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 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Jan. 23, 2008 | National | HR 3963 | Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007 (CHIP) | Veto Override Failed - House (260 - 152) |
May 22, 2008 | National | HR 2419 | Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) | Veto Override Passed - Senate (82 - 13) |
May 21, 2008 | National | HR 2419 | Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) | Veto Override Passed - House (316 - 108) |
July 15, 2008 | National | HR 6331 | Medicare Bill | Veto Override Passed - Senate (70 - 26) |
June 18, 2008 | National | HR 6124 | Second Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) | Veto Override Passed - House (317 - 109) |
June 18, 2008 | National | HR 6124 | Second Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) | Veto Override Passed - Senate (80 - 14) |
July 15, 2008 | National | HR 6331 | Medicare Bill | Veto Override Passed - House (383 - 41) |
July 9, 2008 | National | HR 6331 | Medicare Bill | Cloture Invoked - Senate (69 - 30) |
July 26, 2008 | National | S 3186 | Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Funding | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (50 - 35) |
May 22, 2008 | National | S Amdt 4803 | GI Bill and Other Domestic Provisions | Amendment Adopted - Senate (75 - 22) |
March 13, 2008 | National | S Amdt 4347 | Earmark Moratorium | Motion Rejected - Senate (29 - 71) |
March 13, 2008 | National | H Amdt 972 | Substitute Amendment for the House Budget Resolution | Amendment Rejected - House (157 - 263) |
July 16, 2008 | National | S Amdt 5077 | Funding Amendment to AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Bill | Amendment Rejected - Senate (31 - 64) |
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) |
July 24, 2008 | National | HR 5501 | Funding to Combat AIDS, Malaria, and Tuberculosis | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (303 - 115) |
Feb. 7, 2008 | National | HR 5140 | Economic Stimulus Plan | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (380 - 34) |
Sept. 29, 2008 | National | HR 3997 | Financial Asset Purchase Authority | Concurrence Vote Failed - House (205 - 228) |
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) |
July 16, 2008 | National | HR 5501 | Funding to Combat AIDS, Malaria, and Tuberculosis | Bill Passed - Senate (80 - 16) |
Feb. 7, 2008 | National | HR 5140 | Economic Stimulus Plan | Bill Passed - Senate (81 - 16) |
Oct. 1, 2008 | National | HR 1424 | Financial Asset Purchase Authority and Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (74 - 25) |
Feb. 26, 2008 | National | S 1200 | Indian Health Care Improvement Act Amendments of 2008 | Bill Passed - Senate (83 - 10) |
Oct. 3, 2008 | National | HR 6867 | Emergency Extended Unemployment Compensation | Bill Passed - House (368 - 28) |
Jan. 29, 2008 | National | HR 5140 | Economic Stimulus Plan | Bill Passed - House (385 - 35) |
April 23, 2008 | National | HR 5613 | Medicaid Extensions and Changes | Bill Passed - House (349 - 62) |
April 16, 2008 | National | HR 2634 | Expanding the List of Countries Eligible for Debt Forgiveness | Bill Passed - House (285 - 132) |
April 2, 2008 | National | HR 5501 | Funding to Combat AIDS, Malaria, and Tuberculosis | Bill Passed - House (308 - 116) |
March 14, 2008 | National | S Con Res 70 | Concurrent Budget Resolution | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (51 - 44) |
June 10, 2008 | National | HR 6028 | Assistance for Mexico and Central America for Anti-Drug Programs (Merida Program) | Bill Passed - House (311 - 106) |
June 12, 2008 | National | HR 5749 | Emergency Extended Unemployment Compensation Act of 2008 | Bill Passed - House (274 - 137) |
March 14, 2008 | National | S Con Res 70 | Concurrent Budget Resolution | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (51 - 44) |
March 13, 2008 | National | H Con Res 312 | Concurrent Budget Resolution | Joint Resolution Passed - House (212 - 207) |
June 24, 2008 | National | HR 6331 | Medicare Bill | Bill Passed - House (355 - 59) |
