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
Jan. 4, 1996 National HR 1977 1996 Interior Appropriations Veto Override Failed - House (239 - 177)
Sept. 12, 1996 National HR 3816 Appropriations bill FY97, Energy and Water Development Conference Report Adopted - House (383 - 29)
Sept. 17, 1996 National HR 3816 Appropriations bill FY97, Energy and Water Development Conference Report Adopted - Senate (92 - 8)
April 30, 1996 National HR 1561 Authorization bill, FY96-97, Foreign Relations Veto Override Failed - House (234 - 188)
Jan. 3, 1996 National HR 1530 Authorization bill FY96, Defense Department Veto Override Passed - House (240 - 156)
Jan. 26, 1996 National S 1124 Authorization bill FY96, Defense Department Conference Report Adopted - Senate (56 - 34)
Jan. 24, 1996 National S 1124 Authorization bill FY96, Defense Department Conference Report Adopted - House (287 - 129)
April 18, 1996 National S 735 Comprehensive Terrorism Prevention Act Conference Report Adopted - House (293 - 133)
April 17, 1996 National S 735 Comprehensive Terrorism Prevention Act Conference Report Adopted - Senate (91 - 8)
July 12, 1996 National H Amdt 1280 Family Planning Services Clinics Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (232 - 193)
Sept. 27, 1996 National HR 3539 Federal Aviation Authorization Act of 1996 Conference Report Adopted - House (218 - 198)
Oct. 3, 1996 National HR 3539 Federal Aviation Authorization Act of 1996 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (92 - 2)
June 13, 1996 National H Con Res 178 Fiscal Year 1997 Budget Resolution Conference Report Adopted - Senate (53 - 46)
June 12, 1996 National H Con Res 178 Fiscal Year 1997 Budget Resolution Conference Report Adopted - House (216 - 211)
Aug. 1, 1996 National HR 3103 Health Insurance Portability bill Conference Report Adopted - House (421 - 2)
Aug. 2, 1996 National HR 3103 Health Insurance Portability bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (98 - 0)
March 27, 1996 National S 4 Line-Item Veto bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (69 - 31)
Sept. 28, 1996 National HR 3610 Omnibus FY97 Appropriations bill Conference Report Adopted - House (370 - 37)
Sept. 19, 1996 National HR 1833 Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion Ban Veto Override Passed - House (285 - 137)
Sept. 26, 1996 National HR 1833 Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion Ban Veto Override Failed - Senate (58 - 40)
March 21, 1996 National HR 956 Product Liability bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (59 - 40)
March 29, 1996 National HR 956 Product Liability bill Conference Report Adopted - House (259 - 158)
May 1, 1996 National S 641 Ryan White CARE reauthorization Act of 1995 Conference Report Adopted - House (402 - 4)
Aug. 2, 1996 National S 1316 Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments of 1995 Conference Report Adopted - House (392 - 30)
Aug. 2, 1996 National S 1316 Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments of 1995 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (98 - 0)
Feb. 1, 1996 National S 652 Telecommunications Bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (91 - 5)
Feb. 1, 1996 National S 652 Telecommunications Bill Conference Report Adopted - House (414 - 16)
Sept. 24, 1996 National HR 3666 Veterans Affairs, HUD FY97 Appropriations bill Conference Report Adopted - House (388 - 25)
May 9, 1996 National HR 956 Product Liability bill Veto Override Failed - House (258 - 163)
March 28, 1996 National HR 2854 Agricultural Market Transition Act Conference Report Adopted - Senate (74 - 26)
March 29, 1996 National HR 2854 Agricultural Market Transition Act Conference Report Adopted - House (318 - 89)
April 25, 1996 National HR 3019 Appropriations bill FY96, Omnibus Conference Report Adopted - House (399 - 25)
April 25, 1996 National HR 3019 Appropriations bill FY96, Omnibus Conference Report Adopted - Senate (88 - 11)
March 19, 1996 National HR 3019 Appropriations bill FY96, Omnibus Bill Passed - Senate (79 - 21)
March 7, 1996 National HR 3019 Appropriations bill FY96, Omnibus Bill Passed - House (209 - 206)
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 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)
June 13, 1996 National HR 3610 Defense Department FY97 Appropriations bill Bill Passed - House (278 - 126)
Sept. 10, 1996 National S 2056 Employment Nondiscrimination Act of 1996 Bill Failed - Senate (49 - 50)
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)
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. 25, 1996 National HR 2202 Immigration Reform bill Conference Report Adopted - House (305 - 123)
