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 |
---|---|---|---|---|
June 20, 1996 | National | PN 953 | Alice M. Rivlin, Federal Reserve Vice-Chair | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (57 - 41) |
June 20, 1996 | National | PN 951 | Alan Greenspan, Federal Reserve Chairman | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (91 - 7) |
April 25, 1996 | National | S Amdt 3670 | Foreign Student Program Amendment | Amendment Tabled - Senate (53 - 47) |
May 1, 1996 | National | S Amdt 3752 | Citizen Verification Pilot Program Amendment | Amendment Tabled - Senate (54 - 46) |
April 25, 1996 | National | S Amdt 3669 | Foreign Student Public Education Amendment | Amendment Tabled - Senate (53 - 46) |
July 10, 1996 | National | S Amdt 4438 | Teamwork for Employees and Managers Act of 1995 | Amendment Adopted - Senate (61 - 38) |
May 1, 1996 | National | S Amdt 3780 | Asylum Seeker Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (51 - 49) |
April 18, 1996 | National | S Amdt 3677 | Deletion of Medical Savings Accounts Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (52 - 46) |
March 19, 1996 | National | S Amdt 3513 | Medical Professionals Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (63 - 37) |
June 13, 1996 | National | H Con Res 178 | Fiscal Year 1997 Budget Resolution | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (53 - 46) |
Jan. 26, 1996 | National | S 1124 | Authorization bill FY96, Defense Department | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (56 - 34) |
Aug. 2, 1996 | National | S 1316 | Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments of 1995 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (98 - 0) |
Aug. 2, 1996 | National | HR 3448 | Minimum Wage Increase bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (76 - 22) |
Aug. 2, 1996 | National | HR 3103 | Health Insurance Portability bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (98 - 0) |
Sept. 10, 1996 | National | HR 3230 | National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1997 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (73 - 26) |
Sept. 17, 1996 | National | HR 3816 | Appropriations bill FY97, Energy and Water Development | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (92 - 8) |
Oct. 3, 1996 | National | HR 3539 | Federal Aviation Authorization Act of 1996 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (92 - 2) |
Aug. 1, 1996 | National | HR 3734 | Welfare Reform Act of 1996 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (78 - 21) |
Feb. 1, 1996 | National | S 652 | Telecommunications Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (91 - 5) |
March 5, 1996 | National | HR 927 | Cuba Sanctions Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (74 - 22) |
March 21, 1996 | National | HR 956 | Product Liability bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (59 - 40) |
March 27, 1996 | National | S 4 | Line-Item Veto bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (69 - 31) |
March 28, 1996 | National | HR 1561 | Authorization bill, FY96-97, Foreign Relations | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (52 - 44) |
March 28, 1996 | National | HR 2854 | Agricultural Market Transition Act | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (74 - 26) |
April 17, 1996 | National | S 735 | Comprehensive Terrorism Prevention Act | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (91 - 8) |
April 25, 1996 | National | HR 3019 | Appropriations bill FY96, Omnibus | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (88 - 11) |
July 9, 1996 | National | HR 3448 | Minimum Wage Increase bill | Bill Passed - Senate (74 - 24) |
July 10, 1996 | National | HR 743 | Teamwork for Employees and Managers Act of 1995 | Bill Passed - Senate (53 - 46) |
July 23, 1996 | National | HR 3734 | Welfare Reform Act of 1996 | Bill Passed - Senate (74 - 24) |
March 19, 1996 | National | HR 3019 | Appropriations bill FY96, Omnibus | Bill Passed - Senate (79 - 21) |
May 2, 1996 | National | HR 2202 | Immigration Reform bill | Bill Passed - Senate (97 - 3) |
Jan. 26, 1996 | National | Treaty Doc. 103-1 | The START II Treaty | Treaty Ratification Passed - Senate (87 - 4) |
July 31, 1996 | National | S 1936 | Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1996 | Bill Passed - Senate (63 - 37) |
Sept. 10, 1996 | National | HR 3396 | Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) | Bill Passed - Senate (85 - 14) |
Feb. 7, 1996 | National | S 1541 | Farm Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 32) |
March 21, 1996 | National | S 1459 | Public Rangelands Management Act of 1996 | Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 47) |
Sept. 26, 1996 | National | HR 1833 | Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion Ban | Veto Override Failed - Senate (58 - 40) |
Sept. 17, 1996 | National | S Amdt 5353 | Federal Land Grazing Fee Amendment | Amendment Not Tabled - Senate (50 - 50) |
June 25, 1996 | National | S 1219 | Campaign Finance Reform bill | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (54 - 46) |
April 23, 1996 | National | S J Res 21 | Term Limits bill | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (58 - 42) |
June 19, 1996 | National | S Amdt 4059 | Overseas Abortion Amendment | Amendment Not Tabled - Senate (45 - 51) |
May 2, 1996 | National | S Amdt 3840 | Public Assistance to Legal Immigrants Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (40 - 60) |
