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 10, 2008 | National | HR 6028 | Assistance for Mexico and Central America for Anti-Drug Programs (Merida Program) | Bill Passed - House (311 - 106) |
June 11, 2008 | National | HR 6003 | Amtrak Reauthorization | Bill Passed - House (311 - 104) |
June 12, 2008 | National | HR 5749 | Emergency Extended Unemployment Compensation Act of 2008 | Bill Passed - House (274 - 137) |
June 20, 2008 | National | HR 6304 | Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act Amendments | Bill Passed - House (293 - 129) |
June 24, 2008 | National | HR 6331 | Medicare Bill | Bill Passed - House (355 - 59) |
June 25, 2008 | National | HR 6275 | Alternative Minimum Tax Bill | Bill Passed - House (233 - 189) |
June 26, 2008 | National | HR 6052 | Public Transportation and Alternative Fuel Grants | Bill Passed - House (322 - 98) |
June 26, 2008 | National | HR 6377 | Energy Futures Trading | Bill Passed - House (402 - 19) |
July 9, 2008 | National | HR 6304 | Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (69 - 28) |
July 9, 2008 | National | HR 5811 | Electronic Communications Preservation Act | Bill Passed - House (286 - 137) |
July 16, 2008 | National | HR 415 | Adding Parts of the Taunton River to the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System | Bill Passed - House (242 - 175) |
July 23, 2008 | National | HR 6532 | Restoring the Highway Trust Fund Balance | Bill Passed - House (387 - 37) |
July 24, 2008 | National | HR 3999 | National Highway Bridge Reconstruction and Inspection Act | Bill Passed - House (367 - 55) |
July 30, 2008 | National | HR 1108 | FDA Regulation of Tobacco | Bill Passed - House (326 - 102) |
July 31, 2008 | National | HR 1338 | Employment Discrimination Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (247 - 178) |
Sept. 16, 2008 | National | HR 6899 | Offshore Oil and Gas Drilling and Extending Certain Renewable Energy Tax Credits | Bill Passed - House (236 - 189) |
Sept. 17, 2008 | National | HR 6842 | Repealing Portions of the D.C. Firearm Ban | Bill Passed - House (266 - 152) |
Sept. 17, 2008 | National | S 3001 | Defense Authorizations Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (88 - 8) |
Sept. 18, 2008 | National | HR 6604 | Commodity Markets Speculation Bill | Bill Passed - House (283 - 133) |
Sept. 23, 2008 | National | HR 5244 | Credit Card Regulations | Bill Passed - House (312 - 112) |
Sept. 26, 2008 | National | HR 7060 | Renewable Energy Credits and Other Business and Individual Credits | Bill Passed - House (257 - 166) |
Sept. 27, 2008 | National | HR 7081 | United States - India Nuclear Agreement | Bill Passed - House (298 - 117) |
Oct. 1, 2008 | National | HR 7081 | United States - India Nuclear Agreement | Bill Passed - Senate (86 - 13) |
Oct. 3, 2008 | National | HR 6867 | Emergency Extended Unemployment Compensation | Bill Passed - House (368 - 28) |
Jan. 16, 2008 | National | HR 2768 | S-MINER Act | Bill Passed - House (214 - 199) |
July 10, 2008 | National | PN 1641 | Nomination of General Petraeus as Military Leader of the Middle East | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (95 - 2) |
Oct. 3, 2008 | National | HR 1424 | Financial Asset Purchase Authority and Tax Law Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (263 - 171) |
March 11, 2008 | National | HR 2082 | Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 | Veto Override Failed - House (225 - 188) |
Jan. 23, 2008 | National | HR 3963 | Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007 (CHIP) | Veto Override Failed - House (260 - 152) |
June 6, 2008 | National | S Amdt 4825 | Carbon Emissions Cap and Trade Plan | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (48 - 36) |
April 23, 2008 | National | HR 2831 | Equal Pay Bill | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (56 - 42) |
July 26, 2008 | National | S 3186 | Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Funding | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (50 - 35) |
June 10, 2008 | National | S 3044 | Increasing Taxes on Profits, Rescinding Certain Tax Deductions, and Increasing Tax Incentives for Alternative Energy Programs for Oil Companies | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (51 - 43) |
