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 |
---|---|---|---|---|
June 9, 2005 | National | H J Res 27 | Withdrawing Approval from the WTO Agreement | Joint Resolution Failed - House (86 - 338) |
Oct. 11, 2004 | National | HR 4520 | JOBS (Jumpstart Our Business Strength) | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (69 - 17) |
Oct. 7, 2004 | National | HR 4520 | JOBS (Jumpstart Our Business Strength) | Conference Report Adopted - House (280 - 141) |
May 11, 2004 | National | S 1637 | Jumpstart Our Business Strength (JOBS) Act | Bill Passed - Senate (92 - 5) |
July 31, 2003 | National | HR 2739 | U.S.-Singapore Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act | Bill Passed - Senate (66 - 32) |
July 31, 2003 | National | HR 2738 | U.S.-Chile Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act | Bill Passed - Senate (65 - 32) |
July 24, 2003 | National | HR 2739 | U.S.-Singapore Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act | Bill Passed - House (272 - 155) |
July 24, 2003 | National | HR 2738 | U.S.-Chile Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act | Bill Passed - House (270 - 156) |
Aug. 1, 2002 | National | HR 3009 | Andean Trade Preference Act Extension | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (64 - 34) |
July 31, 2002 | National | S 812 | Greater Access to Affordable Pharmaceuticals Act | Bill Passed - Senate (78 - 21) |
July 27, 2002 | National | HR 3009 | Andean Trade Preference Act Extension | Conference Report Adopted - House (215 - 212) |
Dec. 6, 2001 | National | HR 3005 | Fast Track Trade Authority bill | Bill Passed - House (215 - 214) |
July 19, 2001 | National | H J Res 50 | China Trade Relations bill | Joint Resolution Failed - House (169 - 259) |
Sept. 19, 2000 | National | HR 4444 | U.S.-China Relations Act of 2000 | Bill Passed - Senate (83 - 15) |
Sept. 13, 2000 | National | S Amdt 4132 | China Nonproliferation Act | Amendment Tabled - Senate (65 - 32) |
June 21, 2000 | National | H J Res 90 | WTO Withdrawal resolution | Joint Resolution Failed - House (56 - 363) |
May 24, 2000 | National | HR 4444 | U.S.-China Relations Act of 2000 | Bill Passed - House (237 - 197) |
May 11, 2000 | National | HR 434 | Africa Free Trade bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (77 - 19) |
May 4, 2000 | National | HR 434 | Africa Free Trade bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (309 - 110) |
Nov. 3, 1999 | National | HR 434 | Africa Free Trade bill | Bill Passed - Senate (76 - 19) |
Aug. 3, 1999 | National | H J Res 58 | Economic Assistance to Vietnam | Joint Resolution Failed - House (130 - 297) |
July 27, 1999 | National | H J Res 57 | China Trade resolution | Joint Resolution Failed - House (170 - 260) |
March 17, 1999 | National | HR 975 | Steel Import Limitation bill | Bill Passed - House (289 - 141) |
Sept. 25, 1998 | National | HR 2621 | Reciprocal Trade Agreement Bill | Bill Failed - House (180 - 243) |
July 30, 1998 | National | H J Res 120 | Vietnam Trade Waiver Disapproval resolution | Joint Resolution Failed - House (163 - 260) |
July 22, 1998 | National | H J Res 121 | Disapproval of 'Normal Trade Relations' Status with China | Joint Resolution Failed - House (166 - 264) |
March 11, 1998 | National | HR 1432 | African Growth bill | Bill Passed - House (233 - 186) |
Nov. 4, 1997 | National | HR 2644 | United States-Caribbean Trade Partnership Act | Bill Failed - House (182 - 234) |
July 17, 1997 | National | S Amdt 890 | Most Favored Nation Repeal Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (22 - 77) |
June 24, 1997 | National | H J Res 79 | China Most-Favored-Nation Resolution | Joint Resolution Failed - House (173 - 259) |
March 6, 1996 | National | HR 927 | Cuba Sanctions Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (336 - 86) |
March 5, 1996 | National | HR 927 | Cuba Sanctions Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (74 - 22) |
Oct. 19, 1995 | National | HR 927 | Cuba Sanctions Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (74 - 24) |
Dec. 1, 1994 | National | HR 5110 | Uruguay Round Agreements Act | Bill Passed - Senate (76 - 24) |
Nov. 29, 1994 | National | HR 5110 | Uruguay Round Agreements Act | Bill Passed - House (288 - 146) |
July 1, 1994 | National | S Amdt 1851 | Bosnia Arms Embargo Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (50 - 50) |
June 9, 1994 | National | H Amdt 611 | Lifting Arms Embargo on Bosnia Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (244 - 178) |
May 12, 1994 | National | S Amdt 1695 | Bosnia Arms Embargo Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (50 - 49) |
Jan. 27, 1994 | National | S Amdt 1263 | Vietnam Trade Embargo | Amendment Adopted - Senate (62 - 38) |
Nov. 20, 1993 | National | HR 3450 | North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) Implementation Act | Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 38) |
Nov. 17, 1993 | National | HR 3450 | North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) Implementation Act | Bill Passed - House (234 - 200) |
July 21, 1993 | National | H J Res 208 | China's Most Favored Nation Status | Joint Resolution Failed - House (105 - 318) |
June 30, 1993 | National | HR 1876 | GATT Uruguay Round Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (76 - 16) |
June 22, 1993 | National | HR 1876 | GATT Uruguay Round Bill | Bill Passed - House (295 - 126) |
