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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb. 25, 2008 | WY | SF 46 | Water Discharge from Methane Gas Wells | Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 15) |
| Feb. 19, 2008 | KS | SB 327 | Expansion of Coal-Fired Power Plants | Bill Passed - House (77 - 45) |
| Feb. 19, 2008 | WA | HB 2815 | Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions | Bill Passed - House (64 - 31) |
| Feb. 18, 2008 | WA | SB 6777 | Halting Mining on Maury Island | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 23) |
| Feb. 14, 2008 | MN | HF 2285 | Funding for Natural Resources and Cultural Heritage | Conference Report Adopted - House (85 - 46) |
| Feb. 14, 2008 | MN | HF 2285 | Funding for Natural Resources and Cultural Heritage | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (46 - 17) |
| Feb. 14, 2008 | NM | SB 487 | Uranium Cleanup Fund | Bill Passed - House (45 - 23) |
| Feb. 14, 2008 | KS | HB 2066 | Restricting the Secretary of Health and Environment's Enforcement Powers | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 7) |
| Feb. 13, 2008 | KS | Steineger Amnd. | Limiting Carbon Dioxide Emissions | Amendment Rejected - Senate (3 - 32) |
| Feb. 12, 2008 | IN | SB 45 | Great Lakes Compact | Bill Passed - House (91 - 8) |
| Feb. 12, 2008 | NM | HB 305 | Energy Efficiency Requirements for Public Utilities | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15) |
| Feb. 12, 2008 | UT | HB 137 | Water Conservation Program | Bill Failed - House (31 - 40) |
| Feb. 10, 2008 | NM | SB 487 | Uranium Cleanup Fund | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11) |
| Feb. 8, 2008 | NM | HB 342 | Uranium Cleanup Fund | Bill Passed - House (55 - 11) |
| Jan. 30, 2008 | IN | HB 1090 | Climate Registry Act | Bill Passed - House (53 - 44) |
| Jan. 30, 2008 | CO | HB 1025 | Governor's Energy Office | Bill Passed - House (59 - 5) |
| Jan. 30, 2008 | CO | HB 1069 | Prohibiting Motor Vehicles on Public Lands | Bill Passed - House (43 - 22) |
| Jan. 30, 2008 | CA | SB 908 | Global Warming Education in Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 13) |
| Jan. 24, 2008 | CO | GN Baker | Matt Baker to the Public Utilities Commission | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| Jan. 18, 2008 | GA | HR 1022 | State-Wide Water Management Plan | Bill Passed - House (131 - 37) |
| Jan. 18, 2008 | GA | SR 701 | State-Wide Water Management Plan | Resolution Passed - Senate (39 - 12) |
| Jan. 7, 2008 | NJ | A 4559 | Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 16) |
| Jan. 7, 2008 | NJ | A 4559 | Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions | Bill Passed - House (43 - 31) |
| Dec. 18, 2007 | National | HR 2764 | Inclusion of Iraq and Afghanistan Military Operations Funding with the Consolidated Appropriations | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (76 - 17) |
| Dec. 17, 2007 | National | HR 2764 | Appropriations for Operations in Afghanistan | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (206 - 201) |
| Dec. 17, 2007 | National | HR 2764 | Appropriations for Operations in Afghanistan | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (253 - 154) |
| Dec. 13, 2007 | National | HR 6 | Energy Act of 2007 | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (86 - 8) |
| Dec. 11, 2007 | National | S Amdt 3711 | Government Sponsored Farm Insurance Policies | Amendment Rejected - Senate (37 - 58) |
| Nov. 19, 2007 | MD | HB 1 | 2007-2008 Budget Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (100 - 33) |
| Nov. 19, 2007 | MD | HB 1 | 2007-2008 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 13) |
| Nov. 13, 2007 | MD | HB 1 | 2007-2008 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (103 - 36) |
| Nov. 8, 2007 | National | HR 1495 | Water Resources Development Act of 2007 | Veto Override Passed - Senate (79 - 14) |
| Nov. 6, 2007 | National | HR 1495 | Water Resources Development Act of 2007 | Veto Override Passed - House (361 - 54) |
| Nov. 1, 2007 | National | HR 2262 | Hardrock Mining and Reclamation Act | Bill Passed - House (244 - 166) |
| Oct. 31, 2007 | HI | SB 1 | Superferry Environmental Assessment | Bill Passed - House (39 - 11) |
| Oct. 30, 2007 | MI | S Sub for Sub HB 4354 | 2007-2008 Department of Natural Resources Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 6) |
| Oct. 30, 2007 | MI | S Sub for Sub HB 4358 | 2007-2008 Department of Environmental Quality Appropriations | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 13) |
