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
April 11, 2003 National H Con Res 95 Congressional Budget for fiscal year 2004 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (51 - 50)
April 11, 2003 National H Con Res 95 Congressional Budget for fiscal year 2004 Conference Report Adopted - House (216 - 211)
March 21, 2003 National H Con Res 95 Congressional Budget for fiscal year 2004 Resolution Passed - House (215 - 212)
Feb. 13, 2003 National H J Res 2 Consolidated Appropriations Resolution, 2003 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (76 - 20)
Feb. 13, 2003 National H J Res 2 Consolidated Appropriations Resolution, 2003 Conference Report Adopted - House (338 - 83)
June 3, 2003 National H J Res 4 Flag Burning Resolution Bill Passed - House (300 - 125)
Nov. 22, 2003 National HR 1 Medicare Prescription Drug bill Conference Report Adopted - House (220 - 215)
Nov. 25, 2003 National HR 1 Medicare Prescription Drug bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (54 - 44)
June 27, 2003 National HR 1 Medicare Prescription Drug bill Bill Passed - House (216 - 215)
April 9, 2003 National HR 1036 Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act Bill Passed - House (285 - 140)
May 1, 2003 National HR 1298 AIDS Assistance bill Bill Passed - House (375 - 41)
April 30, 2003 National HR 1350 Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act Bill Passed - House (251 - 171)
Sept. 23, 2003 National HR 1409 Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Land Exchange Act '02 Bill Passed - House (288 - 127)
March 31, 2003 National HR 1463 Vaccine Compensation bill Bill Failed - House (184 - 206)
June 19, 2003 National HR 1528 Taxpayer Protection and IRS Accountability Act of 2003 Bill Passed - House (252 - 170)
April 3, 2003 National HR 1559 Emergency Wartime Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2003 Bill Passed - House (414 - 12)
Nov. 12, 2003 National HR 1588 Defense Department FY2004 Authorization bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (95 - 3)
Nov. 7, 2003 National HR 1588 Defense Department FY2004 Authorization bill Conference Report Adopted - House (362 - 40)
May 22, 2003 National HR 1588 Defense Department FY2004 Authorization bill Bill Passed - House (361 - 68)
Nov. 6, 2003 National HR 1829 Federal Prison Industries Competition in Contracting Act of 2003 Bill Passed - House (350 - 65)
Nov. 21, 2003 National HR 1904 Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 Conference Report Adopted - House (286 - 140)
May 20, 2003 National HR 1904 Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 (256 - 170)
July 16, 2003 National HR 1950 State Department FY2004-2005 Authorizations bill Bill Passed - House (382 - 42)
May 23, 2003 National HR 2 Jobs and Economic Growth bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (51 - 50)
May 23, 2003 National HR 2 Jobs and Economic Growth bill Conference Report Adopted - House (231 - 200)
Oct. 30, 2003 National HR 2115 Aviation Administration FY2004-2006 Authorization bill Conference Report Adopted - House (211 - 207)
July 16, 2003 National HR 2122 Project BioShield Act of 2003 Bill Passed - House (421 - 2)
June 10, 2003 National HR 2143 Unlawful Internet Gambling Funding Prohibition Act Bill Passed - House (319 - 104)
July 25, 2003 National HR 2210 Head Start Bill Bill Passed - House (217 - 216)
July 9, 2003 National HR 2211 Ready to Teach Act of 2003 Bill Passed - House (404 - 17)
June 11, 2003 National HR 2350 Welfare Reform bill Bill Passed - House (406 - 6)
Nov. 20, 2003 National HR 2417 Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2004 Conference Report Adopted - House (264 - 163)
July 25, 2003 National HR 2427 Imports of Prescription Drugs bill Bill Passed - House (243 - 186)
Nov. 20, 2003 National HR 253 Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2003 Bill Passed - House (352 - 67)
