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) |
Oct. 18, 2007 | National | HR 976 | State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization | Veto Override Failed - House (273 - 156) |
Jan. 23, 2008 | National | HR 3963 | Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007 (CHIP) | Veto Override Failed - House (260 - 152) |
July 29, 1998 | National | S Amdt 3359 | Married Tax Filing Amendment | Amendment Not Tabled - Senate (48 - 51) |
July 14, 2004 | National | S J Res 40 | Federal Marriage Amendment | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (48 - 50) |
June 7, 2006 | National | S J Res 1 | Same Sex Marriage Resolution | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (49 - 48) |
Nov. 8, 1993 | National | S Amdt 1132 | Prohibiting the Death Penalty for Minors | Amendment Tabled - Senate (52 - 41) |
Sept. 9, 1997 | National | H Amdt 335 | Family Planning Parental Notification Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (220 - 201) |
July 12, 1996 | National | H Amdt 1280 | Family Planning Services Clinics Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (232 - 193) |
March 14, 2008 | National | S Amdt 4233 | Codifying the Definition of a Child Eligible for SCHIP | Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 52) |
Dec. 3, 2009 | National | S Amdt 2791 | Preventive Services Coverage Requirements | Amendment Adopted - Senate (61 - 39) |
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) |
Aug. 6, 1998 | National | H Amdt 874 | Low Income Educational Scholarship Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (214 - 208) |
March 25, 1993 | National | HR 670 | Abortion Counseling Bill | Motion Rejected - House (179 - 243) |
April 2, 1992 | National | S Amdt 1757 | Prohibiting Federal Funding of Human Sexual Behavior Surveys | Amendment Adopted - Senate (51 - 46) |
Feb. 8, 1994 | National | S Amdt 1390 | Contraceptives Distribution Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (34 - 59) |
Feb. 8, 1994 | National | S Amdt 1390 | Contraceptives Distribution Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (34 - 59) |
June 21, 1995 | National | S Amdt 1446 | Drinking and Driving Minors Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (64 - 36) |
Sept. 20, 1995 | National | H Amdt 814 | Drinking and Driving Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (223 - 203) |
July 12, 1996 | National | H Amdt 1286 | Definition of Marriage Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (103 - 311) |
Nov. 5, 1993 | National | S Amdt 1117 | Charging Teens as Adults for Crimes Involving a Firearm | Amendment Adopted - Senate (64 - 23) |
Sept. 4, 1997 | National | H Amdt 318 | International Family Planning amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (234 - 191) |
July 12, 1996 | National | H Amdt 1280 | Family Planning Services Clinics Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (232 - 193) |
Aug. 7, 1998 | National | H Amdt 871 | Adoption Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (227 - 192) |
July 29, 1999 | National | H Amdt 356 | Adoption Restriction Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (213 - 215) |
March 17, 2005 | National | S Amdt 244 | Unintended Pregnancy Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 53) |
June 26, 1997 | National | S Amdt 527 | Family Tax Relief Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (38 - 61) |
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) |
April 10, 2003 | National | S 151 | Enhance AMBER Alert bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (400 - 25) |
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) |
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) |
Dec. 21, 1995 | National | HR 4 | Welfare Reform Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (245 - 178) |
Dec. 22, 1995 | National | HR 4 | Welfare Reform Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (52 - 47) |
Sept. 8, 1993 | National | HR 2010 | National Service Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (57 - 40) |
Aug. 6, 1993 | National | HR 2010 | National Service Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (275 - 152) |
Nov. 14, 2007 | National | HR 1429 | Head Start Act of 2007 | Conference Report Adopted - House (381 - 36) |
Dec. 19, 2005 | National | S 1932 | Budget Reconciliation Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (212 - 206) |
Dec. 14, 2005 | National | HR 3010 | Labor, HHS and Education FY 2006 Appropriations Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (215 - 213) |
Nov. 17, 2005 | National | HR 3010 | Labor, HHS and Education FY 2006 Appropriations Bill | Conference Report Rejected - House (209 - 224) |
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) |
Sept. 27, 2007 | National | HR 976 | State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (67 - 29) |
Sept. 25, 2007 | National | HR 976 | State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (265 - 159) |
Oct. 27, 2005 | National | HR 3010 | Labor, HHS and Education FY 2006 Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (94 - 3) |
