senate (68 - 30) |
7/23 | HR 1122 | Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion bill | Veto Override Passed - House (296 - 132) |
6/08 | PN 201 | Janice R Brown, Circuit Judge for the District of Columbia | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (56 - 43) |
1/31 | PN 1059 | Samuel Alito, Associate Justice | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (58 - 42) |
6/14 | PN 202 | Thomas B. Griffith, Circuit Judge for the District of Columbia | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (73 - 24) |
7/29 | PN 1399 | Stephen G. Breyer, Associate Justice | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (87 - 9) |
8/06 | PN 506 | Sonia Sotomayor, Associate Justice | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (68 - 31) |
2/03 | PN 12 | Alberto R. Gonzales, Attorney General | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (60 - 36) |
9/29 | PN 801 | Judge John G. Roberts, Jr., Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court | (78 - 22) |
8/03 | PN 422 | Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Associate Justice | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (96 - 3) |
6/09 | PN 200 | William H. Pryor, Jr., Circuit Judge for the District of Columbia | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (53 - 45) |
11/08 | PN 958 | Michael B. Mukasey, Attorney General | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (53 - 40) |
5/25 | PN 194 | Priscilla R. Owen, Fifth Circuit Judge | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (55 - 43) |
5/25 | Amdt 3 to S 1084 | Inclusion of Unborn Child/Fetus in Definition for Civil Suits Amendment | Amendment Tabled - House (65 - 31) |
5/24 | PN 194 | Priscilla R. Owen, Fifth Circuit Judge | Cloture Invoked - Senate (81 - 18) |
4/16 | HR 24 | Impeachment Petition | Resolution Tabled - House (227 - 95) |
6/15 | Article 22 of H5300A | Classifying Seventeen Year-Olds as Adults in Criminal Cases | Amendment Adopted - House (48 - 19) |
11/15 | S Amdt 2524 | Guantanamo Bay Detainees Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (84 - 14) |
5/01 | HB 903 | Capping Attorney Fees in Workers' Compensation Lawsuits | Motion Agreed - Senate (22 - 16) |
4/27 | LCO # 4811 | Chief Justice Powers Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (23 - 13) |
10/06 | S Amdt 2588 | Prohibiting Federal Funding of Mandatory Arbitration Contracts | Amendment Adopted - Senate (68 - 30) |
2/10 | H Amdt 436 | Bryant Amendment to Independent Counsel Reauthorization Act of 1993 | Amendment Adopted - House (230 - 188) |
12/07 | S Amdt 2336 | International Courts Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (78 - 21) |
3/31 | S Amdt 2168 | Tobacco Immunity Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (79 - 19) |
7/06 | SB 870 | Making General Statutes Gender Neutral | Motion Agreed - House (79 - 33) |
3/27 | Seifert Amendment: Breaches of Insurance Policy | Amendment Adopted - House (80 - 52) | |
3/18 | Scheid Amnd. | Insurance Payouts Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (37 - 30) |
3/26 | Brownlee Amnd. | Prohibits Union from collecting dues from Undocumented Workers | Amendment Adopted - Senate (19 - 18) |
3/19 | Fleming AM 29 0700 | Amending Capital Punishment Sentencing Procedures | Amendment Adopted - House (100 - 66) |
2/26 | Amnd. 2 | Permitting Lawsuits for Injuries Caused by Hazardous Substances | Amendment Adopted - House (52 - 45) |
3/15 | Amdt. HB 9 | Concealed Weapons Permit Disclosure Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (51 - 43) |
11/10 | S Amdt 2516 | Detainees at Guantanamo Bay Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (49 - 42) |
7/15 | S Amdt 1250 | Patient Lawsuit Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (53 - 47) |
4/15 | HB 683 | DNA Collection, Parole Board, and Felony Review | Conference Report Adopted - House (51 - 42) |
4/15 | HB 683 | DNA Collection, Parole Board, and Felony Review | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (37 - 1) |
4/29 | HB 1491 | St. Joseph Superior Court Judges | Conference Report Adopted - House (68 - 22) |
10/13 | S 1260 | Securities Litigation | Conference Report Adopted - House (319 - 82) |
10/30 | SB 233 | 2007-2008 State Judiciary Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (102 - 7) |
3/29 | HR 956 | Product Liability bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (259 - 158) |
5/03 | HB 1090 | Sexual Abuse Prosecution Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (18 - 17) |
4/14 | SF 2822 | "Good Faith" Requirement for Insurance Companies | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (47 - 15) |
5/24 | HB 656 | "Do Not Resuscitate" Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (168 - 165) |
7/25 | HB 1323 | Establishment of NC Innocence Inquiry Commission | Conference Report Adopted - House (86 - 28) |
3/21 | HR 956 | Product Liability bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (59 - 40) |
5/26 | SB 1807 | Prohibiting Death Sentence For Mentally Retarded Defendant | Conference Report Adopted - House (91 - 5) |
12/21 | HR 2863 | Defense Department FY2006 Appropriations Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (93 - 0) |
5/24 | SB 1807 | Prohibiting Death Sentence For Mentally Retarded Defendant | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 10) |
5/01 | SB 2423 | Turtle Bay Acquisition | Conference Report Adopted - House (37 - 10) |
5/01 | HB 2554 | DNA Sampling in Felony Cases | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (29 - 11) |
5/05 | HB 2860 | Eminent Domain and Water Rights | Conference Report Adopted - House (64 - 57) |
12/06 | HR 1058 | Legal Reform bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (320 - 102) |
4/29 | HB 1491 | St. Joseph Superior Court Judges | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 18) |
12/19 | HR 2863 | Defense Department FY2006 Appropriations Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (308 - 106) |
12/05 | HR 1058 | Legal Reform bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (65 - 30) |
5/01 | SB 2423 | Turtle Bay Acquisition | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (14 - 11) |
4/14 | SF 2822 | "Good Faith" Requirement for Insurance Companies | Conference Report Adopted - House (93 - 39) |
6/21 | HB 906 | Anonymity of Ethics Board Complaints | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (79 - 21) |
1/27 | Sub HB 2661 | Expanding the Jurisdiction of the Human Rights Commission | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (61 - 37) |
7/21 | HR 725 | Tribal Law Enforcement Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (326 - 92) |
10/08 | HR 1122 | Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion bill | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (296 - 132) |
4/19 | SB 507 | Comprehensive tort reform-Provide | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 23) |
6/02 | Sub SB 167 | Restricting Eminent Domain | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (132 - 7) |
3/08 | SB 2391 | Abortion Law Reform | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (49 - 2) |
4/28 | HCA C to LD 1717 | Sentencing Requirements for Certain Sex Offenses | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 3) |
6/14 | HB 1379 | Procedures for the Granting of a Divorce When There are Minor Children | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (67 - 20) |
3/29 | Am Sub SB 17 | Child Abuse Reporting Requirements and Statute of Limitations Regarding Religious Figures | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (18 - 13) |
3/06 | HB 137 | Deadly Force in Self Defense | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (57 - 2) |