Sept. 24, 2003 National HR 2555 Homeland Security Appropriations, FY 2004 bill Conference Report Adopted - House (417 - 8)
June 24, 2003 National HR 2555 Homeland Security Appropriations, FY 2004 bill Bill Passed - House (425 - 2)
Nov. 5, 2003 National HR 2559 Military Construction Appropriations Act, 2004 Conference Report Adopted - House (417 - 5)
Sept. 24, 2003 National HR 2657 Emergency Supplemental Appropriation, FY 2003 bill Conference Report Adopted - House (371 - 56)
July 11, 2003 National HR 2657 Emergency Supplemental Appropriation, FY 2003 bill Bill Passed - Senate (85 - 7)
July 9, 2003 National HR 2657 Emergency Supplemental Appropriation, FY 2003 bill Bill Passed - House (394 - 26)
Sept. 24, 2003 National HR 2658 Terrorism Information Awareness bill Conference Report Adopted - House (407 - 15)
July 8, 2003 National HR 2658 Terrorism Information Awareness bill Bill Passed - House (399 - 19)
July 10, 2003 National HR 2660 Department of Labor, HHS, and Education Appropriations Bill Passed - House (215 - 208)
July 14, 2003 National HR 2673 Agriculture, Rural Development, FDA Bill Passed - House (347 - 64)
Oct. 30, 2003 National HR 2691 Interior Department Appropriations, FY 2004 bill Conference Report Adopted - House (216 - 205)
July 17, 2003 National HR 2691 Interior Department Appropriations, FY 2004 bill Bill Passed - House (268 - 152)
July 24, 2003 National HR 2738 U.S.-Chile Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act Bill Passed - House (270 - 156)
July 31, 2003 National HR 2738 U.S.-Chile Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act Bill Passed - Senate (65 - 32)
July 31, 2003 National HR 2739 U.S.-Singapore Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act Bill Passed - Senate (66 - 32)
July 24, 2003 National HR 2739 U.S.-Singapore Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act Bill Passed - House (272 - 155)
Nov. 18, 2003 National HR 2754 Energy and Water Appropriations, FY 2004 bill Conference Report Adopted - House (387 - 36)
July 23, 2003 National HR 2799 Appropriations for the Departments of Commerce, Justice, and State, and the Judiciary Bill Passed - House (400 - 21)
July 24, 2003 National HR 2800 Foreign Operations Appropriations, FY 2004 bill Bill Passed - House (370 - 50)
July 25, 2003 National HR 2859 Emergency Appropriations for Disaster Relief Act,2003 Bill Passed - House (352 - 60)
July 25, 2003 National HR 2861 Veterans Affairs and HUD Appropriations Act, 2004 Bill Passed - House (316 - 109)
Sept. 9, 2003 National HR 2989 Transportation, Treasury, and Independent Agencies Appropriations Bill Passed - House (381 - 39)
Sept. 25, 2003 National HR 3161 Do-Not-Call-Registry bill Bill Passed - House (412 - 8)
Oct. 31, 2003 National HR 3289 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act for Defense Conference Report Adopted - House (298 - 121)
Feb. 13, 2003 National HR 4 Welfare Reform bill Bill Passed - House (230 - 192)
July 9, 2003 National HR 438 Student Loan Forgiveness for Teachers Bill Passed - House (417 - 7)
March 13, 2003 National HR 5 Malpractice Liability bill Bill Passed - House (229 - 196)
Feb. 27, 2003 National HR 534 Cloning of Humans bill Bill Passed - House (241 - 155)
Nov. 18, 2003 National HR 6 Energy Omnibus bill Conference Report Adopted - House (246 - 180)
July 31, 2003 National HR 6 Energy Omnibus bill Bill Passed - Senate (84 - 14)
April 11, 2003 National HR 6 Energy Omnibus bill Bill Passed - House (247 - 175)
June 19, 2003 National HR 660 Small Business Health Fairness Act of 2003 Bill Passed - House (262 - 162)
Sept. 17, 2003 National HR 7 Charitable Contributions bill Bill Passed - House (408 - 13)
April 2, 2003 National HR 743 Social Security Protection Act of 2003 Bill Passed - House (396 - 28)
June 4, 2003 National HR 760 Prohibit Partial-Birth/Late Term Abortion Bill Bill Passed - House (282 - 139)