Aug. 2, 2007 | National | HR 976 | State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization | Bill Passed - Senate (68 - 31) |
Jan. 29, 2009 | National | HR 2 | Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization and Expansion | Bill Passed - Senate (66 - 32) |
Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|
9/13 | HR 4810 | Marriage Tax Relief Bill | Veto Override Failed - House (270 - 158) |
10/18 | HR 976 | State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization | Veto Override Failed - House (273 - 156) |
1/23 | HR 3963 | Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007 (CHIP) | Veto Override Failed - House (260 - 152) |
7/29 | S Amdt 3359 | Married Tax Filing Amendment | Amendment Not Tabled - Senate (48 - 51) |
7/14 | S J Res 40 | Federal Marriage Amendment | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (48 - 50) |
6/07 | S J Res 1 | Same Sex Marriage Resolution | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (49 - 48) |
11/08 | S Amdt 1132 | Prohibiting the Death Penalty for Minors | Amendment Tabled - Senate (52 - 41) |
9/09 | H Amdt 335 | Family Planning Parental Notification Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (220 - 201) |
7/12 | H Amdt 1280 | Family Planning Services Clinics Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (232 - 193) |
3/14 | S Amdt 4233 | Codifying the Definition of a Child Eligible for SCHIP | Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 52) |
12/03 | S Amdt 2791 | Preventive Services Coverage Requirements | Amendment Adopted - Senate (61 - 39) |
10/08 | H Amdt 923 | Contraceptive Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (224 - 200) |
10/08 | H Amdt 923 | Contraceptive Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (224 - 200) |
8/06 | H Amdt 874 | Low Income Educational Scholarship Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (214 - 208) |
3/25 | HR 670 | Abortion Counseling Bill | Motion Rejected - House (179 - 243) |
4/02 | S Amdt 1757 | Prohibiting Federal Funding of Human Sexual Behavior Surveys | Amendment Adopted - Senate (51 - 46) |
2/08 | S Amdt 1390 | Contraceptives Distribution Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (34 - 59) |
2/08 | S Amdt 1390 | Contraceptives Distribution Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (34 - 59) |
6/21 | S Amdt 1446 | Drinking and Driving Minors Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (64 - 36) |
9/20 | H Amdt 814 | Drinking and Driving Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (223 - 203) |
7/12 | H Amdt 1286 | Definition of Marriage Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (103 - 311) |
11/05 | S Amdt 1117 | Charging Teens as Adults for Crimes Involving a Firearm | Amendment Adopted - Senate (64 - 23) |
9/04 | H Amdt 318 | International Family Planning amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (234 - 191) |
7/12 | H Amdt 1280 | Family Planning Services Clinics Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (232 - 193) |
8/07 | H Amdt 871 | Adoption Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (227 - 192) |
7/29 | H Amdt 356 | Adoption Restriction Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (213 - 215) |
3/17 | S Amdt 244 | Unintended Pregnancy Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 53) |
6/26 | S Amdt 527 | Family Tax Relief Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (38 - 61) |
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) |
4/10 | S 151 | Enhance AMBER Alert bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (400 - 25) |
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) |
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) |
12/21 | HR 4 | Welfare Reform Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (245 - 178) |
12/22 | HR 4 | Welfare Reform Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (52 - 47) |
9/08 | HR 2010 | National Service Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (57 - 40) |
8/06 | HR 2010 | National Service Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (275 - 152) |
11/14 | HR 1429 | Head Start Act of 2007 | Conference Report Adopted - House (381 - 36) |
12/19 | S 1932 | Budget Reconciliation Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (212 - 206) |
12/14 | HR 3010 | Labor, HHS and Education FY 2006 Appropriations Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (215 - 213) |
11/17 | HR 3010 | Labor, HHS and Education FY 2006 Appropriations Bill | Conference Report Rejected - House (209 - 224) |
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) |
9/27 | HR 976 | State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (67 - 29) |
9/25 | HR 976 | State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (265 - 159) |
10/27 | HR 3010 | Labor, HHS and Education FY 2006 Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (94 - 3) |
8/02 | HR 976 | State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization | Bill Passed - Senate (68 - 31) |
1/29 | HR 2 | Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization and Expansion | Bill Passed - Senate (66 - 32) |