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 |
---|---|---|---|---|
May 22, 1996 | National | H Amdt 1075 | Disclosure of Intelligence Spending Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (176 - 248) |
July 16, 2014 | National | H Amdt 1098 | Prohibits District of Columbia from Implementing Certain Firearm Laws | Amendment Adopted - House (241 - 181) |
July 16, 2008 | National | H Amdt 1114 | Allowing the Use of Certain Terms in Within the Intelligence Community | Amendment Adopted - House (249 - 180) |
May 18, 2012 | National | H Amdt 1127 | Repeals Indefinite Military Detention Provisions | Amendment Rejected - House (182 - 238) |
May 18, 2012 | National | H Amdt 1127 | Repeals Indefinite Military Detention Provisions | Amendment Rejected - House (182 - 238) |
June 28, 2006 | National | H Amdt 1156 | Trigger Lock Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (230 - 191) |
June 13, 1996 | National | H Amdt 1167 | Spaced-based Weapons Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (190 - 208) |
June 14, 2013 | National | H Amdt 168 | Establishes Framework for the Closing of the Detention Facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, by December 1, 2014 | Amendment Rejected - House (174 - 249) |
June 23, 1997 | National | H Amdt 192 | Border Defense Personnel Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (269 - 119) |
May 17, 2007 | National | H Amdt 197 | Guantanamo Transfer Plan | Amendment Adopted - House (220 - 208) |
May 17, 2007 | National | H Amdt 197 | Guantanamo Transfer Plan | Amendment Adopted - House (220 - 208) |
June 18, 1999 | National | H Amdt 215 | 24 Hour Background Check Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (218 - 211) |
June 18, 1999 | National | H Amdt 216 | 72 Hour Background Check Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (193 - 235) |
Feb. 28, 2013 | National | H Amdt 23 | Reauthorizes the Violence Against Women Act | Amendment Rejected - House (166 - 257) |
April 26, 2001 | National | H Amdt 27 | Violence Against Fetuses/Unborn Children Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (196 - 229) |
June 15, 2005 | National | H Amdt 280 | Patriot Act Amendment - Library Records | Amendment Adopted - House (238 - 187) |
June 15, 2005 | National | H Amdt 280 | Patriot Act Amendment - Library Records | Amendment Adopted - House (238 - 187) |
April 21, 2005 | National | H Amdt 370 | Liability Shield Language Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (213 - 219) |
June 21, 2007 | National | H Amdt 378 | Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation (formerly School of the Americas) Funding Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (203 - 214) |
June 2, 2011 | National | H Amdt 385 | Prohibiting Funds From Being Used in Contradiction to the War Powers Resolution | Amendment Rejected - House (208 - 213) |
Nov. 10, 1993 | National | H Amdt 390 | Instant Background Checks for Gun Purchase Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (238 - 192) |
June 2, 2011 | National | H Amdt 398 | Prohibiting the Use of Funds for Transportation Security Administration Collective Bargaining | Amendment Adopted - House (218 - 205) |
June 2, 2011 | National | H Amdt 406 | Transportation Security Administration Appropriations | Amendment Adopted - House (219 - 204) |
Feb. 3, 1994 | National | H Amdt 427 | Fiscal 1994 Disaster Relief Funding | Amendment Rejected - House (207 - 211) |
Feb. 10, 1994 | National | H Amdt 436 | Bryant Amendment to Independent Counsel Reauthorization Act of 1993 | Amendment Adopted - House (230 - 188) |
Sept. 18, 2013 | National | H Amdt 463 | Amends the Definition of "Strategic and Critical Minerals" | Amendment Rejected - House (187 - 241) |
Feb. 25, 1998 | National | H Amdt 497 | Death Sentence Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (113 - 300) |
April 14, 1994 | National | H Amdt 503 | Death Penalty Removal Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (111 - 314) |
Nov. 7, 2009 | National | H Amdt 510 | Substitute Health Care and Insurance Law Amendments | Amendment Rejected - House (176 - 258) |
Dec. 5, 2013 | National | H Amdt 521 | Authorizes Judicial Discretion in Awarding Legal Fees in Patent Lawsuits | Amendment Rejected - House (199 - 213) |
Dec. 5, 2013 | National | H Amdt 524 | Limits Covered Customers to Businesses With Less Than $25 Million in Revenue | Amendment Rejected - House (144 - 266) |
May 22, 2013 | National | H Amdt 69 | Requires Threat Assessment of Pipeline Vulnerabilities to a Terrorist Attack | Amendment Rejected - House (176 - 239) |
May 22, 2013 | National | H Amdt 72 | Increases Time to File a Claim Under the Northern Route Approval Act from 60 Days to 1 Year | Amendment Rejected - House (182 - 234) |
July 30, 1998 | National | H Amdt 747 | Voter Registration Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (165 - 260) |
July 19, 1994 | National | H Amdt 759 | Intelligence Spending Disclosure Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (194 - 221) |