July 9, 1996 | National | S Amdt 4435 | Minimum Wage Increase Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 52) |
April 30, 1996 | National | S Amdt 3820 | Legal Immigrants Assistance Eligibility Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 53) |
June 6, 1996 | National | H J Res 1 | Balanced Budget Proposed Constitutional Amendment | Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (64 - 35) |
Sept. 10, 1996 | National | S 2056 | Employment Nondiscrimination Act of 1996 | Bill Failed - Senate (49 - 50) |
Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|
6/20 | PN 953 | Alice M. Rivlin, Federal Reserve Vice-Chair | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (57 - 41) |
6/20 | PN 951 | Alan Greenspan, Federal Reserve Chairman | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (91 - 7) |
4/25 | S Amdt 3670 | Foreign Student Program Amendment | Amendment Tabled - Senate (53 - 47) |
5/01 | S Amdt 3752 | Citizen Verification Pilot Program Amendment | Amendment Tabled - Senate (54 - 46) |
4/25 | S Amdt 3669 | Foreign Student Public Education Amendment | Amendment Tabled - Senate (53 - 46) |
7/10 | S Amdt 4438 | Teamwork for Employees and Managers Act of 1995 | Amendment Adopted - Senate (61 - 38) |
5/01 | S Amdt 3780 | Asylum Seeker Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (51 - 49) |
4/18 | S Amdt 3677 | Deletion of Medical Savings Accounts Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (52 - 46) |
3/19 | S Amdt 3513 | Medical Professionals Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (63 - 37) |
6/13 | H Con Res 178 | Fiscal Year 1997 Budget Resolution | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (53 - 46) |
1/26 | S 1124 | Authorization bill FY96, Defense Department | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (56 - 34) |
8/02 | S 1316 | Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments of 1995 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (98 - 0) |
8/02 | HR 3448 | Minimum Wage Increase bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (76 - 22) |
8/02 | HR 3103 | Health Insurance Portability bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (98 - 0) |
9/10 | HR 3230 | National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1997 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (73 - 26) |
9/17 | HR 3816 | Appropriations bill FY97, Energy and Water Development | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (92 - 8) |
10/03 | HR 3539 | Federal Aviation Authorization Act of 1996 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (92 - 2) |
8/01 | HR 3734 | Welfare Reform Act of 1996 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (78 - 21) |
2/01 | S 652 | Telecommunications Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (91 - 5) |
3/05 | HR 927 | Cuba Sanctions Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (74 - 22) |
3/21 | HR 956 | Product Liability bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (59 - 40) |
3/27 | S 4 | Line-Item Veto bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (69 - 31) |
3/28 | HR 1561 | Authorization bill, FY96-97, Foreign Relations | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (52 - 44) |
3/28 | HR 2854 | Agricultural Market Transition Act | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (74 - 26) |
4/17 | S 735 | Comprehensive Terrorism Prevention Act | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (91 - 8) |
4/25 | HR 3019 | Appropriations bill FY96, Omnibus | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (88 - 11) |
7/09 | HR 3448 | Minimum Wage Increase bill | Bill Passed - Senate (74 - 24) |
7/10 | HR 743 | Teamwork for Employees and Managers Act of 1995 | Bill Passed - Senate (53 - 46) |
7/23 | HR 3734 | Welfare Reform Act of 1996 | Bill Passed - Senate (74 - 24) |
3/19 | HR 3019 | Appropriations bill FY96, Omnibus | Bill Passed - Senate (79 - 21) |
5/02 | HR 2202 | Immigration Reform bill | Bill Passed - Senate (97 - 3) |
1/26 | Treaty Doc. 103-1 | The START II Treaty | Treaty Ratification Passed - Senate (87 - 4) |
7/31 | S 1936 | Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1996 | Bill Passed - Senate (63 - 37) |
9/10 | HR 3396 | Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) | Bill Passed - Senate (85 - 14) |
2/07 | S 1541 | Farm Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 32) |
3/21 | S 1459 | Public Rangelands Management Act of 1996 | Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 47) |
9/26 | HR 1833 | Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion Ban | Veto Override Failed - Senate (58 - 40) |
9/17 | S Amdt 5353 | Federal Land Grazing Fee Amendment | Amendment Not Tabled - Senate (50 - 50) |
6/25 | S 1219 | Campaign Finance Reform bill | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (54 - 46) |
4/23 | S J Res 21 | Term Limits bill | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (58 - 42) |
6/19 | S Amdt 4059 | Overseas Abortion Amendment | Amendment Not Tabled - Senate (45 - 51) |
5/02 | S Amdt 3840 | Public Assistance to Legal Immigrants Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (40 - 60) |
7/09 | S Amdt 4435 | Minimum Wage Increase Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 52) |
4/30 | S Amdt 3820 | Legal Immigrants Assistance Eligibility Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 53) |
6/06 | H J Res 1 | Balanced Budget Proposed Constitutional Amendment | Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (64 - 35) |
9/10 | S 2056 | Employment Nondiscrimination Act of 1996 | Bill Failed - Senate (49 - 50) |