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 |
---|---|---|---|---|
May 22, 2008 | National | HR 2419 | Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) | Veto Override Passed - Senate (82 - 13) |
March 13, 2008 | National | S Amdt 4309 | Restriction of Federal Assistance Based on Compliance with Federal Immigration Laws | Amendment Tabled - Senate (58 - 40) |
July 15, 2008 | National | S Amdt 5078 | Limiting Countries for HIV/Aids, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Funding | Amendment Tabled - Senate (70 - 24) |
March 13, 2008 | National | S Amdt 4231 | Immigration Enforcement and Border Fence Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (61 - 37) |
May 22, 2008 | National | S Amdt 4818 | Funding for Operations in Iraq and Afghanistan | Amendment Adopted - Senate (70 - 26) |
March 14, 2008 | National | S Amdt 4299 | Expressing the Sense of the Senate on the Legalization of Importing Certain Prescription Drugs | Amendment Adopted - Senate (73 - 23) |
March 26, 2008 | KS | Brownlee Amnd. | Prohibits Union from collecting dues from Undocumented Workers | Amendment Adopted - Senate (19 - 18) |
May 22, 2008 | National | S Amdt 4803 | GI Bill and Other Domestic Provisions | Amendment Adopted - Senate (75 - 22) |
March 13, 2008 | National | S Amdt 4259 | Immigration Enforcement and Employer Sanctions Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (53 - 45) |
March 13, 2008 | National | S Amdt 4231 | Immigration Enforcement and Border Fence Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (61 - 37) |
May 16, 2008 | MO | HB 1549, 1771, 1395, 2366 | Undocumented Immigrants | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 7) |
May 15, 2008 | National | HR 2419 | Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (81 - 15) |
Feb. 13, 2008 | National | HR 2082 | Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (51 - 45) |
Feb. 13, 2008 | National | HR 2082 | Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (51 - 45) |
March 4, 2008 | UT | SB 81 | Expanding Immigration Enforcement | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 4) |
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) |
Aug. 5, 2008 | CA | SB 974 | Shipping Fee | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 10) |
Aug. 31, 2008 | CA | SB 60 | Expanding Driver's License Eligibility | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
April 10, 2008 | AZ | SB 1096 | English Language Education Funding | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (16 - 14) |
July 26, 2008 | National | HR 3221 | Housing Bill with Energy Tax Credit Extensions | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (72 - 13) |
May 2, 2008 | CO | HB 1325 | Seasonal Foreign Worker Pilot Program | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
July 16, 2008 | National | HR 5501 | Funding to Combat AIDS, Malaria, and Tuberculosis | Bill Passed - Senate (80 - 16) |
Oct. 1, 2008 | National | HR 7081 | United States - India Nuclear Agreement | Bill Passed - Senate (86 - 13) |
Jan. 22, 2008 | National | HR 4986 | Defense Authorizations Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (91 - 3) |
Jan. 29, 2008 | IN | SB 335 | Immigration Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 11) |
Feb. 1, 2008 | MS | SB 2037 | Requirements for Public Works Laborers | Bill Passed - Senate (46 - 5) |
Feb. 6, 2008 | MI | SB 962 | Prohibiting Driver's Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 9) |
Feb. 7, 2008 | GA | SB 350 | Increasing Penalties for Driving Without a License | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 13) |
Feb. 7, 2008 | GA | SB 340 | Prohibiting Sanctuary Policies | Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 8) |
Feb. 11, 2008 | OR | SB 1080 | Driver's License Residency Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 7) |
Feb. 12, 2008 | National | S 2248 | FISA Amendments Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - Senate (68 - 29) |
Feb. 21, 2008 | UT | SB 81 | Expanding Immigration Enforcement | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 5) |
Feb. 26, 2008 | CO | SB 139 | Undocumented Immigrant Hiring Ban Notification | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 4) |
Feb. 28, 2008 | WI | AB 581 | Gun Possession During Emergencies | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 5) |
March 10, 2008 | CO | HJR 1009 | Ratification of the UN Convention Against the Discrimination of Women | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (19 - 14) |
