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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug. 6, 1998 | National | H Amdt 874 | Low Income Educational Scholarship Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (214 - 208) |
| July 9, 1998 | National | HR 6 | Higher Education Programs Authorization Extension bill | Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 1) |
| June 24, 1998 | National | HR 2646 | Education Savings Accounts bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (59 - 36) |
| June 24, 1998 | National | HR 2646 | Education Savings Accounts bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (59 - 36) |
| June 18, 1998 | National | HR 2646 | Education Savings Accounts bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (225 - 197) |
| June 18, 1998 | National | HR 2646 | Education Savings Accounts bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (225 - 197) |
| May 18, 1998 | National | S 1723 | Non-Immigrant Specialty Workers bill | Bill Passed - Senate (78 - 20) |
| May 6, 1998 | National | HR 6 | Higher Education Programs Authorization Extension bill | Bill Passed - House (414 - 4) |
| May 5, 1998 | National | HR 1385 | Training Programs bill | Bill Passed - Senate (91 - 7) |
| April 30, 1998 | National | S 1502 | Washington, D.C. School Vouchers bill | Bill Passed - House (214 - 206) |
| April 23, 1998 | National | HR 2646 | Education Savings Accounts bill | Bill Passed - Senate (56 - 43) |
| April 23, 1998 | National | HR 2646 | Education Savings Accounts bill | Bill Passed - Senate (56 - 43) |
| April 1, 1998 | National | S Amdt 2175 | School Modernization Amendment | Amendment Tabled - Senate (54 - 46) |
| March 31, 1998 | National | S Amdt 2165 | Deficit Neutral Reserve Fund Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 52) |
| Feb. 5, 1998 | National | HR 2846 | National Student Testing bill | Bill Passed - House (242 - 174) |
| Nov. 8, 1997 | National | HR 2264 | Appropriations bill FY98, Labor, HHS, Education | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (91 - 4) |
| Nov. 7, 1997 | National | HR 2264 | Appropriations bill FY98, Labor, HHS, Education | Conference Report Adopted - House (352 - 65) |
| Nov. 7, 1997 | National | HR 2616 | Charter School Expansion Act of 1998 | Bill Passed - House (367 - 57) |
| Nov. 4, 1997 | National | HR 2746 | HELP Scholarships bill | Bill Failed - House (191 - 228) |
| Oct. 23, 1997 | National | HR 2646 | Education Savings Accounts bill | Bill Passed - House (230 - 198) |
| Oct. 23, 1997 | National | HR 2646 | Education Savings Accounts bill | Bill Passed - House (230 - 198) |
| Sept. 11, 1997 | National | S Amdt 1122 | Education Funding Amendment | Amendment Not Tabled - Senate (49 - 51) |
| June 26, 1997 | National | S Amdt 527 | Family Tax Relief Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (38 - 61) |
| May 23, 1997 | National | S Amdt 357 | Violent Crime Victims Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (51 - 49) |
| May 16, 1997 | National | HR 1385 | Training Programs bill | Bill Passed - House (343 - 60) |
| July 11, 1996 | National | H Amdt 1264 | Education and Training Programs Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (198 - 227) |
| July 11, 1996 | National | H Amdt 1265 | School Improvement Programs Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (294 - 129) |
| April 25, 1996 | National | S Amdt 3670 | Foreign Student Program Amendment | Amendment Tabled - Senate (53 - 47) |
| April 25, 1996 | National | S Amdt 3670 | Foreign Student Program Amendment | Amendment Tabled - Senate (53 - 47) |
| April 25, 1996 | National | S Amdt 3669 | Foreign Student Public Education Amendment | Amendment Tabled - Senate (53 - 46) |
| March 20, 1996 | National | H Amdt 969 | Denying Public Education to Undocumented Immigrants | Amendment Adopted - House (257 - 163) |
| Nov. 2, 1995 | National | HR 2546 | Appropriations Bill FY 96, District of Columbia | Bill Passed - House (224 - 191) |
| July 27, 1994 | National | S Amdt 2416 | Voluntary Prayer Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 53) |