May 2, 1996 National HR 2202 Immigration Reform bill Bill Passed - Senate (97 - 3)
March 21, 1996 National HR 2202 Immigration Reform bill Bill Passed - House (333 - 87)
July 30, 1996 National HR 2391 Working Families Flexibility Act of 1996 Bill Passed - House (225 - 195)
April 23, 1996 National S J Res 21 Term Limits bill Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (58 - 42)
Date No. Title Outcome
1/04 HR 1977 1996 Interior Appropriations Veto Override Failed - House (239 - 177)
9/12 HR 3816 Appropriations bill FY97, Energy and Water Development Conference Report Adopted - House (383 - 29)
9/17 HR 3816 Appropriations bill FY97, Energy and Water Development Conference Report Adopted - Senate (92 - 8)
4/30 HR 1561 Authorization bill, FY96-97, Foreign Relations Veto Override Failed - House (234 - 188)
1/03 HR 1530 Authorization bill FY96, Defense Department Veto Override Passed - House (240 - 156)
1/26 S 1124 Authorization bill FY96, Defense Department Conference Report Adopted - Senate (56 - 34)
1/24 S 1124 Authorization bill FY96, Defense Department Conference Report Adopted - House (287 - 129)
4/18 S 735 Comprehensive Terrorism Prevention Act Conference Report Adopted - House (293 - 133)
4/17 S 735 Comprehensive Terrorism Prevention Act Conference Report Adopted - Senate (91 - 8)
7/12 H Amdt 1280 Family Planning Services Clinics Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (232 - 193)
9/27 HR 3539 Federal Aviation Authorization Act of 1996 Conference Report Adopted - House (218 - 198)
10/03 HR 3539 Federal Aviation Authorization Act of 1996 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (92 - 2)
6/13 H Con Res 178 Fiscal Year 1997 Budget Resolution Conference Report Adopted - Senate (53 - 46)
6/12 H Con Res 178 Fiscal Year 1997 Budget Resolution Conference Report Adopted - House (216 - 211)
8/01 HR 3103 Health Insurance Portability bill Conference Report Adopted - House (421 - 2)
8/02 HR 3103 Health Insurance Portability bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (98 - 0)
3/27 S 4 Line-Item Veto bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (69 - 31)
9/28 HR 3610 Omnibus FY97 Appropriations bill Conference Report Adopted - House (370 - 37)
9/19 HR 1833 Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion Ban Veto Override Passed - House (285 - 137)
9/26 HR 1833 Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion Ban Veto Override Failed - Senate (58 - 40)
3/21 HR 956 Product Liability bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (59 - 40)
3/29 HR 956 Product Liability bill Conference Report Adopted - House (259 - 158)
5/01 S 641 Ryan White CARE reauthorization Act of 1995 Conference Report Adopted - House (402 - 4)
8/02 S 1316 Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments of 1995 Conference Report Adopted - House (392 - 30)
8/02 S 1316 Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments of 1995 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (98 - 0)
2/01 S 652 Telecommunications Bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (91 - 5)
2/01 S 652 Telecommunications Bill Conference Report Adopted - House (414 - 16)
9/24 HR 3666 Veterans Affairs, HUD FY97 Appropriations bill Conference Report Adopted - House (388 - 25)
5/09 HR 956 Product Liability bill Veto Override Failed - House (258 - 163)
3/28 HR 2854 Agricultural Market Transition Act Conference Report Adopted - Senate (74 - 26)
3/29 HR 2854 Agricultural Market Transition Act Conference Report Adopted - House (318 - 89)
4/25 HR 3019 Appropriations bill FY96, Omnibus Conference Report Adopted - House (399 - 25)
4/25 HR 3019 Appropriations bill FY96, Omnibus Conference Report Adopted - Senate (88 - 11)
3/19 HR 3019 Appropriations bill FY96, Omnibus Bill Passed - Senate (79 - 21)
3/07 HR 3019 Appropriations bill FY96, Omnibus Bill Passed - House (209 - 206)
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)
7/23 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)
6/13 HR 3610 Defense Department FY97 Appropriations bill Bill Passed - House (278 - 126)
9/10 S 2056 Employment Nondiscrimination Act of 1996 Bill Failed - Senate (49 - 50)
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)
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)
9/25 HR 2202 Immigration Reform bill Conference Report Adopted - House (305 - 123)
5/02 HR 2202 Immigration Reform bill Bill Passed - Senate (97 - 3)
3/21 HR 2202 Immigration Reform bill Bill Passed - House (333 - 87)
7/30 HR 2391 Working Families Flexibility Act of 1996 Bill Passed - House (225 - 195)
4/23 S J Res 21 Term Limits bill Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (58 - 42)

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