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 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Nov. 17, 2005 | National | HR 3010 | Labor, HHS and Education FY 2006 Appropriations Bill | Conference Report Rejected - House (209 - 224) |
Oct. 27, 2005 | National | HR 3010 | Labor, HHS and Education FY 2006 Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (94 - 3) |
April 27, 2005 | National | HR 748 | Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act | Bill Passed - House (270 - 157) |
April 14, 2005 | National | S 256 | Bankruptcy Reform Bill | Bill Passed - House (302 - 126) |
March 17, 2005 | National | S Amdt 244 | Unintended Pregnancy Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 53) |
March 10, 2005 | National | S 256 | Bankruptcy Reform Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (74 - 25) |
Sept. 23, 2004 | National | HR 1308 | Child Tax Credit Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (92 - 3) |
Sept. 23, 2004 | National | HR 1308 | Child Tax Credit Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (339 - 65) |
July 14, 2004 | National | S J Res 40 | Federal Marriage Amendment | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (48 - 50) |
May 20, 2004 | National | HR 4359 | Child Credit Preservation and Expansion Act of 2004 | Bill Passed - House (271 - 139) |
April 28, 2004 | National | HR 4181 | Marriage Penalty Tax Bill | Bill Passed - House (323 - 95) |
March 24, 2004 | National | HR 3873 | Child Nutrition Improvement and Integrity Act | Bill Passed - House (419 - 5) |
March 24, 2004 | National | HR 3873 | Child Nutrition Improvement and Integrity Act | Bill Passed - House (419 - 5) |
April 10, 2003 | National | S 151 | Enhance AMBER Alert bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (400 - 25) |
Feb. 13, 2003 | National | HR 4 | Welfare Reform bill | Bill Passed - House (230 - 192) |
May 16, 2002 | National | HR 4737 | Temporary Aid to Needy Families | Bill Passed - House (229 - 197) |
Sept. 13, 2000 | National | HR 4810 | Marriage Tax Relief Bill | Veto Override Failed - House (270 - 158) |
July 21, 2000 | National | HR 4810 | Marriage Tax Relief Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (60 - 34) |
July 20, 2000 | National | HR 4810 | Marriage Tax Relief Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (271 - 156) |
March 2, 2000 | National | S 1134 | Education Savings Accounts | Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 37) |
Feb. 10, 2000 | National | HR 6 | Changes in Income Tax Deductions for Married Couples | Bill Passed - House (268 - 158) |
Oct. 21, 1999 | National | S 1692 | Ban on Partial-Birth/Late Term Abortion | Bill Passed - Senate (63 - 34) |
July 29, 1999 | National | H Amdt 356 | Adoption Restriction Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (213 - 215) |
June 30, 1999 | National | HR 1218 | Child Custody Protection Act | Bill Passed - House (270 - 159) |
Oct. 8, 1998 | National | H Amdt 923 | Contraceptive Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (224 - 200) |
Oct. 8, 1998 | National | H Amdt 923 | Contraceptive Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (224 - 200) |
Sept. 26, 1998 | National | HR 4579 | Tax Cut bill | Bill Passed - House (229 - 195) |
Sept. 15, 1998 | National | S 2073 | Juvenile Crime Control and Delinquency Prevention Act | Bill Passed - House (280 - 126) |
Aug. 7, 1998 | National | H Amdt 871 | Adoption Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (227 - 192) |
Aug. 6, 1998 | National | H Amdt 874 | Low Income Educational Scholarship Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (214 - 208) |
July 29, 1998 | National | S Amdt 3359 | Married Tax Filing Amendment | Amendment Not Tabled - Senate (48 - 51) |
July 15, 1998 | National | HR 3682 | Child Custody Protection Act | Bill Passed - House (276 - 150) |
July 15, 1998 | National | HR 3682 | Child Custody Protection Act | Bill Passed - House (276 - 150) |
June 24, 1998 | National | HR 2646 | Education Savings Accounts bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (59 - 36) |
June 18, 1998 | National | HR 2646 | Education Savings Accounts bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (225 - 197) |
April 23, 1998 | National | HR 2646 | Education Savings Accounts bill | Bill Passed - Senate (56 - 43) |
Oct. 23, 1997 | National | HR 2646 | Education Savings Accounts bill | Bill Passed - House (230 - 198) |
Sept. 9, 1997 | National | H Amdt 335 | Family Planning Parental Notification Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (220 - 201) |
Sept. 4, 1997 | National | H Amdt 318 | International Family Planning amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (234 - 191) |
June 26, 1997 | National | S Amdt 527 | Family Tax Relief Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (38 - 61) |
Feb. 13, 1997 | National | HR 581 | Population Planning Bill | Bill Passed - House (231 - 194) |
Sept. 10, 1996 | National | HR 3396 | Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) | Bill Passed - Senate (85 - 14) |
Aug. 1, 1996 | National | HR 3734 | Welfare Reform Act of 1996 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (78 - 21) |
July 31, 1996 | National | HR 3734 | Welfare Reform Act of 1996 | Conference Report Adopted - House (328 - 101) |
July 30, 1996 | National | HR 2391 | Working Families Flexibility Act of 1996 | Bill Passed - House (225 - 195) |
July 23, 1996 | National | HR 3734 | Welfare Reform Act of 1996 | Bill Passed - Senate (74 - 24) |