April 3, 2008 | MO | SB 858 | Restrictions on Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7) |
April 4, 2008 | GA | HB 978 | Vehicle Seizures for Unlicensed Drivers | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 18) |
April 23, 2008 | AZ | HB 2359 | County Sheriff and Border Patrol Collaboration | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 10) |
April 28, 2008 | AZ | HB 2745 | Amending Undocumented Immigrant Employment Sanctions | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 4) |
May 1, 2008 | RI | H 7204 | 2007-2008 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11) |
May 12, 2008 | CA | SB 1301 | Extending Student Financial Aid Eligibility | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13) |
July 9, 2008 | National | HR 6304 | Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (69 - 28) |
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) |
Jan. 22, 2008 | National | HR 4986 | Defense Authorizations Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (91 - 3) |
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) |
Feb. 12, 2008 | National | S Amdt 3907 | Striking Telecommunications Companies' Civil Immunity for Surveillance | Amendment Rejected - Senate (31 - 67) |
March 26, 2008 | KS | Journey Amnd. 1 | Journey Amendment 1 | Amendment Rejected - Senate (14 - 24) |
July 16, 2008 | National | S Amdt 5077 | Funding Amendment to AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Bill | Amendment Rejected - Senate (31 - 64) |
March 26, 2008 | KS | Journey Amnd. 2 | Journey Amendment 2 | Amendment Rejected - Senate (14 - 25) |
March 26, 2008 | KS | Barnett Amnd. | Bartlett Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (12 - 27) |
Feb. 12, 2008 | National | S Amdt 3910 | FISA as Exclusive Means for Conducting Electronic Surveillance | Amendment Rejected - Senate (57 - 41) |
March 26, 2008 | KS | Huelskamp Amnd. 1 | Employment Verification | Amendment Rejected - Senate (11 - 27) |
July 9, 2008 | National | S Amdt 5064 | Striking Telecom Immunity from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Bill | Amendment Rejected - Senate (32 - 66) |
April 2, 2008 | MN | Hann Amnd. | Prohibiting Funding for Cities that Prevent Immigration Status Checks | Amendment Rejected - Senate (24 - 33) |
March 26, 2008 | KS | Huelskamp Amnd. 2 | Public Benefit Ineligibility for Undocumented Immigrants | Amendment Rejected - Senate (12 - 26) |
May 14, 2008 | SC | H 3032 | Immigration Reform | Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (20 - 26) |
May 22, 2008 | National | S Amdt 4817 | Iraq Provisions Including a Troop Withdrawal | Amendment Rejected - Senate (34 - 63) |
Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|
5/22 | HR 2419 | Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) | Veto Override Passed - Senate (82 - 13) |
3/13 | S Amdt 4309 | Restriction of Federal Assistance Based on Compliance with Federal Immigration Laws | Amendment Tabled - Senate (58 - 40) |
7/15 | S Amdt 5078 | Limiting Countries for HIV/Aids, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Funding | Amendment Tabled - Senate (70 - 24) |
3/13 | S Amdt 4231 | Immigration Enforcement and Border Fence Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (61 - 37) |
5/22 | S Amdt 4818 | Funding for Operations in Iraq and Afghanistan | Amendment Adopted - Senate (70 - 26) |
3/14 | S Amdt 4299 | Expressing the Sense of the Senate on the Legalization of Importing Certain Prescription Drugs | Amendment Adopted - Senate (73 - 23) |
3/26 | Brownlee Amnd. | Prohibits Union from collecting dues from Undocumented Workers | Amendment Adopted - Senate (19 - 18) |
5/22 | S Amdt 4803 | GI Bill and Other Domestic Provisions | Amendment Adopted - Senate (75 - 22) |
3/13 | S Amdt 4259 | Immigration Enforcement and Employer Sanctions Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (53 - 45) |
3/13 | S Amdt 4231 | Immigration Enforcement and Border Fence Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (61 - 37) |
5/16 | HB 1549, 1771, 1395, 2366 | Undocumented Immigrants | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 7) |
5/15 | HR 2419 | Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (81 - 15) |
2/13 | HR 2082 | Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (51 - 45) |
2/13 | HR 2082 | Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (51 - 45) |
3/04 | SB 81 | Expanding Immigration Enforcement | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 4) |
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) |
