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 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Dec. 18, 2008 | CA | ABx1 2 | Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
Nov. 17, 2008 | NJ | A 3374 | Public Assistance Appropriations | Bill Passed - House (67 - 10) |
Oct. 27, 2008 | NJ | A 2550 | Renewable Energy Facilities Within Industrial Districts | Bill Passed - House (60 - 15) |
Oct. 1, 2008 | National | HR 7081 | United States - India Nuclear Agreement | Bill Passed - Senate (86 - 13) |
Sept. 27, 2008 | National | HR 2638 | Continuing Appropriations | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (78 - 12) |
Sept. 27, 2008 | National | HR 7081 | United States - India Nuclear Agreement | Bill Passed - House (298 - 117) |
Sept. 26, 2008 | National | HR 7060 | Renewable Energy Credits and Other Business and Individual Credits | Bill Passed - House (257 - 166) |
Sept. 26, 2008 | National | HR 7060 | Renewable Energy Credits and Other Business and Individual Credits | Bill Passed - House (257 - 166) |
Sept. 24, 2008 | National | HR 2638 | Continuing Appropriations | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (370 - 58) |
Sept. 18, 2008 | MI | SB 213 | Renewable Electricity Standards | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 10) |
Sept. 18, 2008 | MI | HB 5524 | Energy Utility Regulations | Conference Report Adopted - House (78 - 29) |
Sept. 18, 2008 | MI | HB 5524 | Energy Utility Regulations | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 11) |
Sept. 18, 2008 | MI | SB 213 | Renewable Electricity Standards | Conference Report Adopted - House (83 - 24) |
Sept. 18, 2008 | National | HR 6604 | Commodity Markets Speculation Bill | Bill Passed - House (283 - 133) |
Sept. 16, 2008 | National | HR 6899 | Offshore Oil and Gas Drilling and Extending Certain Renewable Energy Tax Credits | Bill Passed - House (236 - 189) |
Sept. 16, 2008 | National | HR 6899 | Offshore Oil and Gas Drilling and Extending Certain Renewable Energy Tax Credits | Bill Passed - House (236 - 189) |
Aug. 7, 2008 | AK | SB 4002 | Energy Rebate Bill | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (11 - 5) |
Aug. 7, 2008 | AK | SB 4002 | Energy Rebate Bill | Bill Passed - House (33 - 5) |
Aug. 6, 2008 | AK | SB 4002 | Energy Rebate Bill | Bill Passed - House (30 - 7) |
Aug. 4, 2008 | AK | SB 4002 | Energy Rebate Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 3) |
Aug. 1, 2008 | AK | HB 3001 | Natural Gas Pipeline to Canada | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 5) |
July 26, 2008 | National | S 3186 | Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Funding | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (50 - 35) |
July 22, 2008 | AK | HB 3001 | Natural Gas Pipeline to Canada | Bill Passed - House (24 - 16) |
July 17, 2008 | National | HR 6515 | Oil Exploration in the National Petroleum Reserve - Alaska | Bill Failed - House (244 - 173) |
June 26, 2008 | National | HR 6251 | Oil Production Leases | Bill Failed - House (223 - 195) |
June 26, 2008 | National | HR 6377 | Energy Futures Trading | Bill Passed - House (402 - 19) |
June 24, 2008 | National | HR 6346 | Price Gouging Prevention Act | Bill Failed - House (276 - 146) |
June 17, 2008 | National | HR 6049 | Alternative Energy Tax Incentives | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (52 - 44) |
June 11, 2008 | DE | SB 263 | Greenhouse Gas Caps | Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 5) |
June 10, 2008 | National | S 3044 | Increasing Taxes on Profits, Rescinding Certain Tax Deductions, and Increasing Tax Incentives for Alternative Energy Programs for Oil Companies | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (51 - 43) |
June 10, 2008 | National | S 3044 | Increasing Taxes on Profits, Rescinding Certain Tax Deductions, and Increasing Tax Incentives for Alternative Energy Programs for Oil Companies | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (51 - 43) |
June 6, 2008 | National | S Amdt 4825 | Carbon Emissions Cap and Trade Plan | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (48 - 36) |
May 29, 2008 | CA | SB 1499 | Foil Balloon Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 17) |
May 22, 2008 | National | HR 2419 | Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) | Veto Override Passed - Senate (82 - 13) |
May 21, 2008 | National | HR 2419 | Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) | Veto Override Passed - House (316 - 108) |
May 21, 2008 | National | HR 6049 | Alternative Energy Tax Incentives | Bill Passed - House (263 - 160) |
May 20, 2008 | National | HR 6074 | Prohibiting Foreign States or Associations from Forming a Group to Control Oil | Bill Passed - House (324 - 84) |
May 15, 2008 | MN | HF 3195 | Greenhouse Gas Emissions Cap and Trade Program Report | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (41 - 22) |
May 15, 2008 | National | HR 2419 | Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (81 - 15) |
May 15, 2008 | NH | HB 1434 | Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 8) |
May 14, 2008 | National | HR 2419 | Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) | Conference Report Adopted - House (318 - 106) |
May 13, 2008 | MN | HF 3195 | Greenhouse Gas Emissions Cap and Trade Program Report | Conference Report Adopted - House (96 - 36) |
May 13, 2008 | National | HR 6022 | Suspending Acquisition of Petroleum for the Strategic Petroleum Reserve | Bill Passed - House (385 - 25) |
May 7, 2008 | KS | SB 586 | Incentives to Develop Nuclear Power Facilities | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (29 - 3) |
May 7, 2008 | KS | HB 2412 | Coal Plant Incentives | Conference Report Adopted - House (76 - 48) |
May 7, 2008 | KS | SB 586 | Incentives to Develop Nuclear Power Facilities | Conference Report Adopted - House (101 - 22) |
