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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan. 6, 2006 | MS | SB 2310 | Food and Tobacco Taxes | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 15) |
| Jan. 5, 2006 | NJ | S 1412 | Development Subsidies Application and Reporting Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| Jan. 5, 2006 | NJ | S 2907 | Reimbursement for Contaminated Sites | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 15) |
| Jan. 5, 2006 | MS | HB 206 | Bonds for Economic Development | Bill Passed - House (77 - 40) |
| July 28, 2005 | National | HR 3045 | CAFTA Implementation Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (55 - 45) |
| July 28, 2005 | National | HR 3045 | CAFTA Implementation Bill | Bill Passed - House (217 - 215) |
| July 26, 2005 | National | S Amdt 1351 | Corporate Financing of Terrorism Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 51) |
| July 20, 2005 | National | HR 2601 | State Department FY 2006/2007 Authorization Bill | Bill Passed - House (351 - 78) |
| June 30, 2005 | National | S 1307 | CAFTA Implementation Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (54 - 45) |
| June 15, 2005 | National | H Amdt 270 | Bans Use of Funds to Enforce Cuba Regulations Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (210 - 216) |
| June 9, 2005 | National | H J Res 27 | Withdrawing Approval from the WTO Agreement | Joint Resolution Failed - House (86 - 338) |
| April 14, 2005 | National | S 256 | Bankruptcy Reform Bill | Bill Passed - House (302 - 126) |
| March 10, 2005 | National | S 256 | Bankruptcy Reform Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (74 - 25) |
| Oct. 11, 2004 | National | HR 4520 | JOBS (Jumpstart Our Business Strength) | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (69 - 17) |
| Oct. 11, 2004 | National | HR 4520 | JOBS (Jumpstart Our Business Strength) | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (69 - 17) |
| Oct. 7, 2004 | National | HR 4520 | JOBS (Jumpstart Our Business Strength) | Conference Report Adopted - House (280 - 141) |
| Oct. 7, 2004 | National | HR 4520 | JOBS (Jumpstart Our Business Strength) | Conference Report Adopted - House (280 - 141) |
| July 8, 2004 | National | HR 4754 | Commerce Department FY2005 Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - House (397 - 18) |
| May 11, 2004 | National | S 1637 | Jumpstart Our Business Strength (JOBS) Act | Bill Passed - Senate (92 - 5) |
| May 11, 2004 | National | S 1637 | Jumpstart Our Business Strength (JOBS) Act | Bill Passed - Senate (92 - 5) |
| March 18, 2004 | National | HR 1375 | Financial Services Regulatory Relief Act of 2004 | Bill Passed - House (392 - 25) |
| March 10, 2004 | National | HR 339 | Food Industry Obesity Lawsuits (Cheeseburger Bill) | Bill Passed - House (276 - 139) |
| March 3, 2004 | National | HR 1561 | US Patent and Trademark Fee Modernization Act, 2004 | Bill Passed - House (379 - 28) |
| Jan. 28, 2004 | National | S 1920 | Farmer Bankruptcy Bill | Bill Passed - House (265 - 99) |
| 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) |
| July 27, 1999 | National | H J Res 57 | China Trade resolution | Joint Resolution Failed - House (170 - 260) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1/06 | SB 2310 | Food and Tobacco Taxes | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 15) |
| 1/05 | S 1412 | Development Subsidies Application and Reporting Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| 1/05 | S 2907 | Reimbursement for Contaminated Sites | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 15) |
| 1/05 | HB 206 | Bonds for Economic Development | Bill Passed - House (77 - 40) |
| 7/28 | HR 3045 | CAFTA Implementation Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (55 - 45) |
| 7/28 | HR 3045 | CAFTA Implementation Bill | Bill Passed - House (217 - 215) |
| 7/26 | S Amdt 1351 | Corporate Financing of Terrorism Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 51) |
| 7/20 | HR 2601 | State Department FY 2006/2007 Authorization Bill | Bill Passed - House (351 - 78) |
| 6/30 | S 1307 | CAFTA Implementation Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (54 - 45) |
| 6/15 | H Amdt 270 | Bans Use of Funds to Enforce Cuba Regulations Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (210 - 216) |
| 6/09 | H J Res 27 | Withdrawing Approval from the WTO Agreement | Joint Resolution Failed - House (86 - 338) |
| 4/14 | S 256 | Bankruptcy Reform Bill | Bill Passed - House (302 - 126) |
| 3/10 | S 256 | Bankruptcy Reform Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (74 - 25) |
| 10/11 | HR 4520 | JOBS (Jumpstart Our Business Strength) | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (69 - 17) |
| 10/11 | HR 4520 | JOBS (Jumpstart Our Business Strength) | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (69 - 17) |
| 10/07 | HR 4520 | JOBS (Jumpstart Our Business Strength) | Conference Report Adopted - House (280 - 141) |
| 10/07 | HR 4520 | JOBS (Jumpstart Our Business Strength) | Conference Report Adopted - House (280 - 141) |
| 7/08 | HR 4754 | Commerce Department FY2005 Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - House (397 - 18) |
| 5/11 | S 1637 | Jumpstart Our Business Strength (JOBS) Act | Bill Passed - Senate (92 - 5) |
| 5/11 | S 1637 | Jumpstart Our Business Strength (JOBS) Act | Bill Passed - Senate (92 - 5) |
| 3/18 | HR 1375 | Financial Services Regulatory Relief Act of 2004 | Bill Passed - House (392 - 25) |
| 3/10 | HR 339 | Food Industry Obesity Lawsuits (Cheeseburger Bill) | Bill Passed - House (276 - 139) |
| 3/03 | HR 1561 | US Patent and Trademark Fee Modernization Act, 2004 | Bill Passed - House (379 - 28) |
| 1/28 | S 1920 | Farmer Bankruptcy Bill | Bill Passed - House (265 - 99) |
| 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) |
| 7/27 | H J Res 57 | China Trade resolution | Joint Resolution Failed - House (170 - 260) |