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
May 29, 2008 SC H 4400 Immigration Bill Concurrence Vote Passed - House (94 - 16)
April 4, 2008 GA HB 978 Vehicle Seizures for Unlicensed Drivers Concurrence Vote Passed - House (115 - 44)
April 4, 2008 GA HB 978 Vehicle Seizures for Unlicensed Drivers Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 18)
May 13, 2008 LA HB 1357 Harboring of Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - House (77 - 18)
May 13, 2008 LA HB 25 Verification of Citizenship or Immigration Status Bill Passed - House (83 - 11)
May 13, 2008 LA HB 1358 Transporting Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - House (70 - 17)
March 3, 2008 MN Seifert Amendment: Restriction of State Aid Based on Compliance with Immigration Laws Amendment Rejected - House (66 - 67)
June 10, 2008 National HR 6028 Assistance for Mexico and Central America for Anti-Drug Programs (Merida Program) Bill Passed - House (311 - 106)
July 9, 2008 National HR 6304 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (69 - 28)
June 20, 2008 National HR 6304 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act Amendments Bill Passed - House (293 - 129)
June 19, 2008 National HR 2642 GI Bill, Funding for Midwest Flood Cleanup, Extension of Unemployment Benefits, and Other Provisions Concurrence Vote Passed - House (268 - 155)
June 19, 2008 National HR 2642 GI Bill, Funding for Midwest Flood Cleanup, Extension of Unemployment Benefits, and Other Provisions Concurrence Vote Passed - House (268 - 155)
June 19, 2008 National HR 2642 GI Bill, Funding for Midwest Flood Cleanup, Extension of Unemployment Benefits, and Other Provisions Concurrence Vote Passed - House (416 - 12)
June 19, 2008 National HR 2642 GI Bill, Funding for Midwest Flood Cleanup, Extension of Unemployment Benefits, and Other Provisions Concurrence Vote Passed - House (416 - 12)
June 26, 2008 National HR 2642 Iraq and Afghanistan War Funding, Unemployment Benefits Extension, and GI Bill Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (92 - 6)
June 26, 2008 National HR 2642 Iraq and Afghanistan War Funding, Unemployment Benefits Extension, and GI Bill Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (92 - 6)
May 29, 2008 CA AB 2076 Prohibiting E-verify Bill Passed - House (43 - 31)
July 9, 2008 National S Amdt 5064 Striking Telecom Immunity from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Bill Amendment Rejected - Senate (32 - 66)
July 10, 2008 National PN 1641 Nomination of General Petraeus as Military Leader of the Middle East Nomination Confirmed - Senate (95 - 2)
July 10, 2008 National PN 1641 Nomination of General Petraeus as Military Leader of the Middle East Nomination Confirmed - Senate (95 - 2)
July 15, 2008 National S Amdt 5078 Limiting Countries for HIV/Aids, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Funding Amendment Tabled - Senate (70 - 24)
July 16, 2008 National H Amdt 1114 Allowing the Use of Certain Terms in Within the Intelligence Community Amendment Adopted - House (249 - 180)
Aug. 5, 2008 CA SB 974 Shipping Fee Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 10)
July 15, 2008 CA SB 974 Shipping Fee Bill Passed - House (46 - 24)
July 16, 2008 National S Amdt 5077 Funding Amendment to AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Bill Amendment Rejected - Senate (31 - 64)
May 7, 2008 SC Amendment No. 8A Requiring Employers to Verify Immigration the Status of Their Employees Amendment Adopted - House (80 - 33)
July 26, 2008 National HR 3221 Housing Bill with Energy Tax Credit Extensions Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (72 - 13)
July 23, 2008 National HR 3221 Housing Bill with Energy Tax Credit Extensions Concurrence Vote Passed - House (272 - 152)
May 12, 2008 CA SB 1301 Extending Student Financial Aid Eligibility Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13)
Aug. 31, 2008 CA SB 1301 Extending Student Financial Aid Eligibility Bill Passed - House (46 - 29)
Sept. 24, 2008 National S 3001 Defense Authorizations Bill Bill Passed - House (392 - 39)
Sept. 24, 2008 National S 3001 Defense Authorizations Bill Bill Passed - House (392 - 39)
Sept. 17, 2008 National S 3001 Defense Authorizations Bill Bill Passed - Senate (88 - 8)
Sept. 17, 2008 National S 3001 Defense Authorizations Bill Bill Passed - Senate (88 - 8)
Sept. 24, 2008 National HR 2638 Continuing Appropriations Concurrence Vote Passed - House (370 - 58)
