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
May 14, 2008 National HR 2419 Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) Conference Report Adopted - House (318 - 106)
May 15, 2008 National HR 2419 Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) Conference Report Adopted - Senate (81 - 15)
Jan. 23, 2008 National HR 3963 Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007 (CHIP) Veto Override Failed - House (260 - 152)
Feb. 13, 2008 National HR 2082 Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (51 - 45)
Jan. 16, 2008 National HR 2768 S-MINER Act Bill Passed - House (214 - 199)
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)
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)
Jan. 29, 2008 National HR 5140 Economic Stimulus Plan Bill Passed - House (385 - 35)
Feb. 7, 2008 National HR 4137 Higher Education Act Amendments and Extensions Bill Passed - House (354 - 58)
Feb. 12, 2008 National S 2248 FISA Amendments Act of 2007 Bill Passed - Senate (68 - 29)
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. 14, 2008 National H Res 982 Contempt Charges Resolution Passed - House (223 - 32)
Feb. 26, 2008 National S 1200 Indian Health Care Improvement Act Amendments of 2008 Bill Passed - Senate (83 - 10)
Feb. 26, 2008 National S Amdt 3896 Prohibiting the Funds in S 1200 from Being Used for Abortions Amendment Adopted - Senate (52 - 42)
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. 27, 2008 National HR 5351 Energy Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (236 - 182)
March 5, 2008 National HR 1424 Mental Health Coverage Bill Bill Passed - House (268 - 148)
March 11, 2008 National HR 2082 Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 Veto Override Failed - House (225 - 188)
July 31, 2008 National HR 4040 Consumer Product Safety Commission Bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (89 - 3)
March 6, 2008 National HR 4040 Consumer Product Safety Commission Bill Bill Passed - Senate (79 - 13)
March 11, 2008 National H Res 1031 Establishment of the Office of Congressional Ethics Resolution Passed - House (229 - 182)
March 14, 2008 National HR 3773 Electronic Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Review Act Concurrence Vote Passed - House (213 - 197)
March 13, 2008 National H Amdt 972 Substitute Amendment for the House Budget Resolution Amendment Rejected - House (157 - 263)
March 13, 2008 National H Con Res 312 Concurrent Budget Resolution Joint Resolution Passed - House (212 - 207)
March 14, 2008 National S Con Res 70 Concurrent Budget Resolution Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (51 - 44)
March 13, 2008 National S Amdt 4347 Earmark Moratorium Motion Rejected - Senate (29 - 71)
March 14, 2008 National S Amdt 4299 Expressing the Sense of the Senate on the Legalization of Importing Certain Prescription Drugs Amendment Adopted - Senate (73 - 23)
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 S Amdt 4231 Immigration Enforcement and Border Fence Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (61 - 37)
March 13, 2008 National S Amdt 4259 Immigration Enforcement and Employer Sanctions Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (53 - 45)
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 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 S Amdt 4309 Restriction of Federal Assistance Based on Compliance with Federal Immigration Laws Amendment Tabled - Senate (58 - 40)
July 24, 2008 National HR 5501 Funding to Combat AIDS, Malaria, and Tuberculosis Concurrence Vote Passed - House (303 - 115)
July 16, 2008 National HR 5501 Funding to Combat AIDS, Malaria, and Tuberculosis Bill Passed - Senate (80 - 16)
April 2, 2008 National HR 5501 Funding to Combat AIDS, Malaria, and Tuberculosis Bill Passed - House (308 - 116)
April 10, 2008 National H Res 1092 Postponing the Consideration of the Trade Agreement with Colombia Resolution Passed - House (224 - 195)
April 10, 2008 National HR 3221 Housing Bill with Energy Tax Credit Extensions Bill Passed - Senate (84 - 12)
April 10, 2008 National S Amdt 4419 to S Amdt 4387 Energy Tax Credits Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (88 - 8)
April 16, 2008 National HR 2634 Expanding the List of Countries Eligible for Debt Forgiveness Bill Passed - House (285 - 132)
April 15, 2008 National HR 5036 Federal Funding for Voting System Changes Bill Passed - House (239 - 178)
April 17, 2008 National HR 5715 Student Loan Provision Changes Bill Passed - House (383 - 27)
April 15, 2008 National HR 5719 Amending Tax Code Provisions and IRS Practices Bill Passed - House (238 - 179)
April 23, 2008 National HR 2831 Equal Pay Bill Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (56 - 42)
April 23, 2008 National HR 5613 Medicaid Extensions and Changes Bill Passed - House (349 - 62)
