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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb. 12, 2008 | NM | HB 37 | Electronic Medical Records | Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 23) |
| Feb. 12, 2008 | National | S 2248 | FISA Amendments Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - Senate (68 - 29) |
| Feb. 4, 2008 | NM | HB 37 | Electronic Medical Records | Bill Passed - House (51 - 10) |
| Jan. 29, 2008 | NM | SB 23 | Authorizing Stem Cell Research | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 18) |
| Jan. 23, 2008 | MA | H 4477 | Cell Phone Driving Ban | Bill Passed - House (107 - 47) |
| Nov. 15, 2007 | National | HR 3773 | Electronic Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Review Act | Bill Passed - House (227 - 189) |
| Oct. 16, 2007 | National | HR 3093 | Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2008 | Bill Passed - Senate (75 - 19) |
| Oct. 16, 2007 | National | HR 2102 | Reporter's Source Confidentiality Guidelines | Bill Passed - House (398 - 21) |
| Aug. 30, 2007 | CA | SB 33 | Underage Driver Cellphone Ban | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 14) |
| Aug. 27, 2007 | CA | SB 33 | Underage Driver Cellphone Ban | Bill Passed - House (67 - 7) |
| Aug. 4, 2007 | National | S 1927 | Foreign Intelligence Acquisition | Bill Passed - House (227 - 183) |
| Aug. 3, 2007 | National | S 1927 | Foreign Intelligence Acquisition | Bill Passed - Senate (60 - 28) |
| Aug. 1, 2007 | National | HR 3162 | State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) Reauthorization | Bill Passed - House (225 - 204) |
| July 26, 2007 | National | HR 3093 | Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2008 | Bill Passed - House (281 - 142) |
| June 21, 2007 | National | HR 6 | Energy Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - Senate (65 - 27) |
| June 21, 2007 | OR | HB 2801 | Exploration of Public Funding for Stem Cell Research | Bill Failed - House (29 - 30) |
| June 20, 2007 | OR | SB 329 | Oregon Health Fund | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 7) |
| June 18, 2007 | OR | SB 863 | Regulating Automated Phone Calls | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 8) |
| June 14, 2007 | OR | HB 2637 | Cyberbullying Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 7) |
| June 6, 2007 | National | HR 2560 | Human Cloning Prohibition Act of 2007 | Bill Failed - House (204 - 213) |
| June 4, 2007 | OR | HB 2203 | Expanding Payday and Title Loan Regulation | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10) |
| May 31, 2007 | IL | SB 4 | Stem Cell Research and Human Cloning | Bill Passed - House (70 - 44) |
| May 21, 2007 | LA | Amdt B-138: Cellular Phone Use While Driving | Amendment Adopted - House (72 - 23) | |
| May 21, 2007 | LA | HB 99 | Cellular Phone Use While Driving | Bill Failed - House (43 - 48) |
| May 9, 2007 | WI | AB 207 | Telecommunication Regulation | Bill Passed - House (66 - 28) |
| May 4, 2007 | MN | SF 646 | Cyber-Bullying | Bill Passed - House (96 - 35) |
| May 2, 2007 | IL | HB 1727 | Internet Screening in Public Libraries | Bill Passed - House (63 - 51) |
| April 27, 2007 | MN | SF 100 | Public Funding for Stem Cell Research | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 26) |
| April 19, 2007 | IA | SF 596 | Electronic Downloads Tax Creation and Regulation Adjustments for Cigarette Retailers | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 20) |
| April 11, 2007 | WA | Sub SB 5037 | Cell Phone Driving Ban | Bill Passed - House (59 - 38) |
| April 9, 2007 | WA | HB 1528 | Electronic Voter Registration | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 17) |
| March 29, 2007 | DE | SB 5 | Delaware Regenerative Medicine Act | Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 7) |
| March 20, 2007 | GA | SB 148 | Umbilical Cord Blood and Stem Cell Banks | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 15) |
| March 1, 2007 | IL | HB 138 | Stem Cell Research and Human Cloning | Bill Passed - House (67 - 46) |
| Feb. 23, 2007 | IL | SB 4 | Stem Cell Research and Human Cloning | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 23) |
