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 |
---|---|---|---|---|
July 15, 2008 | National | HR 6331 | Medicare Bill | Veto Override Passed - House (383 - 41) |
July 15, 2008 | National | HR 6331 | Medicare Bill | Veto Override Passed - Senate (70 - 26) |
July 9, 2008 | National | HR 6331 | Medicare Bill | Cloture Invoked - Senate (69 - 30) |
June 25, 1997 | National | S Amdt 468 | Private Contracts Amendment | Motion Agreed - Senate (64 - 35) |
April 1, 1998 | National | S Amdt 2169 | Medicare Choices Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (51 - 47) |
June 29, 2000 | National | S Amdt 3689 | Social Security and Medicare Surplus Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (54 - 43) |
April 1, 1998 | National | S Amdt 2209 | Personal Retirement Accounts Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (51 - 49) |
May 23, 2003 | National | HR 2 | Jobs and Economic Growth bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (231 - 200) |
May 17, 2007 | National | S Con Res 21 | 2008 Budget Resolution | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (52 - 40) |
May 17, 2007 | National | S Con Res 21 | 2008 Budget Resolution | Conference Report Adopted - House (214 - 209) |
Sept. 8, 1993 | National | HR 2010 | National Service Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (57 - 40) |
Oct. 18, 1993 | National | HR 2518 | Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (80 - 15) |
Oct. 7, 1993 | National | HR 2518 | Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (311 - 115) |
Aug. 6, 1993 | National | HR 2010 | National Service Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (275 - 152) |
Aug. 2, 1996 | National | HR 3448 | Minimum Wage Increase bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (354 - 72) |
Aug. 2, 1996 | National | HR 3448 | Minimum Wage Increase bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (76 - 22) |
May 23, 2003 | National | HR 2 | Jobs and Economic Growth bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (51 - 50) |
Nov. 8, 2007 | National | HR 3043 | Appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (274 - 141) |
July 9, 1996 | National | HR 3448 | Minimum Wage Increase bill | Bill Passed - Senate (74 - 24) |
Sept. 29, 1993 | National | HR 2518 | Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (82 - 17) |
June 25, 1997 | National | S 947 | Budget Reconciliation bill | Bill Passed - Senate (73 - 27) |
Dec. 6, 1995 | National | HR 660 | Housing for Older Persons Act of 1995 | Bill Passed - Senate (94 - 3) |
Oct. 23, 2007 | National | HR 3043 | Appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies | Bill Passed - Senate (75 - 19) |
Nov. 7, 2007 | National | HR 3043 | Appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies | Bill Passed - Senate (56 - 37) |
Aug. 3, 1993 | National | HR 2010 | National Service Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (58 - 41) |
Oct. 19, 1995 | National | HR 2425 | Medicare Preservation Act of 1995 | Bill Passed - House (231 - 201) |
March 16, 2006 | National | S Con Res 83 | 2007 Budget Resolution | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (51 - 49) |
Sept. 25, 1998 | National | HR 4578 | Social Security Account Protection bill | Bill Passed - House (240 - 188) |
June 28, 2000 | National | HR 4680 | Medicare Rx bill | Bill Passed - House (217 - 214) |
Nov. 19, 2009 | National | HR 3961 | Revising Medicare Physician Fee Schedules and Reinstatement of PAYGO | Bill Passed - House (243 - 183) |
June 30, 1993 | National | HR 2518 | Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - House (305 - 124) |
May 22, 1996 | National | HR 3448 | Minimum Wage Increase bill | Bill Passed - House (414 - 10) |
June 24, 2008 | National | HR 6331 | Medicare Bill | Bill Passed - House (355 - 59) |
March 23, 2007 | National | S Con Res 21 | 2008 Budget Resolution | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (52 - 47) |
Jan. 12, 2007 | National | HR 4 | Medicare Prescription Drug Price Negotiation Act | Bill Passed - House (255 - 170) |
June 28, 2002 | National | HR 4954 | Medicare Modernization and Prescription Drug Act | Bill Passed - House (221 - 208) |
July 11, 2007 | National | S 1701 | Extension of Funding for Transitional Medical Assistance and Abstinence Education | Bill Passed - House (291 - 126) |
July 28, 1993 | National | HR 2010 | National Service Bill | Bill Passed - House (275 - 152) |
July 27, 2000 | National | HR 4865 | Social Security Benefits Tax Relief bill | Bill Passed - House (265 - 159) |
May 26, 1999 | National | HR 1259 | Social Security Lock Box bill | Bill Passed - House (416 - 12) |
April 2, 2003 | National | HR 743 | Social Security Protection Act of 2003 | Bill Passed - House (396 - 28) |
July 19, 2001 | National | HR 7 | Community Solutions Act of 2001 | Bill Passed - House (233 - 198) |
March 31, 2014 | National | HR 4302 | Protecting Access to Medicare Act of 2014 | Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 35) |