May 30, 2014 | National | H Amdt 763 | Prohibits Funds from Being Used to Require Journalists to Disclose Sources | Amendment Adopted - House (225 - 183) |
June 4, 2013 | National | H Amdt 84 | Authorizes Funds for the Construction of United States Prison for Prisoners from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba | Amendment Rejected - House (170 - 254) |
Aug. 7, 1998 | National | H Amdt 869 | Illegal Drug Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (250 - 169) |
Sept. 16, 1998 | National | H Amdt 887 | Illegal Drug Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (291 - 133) |
June 19, 2014 | National | H Amdt 935 | Prohibits a Federal Employee from Requesting Foreign Intelligence Information in Relation to a US Citizen | Amendment Adopted - House (293 - 123) |
March 14, 1996 | National | H Amdt 954 | Habeas Corpus Reform Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (135 - 283) |
March 14, 1996 | National | H Amdt 954 | Habeas Corpus Reform Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (135 - 283) |
Dec. 1, 2022 | National | H Con Res 119 | Providing for a Correction in the enrollment of H.J. Res. 100. | Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (52 - 43) |
Nov. 30, 2022 | National | H Con Res 119 | Providing for a Correction in the enrollment of H.J. Res. 100. | Joint Resolution Passed - House (221 - 207) |
Sept. 9, 1999 | National | H Con Res 180 | Puerto Rican Nationals resolution | Resolution Passed - House (311 - 41) |
March 14, 2019 | National | H Con Res 24 | Expressing the sense of Congress that the report of Special Counsel Mueller should be made available to the public and to Congress. | Bill Passed - House (420 - 0) |
March 14, 2019 | National | H Con Res 24 | Expressing the sense of Congress that the report of Special Counsel Mueller should be made available to the public and to Congress. | Bill Passed - House (420 - 0) |
Jan. 11, 2023 | National | H Con Res 3 | Expressing the sense of Congress condemning the recent attacks on pro-life facilities, groups, and churches | Joint Resolution Passed - House (222 - 209) |
May 18, 2023 | National | H Con Res 40 | Expressing support for local law enforcement officers and condemning efforts to defund or dismantle local law enforcement agencies | Joint Resolution Passed - House (301 - 119) |
Dec. 1, 2022 | National | H J Res 100 | To provide for a resolution with respect to the unresolved disputes between certain railroads represented by the National Carriers' Conference Committee of the National Railway Labor Conference and certain of their employees. | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (80 - 15) |
Nov. 30, 2022 | National | H J Res 100 | To provide for a resolution with respect to the unresolved disputes between certain railroads represented by the National Carriers' Conference Committee of the National Railway Labor Conference and certain of their employees. | Joint Resolution Passed - House (290 - 137) |
March 17, 2021 | National | H J Res 17 | Removing the deadline for the ratification of the equal rights amendment | Joint Resolution Passed - House (222 - 204) |
March 8, 2023 | National | H J Res 26 | Disapproving the action of the District of Columbia Council in approving the Revised Criminal Code Act | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (81 - 14) |
Feb. 9, 2023 | National | H J Res 26 | Disapproving the action of the District of Columbia Council in approving the Revised Criminal Code Act | Joint Resolution Passed - House (250 - 173) |
July 17, 2001 | National | H J Res 36 | Flag Burning Resolution | Joint Resolution Passed - House (298 - 125) |
Feb. 15, 2017 | National | H J Res 40 | Providing for congressional disapproval of the rule submitted by the Social Security Administration relating to Implementation of the NICS Improvement Amendments Act of 2007 | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (57 - 43) |
Feb. 15, 2017 | National | H J Res 40 | Providing for congressional disapproval of the rule submitted by the Social Security Administration relating to Implementation of the NICS Improvement Amendments Act of 2007 | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (57 - 43) |
Feb. 2, 2017 | National | H J Res 40 | Providing for congressional disapproval of the rule submitted by the Social Security Administration relating to Implementation of the NICS Improvement Amendments Act of 2007 | Joint Resolution Passed - House (235 - 180) |
Feb. 2, 2017 | National | H J Res 40 | Providing for congressional disapproval of the rule submitted by the Social Security Administration relating to Implementation of the NICS Improvement Amendments Act of 2007 | Joint Resolution Passed - House (235 - 180) |
May 16, 2023 | National | H J Res 42 | Disapproving the action of the District of Columbia Council in approving the Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Amendment Act of 2022. | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (56 - 43) |
April 19, 2023 | National | H J Res 42 | Disapproving the action of the District of Columbia Council in approving the Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Amendment Act of 2022. | Joint Resolution Passed - House (229 - 189) |
