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 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Dec. 19, 2008 | MI | SB 861 | Tuition Assistance for Students in High Poverty Areas | Bill Passed - House (61 - 34) |
Dec. 10, 2008 | MI | SB 861 | Tuition Assistance for Students in High Poverty Areas | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13) |
Nov. 24, 2008 | NJ | A 3459 | Foreclosure Assistance Appropriations | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 9) |
Nov. 17, 2008 | NJ | A 3374 | Public Assistance Appropriations | Bill Passed - House (67 - 10) |
Nov. 17, 2008 | NJ | A 3459 | Foreclosure Assistance Appropriations | Bill Passed - House (47 - 26) |
Oct. 3, 2008 | National | HR 6867 | Emergency Extended Unemployment Compensation | Bill Passed - House (368 - 28) |
Aug. 31, 2008 | CA | SB 840 | California Universal Healthcare Agency | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 14) |
Aug. 29, 2008 | CA | AB 1107 | Drought-Related Unemployment Benefits | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (60 - 18) |
Aug. 29, 2008 | CA | SB 840 | California Universal Healthcare Agency | Bill Passed - House (44 - 32) |
Aug. 19, 2008 | NM | SB 24 | Tax Rebate | Bill Passed - House (51 - 16) |
Aug. 19, 2008 | NM | HB 4 | Working Families Tax Credit Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 2) |
Aug. 18, 2008 | NM | SB 22 | Subsidizing Children's Health Care | Bill Passed - House (47 - 19) |
Aug. 18, 2008 | NM | SB 24 | Tax Rebate | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 2) |
Aug. 16, 2008 | NM | HB 4 | Working Families Tax Credit Increase | Bill Passed - House (39 - 25) |
Aug. 14, 2008 | CA | AB 1107 | Drought-Related Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 10) |
July 26, 2008 | National | S 3186 | Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Funding | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (50 - 35) |
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) |
July 1, 2008 | DE | SB 300 | 2008-2009 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 6) |
July 1, 2008 | DE | SB 300 | 2008-2009 Budget | Bill Passed - House (33 - 7) |
June 27, 2008 | MS | HB 17 | Medicaid Funds Bill | Bill Passed - House (68 - 44) |
June 26, 2008 | National | HR 2642 | Iraq and Afghanistan War Funding, Unemployment Benefits Extension, and GI Bill | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (92 - 6) |
June 23, 2008 | NJ | S 1557 | FamilyCare Expansion bill | Bill Passed - House (59 - 18) |
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 18, 2008 | National | HR 6124 | Second Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) | Veto Override Passed - Senate (80 - 14) |
June 18, 2008 | National | HR 6124 | Second Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) | Veto Override Passed - House (317 - 109) |
June 16, 2008 | NJ | A 500 | Affordable Housing | Bill Passed - House (44 - 34) |
June 12, 2008 | National | HR 5749 | Emergency Extended Unemployment Compensation Act of 2008 | Bill Passed - House (274 - 137) |
June 11, 2008 | LA | HB 1347 | Vouchers Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12) |
June 4, 2008 | NY | S 6823 | Long Island Affordable Housing | Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 9) |
June 2, 2008 | PA | SB 1386 | Poverty Income Tax Cut | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 16) |
May 29, 2008 | MS | HB 17 | Medicaid Funds Bill | Bill Failed - House (55 - 53) |
May 28, 2008 | MS | SB 2011 | Increasing Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - House (87 - 33) |
May 28, 2008 | MS | SB 2013 | Hospital Tax for Medicaid Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 7) |
May 28, 2008 | CA | AB 2368 | CalWORKs Eligibility | Bill Passed - House (46 - 33) |
May 27, 2008 | SC | H 3567 | Cigarette Tax Increase | Veto Override Failed - House (54 - 57) |
May 27, 2008 | CA | AB 1996 | Food Stamps for Convicted Drug Felons | Bill Passed - House (42 - 35) |
May 22, 2008 | National | HR 2419 | Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) | Veto Override Passed - Senate (82 - 13) |
May 22, 2008 | National | S Amdt 4803 | GI Bill and Other Domestic Provisions | Amendment Adopted - Senate (75 - 22) |
May 22, 2008 | MS | SB 2011 | Increasing Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (46 - 3) |
May 21, 2008 | National | HR 2419 | Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) | Veto Override Passed - House (316 - 108) |
May 21, 2008 | SC | H 3816 | Bankruptcy Exemptions | Veto Override Passed - House (78 - 26) |
May 16, 2008 | MO | HB 1549, 1771, 1395, 2366 | Undocumented Immigrants | Conference Report Adopted - House (136 - 12) |
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) |
May 15, 2008 | National | HR 2642 | Iraq Related Provisions such as a Troop Withdrawal, a Permanent Base Ban, and Limiting Interrogation Techniques | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (227 - 196) |
May 15, 2008 | National | HR 2642 | Iraq Related Provisions such as a Troop Withdrawal, a Permanent Base Ban, and Limiting Interrogation Techniques | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (256 - 166) |
May 15, 2008 | National | HR 2642 | Iraq Related Provisions such as a Troop Withdrawal, a Permanent Base Ban, and Limiting Interrogation Techniques | Concurrence Vote Failed - House (141 - 149) |
