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
May 9, 1996 National HR 956 Product Liability bill Veto Override Failed - House (258 - 163)
March 7, 1996 National H Amdt 947 Lobby Disclosure Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (211 - 209)
June 8, 2000 National H Amdt 760 OSHA Ergonomic Protection Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (203 - 220)
May 23, 1996 National H Amdt 1085 Fair Labor Standards Act Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (239 - 188)
May 23, 1996 National H Amdt 1085 Fair Labor Standards Act Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (239 - 188)
March 30, 2006 National H Amdt 772 Reverse the Raid on Student Aid Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (200 - 220)
April 1, 1998 National H Amdt 548 Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Program Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (194 - 225)
July 11, 1996 National H Amdt 1273 Drug Price Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (180 - 242)
July 19, 2001 National H Amdt 200 Community Solutions Act Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (168 - 261)
March 9, 2000 National H Amdt 594 Minimum Wage Increase-Two Year Raise Amendment Adopted - House (246 - 179)
May 23, 1996 National H Amdt 1085 Fair Labor Standards Act Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (196 - 229)
May 23, 1996 National H Amdt 1085 Fair Labor Standards Act Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (196 - 229)
June 9, 2000 National H Amdt 763 Estate Tax Substitute Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (196 - 222)
July 26, 2005 National H Amdt 514 Small Employer Health Benefits Plan Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (197 - 230)
May 23, 1996 National H Amdt 1084 Minimum Wage Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (266 - 162)
Aug. 2, 1996 National HR 3448 Minimum Wage Increase bill Conference Report Adopted - House (354 - 72)
April 2, 2004 National HR 3108 Pension Funding Equity Act of 2004 Conference Report Adopted - House (336 - 69)
Oct. 7, 2004 National HR 4520 JOBS (Jumpstart Our Business Strength) Conference Report Adopted - House (280 - 141)
Aug. 1, 1996 National HR 3103 Health Insurance Portability bill Conference Report Adopted - House (421 - 2)
March 29, 1996 National HR 956 Product Liability bill Conference Report Adopted - House (259 - 158)
Aug. 2, 1996 National HR 3448 Minimum Wage Increase bill Conference Report Adopted - House (354 - 72)
June 30, 2010 National HR 4173 Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act Conference Report Adopted - House (237 - 192)
Sept. 23, 2010 National HR 5297 Small Business Lending Fund and Tax Law Amendments Concurrence Vote Passed - House (237 - 187)
March 25, 2010 National HR 4872 Health Care Reconciliation Act Concurrence Vote Passed - House (220 - 207)
Dec. 16, 2009 National HR 2847 Employment, Infrastructure, and Transportation Appropriations Concurrence Vote Passed - House (217 - 212)
Date No. Title Outcome
5/09 HR 956 Product Liability bill Veto Override Failed - House (258 - 163)
3/07 H Amdt 947 Lobby Disclosure Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (211 - 209)
6/08 H Amdt 760 OSHA Ergonomic Protection Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (203 - 220)
5/23 H Amdt 1085 Fair Labor Standards Act Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (239 - 188)
5/23 H Amdt 1085 Fair Labor Standards Act Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (239 - 188)
3/30 H Amdt 772 Reverse the Raid on Student Aid Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (200 - 220)
4/01 H Amdt 548 Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Program Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (194 - 225)
7/11 H Amdt 1273 Drug Price Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (180 - 242)
7/19 H Amdt 200 Community Solutions Act Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (168 - 261)
3/09 H Amdt 594 Minimum Wage Increase-Two Year Raise Amendment Adopted - House (246 - 179)
5/23 H Amdt 1085 Fair Labor Standards Act Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (196 - 229)
5/23 H Amdt 1085 Fair Labor Standards Act Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (196 - 229)
6/09 H Amdt 763 Estate Tax Substitute Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (196 - 222)
7/26 H Amdt 514 Small Employer Health Benefits Plan Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (197 - 230)
5/23 H Amdt 1084 Minimum Wage Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (266 - 162)
8/02 HR 3448 Minimum Wage Increase bill Conference Report Adopted - House (354 - 72)
4/02 HR 3108 Pension Funding Equity Act of 2004 Conference Report Adopted - House (336 - 69)
10/07 HR 4520 JOBS (Jumpstart Our Business Strength) Conference Report Adopted - House (280 - 141)
8/01 HR 3103 Health Insurance Portability bill Conference Report Adopted - House (421 - 2)
3/29 HR 956 Product Liability bill Conference Report Adopted - House (259 - 158)
8/02 HR 3448 Minimum Wage Increase bill Conference Report Adopted - House (354 - 72)
6/30 HR 4173 Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act Conference Report Adopted - House (237 - 192)
9/23 HR 5297 Small Business Lending Fund and Tax Law Amendments Concurrence Vote Passed - House (237 - 187)
3/25 HR 4872 Health Care Reconciliation Act Concurrence Vote Passed - House (220 - 207)
12/16 HR 2847 Employment, Infrastructure, and Transportation Appropriations Concurrence Vote Passed - House (217 - 212)

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