| July 27, 1994 | National | S Amdt 2417 | Demonstration Program Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 53) |
| March 26, 1994 | National | HR 1804 | Goals 2000: Educate America Act | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (63 - 22) |
| March 24, 1994 | National | H Amdt 491 | Homosexuality Education Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (224 - 194) |
| March 24, 1994 | National | H Amdt 497 | Funding and Programs Substitute Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (173 - 245) |
| March 23, 1994 | National | HR 1804 | Goals 2000: Educate America Act | Conference Report Adopted - House (306 - 121) |
| March 22, 1994 | National | H Amdt 488 | Optional Abstinence Emphasis Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (262 - 166) |
| March 9, 1994 | National | H Amdt 462 | Tobacco Education Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (353 - 70) |
| Oct. 18, 1993 | National | HR 2518 | Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (80 - 15) |
| Oct. 18, 1993 | National | HR 2518 | Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (80 - 15) |
| Oct. 13, 1993 | National | HR 1804 | Goals 2000: Educate America Act | Bill Passed - House (307 - 118) |
| Oct. 7, 1993 | National | HR 2518 | Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (311 - 115) |
| Oct. 7, 1993 | National | HR 2518 | Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (311 - 115) |
| Sept. 29, 1993 | National | HR 2518 | Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (82 - 17) |
| Sept. 29, 1993 | National | HR 2518 | Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (82 - 17) |
| Sept. 8, 1993 | National | HR 2010 | National Service Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (57 - 40) |
| Aug. 6, 1993 | National | HR 2010 | National Service Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (275 - 152) |
| Aug. 3, 1993 | National | HR 2010 | National Service Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (58 - 41) |
| July 28, 1993 | National | HR 2010 | National Service Bill | Bill Passed - House (275 - 152) |
| July 22, 1993 | National | S Amdt 608 | National Service Educational Awards Amendment | Amendment Tabled - Senate (55 - 44) |
| June 30, 1993 | National | HR 2518 | Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - House (305 - 124) |
| June 30, 1993 | National | HR 2518 | Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - House (305 - 124) |
| May 21, 1992 | National | S Amdt 1852 | Eliminating Emergency Funding for Emergency Summer Youth Employment Programs | Amendment Rejected - Senate (37 - 62) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8/06 | H Amdt 874 | Low Income Educational Scholarship Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (214 - 208) |
| 7/09 | HR 6 | Higher Education Programs Authorization Extension bill | Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 1) |
| 6/24 | HR 2646 | Education Savings Accounts bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (59 - 36) |
| 6/24 | HR 2646 | Education Savings Accounts bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (59 - 36) |
| 6/18 | HR 2646 | Education Savings Accounts bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (225 - 197) |
| 6/18 | HR 2646 | Education Savings Accounts bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (225 - 197) |
| 5/18 | S 1723 | Non-Immigrant Specialty Workers bill | Bill Passed - Senate (78 - 20) |
| 5/06 | HR 6 | Higher Education Programs Authorization Extension bill | Bill Passed - House (414 - 4) |
| 5/05 | HR 1385 | Training Programs bill | Bill Passed - Senate (91 - 7) |
| 4/30 | S 1502 | Washington, D.C. School Vouchers bill | Bill Passed - House (214 - 206) |
| 4/23 | HR 2646 | Education Savings Accounts bill | Bill Passed - Senate (56 - 43) |
| 4/23 | HR 2646 | Education Savings Accounts bill | Bill Passed - Senate (56 - 43) |
| 4/01 | S Amdt 2175 | School Modernization Amendment | Amendment Tabled - Senate (54 - 46) |
| 3/31 | S Amdt 2165 | Deficit Neutral Reserve Fund Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 52) |