Oct. 1, 1992 | National | HR 5318 | Conditional Extension of Most-Favored-Nation Trade Status to China | Veto Override Failed - Senate (59 - 40) |
Sept. 30, 1992 | National | HR 5318 | Conditional Extension of Most-Favored-Nation Trade Status to China | Veto Override Passed - House (345 - 74) |
July 21, 1992 | National | HR 5318 | Conditional Extension of Most-Favored-Nation Trade Status to China | Bill Passed - House (339 - 62) |
Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|
6/09 | H J Res 27 | Withdrawing Approval from the WTO Agreement | Joint Resolution Failed - House (86 - 338) |
10/11 | HR 4520 | JOBS (Jumpstart Our Business Strength) | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (69 - 17) |
10/07 | HR 4520 | JOBS (Jumpstart Our Business Strength) | Conference Report Adopted - House (280 - 141) |
5/11 | S 1637 | Jumpstart Our Business Strength (JOBS) Act | Bill Passed - Senate (92 - 5) |
7/31 | HR 2739 | U.S.-Singapore Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act | Bill Passed - Senate (66 - 32) |
7/31 | HR 2738 | U.S.-Chile Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act | Bill Passed - Senate (65 - 32) |
7/24 | HR 2739 | U.S.-Singapore Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act | Bill Passed - House (272 - 155) |
7/24 | HR 2738 | U.S.-Chile Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act | Bill Passed - House (270 - 156) |
8/01 | HR 3009 | Andean Trade Preference Act Extension | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (64 - 34) |
7/31 | S 812 | Greater Access to Affordable Pharmaceuticals Act | Bill Passed - Senate (78 - 21) |
7/27 | HR 3009 | Andean Trade Preference Act Extension | Conference Report Adopted - House (215 - 212) |
12/06 | HR 3005 | Fast Track Trade Authority bill | Bill Passed - House (215 - 214) |
7/19 | H J Res 50 | China Trade Relations bill | Joint Resolution Failed - House (169 - 259) |
9/19 | HR 4444 | U.S.-China Relations Act of 2000 | Bill Passed - Senate (83 - 15) |
9/13 | S Amdt 4132 | China Nonproliferation Act | Amendment Tabled - Senate (65 - 32) |
6/21 | H J Res 90 | WTO Withdrawal resolution | Joint Resolution Failed - House (56 - 363) |
5/24 | HR 4444 | U.S.-China Relations Act of 2000 | Bill Passed - House (237 - 197) |
5/11 | HR 434 | Africa Free Trade bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (77 - 19) |
5/04 | HR 434 | Africa Free Trade bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (309 - 110) |
11/03 | HR 434 | Africa Free Trade bill | Bill Passed - Senate (76 - 19) |
8/03 | H J Res 58 | Economic Assistance to Vietnam | Joint Resolution Failed - House (130 - 297) |
7/27 | H J Res 57 | China Trade resolution | Joint Resolution Failed - House (170 - 260) |
3/17 | HR 975 | Steel Import Limitation bill | Bill Passed - House (289 - 141) |
9/25 | HR 2621 | Reciprocal Trade Agreement Bill | Bill Failed - House (180 - 243) |
7/30 | H J Res 120 | Vietnam Trade Waiver Disapproval resolution | Joint Resolution Failed - House (163 - 260) |
7/22 | H J Res 121 | Disapproval of 'Normal Trade Relations' Status with China | Joint Resolution Failed - House (166 - 264) |
3/11 | HR 1432 | African Growth bill | Bill Passed - House (233 - 186) |
11/04 | HR 2644 | United States-Caribbean Trade Partnership Act | Bill Failed - House (182 - 234) |
7/17 | S Amdt 890 | Most Favored Nation Repeal Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (22 - 77) |
6/24 | H J Res 79 | China Most-Favored-Nation Resolution | Joint Resolution Failed - House (173 - 259) |
3/06 | HR 927 | Cuba Sanctions Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (336 - 86) |
3/05 | HR 927 | Cuba Sanctions Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (74 - 22) |
10/19 | HR 927 | Cuba Sanctions Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (74 - 24) |
12/01 | HR 5110 | Uruguay Round Agreements Act | Bill Passed - Senate (76 - 24) |
11/29 | HR 5110 | Uruguay Round Agreements Act | Bill Passed - House (288 - 146) |
7/01 | S Amdt 1851 | Bosnia Arms Embargo Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (50 - 50) |
6/09 | H Amdt 611 | Lifting Arms Embargo on Bosnia Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (244 - 178) |
5/12 | S Amdt 1695 | Bosnia Arms Embargo Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (50 - 49) |
1/27 | S Amdt 1263 | Vietnam Trade Embargo | Amendment Adopted - Senate (62 - 38) |
11/20 | HR 3450 | North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) Implementation Act | Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 38) |
11/17 | HR 3450 | North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) Implementation Act | Bill Passed - House (234 - 200) |
7/21 | H J Res 208 | China's Most Favored Nation Status | Joint Resolution Failed - House (105 - 318) |
6/30 | HR 1876 | GATT Uruguay Round Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (76 - 16) |
6/22 | HR 1876 | GATT Uruguay Round Bill | Bill Passed - House (295 - 126) |
10/01 | HR 5318 | Conditional Extension of Most-Favored-Nation Trade Status to China | Veto Override Failed - Senate (59 - 40) |
9/30 | HR 5318 | Conditional Extension of Most-Favored-Nation Trade Status to China | Veto Override Passed - House (345 - 74) |
7/21 | HR 5318 | Conditional Extension of Most-Favored-Nation Trade Status to China | Bill Passed - House (339 - 62) |