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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 27, 2002 | National | HR 3009 | Andean Trade Preference Act Extension | Conference Report Adopted - House (215 - 212) |
| 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) |
| 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 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) |
| 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) |
| July 1, 1999 | National | HR 10 | Financial Modernization bill | Bill Passed - House (343 - 86) |
| May 5, 1999 | National | HR 833 | Bankruptcy Reform bill | Bill Passed - House (313 - 108) |
| March 17, 1999 | National | HR 975 | Steel Import Limitation bill | Bill Passed - House (289 - 141) |
| Oct. 13, 1998 | National | S 1260 | Securities Litigation | Conference Report Adopted - House (319 - 82) |
| Sept. 25, 1998 | National | HR 2621 | Reciprocal Trade Agreement Bill | Bill Failed - House (180 - 243) |
| Sept. 24, 1998 | National | HR 3736 | Nonimmigrant Specialty Workers bill | Bill Passed - House (288 - 133) |
| July 30, 1998 | National | H J Res 120 | Vietnam Trade Waiver Disapproval resolution | Joint Resolution Failed - House (163 - 260) |
| July 22, 1998 | National | H J Res 121 | Disapproval of 'Normal Trade Relations' Status with China | Joint Resolution Failed - House (166 - 264) |
| May 13, 1998 | National | H Amdt 621 | Enhance Banking Flexibility Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (140 - 281) |
| May 13, 1998 | National | HR 10 | Financial Services Act of 1998 | Bill Passed - House (214 - 213) |
| March 11, 1998 | National | HR 1432 | African Growth bill | Bill Passed - House (233 - 186) |
| Nov. 7, 1997 | National | HR 2647 | PLA Monitoring bill | Bill Passed - House (408 - 10) |
| Nov. 4, 1997 | National | HR 2644 | United States-Caribbean Trade Partnership Act | Bill Failed - House (182 - 234) |
| June 24, 1997 | National | H J Res 79 | China Most-Favored-Nation Resolution | Joint Resolution Failed - House (173 - 259) |
| Aug. 2, 1996 | National | HR 3448 | Minimum Wage Increase bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (354 - 72) |
| July 11, 1996 | National | H Amdt 1273 | Drug Price Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (180 - 242) |
| May 23, 1996 | National | H Amdt 1085 | Fair Labor Standards Act Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (196 - 229) |
| May 23, 1996 | National | H Amdt 1085 | Fair Labor Standards Act Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (239 - 188) |
| May 22, 1996 | National | HR 3448 | Minimum Wage Increase bill | Bill Passed - House (414 - 10) |
| May 9, 1996 | National | HR 956 | Product Liability bill | Veto Override Failed - House (258 - 163) |
| March 29, 1996 | National | HR 956 | Product Liability bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (259 - 158) |
| March 7, 1996 | National | H Amdt 947 | Lobby Disclosure Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (211 - 209) |
| March 6, 1996 | National | HR 927 | Cuba Sanctions Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (336 - 86) |
| Dec. 20, 1995 | National | HR 1058 | Legal Reform bill | Veto Override Passed - House (319 - 100) |
| Dec. 6, 1995 | National | HR 1058 | Legal Reform bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (320 - 102) |
| April 5, 1995 | National | HR 1215 | Contract With America Tax Relief Act of 1995 | Bill Passed - House (246 - 188) |
| March 8, 1995 | National | HR 1058 | Legal Reform bill | Bill Passed - House (325 - 99) |
| Nov. 29, 1994 | National | HR 5110 | Uruguay Round Agreements Act | Bill Passed - House (288 - 146) |
| June 9, 1994 | National | H Amdt 611 | Lifting Arms Embargo on Bosnia Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (244 - 178) |
| Nov. 23, 1993 | National | S 714 | Resolution Trust Corporation Completion Act | Conference Report Adopted - House (235 - 191) |
| Nov. 17, 1993 | National | HR 3450 | North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) Implementation Act | Bill Passed - House (234 - 200) |
| July 21, 1993 | National | H J Res 208 | China's Most Favored Nation Status | Joint Resolution Failed - House (105 - 318) |
| June 22, 1993 | National | HR 1876 | GATT Uruguay Round Bill | Bill Passed - House (295 - 126) |
