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 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Aug. 31, 2008 | CA | SB 60 | Expanding Driver's License Eligibility | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
Aug. 29, 2008 | CA | SB 60 | Expanding Driver's License Eligibility | Bill Passed - House (41 - 31) |
May 15, 2008 | National | HR 2419 | Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (81 - 15) |
May 14, 2008 | National | HR 2419 | Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) | Conference Report Adopted - House (318 - 106) |
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) |
Jan. 22, 2008 | National | HR 4986 | Defense Authorizations Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (91 - 3) |
Jan. 16, 2008 | National | HR 4986 | Defense Authorizations Bill | Bill Passed - House (369 - 46) |
Jan. 22, 2008 | National | HR 4986 | Defense Authorizations Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (91 - 3) |
Jan. 16, 2008 | National | HR 4986 | Defense Authorizations Bill | Bill Passed - House (369 - 46) |
Jan. 31, 2008 | SC | H 4400 | Immigration Bill | Bill Passed - House (80 - 13) |
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. 7, 2008 | GA | SB 340 | Prohibiting Sanctuary Policies | Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 8) |
March 20, 2008 | GA | SB 350 | Increasing Penalties for Driving Without a License | Bill Passed - House (99 - 68) |
Feb. 7, 2008 | GA | SB 350 | Increasing Penalties for Driving Without a License | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 13) |
Feb. 4, 2008 | UT | HR 1 | North American Union Withdrawal | Resolution Passed - House (57 - 15) |
Feb. 4, 2008 | UT | HR 1 | North American Union Withdrawal | Resolution Passed - House (57 - 15) |
Feb. 1, 2008 | UT | HB 237 | Immigration Enforcement | Bill Passed - House (44 - 25) |
Feb. 12, 2008 | National | S 2248 | FISA Amendments Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - Senate (68 - 29) |
Feb. 12, 2008 | National | S Amdt 3907 | Striking Telecommunications Companies' Civil Immunity for Surveillance | Amendment Rejected - Senate (31 - 67) |
Feb. 12, 2008 | National | S Amdt 3910 | FISA as Exclusive Means for Conducting Electronic Surveillance | Amendment Rejected - Senate (57 - 41) |
Feb. 6, 2008 | MI | SB 962 | Prohibiting Driver's Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 9) |
Feb. 11, 2008 | OR | SB 1080 | Driver's License Residency Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 7) |
Feb. 12, 2008 | UT | HB 241 | Restricting In-State Tuition Eligibility | Bill Passed - House (40 - 35) |
Feb. 11, 2008 | UT | HB 239 | Driver's License Requirements | Bill Passed - House (39 - 35) |
Feb. 4, 2008 | ID | H 366 | Driver's License Residency Requirement | Bill Passed - House (47 - 21) |
March 4, 2008 | UT | SB 81 | Expanding Immigration Enforcement | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 4) |
March 3, 2008 | UT | SB 81 | Expanding Immigration Enforcement | Bill Passed - House (56 - 15) |
Feb. 21, 2008 | UT | SB 81 | Expanding Immigration Enforcement | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 5) |
Feb. 14, 2008 | MI | HB 4505 | Changes to Driver's License Eligibility | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (99 - 5) |
Feb. 26, 2008 | WI | A Amnd. 1 | Divestment Due to Genocide Amendment | Amendment Tabled - House (50 - 47) |
Feb. 25, 2008 | WY | HB 145 | Restricting Benefits for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (40 - 18) |
Feb. 28, 2008 | GA | HB 978 | Vehicle Seizures for Undocumented Immigrant Traffic Violations | Bill Passed - House (104 - 51) |
Feb. 28, 2008 | IN | SB 345 | Penalties for Employers of Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (66 - 33) |
Feb. 27, 2008 | CO | HB 1180 | Unemployment Benefits for Military Spouses | Bill Passed - House (60 - 5) |
Feb. 28, 2008 | WI | AB 581 | Gun Possession During Emergencies | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 5) |
Feb. 26, 2008 | GA | HR 413 | English as the Official Language of Georgia | Resolution Failed - House (103 - 61) |
March 18, 2008 | CO | SB 139 | Undocumented Immigrant Hiring Ban Notification | Bill Passed - House (52 - 12) |
Feb. 26, 2008 | CO | SB 139 | Undocumented Immigrant Hiring Ban Notification | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 4) |
March 11, 2008 | National | HR 2082 | Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 | Veto Override Failed - House (225 - 188) |
March 11, 2008 | National | HR 2082 | Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 | Veto Override Failed - House (225 - 188) |
March 5, 2008 | MS | SB 2988 | Prohibiting Employment of Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (112 - 8) |
March 14, 2008 | National | HR 3773 | Electronic Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Review Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (213 - 197) |
March 13, 2008 | National | H Con Res 312 | Concurrent Budget Resolution | Joint Resolution Passed - House (212 - 207) |
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 13, 2008 | National | S Amdt 4231 | Immigration Enforcement and Border Fence Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (61 - 37) |
March 13, 2008 | National | S Amdt 4231 | Immigration Enforcement and Border Fence Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (61 - 37) |