| Feb. 22, 2007 | IA | SF 162 | Stem Cell Research and Penalties | Bill Passed - House (52 - 46) |
| Feb. 14, 2007 | IA | SF 162 | Stem Cell Research and Penalties | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 24) |
| Feb. 13, 2007 | OR | HB 2203 | Expanding Payday and Title Loan Regulations | Bill Passed - House (41 - 17) |
| Feb. 5, 2007 | VA | Amendment | Stem Cell Research Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (58 - 38) |
| Sept. 28, 2006 | National | HR 5825 | Electronic Surveillance Modernization Act | Bill Passed - House (232 - 191) |
| Sept. 7, 2006 | National | S Amdt 4909 | Media in the Middle East Amendment | Bill Tabled - Senate (51 - 44) |
| Aug. 31, 2006 | CA | SB 1613 | Prohibition on Wireless Phone Use While Driving | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 16) |
| Aug. 29, 2006 | CA | SB 1613 | Prohibition on Wireless Phone Use While Driving | Bill Passed - House (50 - 28) |
| July 27, 2006 | National | HR 4157 | Better Health Information Systems Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (270 - 148) |
| July 11, 2006 | National | H Amdt 1179 | Online Gambling Ban Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (114 - 297) |
| July 11, 2006 | National | HR 4411 | Internet Gambling Bill | Bill Passed - House (317 - 93) |
| June 29, 2006 | National | HR 5672 | Commerce Department Appropriations Bill FY 2006 | Bill Passed - House (393 - 23) |
| June 8, 2006 | National | HR 5252 | COPE Bill of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (321 - 101) |
| May 18, 2006 | NJ | S 1471 | Cigarette Tax Securitization Proceeds Fund; Stem Cell and Biomedical Research Facilities | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 10) |
| May 11, 2006 | NH | SCR 6 | Stem Cell Research Resolution | Nonconcurrence Vote Passed - Senate (13 - 10) |
| April 20, 2006 | AZ | SB 1477 | Psychotropic drugs; Testing; Informed Consent | Bill Passed - House (34 - 23) |
| April 19, 2006 | NH | SCR 6 | Stem Cell Research Resolution | Resolution Passed - House (198 - 140) |
| April 18, 2006 | AZ | SB 1356 | Air Pollutant Regulation | Bill Passed - House (31 - 26) |
| April 17, 2006 | AZ | SB 1477 | Psychotropic drugs; Testing; Informed Consent | Bill Failed - House (25 - 30) |
| April 12, 2006 | MO | HA 9 | Eminent Domain Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (23 - 129) |
| April 12, 2006 | AZ | HB 2142 | Human Eggs; Sale; Prohibition | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (38 - 21) |
| April 11, 2006 | VA | Amdt Item 4-0.01 | Stem Cell Funding Prohibition Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (64 - 30) |
| April 11, 2006 | AZ | HB 2142 | Human Eggs; Sale; Prohibition | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 11) |
| April 6, 2006 | FL | A 990241 | Stem Cell Research Funding Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (40 - 73) |
| March 24, 2006 | KS | HCS SB 1 | Anti-Cloning and Bioscience | Motion Agreed - House (63 - 52) |
| March 23, 2006 | MD | Amendment 953927 | Stem Cell Funding Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (46 - 93) |
| March 14, 2006 | AZ | SB 1477 | Psychotropic drugs; Testing; Informed Consent | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13) |
| March 8, 2006 | AZ | SB 1356 | Air Pollutant Regulation | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 12) |
| March 7, 2006 | National | S 2271 | PATRIOT Act Reauthorization bill | Bill Passed - House (280 - 138) |
| March 3, 2006 | MD | HB 1 | Maryland Stem Cell Research Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (85 - 54) |
| March 2, 2006 | OK | HB 2107 | Science Instruction | Bill Passed - House (77 - 10) |
| March 1, 2006 | AZ | HB 2142 | Human Eggs; Sale; Prohibition | Bill Passed - House (33 - 22) |
| March 1, 2006 | VA | HB 568 | Flat Tax on Communication Services | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11) |
| Feb. 22, 2006 | MS | HB 1638 | Funding for Wireless Communications and Cooperative Data Systems | Bill Passed - House (80 - 42) |
| Feb. 1, 2006 | MS | HB 1416 | Notification of Public Funds Used in the Media | Bill Passed - House (89 - 30) |
