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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct. 8, 1998 | National | S 442 | Internet Tax Freedom bill | Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 2) |
| July 23, 1998 | National | S Amdt 3266 | Internet Gambling Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (90 - 10) |
| July 22, 1998 | National | S Amdt 3263 | Phone Recording Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (50 - 50) |
| July 7, 1998 | National | S Amdt 3062 | Space Station Termination Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (33 - 66) |
| June 4, 1998 | National | S 1150 | Agricultural Research bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (364 - 50) |
| May 18, 1998 | National | S 1723 | Non-Immigrant Specialty Workers bill | Bill Passed - Senate (78 - 20) |
| May 12, 1998 | National | S 1150 | Agricultural Research bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (92 - 8) |
| Feb. 26, 1998 | National | S Amdt 1646 | Campaign Finance Reform Amendment | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (51 - 48) |
| July 25, 1996 | National | H Amdt 1360 | Renewable Energy Research Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (279 - 135) |
| Feb. 1, 1996 | National | S 652 | Telecommunications Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (91 - 5) |
| Feb. 1, 1996 | National | S 652 | Telecommunications Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (414 - 16) |
| Oct. 12, 1995 | National | HR 2405 | Omnibus Civilian Science Authorization Act of 1995 | Bill Passed - House (248 - 161) |
| Aug. 10, 1995 | National | S Amdt 2401 | Space-Based Laser Program Amendment | Amendment Tabled - Senate (57 - 41) |
| June 15, 1995 | National | S 652 | Telecommunications Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (81 - 18) |
| June 6, 1995 | National | S Amdt 1215 | Anti-terrorism Wiretaps Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (77 - 19) |
| June 29, 1994 | National | H Amdt 718 | Space Station Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (155 - 278) |
| March 16, 1994 | National | HR 820 | National Competitiveness Act of 1993 | Bill Passed - Senate (59 - 40) |
| March 16, 1994 | National | HR 820 | National Competitiveness Act of 1993 | Bill Passed - Senate (59 - 40) |
| Nov. 22, 1993 | National | H Amdt 416 | Penny Amendment to the Government Reform and Savings Act of 1993 | Amendment Rejected - House (213 - 219) |
| Nov. 22, 1993 | National | H Amdt 416 | Penny Amendment to the Government Reform and Savings Act of 1993 | Amendment Rejected - House (213 - 219) |
| Oct. 19, 1993 | National | HR 2491 | Veterans Administration and Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Bill Fiscal Year 1994 | Conference Report Adopted - House (341 - 89) |
| Sept. 22, 1993 | National | S Amdt 910 | Advanced Solid Rocket Motor Amendment | Amendment Tabled - Senate (53 - 47) |
| Sept. 22, 1993 | National | HR 2491 | Veterans Administration and Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Bill Fiscal Year 1994 | Bill Passed - Senate (91 - 9) |
| June 29, 1993 | National | HR 2491 | Veterans Administration and Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Bill Fiscal Year 1994 | Bill Passed - House (313 - 110) |
| June 28, 1993 | National | H Amdt 160 | Space Station Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (196 - 220) |
| June 23, 1993 | National | H Amdt 134 | Space Station Termination Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (215 - 216) |
| May 19, 1993 | National | HR 820 | National Competitiveness Act of 1993 | Bill Passed - House (243 - 167) |
| May 19, 1993 | National | HR 820 | National Competitiveness Act of 1993 | Bill Passed - House (243 - 167) |
| March 11, 1993 | National | HR 4 | Fetal Tissue Research Bill | Bill Passed - House (283 - 131) |
| April 29, 1992 | National | H Amdt 506 | Eliminating Space Station Freedom Funding | Amendment Rejected - House (159 - 254) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10/08 | S 442 | Internet Tax Freedom bill | Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 2) |
| 7/23 | S Amdt 3266 | Internet Gambling Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (90 - 10) |
| 7/22 | S Amdt 3263 | Phone Recording Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (50 - 50) |
| 7/07 | S Amdt 3062 | Space Station Termination Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (33 - 66) |
| 6/04 | S 1150 | Agricultural Research bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (364 - 50) |
| 5/18 | S 1723 | Non-Immigrant Specialty Workers bill | Bill Passed - Senate (78 - 20) |
| 5/12 | S 1150 | Agricultural Research bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (92 - 8) |
| 2/26 | S Amdt 1646 | Campaign Finance Reform Amendment | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (51 - 48) |
| 7/25 | H Amdt 1360 | Renewable Energy Research Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (279 - 135) |
| 2/01 | S 652 | Telecommunications Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (91 - 5) |
| 2/01 | S 652 | Telecommunications Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (414 - 16) |
| 10/12 | HR 2405 | Omnibus Civilian Science Authorization Act of 1995 | Bill Passed - House (248 - 161) |
| 8/10 | S Amdt 2401 | Space-Based Laser Program Amendment | Amendment Tabled - Senate (57 - 41) |
| 6/15 | S 652 | Telecommunications Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (81 - 18) |
| 6/06 | S Amdt 1215 | Anti-terrorism Wiretaps Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (77 - 19) |
| 6/29 | H Amdt 718 | Space Station Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (155 - 278) |
| 3/16 | HR 820 | National Competitiveness Act of 1993 | Bill Passed - Senate (59 - 40) |
| 3/16 | HR 820 | National Competitiveness Act of 1993 | Bill Passed - Senate (59 - 40) |
| 11/22 | H Amdt 416 | Penny Amendment to the Government Reform and Savings Act of 1993 | Amendment Rejected - House (213 - 219) |
| 11/22 | H Amdt 416 | Penny Amendment to the Government Reform and Savings Act of 1993 | Amendment Rejected - House (213 - 219) |
| 10/19 | HR 2491 | Veterans Administration and Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Bill Fiscal Year 1994 | Conference Report Adopted - House (341 - 89) |
| 9/22 | S Amdt 910 | Advanced Solid Rocket Motor Amendment | Amendment Tabled - Senate (53 - 47) |
| 9/22 | HR 2491 | Veterans Administration and Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Bill Fiscal Year 1994 | Bill Passed - Senate (91 - 9) |
| 6/29 | HR 2491 | Veterans Administration and Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Bill Fiscal Year 1994 | Bill Passed - House (313 - 110) |
| 6/28 | H Amdt 160 | Space Station Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (196 - 220) |
| 6/23 | H Amdt 134 | Space Station Termination Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (215 - 216) |
| 5/19 | HR 820 | National Competitiveness Act of 1993 | Bill Passed - House (243 - 167) |
| 5/19 | HR 820 | National Competitiveness Act of 1993 | Bill Passed - House (243 - 167) |
| 3/11 | HR 4 | Fetal Tissue Research Bill | Bill Passed - House (283 - 131) |
| 4/29 | H Amdt 506 | Eliminating Space Station Freedom Funding | Amendment Rejected - House (159 - 254) |