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.


results per page:
Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
July 31, 2003 National HR 2738 U.S.-Chile Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act Bill Passed - Senate (65 - 32)
July 31, 2003 National HR 2739 U.S.-Singapore Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act Bill Passed - Senate (66 - 32)
July 24, 2003 National HR 2739 U.S.-Singapore Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act Bill Passed - House (272 - 155)
July 24, 2003 National HR 2738 U.S.-Chile Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act Bill Passed - House (270 - 156)
Aug. 1, 2002 National HR 3009 Andean Trade Preference Act Extension Conference Report Adopted - Senate (64 - 34)
July 31, 2002 National S 812 Greater Access to Affordable Pharmaceuticals Act Bill Passed - Senate (78 - 21)
July 27, 2002 National HR 3009 Andean Trade Preference Act Extension Conference Report Adopted - House (215 - 212)
July 15, 2002 National S 2673 Accounting Industry Reform bill Bill Passed - Senate (97 - 0)
June 18, 2002 National S 2600 Terrorism Insurance Bill Bill Passed - Senate (84 - 14)
Dec. 6, 2001 National HR 3005 Fast Track Trade Authority bill Bill Passed - House (215 - 214)
July 19, 2001 National H J Res 50 China Trade Relations bill Joint Resolution Failed - House (169 - 259)
Sept. 26, 2000 National HR 5175 Small Business Superfund Exemption Bill Failed - House (253 - 161)
Sept. 19, 2000 National HR 4444 U.S.-China Relations Act of 2000 Bill Passed - Senate (83 - 15)
Sept. 13, 2000 National S Amdt 4132 China Nonproliferation Act Amendment Tabled - Senate (65 - 32)
July 13, 2000 National S Amdt 3821 Estate Tax Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 53)
June 21, 2000 National H J Res 90 WTO Withdrawal resolution Joint Resolution Failed - House (56 - 363)
June 9, 2000 National H Amdt 763 Estate Tax Substitute Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (196 - 222)
May 24, 2000 National HR 4444 U.S.-China Relations Act of 2000 Bill Passed - House (237 - 197)
May 11, 2000 National HR 434 Africa Free Trade bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (77 - 19)
May 4, 2000 National HR 434 Africa Free Trade bill Conference Report Adopted - House (309 - 110)
March 9, 2000 National HR 3081 Small Business Tax Fairness Act of 2000 Bill Passed - House (257 - 169)
Feb. 16, 2000 National HR 2366 Small Business Liability Reform bill Bill Passed - House (221 - 193)
Feb. 2, 2000 National HR 833 Bankruptcy Reform bill Bill Passed - Senate (83 - 14)
Nov. 3, 1999 National HR 434 Africa Free Trade bill Bill Passed - Senate (76 - 19)
Aug. 3, 1999 National H J Res 58 Economic Assistance to Vietnam Joint Resolution Failed - House (130 - 297)
Date No. Title Outcome
7/31 HR 2738 U.S.-Chile Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act Bill Passed - Senate (65 - 32)
7/31 HR 2739 U.S.-Singapore Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act Bill Passed - Senate (66 - 32)
7/24 HR 2739 U.S.-Singapore Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act Bill Passed - House (272 - 155)
7/24 HR 2738 U.S.-Chile Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act Bill Passed - House (270 - 156)
8/01 HR 3009 Andean Trade Preference Act Extension Conference Report Adopted - Senate (64 - 34)
7/31 S 812 Greater Access to Affordable Pharmaceuticals Act Bill Passed - Senate (78 - 21)
7/27 HR 3009 Andean Trade Preference Act Extension Conference Report Adopted - House (215 - 212)
7/15 S 2673 Accounting Industry Reform bill Bill Passed - Senate (97 - 0)
6/18 S 2600 Terrorism Insurance Bill Bill Passed - Senate (84 - 14)
12/06 HR 3005 Fast Track Trade Authority bill Bill Passed - House (215 - 214)
7/19 H J Res 50 China Trade Relations bill Joint Resolution Failed - House (169 - 259)
9/26 HR 5175 Small Business Superfund Exemption Bill Failed - House (253 - 161)
9/19 HR 4444 U.S.-China Relations Act of 2000 Bill Passed - Senate (83 - 15)
9/13 S Amdt 4132 China Nonproliferation Act Amendment Tabled - Senate (65 - 32)
7/13 S Amdt 3821 Estate Tax Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 53)
6/21 H J Res 90 WTO Withdrawal resolution Joint Resolution Failed - House (56 - 363)
6/09 H Amdt 763 Estate Tax Substitute Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (196 - 222)
5/24 HR 4444 U.S.-China Relations Act of 2000 Bill Passed - House (237 - 197)
5/11 HR 434 Africa Free Trade bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (77 - 19)
5/04 HR 434 Africa Free Trade bill Conference Report Adopted - House (309 - 110)
3/09 HR 3081 Small Business Tax Fairness Act of 2000 Bill Passed - House (257 - 169)
2/16 HR 2366 Small Business Liability Reform bill Bill Passed - House (221 - 193)
2/02 HR 833 Bankruptcy Reform bill Bill Passed - Senate (83 - 14)
11/03 HR 434 Africa Free Trade bill Bill Passed - Senate (76 - 19)
8/03 H J Res 58 Economic Assistance to Vietnam Joint Resolution Failed - House (130 - 297)

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