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.


results per page:
Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
Aug. 7, 1998 National HR 4380 District of Columbia FY99 Appropriations bill Bill Passed - House (214 - 206)
April 30, 1998 National S 1502 Washington, D.C. School Vouchers bill Bill Passed - House (214 - 206)
May 5, 1998 National HR 1385 Training Programs bill Bill Passed - Senate (91 - 7)
April 1, 1998 National S Amdt 2175 School Modernization Amendment Amendment Tabled - Senate (54 - 46)
March 4, 1998 National S Amdt 1682 Blood Alcohol Content Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (62 - 32)
Oct. 8, 1998 National S 442 Internet Tax Freedom bill Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 2)
Aug. 6, 1998 National H Amdt 862 Federal Campaign Finance Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (147 - 222)
Aug. 3, 1998 National H Amdt 690 Shays Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (237 - 186)
Aug. 6, 1998 National H Amdt 865 Abortion Funding Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (180 - 243)
July 15, 1998 National HR 3682 Child Custody Protection Act Bill Passed - House (276 - 150)
May 22, 1998 National HR 2400 Transportation Reauthorization bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (88 - 5)
May 22, 1998 National HR 2400 Transportation Reauthorization bill Conference Report Adopted - House (297 - 86)
April 1, 1998 National HR 2400 Transportation Reauthorization bill Bill Passed - House (337 - 80)
April 29, 1998 National HR 3717 Needle Exchange Funding Ban Bill Passed - House (287 - 140)
March 4, 1998 National HR 856 Puerto Rico Political Status bill Bill Passed - House (209 - 208)
Feb. 5, 1998 National HR 2846 National Student Testing bill Bill Passed - House (242 - 174)
Date No. Title Outcome
8/07 HR 4380 District of Columbia FY99 Appropriations bill Bill Passed - House (214 - 206)
4/30 S 1502 Washington, D.C. School Vouchers bill Bill Passed - House (214 - 206)
5/05 HR 1385 Training Programs bill Bill Passed - Senate (91 - 7)
4/01 S Amdt 2175 School Modernization Amendment Amendment Tabled - Senate (54 - 46)
3/04 S Amdt 1682 Blood Alcohol Content Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (62 - 32)
10/08 S 442 Internet Tax Freedom bill Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 2)
8/06 H Amdt 862 Federal Campaign Finance Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (147 - 222)
8/03 H Amdt 690 Shays Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (237 - 186)
8/06 H Amdt 865 Abortion Funding Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (180 - 243)
7/15 HR 3682 Child Custody Protection Act Bill Passed - House (276 - 150)
5/22 HR 2400 Transportation Reauthorization bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (88 - 5)
5/22 HR 2400 Transportation Reauthorization bill Conference Report Adopted - House (297 - 86)
4/01 HR 2400 Transportation Reauthorization bill Bill Passed - House (337 - 80)
4/29 HR 3717 Needle Exchange Funding Ban Bill Passed - House (287 - 140)
3/04 HR 856 Puerto Rico Political Status bill Bill Passed - House (209 - 208)
2/05 HR 2846 National Student Testing bill Bill Passed - House (242 - 174)

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