June 23, 2021 | National | HR 2062 | Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act of 2021 | Bill Passed - House (247 - 178) |
Dec. 20, 2012 | National | HR 6684 | Spending Reduction Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - House (215 - 209) |
March 14, 2014 | National | HR 4015 | SGR Repeal and Medicare Provider Payment Modernization Act of 2014 | Bill Passed - House (238 - 181) |
Jan. 15, 2020 | National | HR 1230 | Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act | Bill Passed - House (261 - 155) |
Feb. 6, 2020 | National | H Res 826 | Expressing disapproval of the Trump administration's harmful actions towards Medicaid | Bill Passed - House (223 - 190) |
Feb. 1, 2012 | National | HR 1173 | Repeals the CLASS Act | Bill Passed - House (267 - 159) |
Oct. 27, 2011 | National | HR 2576 | Requires Inclusion of Social Security Benefits in Calculation of Modified Adjusted Gross Income | Bill Passed - House (262 - 157) |
Nov. 15, 2007 | National | HR 3043 | Appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies | Veto Override Failed - House (277 - 141) |
Oct. 21, 2009 | National | S 1776 | Eliminating Adjustments to Medicare Rates of Payment | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (47 - 53) |
Nov. 3, 2005 | National | S Amdt 2371 | Medicare Prescription Drug Amendment | Motion Rejected - Senate (51 - 48) |
Sept. 25, 1998 | National | H Amdt 914 | Save Social Security Act Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (210 - 216) |
July 11, 1996 | National | H Amdt 1278 | Social Security and Medicare Trust Funds Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (201 - 220) |
March 17, 2005 | National | S Amdt 229 | Medicaid Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (49 - 51) |
Feb. 2, 2006 | National | S Amdt 2730 | Medicare Part D Amendment | Motion Rejected - Senate (52 - 45) |
Nov. 3, 2005 | National | S Amdt 2357 | Medicare Premiums Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (49 - 50) |
July 27, 2000 | National | H Amdt 1041 | Social Security Benefits Tax Relief | Amendment Rejected - House (169 - 256) |
March 3, 2010 | National | S Amdt 3353 | Payment to Social Security Recipients | Motion Rejected - Senate (47 - 50) |
Nov. 3, 2005 | National | S Amdt 2381 | Prescription Drug Plan Amendment | Motion Rejected - Senate (43 - 56) |
June 22, 2000 | National | S Amdt 3598 | Outpatient Prescription Drugs Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (44 - 53) |
Nov. 17, 2005 | National | S Amdt 2601 | Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Amendment | Motion Rejected - Senate (51 - 47) |
Nov. 22, 1993 | National | H Amdt 416 | Penny Amendment to the Government Reform and Savings Act of 1993 | Amendment Rejected - House (213 - 219) |
Dec. 8, 2010 | National | S 3985 | Emergency Senior Citizens Relief Act | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 45) |
Dec. 8, 2010 | National | HR 5987 | Seniors Protection Act | Bill Failed - House (254 - 153) |
Dec. 14, 2011 | National | S J Res 24 | Proposing a Balanced Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution (Udall Bill) | Amendment Rejected - Senate (21 - 79) |
Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|
7/15 | HR 6331 | Medicare Bill | Veto Override Passed - House (383 - 41) |
7/15 | HR 6331 | Medicare Bill | Veto Override Passed - Senate (70 - 26) |
7/09 | HR 6331 | Medicare Bill | Cloture Invoked - Senate (69 - 30) |
6/25 | S Amdt 468 | Private Contracts Amendment | Motion Agreed - Senate (64 - 35) |
4/01 | S Amdt 2169 | Medicare Choices Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (51 - 47) |
6/29 | S Amdt 3689 | Social Security and Medicare Surplus Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (54 - 43) |
4/01 | S Amdt 2209 | Personal Retirement Accounts Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (51 - 49) |
5/23 | HR 2 | Jobs and Economic Growth bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (231 - 200) |
5/17 | S Con Res 21 | 2008 Budget Resolution | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (52 - 40) |
5/17 | S Con Res 21 | 2008 Budget Resolution | Conference Report Adopted - House (214 - 209) |
9/08 | HR 2010 | National Service Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (57 - 40) |
10/18 | HR 2518 | Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (80 - 15) |
10/07 | HR 2518 | Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (311 - 115) |
8/06 | HR 2010 | National Service Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (275 - 152) |
8/02 | HR 3448 | Minimum Wage Increase bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (354 - 72) |
8/02 | HR 3448 | Minimum Wage Increase bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (76 - 22) |
5/23 | HR 2 | Jobs and Economic Growth bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (51 - 50) |
11/08 | HR 3043 | Appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (274 - 141) |
7/09 | HR 3448 | Minimum Wage Increase bill | Bill Passed - Senate (74 - 24) |
