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.


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Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
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 2738 U.S.-Chile Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act Bill Passed - House (270 - 156)
July 24, 2003 National HR 2739 U.S.-Singapore Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act Bill Passed - House (272 - 155)
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
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 2738 U.S.-Chile Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act Bill Passed - House (270 - 156)
7/24 HR 2739 U.S.-Singapore Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act Bill Passed - House (272 - 155)
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)

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