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 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)
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)

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