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 15, 1996 National H Amdt 1057 Cooperative Threat Reduction Program Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (202 - 220)
May 15, 1996 National H Amdt 1058 Former Soviet Union Defense Conversion Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (249 - 171)
May 22, 1996 National H Amdt 1075 Disclosure of Intelligence Spending Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (176 - 248)
May 23, 1996 National H Amdt 1084 Minimum Wage Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (266 - 162)
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 Rejected - House (196 - 229)
June 6, 1996 National H Amdt 1133 Wisconsin Welfare Reform Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (194 - 233)
June 12, 1996 National H Amdt 1147 Animal Damage Control Program Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (139 - 279)
June 13, 1996 National H Amdt 1164 Department of Defense Appropriations Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (194 - 219)
June 13, 1996 National H Amdt 1167 Spaced-based Weapons Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (190 - 208)
June 20, 1996 National H Amdt 1183 Forest Service Funding Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (211 - 211)
June 20, 1996 National H Amdt 1190 Tribal Land Trust Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (212 - 206)
July 11, 1996 National H Amdt 1264 Education and Training Programs Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (198 - 227)
July 11, 1996 National H Amdt 1265 School Improvement Programs Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (294 - 129)
July 11, 1996 National H Amdt 1273 Drug Price Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (180 - 242)
July 11, 1996 National H Amdt 1276 Human Embryo Research Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (167 - 256)
July 11, 1996 National H Amdt 1278 Social Security and Medicare Trust Funds Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (201 - 220)
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 18, 1996 National H Amdt 1307 Food Stamp Recipient Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (239 - 184)
July 22, 1996 National H Amdt 1309 Non-Federally Funded Abortions Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (176 - 223)
July 24, 1996 National H Amdt 1356 Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) Funding Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (184 - 236)
July 25, 1996 National H Amdt 1359 Energy Research Appropriation Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (198 - 211)
July 25, 1996 National H Amdt 1360 Renewable Energy Research Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (279 - 135)
Feb. 28, 1996 National H Amdt 933 Peanut Program Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (209 - 212)
Feb. 28, 1996 National H Amdt 934 Sugar Program Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (208 - 217)
Feb. 28, 1996 National H Amdt 935 Dairy Program Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (258 - 164)
Feb. 29, 1996 National H Amdt 936 Agricultural Conservation Programs Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (372 - 37)
Feb. 29, 1996 National H Amdt 941 Florida Everglades Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (299 - 124)
March 7, 1996 National H Amdt 946 Medicaid Funded Abortions Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (198 - 222)
March 7, 1996 National H Amdt 947 Lobby Disclosure Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (211 - 209)
March 14, 1996 National H Amdt 954 Habeas Corpus Reform Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (135 - 283)
March 20, 1996 National H Amdt 968 Immigrant Public Assistance Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (151 - 269)
March 20, 1996 National H Amdt 969 Denying Public Education to Undocumented Immigrants Amendment Adopted - House (257 - 163)
March 20, 1996 National H Amdt 974 Immigrant English Proficiency Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (210 - 207)
June 12, 1996 National H Con Res 178 Fiscal Year 1997 Budget Resolution Conference Report Adopted - House (216 - 211)
June 13, 1996 National H Con Res 178 Fiscal Year 1997 Budget Resolution Conference Report Adopted - Senate (53 - 46)
May 16, 1996 National H Con Res 178 Fiscal Year 1997 Budget Resolution Resolution Passed - House (226 - 195)
June 6, 1996 National H J Res 1 Balanced Budget Proposed Constitutional Amendment Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (64 - 35)
May 23, 1996 National HR 1227 Minimum Wage Increase Bill Passed - House (281 - 144)
Aug. 1, 1996 National HR 123 English as the National Language Bill Passed - House (259 - 169)
March 22, 1996 National HR 125 Gun Ban Repeal Act of 1995 Bill Passed - House (239 - 173)
Jan. 3, 1996 National HR 1530 Authorization bill FY96, Defense Department Veto Override Passed - House (240 - 156)
April 30, 1996 National HR 1561 Authorization bill, FY96-97, Foreign Relations Veto Override Failed - House (234 - 188)
March 28, 1996 National HR 1561 Authorization bill, FY96-97, Foreign Relations Conference Report Adopted - Senate (52 - 44)
March 12, 1996 National HR 1561 Authorization bill, FY96-97, Foreign Relations Conference Report Adopted - House (226 - 172)