| 2/05 | HR 2846 | National Student Testing bill | Bill Passed - House (242 - 174) |
| 11/08 | HR 2264 | Appropriations bill FY98, Labor, HHS, Education | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (91 - 4) |
| 11/07 | HR 2264 | Appropriations bill FY98, Labor, HHS, Education | Conference Report Adopted - House (352 - 65) |
| 11/07 | HR 2616 | Charter School Expansion Act of 1998 | Bill Passed - House (367 - 57) |
| 11/04 | HR 2746 | HELP Scholarships bill | Bill Failed - House (191 - 228) |
| 10/23 | HR 2646 | Education Savings Accounts bill | Bill Passed - House (230 - 198) |
| 10/23 | HR 2646 | Education Savings Accounts bill | Bill Passed - House (230 - 198) |
| 9/11 | S Amdt 1122 | Education Funding Amendment | Amendment Not Tabled - Senate (49 - 51) |
| 6/26 | S Amdt 527 | Family Tax Relief Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (38 - 61) |
| 5/23 | S Amdt 357 | Violent Crime Victims Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (51 - 49) |
| 5/16 | HR 1385 | Training Programs bill | Bill Passed - House (343 - 60) |
| 7/11 | H Amdt 1264 | Education and Training Programs Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (198 - 227) |
| 7/11 | H Amdt 1265 | School Improvement Programs Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (294 - 129) |
| 4/25 | S Amdt 3670 | Foreign Student Program Amendment | Amendment Tabled - Senate (53 - 47) |
| 4/25 | S Amdt 3670 | Foreign Student Program Amendment | Amendment Tabled - Senate (53 - 47) |
| 4/25 | S Amdt 3669 | Foreign Student Public Education Amendment | Amendment Tabled - Senate (53 - 46) |
| 3/20 | H Amdt 969 | Denying Public Education to Undocumented Immigrants | Amendment Adopted - House (257 - 163) |
| 11/02 | HR 2546 | Appropriations Bill FY 96, District of Columbia | Bill Passed - House (224 - 191) |
| 7/27 | S Amdt 2416 | Voluntary Prayer Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 53) |
| 7/27 | S Amdt 2417 | Demonstration Program Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 53) |
| 3/26 | HR 1804 | Goals 2000: Educate America Act | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (63 - 22) |
| 3/24 | H Amdt 491 | Homosexuality Education Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (224 - 194) |
| 3/24 | H Amdt 497 | Funding and Programs Substitute Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (173 - 245) |
| 3/23 | HR 1804 | Goals 2000: Educate America Act | Conference Report Adopted - House (306 - 121) |
| 3/22 | H Amdt 488 | Optional Abstinence Emphasis Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (262 - 166) |
| 3/09 | H Amdt 462 | Tobacco Education Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (353 - 70) |
| 10/18 | HR 2518 | Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (80 - 15) |
| 10/18 | HR 2518 | Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (80 - 15) |
| 10/13 | HR 1804 | Goals 2000: Educate America Act | Bill Passed - House (307 - 118) |
| 10/07 | HR 2518 | Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (311 - 115) |
| 10/07 | HR 2518 | Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (311 - 115) |
| 9/29 | HR 2518 | Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (82 - 17) |
| 9/29 | HR 2518 | Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (82 - 17) |
| 9/08 | HR 2010 | National Service Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (57 - 40) |
| 8/06 | HR 2010 | National Service Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (275 - 152) |
| 8/03 | HR 2010 | National Service Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (58 - 41) |
| 7/28 | HR 2010 | National Service Bill | Bill Passed - House (275 - 152) |
| 7/22 | S Amdt 608 | National Service Educational Awards Amendment | Amendment Tabled - Senate (55 - 44) |
| 6/30 | HR 2518 | Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - House (305 - 124) |
| 6/30 | HR 2518 | Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - House (305 - 124) |
| 5/21 | S Amdt 1852 | Eliminating Emergency Funding for Emergency Summer Youth Employment Programs | Amendment Rejected - Senate (37 - 62) |