8/05 | SB 974 | Shipping Fee | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 10) |
8/31 | SB 60 | Expanding Driver's License Eligibility | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
4/10 | SB 1096 | English Language Education Funding | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (16 - 14) |
7/26 | HR 3221 | Housing Bill with Energy Tax Credit Extensions | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (72 - 13) |
5/02 | HB 1325 | Seasonal Foreign Worker Pilot Program | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
7/16 | HR 5501 | Funding to Combat AIDS, Malaria, and Tuberculosis | Bill Passed - Senate (80 - 16) |
10/01 | HR 7081 | United States - India Nuclear Agreement | Bill Passed - Senate (86 - 13) |
1/22 | HR 4986 | Defense Authorizations Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (91 - 3) |
1/29 | SB 335 | Immigration Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 11) |
2/01 | SB 2037 | Requirements for Public Works Laborers | Bill Passed - Senate (46 - 5) |
2/06 | SB 962 | Prohibiting Driver's Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 9) |
2/07 | SB 350 | Increasing Penalties for Driving Without a License | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 13) |
2/07 | SB 340 | Prohibiting Sanctuary Policies | Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 8) |
2/11 | SB 1080 | Driver's License Residency Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 7) |
2/12 | S 2248 | FISA Amendments Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - Senate (68 - 29) |
2/21 | SB 81 | Expanding Immigration Enforcement | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 5) |
2/26 | SB 139 | Undocumented Immigrant Hiring Ban Notification | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 4) |
2/28 | AB 581 | Gun Possession During Emergencies | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 5) |
3/10 | HJR 1009 | Ratification of the UN Convention Against the Discrimination of Women | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (19 - 14) |
4/03 | SB 858 | Restrictions on Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7) |
4/04 | HB 978 | Vehicle Seizures for Unlicensed Drivers | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 18) |
4/23 | HB 2359 | County Sheriff and Border Patrol Collaboration | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 10) |
4/28 | HB 2745 | Amending Undocumented Immigrant Employment Sanctions | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 4) |
5/01 | H 7204 | 2007-2008 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11) |
5/12 | SB 1301 | Extending Student Financial Aid Eligibility | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13) |
7/09 | HR 6304 | Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (69 - 28) |
9/17 | S 3001 | Defense Authorizations Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (88 - 8) |
9/17 | S 3001 | Defense Authorizations Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (88 - 8) |
1/22 | HR 4986 | Defense Authorizations Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (91 - 3) |
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) |
2/12 | S Amdt 3907 | Striking Telecommunications Companies' Civil Immunity for Surveillance | Amendment Rejected - Senate (31 - 67) |
3/26 | Journey Amnd. 1 | Journey Amendment 1 | Amendment Rejected - Senate (14 - 24) |
7/16 | S Amdt 5077 | Funding Amendment to AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Bill | Amendment Rejected - Senate (31 - 64) |
3/26 | Journey Amnd. 2 | Journey Amendment 2 | Amendment Rejected - Senate (14 - 25) |
3/26 | Barnett Amnd. | Bartlett Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (12 - 27) |
2/12 | S Amdt 3910 | FISA as Exclusive Means for Conducting Electronic Surveillance | Amendment Rejected - Senate (57 - 41) |
3/26 | Huelskamp Amnd. 1 | Employment Verification | Amendment Rejected - Senate (11 - 27) |
7/09 | S Amdt 5064 | Striking Telecom Immunity from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Bill | Amendment Rejected - Senate (32 - 66) |
4/02 | Hann Amnd. | Prohibiting Funding for Cities that Prevent Immigration Status Checks | Amendment Rejected - Senate (24 - 33) |
3/26 | Huelskamp Amnd. 2 | Public Benefit Ineligibility for Undocumented Immigrants | Amendment Rejected - Senate (12 - 26) |
5/14 | H 3032 | Immigration Reform | Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (20 - 26) |
5/22 | S Amdt 4817 | Iraq Provisions Including a Troop Withdrawal | Amendment Rejected - Senate (34 - 63) |