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 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Sept. 13, 2000 | National | HR 4810 | Marriage Tax Relief Bill | Veto Override Failed - House (270 - 158) |
July 21, 2000 | National | HR 4810 | Marriage Tax Relief Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (60 - 34) |
July 20, 2000 | National | HR 4810 | Marriage Tax Relief Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (271 - 156) |
Sept. 26, 1998 | National | HR 4579 | Tax Cut bill | Bill Passed - House (229 - 195) |
June 7, 2006 | National | S J Res 1 | Same Sex Marriage Resolution | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (49 - 48) |
July 18, 2006 | National | H J Res 88 | Same-Sex Marriage Resolution | Joint Resolution Failed - House (236 - 187) |
July 29, 1998 | National | S Amdt 3359 | Married Tax Filing Amendment | Amendment Not Tabled - Senate (48 - 51) |
Feb. 10, 2000 | National | HR 6 | Changes in Income Tax Deductions for Married Couples | Bill Passed - House (268 - 158) |
July 12, 1996 | National | HR 3396 | Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) | Bill Passed - House (342 - 67) |
Sept. 10, 1996 | National | HR 3396 | Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) | Bill Passed - Senate (85 - 14) |
July 14, 2004 | National | S J Res 40 | Federal Marriage Amendment | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (48 - 50) |
April 28, 2004 | National | HR 4181 | Marriage Penalty Tax Bill | Bill Passed - House (323 - 95) |
July 12, 1996 | National | H Amdt 1286 | Definition of Marriage Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (103 - 311) |
April 8, 2010 | AZ | HB 2650 | Authorizing Extension of Divorce Waiting Period | Bill Failed - House (27 - 28) |
Dec. 18, 2010 | National | HR 2965 | Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (65 - 31) |
Dec. 15, 2010 | National | HR 2965 | Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (250 - 175) |
Feb. 18, 2011 | WY | HB 74 | Prohibiting the Recognition of Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 14) |
Jan. 24, 2011 | WY | HB 74 | Prohibiting the Recognition of Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - House (32 - 27) |
Jan. 28, 2011 | HI | SB 232 | Civil Unions for All Couples | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 6) |
Jan. 27, 2011 | WY | SJ 5 | Definition of Marriage | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (20 - 10) |
Feb. 1, 2011 | IA | HJR 6 | Banning Same Sex Marriage | Amendment Adopted - House (62 - 37) |
Feb. 9, 2011 | WY | HB 256 | Tenant Rights in Domestic and Sexual Violence Cases | Bill Passed - House (33 - 26) |
Feb. 16, 2011 | HI | SB 232 | Civil Unions for All Couples | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (18 - 5) |
Feb. 11, 2011 | HI | SB 232 | Civil Unions for All Couples | Bill Passed - House (31 - 19) |
Feb. 22, 2011 | UT | SB 96 | Alimony Amendments | Bill Failed - Senate (11 - 17) |
Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|
9/13 | HR 4810 | Marriage Tax Relief Bill | Veto Override Failed - House (270 - 158) |
7/21 | HR 4810 | Marriage Tax Relief Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (60 - 34) |
7/20 | HR 4810 | Marriage Tax Relief Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (271 - 156) |
9/26 | HR 4579 | Tax Cut bill | Bill Passed - House (229 - 195) |
6/07 | S J Res 1 | Same Sex Marriage Resolution | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (49 - 48) |
7/18 | H J Res 88 | Same-Sex Marriage Resolution | Joint Resolution Failed - House (236 - 187) |
7/29 | S Amdt 3359 | Married Tax Filing Amendment | Amendment Not Tabled - Senate (48 - 51) |
2/10 | HR 6 | Changes in Income Tax Deductions for Married Couples | Bill Passed - House (268 - 158) |
7/12 | HR 3396 | Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) | Bill Passed - House (342 - 67) |
9/10 | HR 3396 | Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) | Bill Passed - Senate (85 - 14) |
7/14 | S J Res 40 | Federal Marriage Amendment | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (48 - 50) |
4/28 | HR 4181 | Marriage Penalty Tax Bill | Bill Passed - House (323 - 95) |
7/12 | H Amdt 1286 | Definition of Marriage Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (103 - 311) |
4/08 | HB 2650 | Authorizing Extension of Divorce Waiting Period | Bill Failed - House (27 - 28) |
12/18 | HR 2965 | Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (65 - 31) |
12/15 | HR 2965 | Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (250 - 175) |
2/18 | HB 74 | Prohibiting the Recognition of Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 14) |
1/24 | HB 74 | Prohibiting the Recognition of Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - House (32 - 27) |
1/28 | SB 232 | Civil Unions for All Couples | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 6) |
1/27 | SJ 5 | Definition of Marriage | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (20 - 10) |
2/01 | HJR 6 | Banning Same Sex Marriage | Amendment Adopted - House (62 - 37) |
2/09 | HB 256 | Tenant Rights in Domestic and Sexual Violence Cases | Bill Passed - House (33 - 26) |
2/16 | SB 232 | Civil Unions for All Couples | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (18 - 5) |
2/11 | SB 232 | Civil Unions for All Couples | Bill Passed - House (31 - 19) |
2/22 | SB 96 | Alimony Amendments | Bill Failed - Senate (11 - 17) |