June 17, 2008 | National | HR 6049 | Alternative Energy Tax Incentives | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (52 - 44) |
Feb. 12, 2008 | National | S Amdt 3910 | FISA as Exclusive Means for Conducting Electronic Surveillance | Amendment Rejected - Senate (57 - 41) |
May 7, 2008 | National | S Amdt 4719 | Optional Wind Damage Insurance | Amendment Rejected - Senate (19 - 74) |
March 13, 2008 | National | S Amdt 4207 | Amendment on Certain Energy-Related Programs, Including the Development of Oil Shale and Offshore Natural Gas | Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 51) |
March 14, 2008 | National | S Amdt 4233 | Codifying the Definition of a Child Eligible for SCHIP | Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 52) |
March 13, 2008 | National | H Amdt 972 | Substitute Amendment for the House Budget Resolution | Amendment Rejected - House (157 - 263) |
March 13, 2008 | National | S Amdt 4347 | Earmark Moratorium | Motion Rejected - Senate (29 - 71) |
July 9, 2008 | National | S Amdt 5064 | Striking Telecom Immunity from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Bill | Amendment Rejected - Senate (32 - 66) |
Feb. 12, 2008 | National | S Amdt 3907 | Striking Telecommunications Companies' Civil Immunity for Surveillance | Amendment Rejected - Senate (31 - 67) |
July 16, 2008 | National | S Amdt 5077 | Funding Amendment to AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Bill | Amendment Rejected - Senate (31 - 64) |
Sept. 29, 2008 | National | HR 3997 | Financial Asset Purchase Authority | Concurrence Vote Failed - House (205 - 228) |
May 15, 2008 | National | HR 2642 | Iraq Related Provisions such as a Troop Withdrawal, a Permanent Base Ban, and Limiting Interrogation Techniques | Concurrence Vote Failed - House (141 - 149) |
June 26, 2008 | National | HR 6251 | Oil Production Leases | Bill Failed - House (223 - 195) |
July 17, 2008 | National | HR 6515 | Oil Exploration in the National Petroleum Reserve - Alaska | Bill Failed - House (244 - 173) |
June 24, 2008 | National | HR 6346 | Price Gouging Prevention Act | Bill Failed - House (276 - 146) |
June 25, 2008 | National | HR 2176 | Bay Mills Indian Community Land Claim Bill | Bill Failed - House (121 - 298) |
July 15, 2008 | National | HR 5803 | Backup Paper Ballots | Bill Failed - House (248 - 170) |
May 22, 2008 | National | S Amdt 4817 | Iraq Provisions Including a Troop Withdrawal | Amendment Rejected - Senate (34 - 63) |
Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|
6/10 | HR 6028 | Assistance for Mexico and Central America for Anti-Drug Programs (Merida Program) | Bill Passed - House (311 - 106) |
6/11 | HR 6003 | Amtrak Reauthorization | Bill Passed - House (311 - 104) |
6/12 | HR 5749 | Emergency Extended Unemployment Compensation Act of 2008 | Bill Passed - House (274 - 137) |
6/20 | HR 6304 | Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act Amendments | Bill Passed - House (293 - 129) |
6/24 | HR 6331 | Medicare Bill | Bill Passed - House (355 - 59) |
6/25 | HR 6275 | Alternative Minimum Tax Bill | Bill Passed - House (233 - 189) |
6/26 | HR 6052 | Public Transportation and Alternative Fuel Grants | Bill Passed - House (322 - 98) |
6/26 | HR 6377 | Energy Futures Trading | Bill Passed - House (402 - 19) |
7/09 | HR 6304 | Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (69 - 28) |
7/09 | HR 5811 | Electronic Communications Preservation Act | Bill Passed - House (286 - 137) |
7/16 | HR 415 | Adding Parts of the Taunton River to the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System | Bill Passed - House (242 - 175) |
7/23 | HR 6532 | Restoring the Highway Trust Fund Balance | Bill Passed - House (387 - 37) |
7/24 | HR 3999 | National Highway Bridge Reconstruction and Inspection Act | Bill Passed - House (367 - 55) |
7/30 | HR 1108 | FDA Regulation of Tobacco | Bill Passed - House (326 - 102) |
7/31 | HR 1338 | Employment Discrimination Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (247 - 178) |
