Key Votes

Chamber

Keyword Search

Search string must be longer than 3 characters.

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
March 31, 1998 National HR 3579 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations bill Bill Passed - House (212 - 208)
Feb. 25, 1998 National H Amdt 497 Death Sentence Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (113 - 300)
Feb. 24, 1998 National HR 424 Minimum Sentences for Gun Crimes Bill Passed - House (350 - 59)
Feb. 24, 1998 National HR 424 Minimum Sentences for Gun Crimes Bill Passed - House (350 - 59)
Nov. 13, 1997 National H Res 301 Broadcast of Committee Witness bill Resolution Passed - House (241 - 165)
Nov. 7, 1997 National S 858 Intelligence FY98 Authorization bill Conference Report Adopted - House (385 - 36)
Nov. 7, 1997 National HR 2647 PLA Monitoring bill Bill Passed - House (408 - 10)
Oct. 22, 1997 National HR 1534 Private Property Rights bill Bill Passed - House (248 - 178)
Oct. 8, 1997 National HR 1122 Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion bill Concurrence Vote Passed - House (296 - 132)
Sept. 25, 1997 National HR 2266 Defense Department FY98 Appropriations bill Conference Report Adopted - House (356 - 65)
July 29, 1997 National HR 2266 Defense Department FY98 Appropriations bill Bill Passed - House (322 - 105)
June 23, 1997 National H Amdt 192 Border Defense Personnel Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (269 - 119)
May 8, 1997 National HR 3 Juvenile Crime bill Bill Passed - House (286 - 132)
March 20, 1997 National HR 1122 Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion bill Bill Passed - House (295 - 136)
Aug. 2, 1996 National HR 3953 Aviation Security and Antiterrorism Act of 1996 Bill Passed - House (389 - 22)
June 13, 1996 National H Amdt 1167 Spaced-based Weapons Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (190 - 208)
May 22, 1996 National H Amdt 1075 Disclosure of Intelligence Spending Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (176 - 248)
May 9, 1996 National HR 956 Product Liability bill Veto Override Failed - House (258 - 163)
May 7, 1996 National HR 2137 Megan's Law Bill Passed - House (418 - 0)
May 7, 1996 National HR 2137 Megan's Law Bill Passed - House (418 - 0)
April 30, 1996 National HR 1561 Authorization bill, FY96-97, Foreign Relations Veto Override Failed - House (234 - 188)
April 18, 1996 National S 735 Comprehensive Terrorism Prevention Act Conference Report Adopted - House (293 - 133)
April 18, 1996 National S 735 Comprehensive Terrorism Prevention Act Conference Report Adopted - House (293 - 133)
March 29, 1996 National HR 956 Product Liability bill Conference Report Adopted - House (259 - 158)
March 22, 1996 National HR 125 Gun Ban Repeal Act of 1995 Bill Passed - House (239 - 173)
Date No. Title Outcome
3/31 HR 3579 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations bill Bill Passed - House (212 - 208)
2/25 H Amdt 497 Death Sentence Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (113 - 300)
2/24 HR 424 Minimum Sentences for Gun Crimes Bill Passed - House (350 - 59)
2/24 HR 424 Minimum Sentences for Gun Crimes Bill Passed - House (350 - 59)
11/13 H Res 301 Broadcast of Committee Witness bill Resolution Passed - House (241 - 165)
11/07 S 858 Intelligence FY98 Authorization bill Conference Report Adopted - House (385 - 36)
11/07 HR 2647 PLA Monitoring bill Bill Passed - House (408 - 10)
10/22 HR 1534 Private Property Rights bill Bill Passed - House (248 - 178)
10/08 HR 1122 Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion bill Concurrence Vote Passed - House (296 - 132)
9/25 HR 2266 Defense Department FY98 Appropriations bill Conference Report Adopted - House (356 - 65)
7/29 HR 2266 Defense Department FY98 Appropriations bill Bill Passed - House (322 - 105)
6/23 H Amdt 192 Border Defense Personnel Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (269 - 119)
5/08 HR 3 Juvenile Crime bill Bill Passed - House (286 - 132)
3/20 HR 1122 Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion bill Bill Passed - House (295 - 136)
8/02 HR 3953 Aviation Security and Antiterrorism Act of 1996 Bill Passed - House (389 - 22)
6/13 H Amdt 1167 Spaced-based Weapons Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (190 - 208)
5/22 H Amdt 1075 Disclosure of Intelligence Spending Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (176 - 248)
5/09 HR 956 Product Liability bill Veto Override Failed - House (258 - 163)
5/07 HR 2137 Megan's Law Bill Passed - House (418 - 0)
5/07 HR 2137 Megan's Law Bill Passed - House (418 - 0)
4/30 HR 1561 Authorization bill, FY96-97, Foreign Relations Veto Override Failed - House (234 - 188)
4/18 S 735 Comprehensive Terrorism Prevention Act Conference Report Adopted - House (293 - 133)
4/18 S 735 Comprehensive Terrorism Prevention Act Conference Report Adopted - House (293 - 133)
3/29 HR 956 Product Liability bill Conference Report Adopted - House (259 - 158)
3/22 HR 125 Gun Ban Repeal Act of 1995 Bill Passed - House (239 - 173)

arrow_upward