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
Feb. 27, 2008 CO HB 1297 Supplemental Department of Public Safety Funding Bill Passed - House (45 - 20)
Feb. 26, 2008 WV HB 4076 Legislative Pay Raise Bill Passed - House (62 - 36)
Feb. 14, 2008 National H Res 982 Contempt Charges Resolution Passed - House (223 - 32)
Feb. 14, 2008 MS HB 859 Salary Adjustments for State Officials Bill Passed - House (61 - 60)
Feb. 5, 2008 SD HB 1250 Legislative Pay Raise Bill Passed - House (54 - 14)
Jan. 24, 2008 CO HR 1005 Censuring Representative Douglas Bruce Resolution Passed - House (62 - 1)
Oct. 31, 2007 MI SB 229 2007-2008 Budget Conference Report Adopted - House (83 - 25)
July 31, 2007 National S 1 Lobbying and Donation Regulations Bill Passed - House (411 - 8)
April 19, 2007 National HR 1905 District of Columbia House Voting Rights Act of 2007 Bill Passed - House (241 - 177)
Sept. 26, 2006 National N/A Motion to Resolve Into Secret Session Motion Rejected - House (171 - 217)
June 7, 2006 National HR 5521 Legislative Branch FY 2007 Appropriations Bill Bill Passed - House (361 - 53)
May 3, 2006 National HR 4975 527 Reform Act of 2006 Bill Passed - House (217 - 213)
March 30, 2006 National H Res 746 Jack Abramoff Investigation Resolution Resolution Tabled - House (216 - 193)
Sept. 15, 2005 National H Res 437 Bipartisan Committee to Investigate Hurricane Katrina Resolution Passed - House (224 - 188)
July 28, 2005 National HR 2985 Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2006 Conference Report Adopted - House (305 - 122)
June 22, 2005 National HR 2985 Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2006 Bill Passed - House (330 - 82)
July 12, 2004 National HR 4755 Legislative Branch FY2005 Appropriations Bill Bill Passed - House (327 - 43)
June 2, 2004 National H J Res 83 Special Elections/Appointments Provisions Bill Joint Resolution Failed - House (63 - 353)
April 22, 2004 National HR 2844 Continuity in Representation Act of 2003 Bill Passed - House (306 - 97)
Sept. 24, 2003 National HR 2657 Emergency Supplemental Appropriation, FY 2003 bill Conference Report Adopted - House (371 - 56)
July 9, 2003 National HR 2657 Emergency Supplemental Appropriation, FY 2003 bill Bill Passed - House (394 - 26)
July 24, 2002 National H Res 495 Expulsion of Representative James A. Traficant, Jr., D-Ohio Resolution Passed - House (420 - 1)
July 18, 2002 National HR 5121 Legislative Branch Appropriation, FY2003 Bill Passed - House (365 - 49)
Nov. 1, 2001 National HR 2647 Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2002 Conference Report Adopted - House (374 - 52)
Aug. 5, 1999 National HR 1905 Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2000 Conference Report Adopted - House (367 - 49)
Date No. Title Outcome
2/27 HB 1297 Supplemental Department of Public Safety Funding Bill Passed - House (45 - 20)
2/26 HB 4076 Legislative Pay Raise Bill Passed - House (62 - 36)
2/14 H Res 982 Contempt Charges Resolution Passed - House (223 - 32)
2/14 HB 859 Salary Adjustments for State Officials Bill Passed - House (61 - 60)
2/05 HB 1250 Legislative Pay Raise Bill Passed - House (54 - 14)
1/24 HR 1005 Censuring Representative Douglas Bruce Resolution Passed - House (62 - 1)
10/31 SB 229 2007-2008 Budget Conference Report Adopted - House (83 - 25)
7/31 S 1 Lobbying and Donation Regulations Bill Passed - House (411 - 8)
4/19 HR 1905 District of Columbia House Voting Rights Act of 2007 Bill Passed - House (241 - 177)
9/26 N/A Motion to Resolve Into Secret Session Motion Rejected - House (171 - 217)
6/07 HR 5521 Legislative Branch FY 2007 Appropriations Bill Bill Passed - House (361 - 53)
5/03 HR 4975 527 Reform Act of 2006 Bill Passed - House (217 - 213)
3/30 H Res 746 Jack Abramoff Investigation Resolution Resolution Tabled - House (216 - 193)
9/15 H Res 437 Bipartisan Committee to Investigate Hurricane Katrina Resolution Passed - House (224 - 188)
7/28 HR 2985 Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2006 Conference Report Adopted - House (305 - 122)
6/22 HR 2985 Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2006 Bill Passed - House (330 - 82)
7/12 HR 4755 Legislative Branch FY2005 Appropriations Bill Bill Passed - House (327 - 43)
6/02 H J Res 83 Special Elections/Appointments Provisions Bill Joint Resolution Failed - House (63 - 353)
4/22 HR 2844 Continuity in Representation Act of 2003 Bill Passed - House (306 - 97)
9/24 HR 2657 Emergency Supplemental Appropriation, FY 2003 bill Conference Report Adopted - House (371 - 56)
7/09 HR 2657 Emergency Supplemental Appropriation, FY 2003 bill Bill Passed - House (394 - 26)
7/24 H Res 495 Expulsion of Representative James A. Traficant, Jr., D-Ohio Resolution Passed - House (420 - 1)
7/18 HR 5121 Legislative Branch Appropriation, FY2003 Bill Passed - House (365 - 49)
11/01 HR 2647 Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2002 Conference Report Adopted - House (374 - 52)
8/05 HR 1905 Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2000 Conference Report Adopted - House (367 - 49)

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