May 14, 2008 | National | HR 2419 | Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) | Conference Report Adopted - House (318 - 106) |
May 14, 2008 | OH | HB 545 | Short Term Loans | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 4) |
Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|
12/19 | SB 861 | Tuition Assistance for Students in High Poverty Areas | Bill Passed - House (61 - 34) |
12/10 | SB 861 | Tuition Assistance for Students in High Poverty Areas | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13) |
11/24 | A 3459 | Foreclosure Assistance Appropriations | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 9) |
11/17 | A 3374 | Public Assistance Appropriations | Bill Passed - House (67 - 10) |
11/17 | A 3459 | Foreclosure Assistance Appropriations | Bill Passed - House (47 - 26) |
10/03 | HR 6867 | Emergency Extended Unemployment Compensation | Bill Passed - House (368 - 28) |
8/31 | SB 840 | California Universal Healthcare Agency | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 14) |
8/29 | AB 1107 | Drought-Related Unemployment Benefits | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (60 - 18) |
8/29 | SB 840 | California Universal Healthcare Agency | Bill Passed - House (44 - 32) |
8/19 | SB 24 | Tax Rebate | Bill Passed - House (51 - 16) |
8/19 | HB 4 | Working Families Tax Credit Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 2) |
8/18 | SB 22 | Subsidizing Children's Health Care | Bill Passed - House (47 - 19) |
8/18 | SB 24 | Tax Rebate | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 2) |
8/16 | HB 4 | Working Families Tax Credit Increase | Bill Passed - House (39 - 25) |
8/14 | AB 1107 | Drought-Related Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 10) |
7/26 | S 3186 | Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Funding | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (50 - 35) |
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) |
7/01 | SB 300 | 2008-2009 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 6) |
7/01 | SB 300 | 2008-2009 Budget | Bill Passed - House (33 - 7) |
6/27 | HB 17 | Medicaid Funds Bill | Bill Passed - House (68 - 44) |
6/26 | HR 2642 | Iraq and Afghanistan War Funding, Unemployment Benefits Extension, and GI Bill | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (92 - 6) |
6/23 | S 1557 | FamilyCare Expansion bill | Bill Passed - House (59 - 18) |
6/19 | HR 2642 | GI Bill, Funding for Midwest Flood Cleanup, Extension of Unemployment Benefits, and Other Provisions | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (268 - 155) |
6/18 | HR 6124 | Second Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) | Veto Override Passed - Senate (80 - 14) |
6/18 | HR 6124 | Second Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) | Veto Override Passed - House (317 - 109) |
6/16 | A 500 | Affordable Housing | Bill Passed - House (44 - 34) |
6/12 | HR 5749 | Emergency Extended Unemployment Compensation Act of 2008 | Bill Passed - House (274 - 137) |
6/11 | HB 1347 | Vouchers Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12) |
6/04 | S 6823 | Long Island Affordable Housing | Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 9) |
6/02 | SB 1386 | Poverty Income Tax Cut | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 16) |
5/29 | HB 17 | Medicaid Funds Bill | Bill Failed - House (55 - 53) |
5/28 | SB 2011 | Increasing Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - House (87 - 33) |
5/28 | SB 2013 | Hospital Tax for Medicaid Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 7) |
5/28 | AB 2368 | CalWORKs Eligibility | Bill Passed - House (46 - 33) |
5/27 | H 3567 | Cigarette Tax Increase | Veto Override Failed - House (54 - 57) |
5/27 | AB 1996 | Food Stamps for Convicted Drug Felons | Bill Passed - House (42 - 35) |
5/22 | HR 2419 | Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) | Veto Override Passed - Senate (82 - 13) |
5/22 | S Amdt 4803 | GI Bill and Other Domestic Provisions | Amendment Adopted - Senate (75 - 22) |
5/22 | SB 2011 | Increasing Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (46 - 3) |
5/21 | HR 2419 | Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) | Veto Override Passed - House (316 - 108) |
5/21 | H 3816 | Bankruptcy Exemptions | Veto Override Passed - House (78 - 26) |
5/16 | HB 1549, 1771, 1395, 2366 | Undocumented Immigrants | Conference Report Adopted - House (136 - 12) |
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) |
5/15 | HR 2642 | Iraq Related Provisions such as a Troop Withdrawal, a Permanent Base Ban, and Limiting Interrogation Techniques | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (227 - 196) |
5/15 | HR 2642 | Iraq Related Provisions such as a Troop Withdrawal, a Permanent Base Ban, and Limiting Interrogation Techniques | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (256 - 166) |
5/15 | HR 2642 | Iraq Related Provisions such as a Troop Withdrawal, a Permanent Base Ban, and Limiting Interrogation Techniques | Concurrence Vote Failed - House (141 - 149) |
5/14 | HR 2419 | Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) | Conference Report Adopted - House (318 - 106) |
5/14 | HB 545 | Short Term Loans | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 4) |