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
May 5, 2004 National HR 4227 Middle-Class Alternative Minimum Tax Relief Act of 2004 Bill Passed - House (333 - 89)
April 29, 2004 National S 150 Internet Access Tax Bill Bill Passed - Senate (93 - 3)
April 28, 2004 National HR 4181 Marriage Penalty Tax Bill Bill Passed - House (323 - 95)
Jan. 28, 2004 National S 1920 Farmer Bankruptcy Bill Bill Passed - House (265 - 99)
Sept. 17, 2003 National HR 7 Charitable Contributions bill Bill Passed - House (408 - 13)
June 19, 2003 National HR 1528 Taxpayer Protection and IRS Accountability Act of 2003 Bill Passed - House (252 - 170)
May 23, 2003 National HR 2 Jobs and Economic Growth bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (51 - 50)
May 23, 2003 National HR 2 Jobs and Economic Growth bill Conference Report Adopted - House (231 - 200)
July 19, 2001 National HR 7 Community Solutions Act of 2001 Bill Passed - House (233 - 198)
May 26, 2001 National HR 1836 Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act, 2001 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (58 - 33)
May 26, 2001 National HR 1836 Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act, 2001 Conference Report Adopted - House (240 - 154)
May 23, 2001 National HR 1836 Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act, 2001 Bill Passed - Senate (62 - 38)
May 16, 2001 National HR 1836 Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act, 2001 Bill Passed - House (230 - 197)
Sept. 13, 2000 National HR 4810 Marriage Tax Relief Bill Veto Override Failed - House (270 - 158)
Sept. 7, 2000 National HR 8 Estate Tax Elimination Act of 2000 Veto Override Failed - House (274 - 157)
July 21, 2000 National HR 4810 Marriage Tax Relief Bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (60 - 34)
July 20, 2000 National HR 4810 Marriage Tax Relief Bill Conference Report Adopted - House (271 - 156)
July 14, 2000 National HR 8 Estate Tax Elimination Act of 2000 Bill Passed - Senate (59 - 39)
July 13, 2000 National S Amdt 3821 Estate Tax Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 53)
June 9, 2000 National H Amdt 763 Estate Tax Substitute Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (196 - 222)
June 9, 2000 National HR 8 Estate Tax Elimination Act of 2000 Bill Passed - House (279 - 136)
May 10, 2000 National HR 3709 Regarding Internet Taxation Bill Passed - House (352 - 75)
March 9, 2000 National HR 3081 Small Business Tax Fairness Act of 2000 Bill Passed - House (257 - 169)
Feb. 10, 2000 National HR 6 Changes in Income Tax Deductions for Married Couples Bill Passed - House (268 - 158)
Feb. 2, 2000 National HR 833 Bankruptcy Reform bill Bill Passed - Senate (83 - 14)
Date No. Title Outcome
5/05 HR 4227 Middle-Class Alternative Minimum Tax Relief Act of 2004 Bill Passed - House (333 - 89)
4/29 S 150 Internet Access Tax Bill Bill Passed - Senate (93 - 3)
4/28 HR 4181 Marriage Penalty Tax Bill Bill Passed - House (323 - 95)
1/28 S 1920 Farmer Bankruptcy Bill Bill Passed - House (265 - 99)
9/17 HR 7 Charitable Contributions bill Bill Passed - House (408 - 13)
6/19 HR 1528 Taxpayer Protection and IRS Accountability Act of 2003 Bill Passed - House (252 - 170)
5/23 HR 2 Jobs and Economic Growth bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (51 - 50)
5/23 HR 2 Jobs and Economic Growth bill Conference Report Adopted - House (231 - 200)
7/19 HR 7 Community Solutions Act of 2001 Bill Passed - House (233 - 198)
5/26 HR 1836 Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act, 2001 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (58 - 33)
5/26 HR 1836 Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act, 2001 Conference Report Adopted - House (240 - 154)
5/23 HR 1836 Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act, 2001 Bill Passed - Senate (62 - 38)
5/16 HR 1836 Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act, 2001 Bill Passed - House (230 - 197)
9/13 HR 4810 Marriage Tax Relief Bill Veto Override Failed - House (270 - 158)
9/07 HR 8 Estate Tax Elimination Act of 2000 Veto Override Failed - House (274 - 157)
7/21 HR 4810 Marriage Tax Relief Bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (60 - 34)
7/20 HR 4810 Marriage Tax Relief Bill Conference Report Adopted - House (271 - 156)
7/14 HR 8 Estate Tax Elimination Act of 2000 Bill Passed - Senate (59 - 39)
7/13 S Amdt 3821 Estate Tax Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 53)
6/09 H Amdt 763 Estate Tax Substitute Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (196 - 222)
6/09 HR 8 Estate Tax Elimination Act of 2000 Bill Passed - House (279 - 136)
5/10 HR 3709 Regarding Internet Taxation Bill Passed - House (352 - 75)
3/09 HR 3081 Small Business Tax Fairness Act of 2000 Bill Passed - House (257 - 169)
2/10 HR 6 Changes in Income Tax Deductions for Married Couples Bill Passed - House (268 - 158)
2/02 HR 833 Bankruptcy Reform bill Bill Passed - Senate (83 - 14)

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