July 18, 1996 | National | HR 3734 | Welfare Reform Act of 1996 | Bill Passed - House (256 - 170) |
July 12, 1996 | National | H Amdt 1280 | Family Planning Services Clinics Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (232 - 193) |
July 12, 1996 | National | H Amdt 1286 | Definition of Marriage Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (103 - 311) |
July 12, 1996 | National | H Amdt 1280 | Family Planning Services Clinics Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (232 - 193) |
Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|
11/17 | HR 3010 | Labor, HHS and Education FY 2006 Appropriations Bill | Conference Report Rejected - House (209 - 224) |
10/27 | HR 3010 | Labor, HHS and Education FY 2006 Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (94 - 3) |
4/27 | HR 748 | Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act | Bill Passed - House (270 - 157) |
4/14 | S 256 | Bankruptcy Reform Bill | Bill Passed - House (302 - 126) |
3/17 | S Amdt 244 | Unintended Pregnancy Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 53) |
3/10 | S 256 | Bankruptcy Reform Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (74 - 25) |
9/23 | HR 1308 | Child Tax Credit Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (92 - 3) |
9/23 | HR 1308 | Child Tax Credit Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (339 - 65) |
7/14 | S J Res 40 | Federal Marriage Amendment | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (48 - 50) |
5/20 | HR 4359 | Child Credit Preservation and Expansion Act of 2004 | Bill Passed - House (271 - 139) |
4/28 | HR 4181 | Marriage Penalty Tax Bill | Bill Passed - House (323 - 95) |
3/24 | HR 3873 | Child Nutrition Improvement and Integrity Act | Bill Passed - House (419 - 5) |
3/24 | HR 3873 | Child Nutrition Improvement and Integrity Act | Bill Passed - House (419 - 5) |
4/10 | S 151 | Enhance AMBER Alert bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (400 - 25) |
2/13 | HR 4 | Welfare Reform bill | Bill Passed - House (230 - 192) |
5/16 | HR 4737 | Temporary Aid to Needy Families | Bill Passed - House (229 - 197) |
9/13 | HR 4810 | Marriage Tax Relief Bill | Veto Override Failed - House (270 - 158) |
7/21 | HR 4810 | Marriage Tax Relief Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (60 - 34) |
7/20 | HR 4810 | Marriage Tax Relief Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (271 - 156) |
3/02 | S 1134 | Education Savings Accounts | Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 37) |
2/10 | HR 6 | Changes in Income Tax Deductions for Married Couples | Bill Passed - House (268 - 158) |
10/21 | S 1692 | Ban on Partial-Birth/Late Term Abortion | Bill Passed - Senate (63 - 34) |
7/29 | H Amdt 356 | Adoption Restriction Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (213 - 215) |
6/30 | HR 1218 | Child Custody Protection Act | Bill Passed - House (270 - 159) |
10/08 | H Amdt 923 | Contraceptive Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (224 - 200) |
10/08 | H Amdt 923 | Contraceptive Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (224 - 200) |
9/26 | HR 4579 | Tax Cut bill | Bill Passed - House (229 - 195) |
9/15 | S 2073 | Juvenile Crime Control and Delinquency Prevention Act | Bill Passed - House (280 - 126) |
8/07 | H Amdt 871 | Adoption Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (227 - 192) |
8/06 | H Amdt 874 | Low Income Educational Scholarship Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (214 - 208) |
7/29 | S Amdt 3359 | Married Tax Filing Amendment | Amendment Not Tabled - Senate (48 - 51) |
7/15 | HR 3682 | Child Custody Protection Act | Bill Passed - House (276 - 150) |
7/15 | HR 3682 | Child Custody Protection Act | Bill Passed - House (276 - 150) |
6/24 | HR 2646 | Education Savings Accounts bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (59 - 36) |
6/18 | HR 2646 | Education Savings Accounts bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (225 - 197) |
4/23 | HR 2646 | Education Savings Accounts bill | Bill Passed - Senate (56 - 43) |
10/23 | HR 2646 | Education Savings Accounts bill | Bill Passed - House (230 - 198) |
9/09 | H Amdt 335 | Family Planning Parental Notification Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (220 - 201) |
9/04 | H Amdt 318 | International Family Planning amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (234 - 191) |
6/26 | S Amdt 527 | Family Tax Relief Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (38 - 61) |
2/13 | HR 581 | Population Planning Bill | Bill Passed - House (231 - 194) |
9/10 | HR 3396 | Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) | Bill Passed - Senate (85 - 14) |
8/01 | HR 3734 | Welfare Reform Act of 1996 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (78 - 21) |
7/31 | HR 3734 | Welfare Reform Act of 1996 | Conference Report Adopted - House (328 - 101) |
7/30 | HR 2391 | Working Families Flexibility Act of 1996 | Bill Passed - House (225 - 195) |
7/23 | HR 3734 | Welfare Reform Act of 1996 | Bill Passed - Senate (74 - 24) |
7/18 | HR 3734 | Welfare Reform Act of 1996 | Bill Passed - House (256 - 170) |
7/12 | H Amdt 1280 | Family Planning Services Clinics Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (232 - 193) |
7/12 | H Amdt 1286 | Definition of Marriage Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (103 - 311) |
7/12 | H Amdt 1280 | Family Planning Services Clinics Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (232 - 193) |