March 26, 2019 | National | H J Res 46 | Relating to a national emergency declared by the President on February 15, 2019 | Veto Override Failed - House (248 - 181) |
March 14, 2019 | National | H J Res 46 | Relating to a national emergency declared by the President on February 15, 2019 | Bill Passed - Senate (59 - 41) |
Feb. 26, 2019 | National | H J Res 46 | Relating to a national emergency declared by the President on February 15, 2019 | Bill Passed - House (245 - 182) |
March 29, 2023 | National | H J Res 7 | Relating to a national emergency declared by the President on March 13, 2020 | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (68 - 23) |
Feb. 1, 2023 | National | H J Res 7 | Relating to a national emergency declared by the President on March 13, 2020 | Joint Resolution Passed - House (229 - 197) |
Oct. 10, 2013 | National | H J Res 79 | Border Security and Enforcement Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 | Joint Resolution Passed - House (249 - 175) |
Feb. 13, 2020 | National | H J Res 79 | Removing the deadline for the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment | Bill Passed - House (232 - 183) |
July 27, 2007 | National | HR 1 | Implementing the 9/11 Commission Recommendations Act | Conference Report Adopted - House (371 - 40) |
July 26, 2007 | National | HR 1 | Implementing the 9/11 Commission Recommendations Act | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (85 - 8) |
Jan. 9, 2007 | National | HR 1 | Implementing the 9/11 Commission Recommendations Act | Bill Passed - House (299 - 128) |
March 3, 2021 | National | HR 1 | For the People Act of 2021 | Bill Passed - House (220 - 210) |
Oct. 8, 2004 | National | HR 10 | 9/11 Recommendations Implementation Act | Bill Passed - House (282 - 134) |
Nov. 23, 1993 | National | HR 1025 | Brady Handgun Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (238 - 187) |
Nov. 20, 1993 | National | HR 1025 | Brady Handgun Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (63 - 36) |
Nov. 10, 1993 | National | HR 1025 | Brady Handgun Bill | Bill Passed - House (238 - 189) |
April 9, 2003 | National | HR 1036 | Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act | Bill Passed - House (285 - 140) |
April 9, 2003 | National | HR 1036 | Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act | Bill Passed - House (285 - 140) |
Dec. 22, 1995 | National | HR 1058 | Legal Reform bill | Veto Override Passed - Senate (68 - 30) |
Dec. 20, 1995 | National | HR 1058 | Legal Reform bill | Veto Override Passed - House (319 - 100) |
Dec. 5, 1995 | National | HR 1058 | Legal Reform bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (65 - 30) |
Dec. 6, 1995 | National | HR 1058 | Legal Reform bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (320 - 102) |
June 28, 1995 | National | HR 1058 | Legal Reform bill | Bill Passed - Senate (69 - 30) |
March 8, 1995 | National | HR 1058 | Legal Reform bill | Bill Passed - House (325 - 99) |
July 30, 2008 | National | HR 1108 | FDA Regulation of Tobacco | Bill Passed - House (326 - 102) |
Feb. 28, 2019 | National | HR 1112 | Enhanced Background Checks Act of 2019 | Bill Passed - House (228 - 198) |
Sept. 18, 1998 | National | HR 1122 | Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion bill | Veto Override Failed - Senate (64 - 36) |
July 23, 1998 | National | HR 1122 | Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion bill | Veto Override Passed - House (296 - 132) |
Oct. 8, 1997 | National | HR 1122 | Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion bill | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (296 - 132) |
May 20, 1997 | National | HR 1122 | Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion bill | Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 36) |
March 20, 1997 | National | HR 1122 | Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion bill | Bill Passed - House (295 - 136) |
March 5, 2020 | National | HR 1140 | Rights for Transportation Security Officers Act | Bill Passed - House (230 - 171) |
May 20, 1999 | National | HR 1141 | Emergency Supplemental Appropriations-Conference Report | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (64 - 36) |
May 18, 1999 | National | HR 1141 | Emergency Supplemental Appropriations-Conference Report | Conference Report Adopted - House (269 - 158) |
March 24, 1999 | National | HR 1141 | Emergency Supplemental Appropriations-Conference Report | Bill Passed - House (220 - 211) |
May 18, 2017 | National | HR 115 | Thin Blue Line Act | Bill Passed - House (271 - 143) |
May 18, 2017 | National | HR 115 | Thin Blue Line Act | Bill Passed - House (271 - 143) |
March 16, 2017 | National | HR 1181 | Veterans 2nd Amendment Protection Act | Bill Passed - House (240 - 175) |
June 28, 2017 | National | HR 1215 | Protecting Access to Care Act of 2017 | Bill Passed - House (218 - 210) |
Jan. 15, 2020 | National | HR 1230 | Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act | Bill Passed - House (261 - 155) |