May 6, 2008 | KS | HB 2412 | Coal Plant Incentives | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (24 - 10) |
May 5, 2008 | CO | HB 1161 | Mining Regulation | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (49 - 15) |
May 2, 2008 | CO | HB 1161 | Mining Regulation | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 2) |
May 1, 2008 | KS | SB 148 | Electricity Generation and Conservation | Veto Override Failed - House (80 - 45) |
Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|
12/18 | ABx1 2 | Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
11/17 | A 3374 | Public Assistance Appropriations | Bill Passed - House (67 - 10) |
10/27 | A 2550 | Renewable Energy Facilities Within Industrial Districts | Bill Passed - House (60 - 15) |
10/01 | HR 7081 | United States - India Nuclear Agreement | Bill Passed - Senate (86 - 13) |
9/27 | HR 2638 | Continuing Appropriations | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (78 - 12) |
9/27 | HR 7081 | United States - India Nuclear Agreement | Bill Passed - House (298 - 117) |
9/26 | HR 7060 | Renewable Energy Credits and Other Business and Individual Credits | Bill Passed - House (257 - 166) |
9/26 | HR 7060 | Renewable Energy Credits and Other Business and Individual Credits | Bill Passed - House (257 - 166) |
9/24 | HR 2638 | Continuing Appropriations | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (370 - 58) |
9/18 | SB 213 | Renewable Electricity Standards | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 10) |
9/18 | HB 5524 | Energy Utility Regulations | Conference Report Adopted - House (78 - 29) |
9/18 | HB 5524 | Energy Utility Regulations | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 11) |
9/18 | SB 213 | Renewable Electricity Standards | Conference Report Adopted - House (83 - 24) |
9/18 | HR 6604 | Commodity Markets Speculation Bill | Bill Passed - House (283 - 133) |
9/16 | HR 6899 | Offshore Oil and Gas Drilling and Extending Certain Renewable Energy Tax Credits | Bill Passed - House (236 - 189) |
9/16 | HR 6899 | Offshore Oil and Gas Drilling and Extending Certain Renewable Energy Tax Credits | Bill Passed - House (236 - 189) |
8/07 | SB 4002 | Energy Rebate Bill | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (11 - 5) |
8/07 | SB 4002 | Energy Rebate Bill | Bill Passed - House (33 - 5) |
8/06 | SB 4002 | Energy Rebate Bill | Bill Passed - House (30 - 7) |
8/04 | SB 4002 | Energy Rebate Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 3) |
8/01 | HB 3001 | Natural Gas Pipeline to Canada | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 5) |
7/26 | S 3186 | Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Funding | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (50 - 35) |
7/22 | HB 3001 | Natural Gas Pipeline to Canada | Bill Passed - House (24 - 16) |
7/17 | HR 6515 | Oil Exploration in the National Petroleum Reserve - Alaska | Bill Failed - House (244 - 173) |
6/26 | HR 6251 | Oil Production Leases | Bill Failed - House (223 - 195) |
6/26 | HR 6377 | Energy Futures Trading | Bill Passed - House (402 - 19) |
6/24 | HR 6346 | Price Gouging Prevention Act | Bill Failed - House (276 - 146) |
6/17 | HR 6049 | Alternative Energy Tax Incentives | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (52 - 44) |
6/11 | SB 263 | Greenhouse Gas Caps | Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 5) |
6/10 | S 3044 | Increasing Taxes on Profits, Rescinding Certain Tax Deductions, and Increasing Tax Incentives for Alternative Energy Programs for Oil Companies | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (51 - 43) |
6/10 | S 3044 | Increasing Taxes on Profits, Rescinding Certain Tax Deductions, and Increasing Tax Incentives for Alternative Energy Programs for Oil Companies | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (51 - 43) |
6/06 | S Amdt 4825 | Carbon Emissions Cap and Trade Plan | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (48 - 36) |
5/29 | SB 1499 | Foil Balloon Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 17) |
5/22 | HR 2419 | Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) | Veto Override Passed - Senate (82 - 13) |
5/21 | HR 2419 | Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) | Veto Override Passed - House (316 - 108) |
5/21 | HR 6049 | Alternative Energy Tax Incentives | Bill Passed - House (263 - 160) |
5/20 | HR 6074 | Prohibiting Foreign States or Associations from Forming a Group to Control Oil | Bill Passed - House (324 - 84) |
5/15 | HF 3195 | Greenhouse Gas Emissions Cap and Trade Program Report | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (41 - 22) |
5/15 | HR 2419 | Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (81 - 15) |
5/15 | HB 1434 | Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 8) |
5/14 | HR 2419 | Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) | Conference Report Adopted - House (318 - 106) |
5/13 | HF 3195 | Greenhouse Gas Emissions Cap and Trade Program Report | Conference Report Adopted - House (96 - 36) |
5/13 | HR 6022 | Suspending Acquisition of Petroleum for the Strategic Petroleum Reserve | Bill Passed - House (385 - 25) |
5/07 | SB 586 | Incentives to Develop Nuclear Power Facilities | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (29 - 3) |
5/07 | HB 2412 | Coal Plant Incentives | Conference Report Adopted - House (76 - 48) |
5/07 | SB 586 | Incentives to Develop Nuclear Power Facilities | Conference Report Adopted - House (101 - 22) |
5/06 | HB 2412 | Coal Plant Incentives | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (24 - 10) |
5/05 | HB 1161 | Mining Regulation | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (49 - 15) |
5/02 | HB 1161 | Mining Regulation | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 2) |
5/01 | SB 148 | Electricity Generation and Conservation | Veto Override Failed - House (80 - 45) |