Oct. 16, 2003 National H Res 198 Iraq's Reconstruction Resolution Resolution Passed - House (394 - 31)
Oct. 28, 2003 National PN 884 Michael Leavitt, Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (88 - 8)
June 27, 2003 National S 1 Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit bill Bill Passed - Senate (76 - 21)
May 22, 2003 National S 1050 Fiscal 2004 Defense Authorization-Passage Bill Passed - Senate (98 - 1)
Nov. 21, 2003 National S 1156 Department of Veterans Affairs Improvement Act of 2003 Bill Passed - House (423 - 2)
April 10, 2003 National S 151 Enhance AMBER Alert bill Conference Report Adopted - House (400 - 25)
Date No. Title Outcome
4/11 H Con Res 95 Congressional Budget for fiscal year 2004 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (51 - 50)
4/11 H Con Res 95 Congressional Budget for fiscal year 2004 Conference Report Adopted - House (216 - 211)
3/21 H Con Res 95 Congressional Budget for fiscal year 2004 Resolution Passed - House (215 - 212)
2/13 H J Res 2 Consolidated Appropriations Resolution, 2003 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (76 - 20)
2/13 H J Res 2 Consolidated Appropriations Resolution, 2003 Conference Report Adopted - House (338 - 83)
6/03 H J Res 4 Flag Burning Resolution Bill Passed - House (300 - 125)
11/22 HR 1 Medicare Prescription Drug bill Conference Report Adopted - House (220 - 215)
11/25 HR 1 Medicare Prescription Drug bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (54 - 44)
6/27 HR 1 Medicare Prescription Drug bill Bill Passed - House (216 - 215)
4/09 HR 1036 Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act Bill Passed - House (285 - 140)
5/01 HR 1298 AIDS Assistance bill Bill Passed - House (375 - 41)
4/30 HR 1350 Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act Bill Passed - House (251 - 171)
9/23 HR 1409 Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Land Exchange Act '02 Bill Passed - House (288 - 127)
3/31 HR 1463 Vaccine Compensation bill Bill Failed - House (184 - 206)
6/19 HR 1528 Taxpayer Protection and IRS Accountability Act of 2003 Bill Passed - House (252 - 170)
4/03 HR 1559 Emergency Wartime Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2003 Bill Passed - House (414 - 12)
11/12 HR 1588 Defense Department FY2004 Authorization bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (95 - 3)
11/07 HR 1588 Defense Department FY2004 Authorization bill Conference Report Adopted - House (362 - 40)
5/22 HR 1588 Defense Department FY2004 Authorization bill Bill Passed - House (361 - 68)
11/06 HR 1829 Federal Prison Industries Competition in Contracting Act of 2003 Bill Passed - House (350 - 65)
11/21 HR 1904 Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 Conference Report Adopted - House (286 - 140)
5/20 HR 1904 Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 (256 - 170)
7/16 HR 1950 State Department FY2004-2005 Authorizations bill Bill Passed - House (382 - 42)
5/23 HR 2 Jobs and Economic Growth bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (51 - 50)
5/23 HR 2 Jobs and Economic Growth bill Conference Report Adopted - House (231 - 200)
10/30 HR 2115 Aviation Administration FY2004-2006 Authorization bill Conference Report Adopted - House (211 - 207)
7/16 HR 2122 Project BioShield Act of 2003 Bill Passed - House (421 - 2)
6/10 HR 2143 Unlawful Internet Gambling Funding Prohibition Act Bill Passed - House (319 - 104)
7/25 HR 2210 Head Start Bill Bill Passed - House (217 - 216)
7/09 HR 2211 Ready to Teach Act of 2003 Bill Passed - House (404 - 17)
6/11 HR 2350 Welfare Reform bill Bill Passed - House (406 - 6)
11/20 HR 2417 Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2004 Conference Report Adopted - House (264 - 163)
7/25 HR 2427 Imports of Prescription Drugs bill Bill Passed - House (243 - 186)
11/20 HR 253 Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2003 Bill Passed - House (352 - 67)