9/16 | HR 6899 | Offshore Oil and Gas Drilling and Extending Certain Renewable Energy Tax Credits | Bill Passed - House (236 - 189) |
9/17 | HR 6842 | Repealing Portions of the D.C. Firearm Ban | Bill Passed - House (266 - 152) |
9/17 | S 3001 | Defense Authorizations Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (88 - 8) |
9/18 | HR 6604 | Commodity Markets Speculation Bill | Bill Passed - House (283 - 133) |
9/23 | HR 5244 | Credit Card Regulations | Bill Passed - House (312 - 112) |
9/26 | HR 7060 | Renewable Energy Credits and Other Business and Individual Credits | Bill Passed - House (257 - 166) |
9/27 | HR 7081 | United States - India Nuclear Agreement | Bill Passed - House (298 - 117) |
10/01 | HR 7081 | United States - India Nuclear Agreement | Bill Passed - Senate (86 - 13) |
10/03 | HR 6867 | Emergency Extended Unemployment Compensation | Bill Passed - House (368 - 28) |
1/16 | HR 2768 | S-MINER Act | Bill Passed - House (214 - 199) |
7/10 | PN 1641 | Nomination of General Petraeus as Military Leader of the Middle East | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (95 - 2) |
10/03 | HR 1424 | Financial Asset Purchase Authority and Tax Law Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (263 - 171) |
3/11 | HR 2082 | Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 | Veto Override Failed - House (225 - 188) |
1/23 | HR 3963 | Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007 (CHIP) | Veto Override Failed - House (260 - 152) |
6/06 | S Amdt 4825 | Carbon Emissions Cap and Trade Plan | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (48 - 36) |
4/23 | HR 2831 | Equal Pay Bill | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (56 - 42) |
7/26 | S 3186 | Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Funding | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (50 - 35) |
6/10 | S 3044 | Increasing Taxes on Profits, Rescinding Certain Tax Deductions, and Increasing Tax Incentives for Alternative Energy Programs for Oil Companies | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (51 - 43) |
6/17 | HR 6049 | Alternative Energy Tax Incentives | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (52 - 44) |
2/12 | S Amdt 3910 | FISA as Exclusive Means for Conducting Electronic Surveillance | Amendment Rejected - Senate (57 - 41) |
5/07 | S Amdt 4719 | Optional Wind Damage Insurance | Amendment Rejected - Senate (19 - 74) |
3/13 | S Amdt 4207 | Amendment on Certain Energy-Related Programs, Including the Development of Oil Shale and Offshore Natural Gas | Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 51) |
3/14 | S Amdt 4233 | Codifying the Definition of a Child Eligible for SCHIP | Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 52) |
3/13 | H Amdt 972 | Substitute Amendment for the House Budget Resolution | Amendment Rejected - House (157 - 263) |
3/13 | S Amdt 4347 | Earmark Moratorium | Motion Rejected - Senate (29 - 71) |
7/09 | S Amdt 5064 | Striking Telecom Immunity from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Bill | Amendment Rejected - Senate (32 - 66) |
2/12 | S Amdt 3907 | Striking Telecommunications Companies' Civil Immunity for Surveillance | Amendment Rejected - Senate (31 - 67) |
7/16 | S Amdt 5077 | Funding Amendment to AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Bill | Amendment Rejected - Senate (31 - 64) |
9/29 | HR 3997 | Financial Asset Purchase Authority | Concurrence Vote Failed - House (205 - 228) |
5/15 | HR 2642 | Iraq Related Provisions such as a Troop Withdrawal, a Permanent Base Ban, and Limiting Interrogation Techniques | Concurrence Vote Failed - House (141 - 149) |
6/26 | HR 6251 | Oil Production Leases | Bill Failed - House (223 - 195) |
7/17 | HR 6515 | Oil Exploration in the National Petroleum Reserve - Alaska | Bill Failed - House (244 - 173) |
6/24 | HR 6346 | Price Gouging Prevention Act | Bill Failed - House (276 - 146) |
6/25 | HR 2176 | Bay Mills Indian Community Land Claim Bill | Bill Failed - House (121 - 298) |
7/15 | HR 5803 | Backup Paper Ballots | Bill Failed - House (248 - 170) |
5/22 | S Amdt 4817 | Iraq Provisions Including a Troop Withdrawal | Amendment Rejected - Senate (34 - 63) |