National Elections Key Votes

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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:

  1. The vote should be helpful in portraying how a member stands on a particular issue
  2. The vote should be clear for any person to understand
  3. The vote has received media attention
  4. The vote was passed or defeated by a very close margin
  5. Occasionally, if a specific bill is consistently inquired about on the Voter's Research Hotline, the vote will be added

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.


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Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
June 17, 1998 National H Amdt 688 Campaign Finance Reform Commission Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (156 - 201)
July 30, 1998 National H Amdt 747 Voter Registration Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (165 - 260)
July 14, 1998 National H Amdt 694 Express Advocacy Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (201 - 219)
July 16, 1998 National H Amdt 723 Increase FEC Funding Amendment Adopted - House (214 - 210)
Aug. 3, 1998 National H Amdt 690 Shays Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (237 - 186)
Aug. 6, 1998 National H Amdt 862 Federal Campaign Finance Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (147 - 222)
Sept. 17, 2009 National HR 3221 Prohibiting Federal Assistance to ACORN Motion Agreed - House (345 - 75)
July 20, 1998 National H Amdt 716 Noncitizen Campaign Contribution Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (267 - 131)
July 20, 1998 National H Amdt 744 Labor Political Activity Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (150 - 248)
Oct. 10, 2002 National HR 3295 Help America Vote Act of 2002 Conference Report Adopted - House (357 - 48)
May 5, 1993 National HR 2 Motor Voter Registration Conference Report Adopted - House (259 - 164)
July 31, 2007 National S 1 Lobbying and Donation Regulations Bill Passed - House (411 - 8)
July 25, 1996 National HR 3820 Campaign Finance Reform Bill Failed - House (162 - 259)
July 13, 2006 National HR 9 Voting Rights Act Reauthorization Bill Passed - House (390 - 33)
July 15, 2008 National HR 5803 Backup Paper Ballots Bill Failed - House (248 - 170)
Nov. 22, 1993 National HR 3 Congressional Campaign Spending Limit and Election Reform Act of 1993 Bill Passed - House (255 - 175)
June 28, 2000 National HR 4762 '527' Political Groups Bill Passed - House (385 - 39)
June 24, 2010 National HR 5175 Campaign Finance Disclosure Requirements Bill Passed - House (219 - 206)
Sept. 17, 2009 National HR 3221 Prohibiting Federal Assistance to ACORN Bill Passed - House (253 - 171)
Feb. 4, 1993 National HR 2 Motor Voter Registration Bill Passed - House (259 - 160)
Sept. 20, 2006 National HR 4844 Federal Election Integrity Act of 2006 Bill Passed - House (228 - 196)
March 3, 1993 National HR 20 Hatch Act Reform Bill Bill Passed - House (333 - 86)
Feb. 14, 2002 National HR 2356 Campaign Reform Act of 2001 Bill Passed - House (240 - 189)
May 3, 2006 National HR 4975 527 Reform Act of 2006 Bill Passed - House (217 - 213)
Aug. 6, 1998 National HR 2183 Campaign Finance Reform bill Bill Passed - House (252 - 179)
Date No. Title Outcome
6/17 H Amdt 688 Campaign Finance Reform Commission Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (156 - 201)
7/30 H Amdt 747 Voter Registration Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (165 - 260)
7/14 H Amdt 694 Express Advocacy Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (201 - 219)
7/16 H Amdt 723 Increase FEC Funding Amendment Adopted - House (214 - 210)
8/03 H Amdt 690 Shays Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (237 - 186)
8/06 H Amdt 862 Federal Campaign Finance Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (147 - 222)
9/17 HR 3221 Prohibiting Federal Assistance to ACORN Motion Agreed - House (345 - 75)
7/20 H Amdt 716 Noncitizen Campaign Contribution Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (267 - 131)
7/20 H Amdt 744 Labor Political Activity Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (150 - 248)
10/10 HR 3295 Help America Vote Act of 2002 Conference Report Adopted - House (357 - 48)
5/05 HR 2 Motor Voter Registration Conference Report Adopted - House (259 - 164)
7/31 S 1 Lobbying and Donation Regulations Bill Passed - House (411 - 8)
7/25 HR 3820 Campaign Finance Reform Bill Failed - House (162 - 259)
7/13 HR 9 Voting Rights Act Reauthorization Bill Passed - House (390 - 33)
7/15 HR 5803 Backup Paper Ballots Bill Failed - House (248 - 170)
11/22 HR 3 Congressional Campaign Spending Limit and Election Reform Act of 1993 Bill Passed - House (255 - 175)
6/28 HR 4762 '527' Political Groups Bill Passed - House (385 - 39)
6/24 HR 5175 Campaign Finance Disclosure Requirements Bill Passed - House (219 - 206)
9/17 HR 3221 Prohibiting Federal Assistance to ACORN Bill Passed - House (253 - 171)
2/04 HR 2 Motor Voter Registration Bill Passed - House (259 - 160)
9/20 HR 4844 Federal Election Integrity Act of 2006 Bill Passed - House (228 - 196)
3/03 HR 20 Hatch Act Reform Bill Bill Passed - House (333 - 86)
2/14 HR 2356 Campaign Reform Act of 2001 Bill Passed - House (240 - 189)
5/03 HR 4975 527 Reform Act of 2006 Bill Passed - House (217 - 213)
8/06 HR 2183 Campaign Finance Reform bill Bill Passed - House (252 - 179)

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