| Jan. 26, 2006 | VA | HB 568 | Flat Tax on Communication Services | Bill Passed - House (62 - 35) |
| Jan. 3, 2006 | RI | H 6052 Sub. A | Medical Marijuana Bill | Veto Override Passed - House (59 - 13) |
| Jan. 3, 2006 | RI | H 6052 Sub. A | Medical Marijuana Bill | Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 5) |
| Nov. 16, 2005 | National | HR 2862 | Commerce, Justice and Science Appropriations Bill, FY 2006 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (94 - 5) |
| Nov. 9, 2005 | National | HR 2862 | Commerce, Justice and Science Appropriations Bill, FY 2006 | Conference Report Adopted - House (397 - 19) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2/12 | HB 37 | Electronic Medical Records | Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 23) |
| 2/12 | S 2248 | FISA Amendments Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - Senate (68 - 29) |
| 2/04 | HB 37 | Electronic Medical Records | Bill Passed - House (51 - 10) |
| 1/29 | SB 23 | Authorizing Stem Cell Research | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 18) |
| 1/23 | H 4477 | Cell Phone Driving Ban | Bill Passed - House (107 - 47) |
| 11/15 | HR 3773 | Electronic Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Review Act | Bill Passed - House (227 - 189) |
| 10/16 | HR 3093 | Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2008 | Bill Passed - Senate (75 - 19) |
| 10/16 | HR 2102 | Reporter's Source Confidentiality Guidelines | Bill Passed - House (398 - 21) |
| 8/30 | SB 33 | Underage Driver Cellphone Ban | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 14) |
| 8/27 | SB 33 | Underage Driver Cellphone Ban | Bill Passed - House (67 - 7) |
| 8/04 | S 1927 | Foreign Intelligence Acquisition | Bill Passed - House (227 - 183) |
| 8/03 | S 1927 | Foreign Intelligence Acquisition | Bill Passed - Senate (60 - 28) |
| 8/01 | HR 3162 | State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) Reauthorization | Bill Passed - House (225 - 204) |
| 7/26 | HR 3093 | Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2008 | Bill Passed - House (281 - 142) |
| 6/21 | HR 6 | Energy Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - Senate (65 - 27) |
| 6/21 | HB 2801 | Exploration of Public Funding for Stem Cell Research | Bill Failed - House (29 - 30) |
| 6/20 | SB 329 | Oregon Health Fund | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 7) |
| 6/18 | SB 863 | Regulating Automated Phone Calls | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 8) |
| 6/14 | HB 2637 | Cyberbullying Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 7) |
| 6/06 | HR 2560 | Human Cloning Prohibition Act of 2007 | Bill Failed - House (204 - 213) |
| 6/04 | HB 2203 | Expanding Payday and Title Loan Regulation | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10) |
| 5/31 | SB 4 | Stem Cell Research and Human Cloning | Bill Passed - House (70 - 44) |
| 5/21 | Amdt B-138: Cellular Phone Use While Driving | Amendment Adopted - House (72 - 23) | |
| 5/21 | HB 99 | Cellular Phone Use While Driving | Bill Failed - House (43 - 48) |
| 5/09 | AB 207 | Telecommunication Regulation | Bill Passed - House (66 - 28) |
| 5/04 | SF 646 | Cyber-Bullying | Bill Passed - House (96 - 35) |
| 5/02 | HB 1727 | Internet Screening in Public Libraries | Bill Passed - House (63 - 51) |
| 4/27 | SF 100 | Public Funding for Stem Cell Research | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 26) |
| 4/19 | SF 596 | Electronic Downloads Tax Creation and Regulation Adjustments for Cigarette Retailers | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 20) |
| 4/11 | Sub SB 5037 | Cell Phone Driving Ban | Bill Passed - House (59 - 38) |
| 4/09 | HB 1528 | Electronic Voter Registration | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 17) |
| 3/29 | SB 5 | Delaware Regenerative Medicine Act | Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 7) |
| 3/20 | SB 148 | Umbilical Cord Blood and Stem Cell Banks | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 15) |
| 3/01 | HB 138 | Stem Cell Research and Human Cloning | Bill Passed - House (67 - 46) |
| 2/23 | SB 4 | Stem Cell Research and Human Cloning | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 23) |