Sept. 24, 2008 National HR 2638 Continuing Appropriations Concurrence Vote Passed - House (370 - 58)
Oct. 1, 2008 National HR 7081 United States - India Nuclear Agreement Bill Passed - Senate (86 - 13)
Sept. 27, 2008 National HR 7081 United States - India Nuclear Agreement Bill Passed - House (298 - 117)
Date No. Title Outcome
5/29 H 4400 Immigration Bill Concurrence Vote Passed - House (94 - 16)
4/04 HB 978 Vehicle Seizures for Unlicensed Drivers Concurrence Vote Passed - House (115 - 44)
4/04 HB 978 Vehicle Seizures for Unlicensed Drivers Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 18)
5/13 HB 1357 Harboring of Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - House (77 - 18)
5/13 HB 25 Verification of Citizenship or Immigration Status Bill Passed - House (83 - 11)
5/13 HB 1358 Transporting Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - House (70 - 17)
3/03 Seifert Amendment: Restriction of State Aid Based on Compliance with Immigration Laws Amendment Rejected - House (66 - 67)
6/10 HR 6028 Assistance for Mexico and Central America for Anti-Drug Programs (Merida Program) Bill Passed - House (311 - 106)
7/09 HR 6304 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (69 - 28)
6/20 HR 6304 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act Amendments Bill Passed - House (293 - 129)
6/19 HR 2642 GI Bill, Funding for Midwest Flood Cleanup, Extension of Unemployment Benefits, and Other Provisions Concurrence Vote Passed - House (268 - 155)
6/19 HR 2642 GI Bill, Funding for Midwest Flood Cleanup, Extension of Unemployment Benefits, and Other Provisions Concurrence Vote Passed - House (268 - 155)
6/19 HR 2642 GI Bill, Funding for Midwest Flood Cleanup, Extension of Unemployment Benefits, and Other Provisions Concurrence Vote Passed - House (416 - 12)
6/19 HR 2642 GI Bill, Funding for Midwest Flood Cleanup, Extension of Unemployment Benefits, and Other Provisions Concurrence Vote Passed - House (416 - 12)
6/26 HR 2642 Iraq and Afghanistan War Funding, Unemployment Benefits Extension, and GI Bill Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (92 - 6)
6/26 HR 2642 Iraq and Afghanistan War Funding, Unemployment Benefits Extension, and GI Bill Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (92 - 6)
5/29 AB 2076 Prohibiting E-verify Bill Passed - House (43 - 31)
7/09 S Amdt 5064 Striking Telecom Immunity from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Bill Amendment Rejected - Senate (32 - 66)
7/10 PN 1641 Nomination of General Petraeus as Military Leader of the Middle East Nomination Confirmed - Senate (95 - 2)
7/10 PN 1641 Nomination of General Petraeus as Military Leader of the Middle East Nomination Confirmed - Senate (95 - 2)
7/15 S Amdt 5078 Limiting Countries for HIV/Aids, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Funding Amendment Tabled - Senate (70 - 24)
7/16 H Amdt 1114 Allowing the Use of Certain Terms in Within the Intelligence Community Amendment Adopted - House (249 - 180)
8/05 SB 974 Shipping Fee Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 10)
7/15 SB 974 Shipping Fee Bill Passed - House (46 - 24)
7/16 S Amdt 5077 Funding Amendment to AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Bill Amendment Rejected - Senate (31 - 64)
5/07 Amendment No. 8A Requiring Employers to Verify Immigration the Status of Their Employees Amendment Adopted - House (80 - 33)
7/26 HR 3221 Housing Bill with Energy Tax Credit Extensions Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (72 - 13)
7/23 HR 3221 Housing Bill with Energy Tax Credit Extensions Concurrence Vote Passed - House (272 - 152)
5/12 SB 1301 Extending Student Financial Aid Eligibility Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13)
8/31 SB 1301 Extending Student Financial Aid Eligibility Bill Passed - House (46 - 29)
9/24 S 3001 Defense Authorizations Bill Bill Passed - House (392 - 39)
9/24 S 3001 Defense Authorizations Bill Bill Passed - House (392 - 39)
9/17 S 3001 Defense Authorizations Bill Bill Passed - Senate (88 - 8)
9/17 S 3001 Defense Authorizations Bill Bill Passed - Senate (88 - 8)
9/24 HR 2638 Continuing Appropriations Concurrence Vote Passed - House (370 - 58)
9/24 HR 2638 Continuing Appropriations Concurrence Vote Passed - House (370 - 58)
10/01 HR 7081 United States - India Nuclear Agreement Bill Passed - Senate (86 - 13)
9/27 HR 7081 United States - India Nuclear Agreement Bill Passed - House (298 - 117)

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