April 30, 2008 National HR 5522 Requiring OSHA to Establish Combustible Dust Safety Standards Bill Passed - House (247 - 165)
April 29, 2008 National S 2739 Consolidated Natural Resources Act of 2008 Bill Passed - House (291 - 117)
Date No. Title Outcome
5/14 HR 2419 Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) Conference Report Adopted - House (318 - 106)
5/15 HR 2419 Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) Conference Report Adopted - Senate (81 - 15)
1/23 HR 3963 Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007 (CHIP) Veto Override Failed - House (260 - 152)
2/13 HR 2082 Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (51 - 45)
1/16 HR 2768 S-MINER Act Bill Passed - House (214 - 199)
1/22 HR 4986 Defense Authorizations Bill Bill Passed - Senate (91 - 3)
1/16 HR 4986 Defense Authorizations Bill Bill Passed - House (369 - 46)
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)
1/29 HR 5140 Economic Stimulus Plan Bill Passed - House (385 - 35)
2/07 HR 4137 Higher Education Act Amendments and Extensions Bill Passed - House (354 - 58)
2/12 S 2248 FISA Amendments Act of 2007 Bill Passed - Senate (68 - 29)
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)
2/14 H Res 982 Contempt Charges Resolution Passed - House (223 - 32)
2/26 S 1200 Indian Health Care Improvement Act Amendments of 2008 Bill Passed - Senate (83 - 10)
2/26 S Amdt 3896 Prohibiting the Funds in S 1200 from Being Used for Abortions Amendment Adopted - Senate (52 - 42)
2/25 S Amdt 4070 Prohibiting Funds in the Bill S 1200 from Being Used to Decrease Gun Ownership Amendment Adopted - Senate (78 - 11)
2/27 HR 5351 Energy Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (236 - 182)
3/05 HR 1424 Mental Health Coverage Bill Bill Passed - House (268 - 148)
3/11 HR 2082 Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 Veto Override Failed - House (225 - 188)
7/31 HR 4040 Consumer Product Safety Commission Bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (89 - 3)
3/06 HR 4040 Consumer Product Safety Commission Bill Bill Passed - Senate (79 - 13)
3/11 H Res 1031 Establishment of the Office of Congressional Ethics Resolution Passed - House (229 - 182)
3/14 HR 3773 Electronic Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Review Act Concurrence Vote Passed - House (213 - 197)
3/13 H Amdt 972 Substitute Amendment for the House Budget Resolution Amendment Rejected - House (157 - 263)
3/13 H Con Res 312 Concurrent Budget Resolution Joint Resolution Passed - House (212 - 207)
3/14 S Con Res 70 Concurrent Budget Resolution Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (51 - 44)
3/13 S Amdt 4347 Earmark Moratorium Motion Rejected - Senate (29 - 71)
3/14 S Amdt 4299 Expressing the Sense of the Senate on the Legalization of Importing Certain Prescription Drugs Amendment Adopted - Senate (73 - 23)
3/14 S Amdt 4233 Codifying the Definition of a Child Eligible for SCHIP Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 52)
3/13 S Amdt 4231 Immigration Enforcement and Border Fence Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (61 - 37)
3/13 S Amdt 4259 Immigration Enforcement and Employer Sanctions Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (53 - 45)
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 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 S Amdt 4309 Restriction of Federal Assistance Based on Compliance with Federal Immigration Laws Amendment Tabled - Senate (58 - 40)
7/24 HR 5501 Funding to Combat AIDS, Malaria, and Tuberculosis Concurrence Vote Passed - House (303 - 115)
7/16 HR 5501 Funding to Combat AIDS, Malaria, and Tuberculosis Bill Passed - Senate (80 - 16)
4/02 HR 5501 Funding to Combat AIDS, Malaria, and Tuberculosis Bill Passed - House (308 - 116)
4/10 H Res 1092 Postponing the Consideration of the Trade Agreement with Colombia Resolution Passed - House (224 - 195)
4/10 HR 3221 Housing Bill with Energy Tax Credit Extensions Bill Passed - Senate (84 - 12)
4/10 S Amdt 4419 to S Amdt 4387 Energy Tax Credits Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (88 - 8)
4/16 HR 2634 Expanding the List of Countries Eligible for Debt Forgiveness Bill Passed - House (285 - 132)
4/15 HR 5036 Federal Funding for Voting System Changes Bill Passed - House (239 - 178)
4/17 HR 5715 Student Loan Provision Changes Bill Passed - House (383 - 27)
4/15 HR 5719 Amending Tax Code Provisions and IRS Practices Bill Passed - House (238 - 179)
4/23 HR 2831 Equal Pay Bill Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (56 - 42)
4/23 HR 5613 Medicaid Extensions and Changes Bill Passed - House (349 - 62)
4/30 HR 5522 Requiring OSHA to Establish Combustible Dust Safety Standards Bill Passed - House (247 - 165)
4/29 S 2739 Consolidated Natural Resources Act of 2008 Bill Passed - House (291 - 117)

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