March 13, 2008 | National | S Amdt 4259 | Immigration Enforcement and Employer Sanctions Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (53 - 45) |
March 13, 2008 | National | S Amdt 4309 | Restriction of Federal Assistance Based on Compliance with Federal Immigration Laws | Amendment Tabled - Senate (58 - 40) |
Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|
8/31 | SB 60 | Expanding Driver's License Eligibility | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
8/29 | SB 60 | Expanding Driver's License Eligibility | Bill Passed - House (41 - 31) |
5/15 | HR 2419 | Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (81 - 15) |
5/14 | HR 2419 | Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) | Conference Report Adopted - House (318 - 106) |
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) |
1/22 | HR 4986 | Defense Authorizations Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (91 - 3) |
1/16 | HR 4986 | Defense Authorizations Bill | Bill Passed - House (369 - 46) |
1/22 | HR 4986 | Defense Authorizations Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (91 - 3) |
1/16 | HR 4986 | Defense Authorizations Bill | Bill Passed - House (369 - 46) |
1/31 | H 4400 | Immigration Bill | Bill Passed - House (80 - 13) |
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) |
2/07 | SB 340 | Prohibiting Sanctuary Policies | Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 8) |
3/20 | SB 350 | Increasing Penalties for Driving Without a License | Bill Passed - House (99 - 68) |
2/07 | SB 350 | Increasing Penalties for Driving Without a License | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 13) |
2/04 | HR 1 | North American Union Withdrawal | Resolution Passed - House (57 - 15) |
2/04 | HR 1 | North American Union Withdrawal | Resolution Passed - House (57 - 15) |
2/01 | HB 237 | Immigration Enforcement | Bill Passed - House (44 - 25) |
2/12 | S 2248 | FISA Amendments Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - Senate (68 - 29) |
2/12 | S Amdt 3907 | Striking Telecommunications Companies' Civil Immunity for Surveillance | Amendment Rejected - Senate (31 - 67) |
2/12 | S Amdt 3910 | FISA as Exclusive Means for Conducting Electronic Surveillance | Amendment Rejected - Senate (57 - 41) |
2/06 | SB 962 | Prohibiting Driver's Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 9) |
2/11 | SB 1080 | Driver's License Residency Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 7) |
2/12 | HB 241 | Restricting In-State Tuition Eligibility | Bill Passed - House (40 - 35) |
2/11 | HB 239 | Driver's License Requirements | Bill Passed - House (39 - 35) |
2/04 | H 366 | Driver's License Residency Requirement | Bill Passed - House (47 - 21) |
3/04 | SB 81 | Expanding Immigration Enforcement | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 4) |
3/03 | SB 81 | Expanding Immigration Enforcement | Bill Passed - House (56 - 15) |
2/21 | SB 81 | Expanding Immigration Enforcement | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 5) |
2/14 | HB 4505 | Changes to Driver's License Eligibility | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (99 - 5) |
2/26 | A Amnd. 1 | Divestment Due to Genocide Amendment | Amendment Tabled - House (50 - 47) |
2/25 | HB 145 | Restricting Benefits for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (40 - 18) |
2/28 | HB 978 | Vehicle Seizures for Undocumented Immigrant Traffic Violations | Bill Passed - House (104 - 51) |
2/28 | SB 345 | Penalties for Employers of Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (66 - 33) |
2/27 | HB 1180 | Unemployment Benefits for Military Spouses | Bill Passed - House (60 - 5) |
2/28 | AB 581 | Gun Possession During Emergencies | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 5) |
2/26 | HR 413 | English as the Official Language of Georgia | Resolution Failed - House (103 - 61) |
3/18 | SB 139 | Undocumented Immigrant Hiring Ban Notification | Bill Passed - House (52 - 12) |
2/26 | SB 139 | Undocumented Immigrant Hiring Ban Notification | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 4) |
3/11 | HR 2082 | Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 | Veto Override Failed - House (225 - 188) |
3/11 | HR 2082 | Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 | Veto Override Failed - House (225 - 188) |
3/05 | SB 2988 | Prohibiting Employment of Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (112 - 8) |
3/14 | HR 3773 | Electronic Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Review Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (213 - 197) |
3/13 | H Con Res 312 | Concurrent Budget Resolution | Joint Resolution Passed - House (212 - 207) |
3/14 | S Amdt 4299 | Expressing the Sense of the Senate on the Legalization of Importing Certain Prescription Drugs | Amendment Adopted - Senate (73 - 23) |
3/13 | S Amdt 4231 | Immigration Enforcement and Border Fence Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (61 - 37) |
3/13 | S Amdt 4231 | Immigration Enforcement and Border Fence Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (61 - 37) |
3/13 | S Amdt 4259 | Immigration Enforcement and Employer Sanctions Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (53 - 45) |
3/13 | S Amdt 4309 | Restriction of Federal Assistance Based on Compliance with Federal Immigration Laws | Amendment Tabled - Senate (58 - 40) |