| May 19, 1993 | National | HR 820 | National Competitiveness Act of 1993 | Bill Passed - House (243 - 167) |
| Sept. 30, 1992 | National | HR 5318 | Conditional Extension of Most-Favored-Nation Trade Status to China | Veto Override Passed - House (345 - 74) |
| July 21, 1992 | National | HR 5318 | Conditional Extension of Most-Favored-Nation Trade Status to China | Bill Passed - House (339 - 62) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7/27 | HR 3009 | Andean Trade Preference Act Extension | Conference Report Adopted - House (215 - 212) |
| 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) |
| 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) |
| 5/04 | 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) |
| 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) |
| 7/01 | HR 10 | Financial Modernization bill | Bill Passed - House (343 - 86) |
| 5/05 | HR 833 | Bankruptcy Reform bill | Bill Passed - House (313 - 108) |
| 3/17 | HR 975 | Steel Import Limitation bill | Bill Passed - House (289 - 141) |
| 10/13 | S 1260 | Securities Litigation | Conference Report Adopted - House (319 - 82) |
| 9/25 | HR 2621 | Reciprocal Trade Agreement Bill | Bill Failed - House (180 - 243) |
| 9/24 | HR 3736 | Nonimmigrant Specialty Workers bill | Bill Passed - House (288 - 133) |
| 7/30 | H J Res 120 | Vietnam Trade Waiver Disapproval resolution | Joint Resolution Failed - House (163 - 260) |
| 7/22 | H J Res 121 | Disapproval of 'Normal Trade Relations' Status with China | Joint Resolution Failed - House (166 - 264) |
| 5/13 | H Amdt 621 | Enhance Banking Flexibility Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (140 - 281) |
| 5/13 | HR 10 | Financial Services Act of 1998 | Bill Passed - House (214 - 213) |
| 3/11 | HR 1432 | African Growth bill | Bill Passed - House (233 - 186) |
| 11/07 | HR 2647 | PLA Monitoring bill | Bill Passed - House (408 - 10) |
| 11/04 | HR 2644 | United States-Caribbean Trade Partnership Act | Bill Failed - House (182 - 234) |
| 6/24 | H J Res 79 | China Most-Favored-Nation Resolution | Joint Resolution Failed - House (173 - 259) |
| 8/02 | HR 3448 | Minimum Wage Increase bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (354 - 72) |
| 7/11 | H Amdt 1273 | Drug Price Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (180 - 242) |
| 5/23 | H Amdt 1085 | Fair Labor Standards Act Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (196 - 229) |
| 5/23 | H Amdt 1085 | Fair Labor Standards Act Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (239 - 188) |
| 5/22 | HR 3448 | Minimum Wage Increase bill | Bill Passed - House (414 - 10) |
| 5/09 | HR 956 | Product Liability bill | Veto Override Failed - House (258 - 163) |
| 3/29 | HR 956 | Product Liability bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (259 - 158) |
| 3/07 | H Amdt 947 | Lobby Disclosure Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (211 - 209) |
| 3/06 | HR 927 | Cuba Sanctions Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (336 - 86) |
| 12/20 | HR 1058 | Legal Reform bill | Veto Override Passed - House (319 - 100) |
| 12/06 | HR 1058 | Legal Reform bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (320 - 102) |
| 4/05 | HR 1215 | Contract With America Tax Relief Act of 1995 | Bill Passed - House (246 - 188) |
| 3/08 | HR 1058 | Legal Reform bill | Bill Passed - House (325 - 99) |
| 11/29 | HR 5110 | Uruguay Round Agreements Act | Bill Passed - House (288 - 146) |
| 6/09 | H Amdt 611 | Lifting Arms Embargo on Bosnia Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (244 - 178) |
| 11/23 | S 714 | Resolution Trust Corporation Completion Act | Conference Report Adopted - House (235 - 191) |
| 11/17 | HR 3450 | North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) Implementation Act | Bill Passed - House (234 - 200) |
| 7/21 | H J Res 208 | China's Most Favored Nation Status | Joint Resolution Failed - House (105 - 318) |
| 6/22 | HR 1876 | GATT Uruguay Round Bill | Bill Passed - House (295 - 126) |
| 5/19 | HR 820 | National Competitiveness Act of 1993 | Bill Passed - House (243 - 167) |
| 9/30 | HR 5318 | Conditional Extension of Most-Favored-Nation Trade Status to China | Veto Override Passed - House (345 - 74) |
| 7/21 | HR 5318 | Conditional Extension of Most-Favored-Nation Trade Status to China | Bill Passed - House (339 - 62) |