| 2/22 | SF 162 | Stem Cell Research and Penalties | Bill Passed - House (52 - 46) |
| 2/14 | SF 162 | Stem Cell Research and Penalties | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 24) |
| 2/13 | HB 2203 | Expanding Payday and Title Loan Regulations | Bill Passed - House (41 - 17) |
| 2/05 | Amendment | Stem Cell Research Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (58 - 38) |
| 9/28 | HR 5825 | Electronic Surveillance Modernization Act | Bill Passed - House (232 - 191) |
| 9/07 | S Amdt 4909 | Media in the Middle East Amendment | Bill Tabled - Senate (51 - 44) |
| 8/31 | SB 1613 | Prohibition on Wireless Phone Use While Driving | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 16) |
| 8/29 | SB 1613 | Prohibition on Wireless Phone Use While Driving | Bill Passed - House (50 - 28) |
| 7/27 | HR 4157 | Better Health Information Systems Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (270 - 148) |
| 7/11 | H Amdt 1179 | Online Gambling Ban Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (114 - 297) |
| 7/11 | HR 4411 | Internet Gambling Bill | Bill Passed - House (317 - 93) |
| 6/29 | HR 5672 | Commerce Department Appropriations Bill FY 2006 | Bill Passed - House (393 - 23) |
| 6/08 | HR 5252 | COPE Bill of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (321 - 101) |
| 5/18 | S 1471 | Cigarette Tax Securitization Proceeds Fund; Stem Cell and Biomedical Research Facilities | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 10) |
| 5/11 | SCR 6 | Stem Cell Research Resolution | Nonconcurrence Vote Passed - Senate (13 - 10) |
| 4/20 | SB 1477 | Psychotropic drugs; Testing; Informed Consent | Bill Passed - House (34 - 23) |
| 4/19 | SCR 6 | Stem Cell Research Resolution | Resolution Passed - House (198 - 140) |
| 4/18 | SB 1356 | Air Pollutant Regulation | Bill Passed - House (31 - 26) |
| 4/17 | SB 1477 | Psychotropic drugs; Testing; Informed Consent | Bill Failed - House (25 - 30) |
| 4/12 | HA 9 | Eminent Domain Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (23 - 129) |
| 4/12 | HB 2142 | Human Eggs; Sale; Prohibition | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (38 - 21) |
| 4/11 | Amdt Item 4-0.01 | Stem Cell Funding Prohibition Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (64 - 30) |
| 4/11 | HB 2142 | Human Eggs; Sale; Prohibition | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 11) |
| 4/06 | A 990241 | Stem Cell Research Funding Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (40 - 73) |
| 3/24 | HCS SB 1 | Anti-Cloning and Bioscience | Motion Agreed - House (63 - 52) |
| 3/23 | Amendment 953927 | Stem Cell Funding Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (46 - 93) |
| 3/14 | SB 1477 | Psychotropic drugs; Testing; Informed Consent | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13) |
| 3/08 | SB 1356 | Air Pollutant Regulation | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 12) |
| 3/07 | S 2271 | PATRIOT Act Reauthorization bill | Bill Passed - House (280 - 138) |
| 3/03 | HB 1 | Maryland Stem Cell Research Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (85 - 54) |
| 3/02 | HB 2107 | Science Instruction | Bill Passed - House (77 - 10) |
| 3/01 | HB 2142 | Human Eggs; Sale; Prohibition | Bill Passed - House (33 - 22) |
| 3/01 | HB 568 | Flat Tax on Communication Services | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11) |
| 2/22 | HB 1638 | Funding for Wireless Communications and Cooperative Data Systems | Bill Passed - House (80 - 42) |
| 2/01 | HB 1416 | Notification of Public Funds Used in the Media | Bill Passed - House (89 - 30) |
| 1/26 | HB 568 | Flat Tax on Communication Services | Bill Passed - House (62 - 35) |
| 1/03 | H 6052 Sub. A | Medical Marijuana Bill | Veto Override Passed - House (59 - 13) |
| 1/03 | H 6052 Sub. A | Medical Marijuana Bill | Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 5) |
| 11/16 | HR 2862 | Commerce, Justice and Science Appropriations Bill, FY 2006 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (94 - 5) |
| 11/09 | HR 2862 | Commerce, Justice and Science Appropriations Bill, FY 2006 | Conference Report Adopted - House (397 - 19) |