Oct. 3, 2008 | National | HR 1424 | Financial Asset Purchase Authority and Tax Law Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (263 - 171) |
June 23, 2008 | NJ | A 2800 | 2008-2009 Budget | Bill Passed - House (45 - 34) |
June 23, 2008 | NJ | A 2800 | 2008-2009 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 16) |
Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|
1/23 | HR 3963 | Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007 (CHIP) | Veto Override Failed - House (260 - 152) |
5/22 | HR 2419 | Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) | Veto Override Passed - Senate (82 - 13) |
5/21 | HR 2419 | Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) | Veto Override Passed - House (316 - 108) |
7/15 | HR 6331 | Medicare Bill | Veto Override Passed - Senate (70 - 26) |
6/18 | HR 6124 | Second Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) | Veto Override Passed - House (317 - 109) |
6/18 | HR 6124 | Second Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) | Veto Override Passed - Senate (80 - 14) |
7/15 | HR 6331 | Medicare Bill | Veto Override Passed - House (383 - 41) |
7/09 | HR 6331 | Medicare Bill | Cloture Invoked - Senate (69 - 30) |
7/26 | S 3186 | Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Funding | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (50 - 35) |
5/22 | S Amdt 4803 | GI Bill and Other Domestic Provisions | Amendment Adopted - Senate (75 - 22) |
3/13 | S Amdt 4347 | Earmark Moratorium | Motion Rejected - Senate (29 - 71) |
3/13 | H Amdt 972 | Substitute Amendment for the House Budget Resolution | Amendment Rejected - House (157 - 263) |
7/16 | S Amdt 5077 | Funding Amendment to AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Bill | Amendment Rejected - Senate (31 - 64) |
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) |
7/24 | HR 5501 | Funding to Combat AIDS, Malaria, and Tuberculosis | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (303 - 115) |
2/07 | HR 5140 | Economic Stimulus Plan | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (380 - 34) |
9/29 | HR 3997 | Financial Asset Purchase Authority | Concurrence Vote Failed - House (205 - 228) |
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) |
7/16 | HR 5501 | Funding to Combat AIDS, Malaria, and Tuberculosis | Bill Passed - Senate (80 - 16) |
2/07 | HR 5140 | Economic Stimulus Plan | Bill Passed - Senate (81 - 16) |
10/01 | HR 1424 | Financial Asset Purchase Authority and Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (74 - 25) |
2/26 | S 1200 | Indian Health Care Improvement Act Amendments of 2008 | Bill Passed - Senate (83 - 10) |
10/03 | HR 6867 | Emergency Extended Unemployment Compensation | Bill Passed - House (368 - 28) |
1/29 | HR 5140 | Economic Stimulus Plan | Bill Passed - House (385 - 35) |
4/23 | HR 5613 | Medicaid Extensions and Changes | Bill Passed - House (349 - 62) |
4/16 | HR 2634 | Expanding the List of Countries Eligible for Debt Forgiveness | Bill Passed - House (285 - 132) |
4/02 | HR 5501 | Funding to Combat AIDS, Malaria, and Tuberculosis | Bill Passed - House (308 - 116) |
3/14 | S Con Res 70 | Concurrent Budget Resolution | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (51 - 44) |
6/10 | HR 6028 | Assistance for Mexico and Central America for Anti-Drug Programs (Merida Program) | Bill Passed - House (311 - 106) |
6/12 | HR 5749 | Emergency Extended Unemployment Compensation Act of 2008 | Bill Passed - House (274 - 137) |
3/14 | S Con Res 70 | Concurrent Budget Resolution | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (51 - 44) |
3/13 | H Con Res 312 | Concurrent Budget Resolution | Joint Resolution Passed - House (212 - 207) |
6/24 | HR 6331 | Medicare Bill | Bill Passed - House (355 - 59) |
10/03 | HR 1424 | Financial Asset Purchase Authority and Tax Law Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (263 - 171) |
6/23 | A 2800 | 2008-2009 Budget | Bill Passed - House (45 - 34) |
6/23 | A 2800 | 2008-2009 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 16) |