9/24 HR 2555 Homeland Security Appropriations, FY 2004 bill Conference Report Adopted - House (417 - 8)
6/24 HR 2555 Homeland Security Appropriations, FY 2004 bill Bill Passed - House (425 - 2)
11/05 HR 2559 Military Construction Appropriations Act, 2004 Conference Report Adopted - House (417 - 5)
9/24 HR 2657 Emergency Supplemental Appropriation, FY 2003 bill Conference Report Adopted - House (371 - 56)
7/11 HR 2657 Emergency Supplemental Appropriation, FY 2003 bill Bill Passed - Senate (85 - 7)
7/09 HR 2657 Emergency Supplemental Appropriation, FY 2003 bill Bill Passed - House (394 - 26)
9/24 HR 2658 Terrorism Information Awareness bill Conference Report Adopted - House (407 - 15)
7/08 HR 2658 Terrorism Information Awareness bill Bill Passed - House (399 - 19)
7/10 HR 2660 Department of Labor, HHS, and Education Appropriations Bill Passed - House (215 - 208)
7/14 HR 2673 Agriculture, Rural Development, FDA Bill Passed - House (347 - 64)
10/30 HR 2691 Interior Department Appropriations, FY 2004 bill Conference Report Adopted - House (216 - 205)
7/17 HR 2691 Interior Department Appropriations, FY 2004 bill Bill Passed - House (268 - 152)
7/24 HR 2738 U.S.-Chile Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act Bill Passed - House (270 - 156)
7/31 HR 2738 U.S.-Chile Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act Bill Passed - Senate (65 - 32)
7/31 HR 2739 U.S.-Singapore Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act Bill Passed - Senate (66 - 32)
7/24 HR 2739 U.S.-Singapore Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act Bill Passed - House (272 - 155)
11/18 HR 2754 Energy and Water Appropriations, FY 2004 bill Conference Report Adopted - House (387 - 36)
7/23 HR 2799 Appropriations for the Departments of Commerce, Justice, and State, and the Judiciary Bill Passed - House (400 - 21)
7/24 HR 2800 Foreign Operations Appropriations, FY 2004 bill Bill Passed - House (370 - 50)
7/25 HR 2859 Emergency Appropriations for Disaster Relief Act,2003 Bill Passed - House (352 - 60)
7/25 HR 2861 Veterans Affairs and HUD Appropriations Act, 2004 Bill Passed - House (316 - 109)
9/09 HR 2989 Transportation, Treasury, and Independent Agencies Appropriations Bill Passed - House (381 - 39)
9/25 HR 3161 Do-Not-Call-Registry bill Bill Passed - House (412 - 8)
10/31 HR 3289 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act for Defense Conference Report Adopted - House (298 - 121)
2/13 HR 4 Welfare Reform bill Bill Passed - House (230 - 192)
7/09 HR 438 Student Loan Forgiveness for Teachers Bill Passed - House (417 - 7)
3/13 HR 5 Malpractice Liability bill Bill Passed - House (229 - 196)
2/27 HR 534 Cloning of Humans bill Bill Passed - House (241 - 155)
11/18 HR 6 Energy Omnibus bill Conference Report Adopted - House (246 - 180)
7/31 HR 6 Energy Omnibus bill Bill Passed - Senate (84 - 14)
4/11 HR 6 Energy Omnibus bill Bill Passed - House (247 - 175)
6/19 HR 660 Small Business Health Fairness Act of 2003 Bill Passed - House (262 - 162)
9/17 HR 7 Charitable Contributions bill Bill Passed - House (408 - 13)
4/02 HR 743 Social Security Protection Act of 2003 Bill Passed - House (396 - 28)
6/04 HR 760 Prohibit Partial-Birth/Late Term Abortion Bill Bill Passed - House (282 - 139)
10/16 H Res 198 Iraq's Reconstruction Resolution Resolution Passed - House (394 - 31)
10/28 PN 884 Michael Leavitt, Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (88 - 8)
6/27 S 1 Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit bill Bill Passed - Senate (76 - 21)
5/22 S 1050 Fiscal 2004 Defense Authorization-Passage Bill Passed - Senate (98 - 1)
11/21 S 1156 Department of Veterans Affairs Improvement Act of 2003 Bill Passed - House (423 - 2)
4/10 S 151 Enhance AMBER Alert bill Conference Report Adopted - House (400 - 25)

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