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
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 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)
March 13, 2008 National S Amdt 4329 Amendment on Certain Energy-Related Programs, Including the Development of Oil and Natural Gas in Coastal Areas Not Covered by a Moratorium Amendment Adopted - Senate (56 - 43)
March 13, 2008 National H Con Res 312 Concurrent Budget Resolution Joint Resolution Passed - House (212 - 207)
March 11, 2008 National HR 2082 Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 Veto Override Failed - House (225 - 188)
March 11, 2008 National H Res 1031 Establishment of the Office of Congressional Ethics Resolution Passed - House (229 - 182)
March 6, 2008 National HR 4040 Consumer Product Safety Commission Bill Bill Passed - Senate (79 - 13)
March 5, 2008 National HR 1424 Mental Health Coverage Bill Bill Passed - House (268 - 148)
Feb. 27, 2008 National HR 5351 Energy Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (236 - 182)
Feb. 26, 2008 National S Amdt 3896 Prohibiting the Funds in S 1200 from Being Used for Abortions Amendment Adopted - Senate (52 - 42)
Feb. 26, 2008 National S 1200 Indian Health Care Improvement Act Amendments of 2008 Bill Passed - Senate (83 - 10)
Feb. 25, 2008 National S Amdt 4070 Prohibiting Funds in the Bill S 1200 from Being Used to Decrease Gun Ownership Amendment Adopted - Senate (78 - 11)
Feb. 14, 2008 National H Res 982 Contempt Charges Resolution Passed - House (223 - 32)
Feb. 13, 2008 National HR 2082 Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (51 - 45)
Feb. 12, 2008 National S Amdt 3907 Striking Telecommunications Companies' Civil Immunity for Surveillance Amendment Rejected - Senate (31 - 67)
Feb. 12, 2008 National S Amdt 3910 FISA as Exclusive Means for Conducting Electronic Surveillance Amendment Rejected - Senate (57 - 41)
Feb. 12, 2008 National S 2248 FISA Amendments Act of 2007 Bill Passed - Senate (68 - 29)
Feb. 7, 2008 National HR 5140 Economic Stimulus Plan Concurrence Vote Passed - House (380 - 34)
Feb. 7, 2008 National HR 5140 Economic Stimulus Plan Bill Passed - Senate (81 - 16)
Feb. 7, 2008 National HR 4137 Higher Education Act Amendments and Extensions Bill Passed - House (354 - 58)
Jan. 29, 2008 National HR 5140 Economic Stimulus Plan Bill Passed - House (385 - 35)
Jan. 23, 2008 National HR 3963 Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007 (CHIP) Veto Override Failed - House (260 - 152)
Jan. 22, 2008 National HR 4986 Defense Authorizations Bill Bill Passed - Senate (91 - 3)
Jan. 16, 2008 National HR 4986 Defense Authorizations Bill Bill Passed - House (369 - 46)
Jan. 16, 2008 National HR 2768 S-MINER Act Bill Passed - House (214 - 199)
Date No. Title Outcome
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)
3/13 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)
3/13 S Amdt 4329 Amendment on Certain Energy-Related Programs, Including the Development of Oil and Natural Gas in Coastal Areas Not Covered by a Moratorium Amendment Adopted - Senate (56 - 43)
3/13 H Con Res 312 Concurrent Budget Resolution Joint Resolution Passed - House (212 - 207)
3/11 HR 2082 Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 Veto Override Failed - House (225 - 188)
3/11 H Res 1031 Establishment of the Office of Congressional Ethics Resolution Passed - House (229 - 182)
3/06 HR 4040 Consumer Product Safety Commission Bill Bill Passed - Senate (79 - 13)
3/05 HR 1424 Mental Health Coverage Bill Bill Passed - House (268 - 148)
2/27 HR 5351 Energy Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (236 - 182)
2/26 S Amdt 3896 Prohibiting the Funds in S 1200 from Being Used for Abortions Amendment Adopted - Senate (52 - 42)
2/26 S 1200 Indian Health Care Improvement Act Amendments of 2008 Bill Passed - Senate (83 - 10)
2/25 S Amdt 4070 Prohibiting Funds in the Bill S 1200 from Being Used to Decrease Gun Ownership Amendment Adopted - Senate (78 - 11)
2/14 H Res 982 Contempt Charges Resolution Passed - House (223 - 32)
2/13 HR 2082 Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (51 - 45)
2/12 S Amdt 3907 Striking Telecommunications Companies' Civil Immunity for Surveillance Amendment Rejected - Senate (31 - 67)
2/12 S Amdt 3910 FISA as Exclusive Means for Conducting Electronic Surveillance Amendment Rejected - Senate (57 - 41)
2/12 S 2248 FISA Amendments Act of 2007 Bill Passed - Senate (68 - 29)
2/07 HR 5140 Economic Stimulus Plan Concurrence Vote Passed - House (380 - 34)
2/07 HR 5140 Economic Stimulus Plan Bill Passed - Senate (81 - 16)
2/07 HR 4137 Higher Education Act Amendments and Extensions Bill Passed - House (354 - 58)
1/29 HR 5140 Economic Stimulus Plan Bill Passed - House (385 - 35)
1/23 HR 3963 Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007 (CHIP) Veto Override Failed - House (260 - 152)
1/22 HR 4986 Defense Authorizations Bill Bill Passed - Senate (91 - 3)
1/16 HR 4986 Defense Authorizations Bill Bill Passed - House (369 - 46)
1/16 HR 2768 S-MINER Act Bill Passed - House (214 - 199)

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