Sept. 26, 1996 National HR 1833 Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion Ban Veto Override Failed - Senate (58 - 40)
Sept. 19, 1996 National HR 1833 Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion Ban Veto Override Passed - House (285 - 137)
Jan. 4, 1996 National HR 1977 1996 Interior Appropriations Veto Override Failed - House (239 - 177)
May 7, 1996 National HR 2137 Megan's Law Bill Passed - House (418 - 0)
Date No. Title Outcome
5/15 H Amdt 1057 Cooperative Threat Reduction Program Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (202 - 220)
5/15 H Amdt 1058 Former Soviet Union Defense Conversion Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (249 - 171)
5/22 H Amdt 1075 Disclosure of Intelligence Spending Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (176 - 248)
5/23 H Amdt 1084 Minimum Wage Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (266 - 162)
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 Rejected - House (196 - 229)
6/06 H Amdt 1133 Wisconsin Welfare Reform Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (194 - 233)
6/12 H Amdt 1147 Animal Damage Control Program Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (139 - 279)
6/13 H Amdt 1164 Department of Defense Appropriations Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (194 - 219)
6/13 H Amdt 1167 Spaced-based Weapons Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (190 - 208)
6/20 H Amdt 1183 Forest Service Funding Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (211 - 211)
6/20 H Amdt 1190 Tribal Land Trust Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (212 - 206)
7/11 H Amdt 1264 Education and Training Programs Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (198 - 227)
7/11 H Amdt 1265 School Improvement Programs Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (294 - 129)
7/11 H Amdt 1273 Drug Price Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (180 - 242)
7/11 H Amdt 1276 Human Embryo Research Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (167 - 256)
7/11 H Amdt 1278 Social Security and Medicare Trust Funds Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (201 - 220)
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)
7/18 H Amdt 1307 Food Stamp Recipient Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (239 - 184)
7/22 H Amdt 1309 Non-Federally Funded Abortions Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (176 - 223)
7/24 H Amdt 1356 Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) Funding Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (184 - 236)
7/25 H Amdt 1359 Energy Research Appropriation Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (198 - 211)
7/25 H Amdt 1360 Renewable Energy Research Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (279 - 135)
2/28 H Amdt 933 Peanut Program Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (209 - 212)
2/28 H Amdt 934 Sugar Program Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (208 - 217)
2/28 H Amdt 935 Dairy Program Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (258 - 164)
2/29 H Amdt 936 Agricultural Conservation Programs Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (372 - 37)
2/29 H Amdt 941 Florida Everglades Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (299 - 124)
3/07 H Amdt 946 Medicaid Funded Abortions Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (198 - 222)
3/07 H Amdt 947 Lobby Disclosure Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (211 - 209)
3/14 H Amdt 954 Habeas Corpus Reform Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (135 - 283)
3/20 H Amdt 968 Immigrant Public Assistance Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (151 - 269)
3/20 H Amdt 969 Denying Public Education to Undocumented Immigrants Amendment Adopted - House (257 - 163)
3/20 H Amdt 974 Immigrant English Proficiency Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (210 - 207)
6/12 H Con Res 178 Fiscal Year 1997 Budget Resolution Conference Report Adopted - House (216 - 211)
6/13 H Con Res 178 Fiscal Year 1997 Budget Resolution Conference Report Adopted - Senate (53 - 46)
5/16 H Con Res 178 Fiscal Year 1997 Budget Resolution Resolution Passed - House (226 - 195)
6/06 H J Res 1 Balanced Budget Proposed Constitutional Amendment Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (64 - 35)
5/23 HR 1227 Minimum Wage Increase Bill Passed - House (281 - 144)
8/01 HR 123 English as the National Language Bill Passed - House (259 - 169)
3/22 HR 125 Gun Ban Repeal Act of 1995 Bill Passed - House (239 - 173)
1/03 HR 1530 Authorization bill FY96, Defense Department Veto Override Passed - House (240 - 156)
4/30 HR 1561 Authorization bill, FY96-97, Foreign Relations Veto Override Failed - House (234 - 188)
3/28 HR 1561 Authorization bill, FY96-97, Foreign Relations Conference Report Adopted - Senate (52 - 44)
3/12 HR 1561 Authorization bill, FY96-97, Foreign Relations Conference Report Adopted - House (226 - 172)
9/26 HR 1833 Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion Ban Veto Override Failed - Senate (58 - 40)
9/19 HR 1833 Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion Ban Veto Override Passed - House (285 - 137)
1/04 HR 1977 1996 Interior Appropriations Veto Override Failed - House (239 - 177)
5/07 HR 2137 Megan's Law Bill Passed - House (418 - 0)

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