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 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Sept. 13, 2000 | National | HR 4810 | Marriage Tax Relief Bill | Veto Override Failed - House (270 - 158) |
July 14, 2004 | National | S J Res 40 | Federal Marriage Amendment | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (48 - 50) |
July 29, 1998 | National | S Amdt 3359 | Married Tax Filing Amendment | Amendment Not Tabled - Senate (48 - 51) |
June 7, 2006 | National | S J Res 1 | Same Sex Marriage Resolution | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (49 - 48) |
July 12, 1996 | National | H Amdt 1286 | Definition of Marriage Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (103 - 311) |
July 20, 2000 | National | HR 4810 | Marriage Tax Relief Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (271 - 156) |
July 21, 2000 | National | HR 4810 | Marriage Tax Relief Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (60 - 34) |
July 12, 1996 | National | HR 3396 | Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) | Bill Passed - House (342 - 67) |
Feb. 10, 2000 | National | HR 6 | Changes in Income Tax Deductions for Married Couples | Bill Passed - House (268 - 158) |
Sept. 26, 1998 | National | HR 4579 | Tax Cut bill | Bill Passed - House (229 - 195) |
April 28, 2004 | National | HR 4181 | Marriage Penalty Tax Bill | Bill Passed - House (323 - 95) |
Sept. 10, 1996 | National | HR 3396 | Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) | Bill Passed - Senate (85 - 14) |
July 18, 2006 | National | H J Res 88 | Same-Sex Marriage Resolution | Joint Resolution Failed - House (236 - 187) |
Dec. 15, 2011 | National | HR 1540 | National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (86 - 13) |
Dec. 14, 2011 | National | HR 1540 | National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 | Conference Report Adopted - House (283 - 136) |
Dec. 18, 2010 | National | HR 2965 | Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (65 - 31) |
Dec. 15, 2010 | National | HR 2965 | Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (250 - 175) |
May 9, 2012 | National | H Amdt 1096 | Prohibits Use of Funds in Contravention with the Defense of Marriage Act | Amendment Adopted - House (245 - 171) |
July 19, 2012 | National | H Amdt 1416 | Prohibits Use of Funds in Contravention of the Defense of Marriage Act | Amendment Adopted - House (247 - 166) |
Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|
9/13 | HR 4810 | Marriage Tax Relief Bill | Veto Override Failed - House (270 - 158) |
7/14 | S J Res 40 | Federal Marriage Amendment | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (48 - 50) |
7/29 | S Amdt 3359 | Married Tax Filing Amendment | Amendment Not Tabled - Senate (48 - 51) |
6/07 | S J Res 1 | Same Sex Marriage Resolution | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (49 - 48) |
7/12 | H Amdt 1286 | Definition of Marriage Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (103 - 311) |
7/20 | HR 4810 | Marriage Tax Relief Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (271 - 156) |
7/21 | HR 4810 | Marriage Tax Relief Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (60 - 34) |
7/12 | HR 3396 | Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) | Bill Passed - House (342 - 67) |
2/10 | HR 6 | Changes in Income Tax Deductions for Married Couples | Bill Passed - House (268 - 158) |
9/26 | HR 4579 | Tax Cut bill | Bill Passed - House (229 - 195) |
4/28 | HR 4181 | Marriage Penalty Tax Bill | Bill Passed - House (323 - 95) |
9/10 | HR 3396 | Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) | Bill Passed - Senate (85 - 14) |
7/18 | H J Res 88 | Same-Sex Marriage Resolution | Joint Resolution Failed - House (236 - 187) |
12/15 | HR 1540 | National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (86 - 13) |
12/14 | HR 1540 | National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 | Conference Report Adopted - House (283 - 136) |
12/18 | HR 2965 | Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (65 - 31) |
12/15 | HR 2965 | Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (250 - 175) |
5/09 | H Amdt 1096 | Prohibits Use of Funds in Contravention with the Defense of Marriage Act | Amendment Adopted - House (245 - 171) |
7/19 | H Amdt 1416 | Prohibits Use of Funds in Contravention of the Defense of Marriage Act | Amendment Adopted - House (247 - 166) |