9/29 | HR 2518 | Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (82 - 17) |
6/25 | S 947 | Budget Reconciliation bill | Bill Passed - Senate (73 - 27) |
12/06 | HR 660 | Housing for Older Persons Act of 1995 | Bill Passed - Senate (94 - 3) |
10/23 | HR 3043 | Appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies | Bill Passed - Senate (75 - 19) |
11/07 | HR 3043 | Appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies | Bill Passed - Senate (56 - 37) |
8/03 | HR 2010 | National Service Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (58 - 41) |
10/19 | HR 2425 | Medicare Preservation Act of 1995 | Bill Passed - House (231 - 201) |
3/16 | S Con Res 83 | 2007 Budget Resolution | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (51 - 49) |
9/25 | HR 4578 | Social Security Account Protection bill | Bill Passed - House (240 - 188) |
6/28 | HR 4680 | Medicare Rx bill | Bill Passed - House (217 - 214) |
11/19 | HR 3961 | Revising Medicare Physician Fee Schedules and Reinstatement of PAYGO | Bill Passed - House (243 - 183) |
6/30 | HR 2518 | Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - House (305 - 124) |
5/22 | HR 3448 | Minimum Wage Increase bill | Bill Passed - House (414 - 10) |
6/24 | HR 6331 | Medicare Bill | Bill Passed - House (355 - 59) |
3/23 | S Con Res 21 | 2008 Budget Resolution | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (52 - 47) |
1/12 | HR 4 | Medicare Prescription Drug Price Negotiation Act | Bill Passed - House (255 - 170) |
6/28 | HR 4954 | Medicare Modernization and Prescription Drug Act | Bill Passed - House (221 - 208) |
7/11 | S 1701 | Extension of Funding for Transitional Medical Assistance and Abstinence Education | Bill Passed - House (291 - 126) |
7/28 | HR 2010 | National Service Bill | Bill Passed - House (275 - 152) |
7/27 | HR 4865 | Social Security Benefits Tax Relief bill | Bill Passed - House (265 - 159) |
5/26 | HR 1259 | Social Security Lock Box bill | Bill Passed - House (416 - 12) |
4/02 | HR 743 | Social Security Protection Act of 2003 | Bill Passed - House (396 - 28) |
7/19 | HR 7 | Community Solutions Act of 2001 | Bill Passed - House (233 - 198) |
3/31 | HR 4302 | Protecting Access to Medicare Act of 2014 | Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 35) |
6/23 | HR 2062 | Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act of 2021 | Bill Passed - House (247 - 178) |
12/20 | HR 6684 | Spending Reduction Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - House (215 - 209) |
3/14 | HR 4015 | SGR Repeal and Medicare Provider Payment Modernization Act of 2014 | Bill Passed - House (238 - 181) |
1/15 | HR 1230 | Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act | Bill Passed - House (261 - 155) |
2/06 | H Res 826 | Expressing disapproval of the Trump administration's harmful actions towards Medicaid | Bill Passed - House (223 - 190) |
2/01 | HR 1173 | Repeals the CLASS Act | Bill Passed - House (267 - 159) |
10/27 | HR 2576 | Requires Inclusion of Social Security Benefits in Calculation of Modified Adjusted Gross Income | Bill Passed - House (262 - 157) |
11/15 | HR 3043 | Appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies | Veto Override Failed - House (277 - 141) |
10/21 | S 1776 | Eliminating Adjustments to Medicare Rates of Payment | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (47 - 53) |
11/03 | S Amdt 2371 | Medicare Prescription Drug Amendment | Motion Rejected - Senate (51 - 48) |
9/25 | H Amdt 914 | Save Social Security Act Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (210 - 216) |
7/11 | H Amdt 1278 | Social Security and Medicare Trust Funds Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (201 - 220) |
3/17 | S Amdt 229 | Medicaid Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (49 - 51) |
2/02 | S Amdt 2730 | Medicare Part D Amendment | Motion Rejected - Senate (52 - 45) |
11/03 | S Amdt 2357 | Medicare Premiums Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (49 - 50) |
7/27 | H Amdt 1041 | Social Security Benefits Tax Relief | Amendment Rejected - House (169 - 256) |
3/03 | S Amdt 3353 | Payment to Social Security Recipients | Motion Rejected - Senate (47 - 50) |
11/03 | S Amdt 2381 | Prescription Drug Plan Amendment | Motion Rejected - Senate (43 - 56) |
6/22 | S Amdt 3598 | Outpatient Prescription Drugs Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (44 - 53) |
11/17 | S Amdt 2601 | Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Amendment | Motion Rejected - Senate (51 - 47) |
11/22 | H Amdt 416 | Penny Amendment to the Government Reform and Savings Act of 1993 | Amendment Rejected - House (213 - 219) |
12/08 | S 3985 | Emergency Senior Citizens Relief Act | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 45) |
12/08 | HR 5987 | Seniors Protection Act | Bill Failed - House (254 - 153) |
12/14 | S J Res 24 | Proposing a Balanced Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution (Udall Bill) | Amendment Rejected - Senate (21 - 79) |