| Oct. 30, 2007 | WI | SB 15 | Secretary of Natural Resources Appointment | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12) |
| Oct. 29, 2007 | MI | S Sub for Sub HB 4354 | 2007-2008 Department of Natural Resources Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (63 - 46) |
| Oct. 29, 2007 | MI | S Sub for Sub HB 4358 | 2007-2008 Department of Environmental Quality Appropriations | Conference Report Adopted - House (56 - 53) |
| Oct. 29, 2007 | HI | SB 1 | Superferry Environmental Assessment | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 5) |
| Oct. 26, 2007 | HI | HFA 1 | Expanding Superferry Environmental Restrictions | Amendment Rejected - House (11 - 35) |
| Oct. 26, 2007 | HI | HB 1 | Superferry Environmental Assessment | Bill Passed - House (37 - 9) |
| Sept. 5, 2007 | MT | SB 1 | Extending Fire Related State of Emergencies | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 20) |
| Aug. 24, 2007 | KY | HCS HB 1 | Renewable Energy Tax Incentives | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 1) |
| Aug. 22, 2007 | KY | HCS HB 1 | Renewable Energy Tax Incentives | Bill Passed - House (87 - 10) |
| June 21, 2007 | National | HR 6 | Energy Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - Senate (65 - 27) |
| June 20, 2007 | AZ | SB 1552 | Air Pollution Control | Conference Report Adopted - House (47 - 8) |
| June 20, 2007 | PA | HB 1200 | Alternative Energy Incentives | Bill Passed - House (128 - 70) |
| June 20, 2007 | MI | Sub for SB 447 | Insurance for Water Pollution | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 16) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2/25 | SF 46 | Water Discharge from Methane Gas Wells | Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 15) |
| 2/19 | SB 327 | Expansion of Coal-Fired Power Plants | Bill Passed - House (77 - 45) |
| 2/19 | HB 2815 | Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions | Bill Passed - House (64 - 31) |
| 2/18 | SB 6777 | Halting Mining on Maury Island | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 23) |
| 2/14 | HF 2285 | Funding for Natural Resources and Cultural Heritage | Conference Report Adopted - House (85 - 46) |
| 2/14 | HF 2285 | Funding for Natural Resources and Cultural Heritage | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (46 - 17) |
| 2/14 | SB 487 | Uranium Cleanup Fund | Bill Passed - House (45 - 23) |
| 2/14 | HB 2066 | Restricting the Secretary of Health and Environment's Enforcement Powers | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 7) |
| 2/13 | Steineger Amnd. | Limiting Carbon Dioxide Emissions | Amendment Rejected - Senate (3 - 32) |
| 2/12 | SB 45 | Great Lakes Compact | Bill Passed - House (91 - 8) |
| 2/12 | HB 305 | Energy Efficiency Requirements for Public Utilities | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15) |
| 2/12 | HB 137 | Water Conservation Program | Bill Failed - House (31 - 40) |
| 2/10 | SB 487 | Uranium Cleanup Fund | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11) |
| 2/08 | HB 342 | Uranium Cleanup Fund | Bill Passed - House (55 - 11) |
| 1/30 | HB 1090 | Climate Registry Act | Bill Passed - House (53 - 44) |
| 1/30 | HB 1025 | Governor's Energy Office | Bill Passed - House (59 - 5) |
| 1/30 | HB 1069 | Prohibiting Motor Vehicles on Public Lands | Bill Passed - House (43 - 22) |
| 1/30 | SB 908 | Global Warming Education in Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 13) |
| 1/24 | GN Baker | Matt Baker to the Public Utilities Commission | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| 1/18 | HR 1022 | State-Wide Water Management Plan | Bill Passed - House (131 - 37) |
| 1/18 | SR 701 | State-Wide Water Management Plan | Resolution Passed - Senate (39 - 12) |
| 1/07 | A 4559 | Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 16) |
| 1/07 | A 4559 | Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions | Bill Passed - House (43 - 31) |
| 12/18 | HR 2764 | Inclusion of Iraq and Afghanistan Military Operations Funding with the Consolidated Appropriations | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (76 - 17) |
| 12/17 | HR 2764 | Appropriations for Operations in Afghanistan | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (206 - 201) |
| 12/17 | HR 2764 | Appropriations for Operations in Afghanistan | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (253 - 154) |
| 12/13 | HR 6 | Energy Act of 2007 | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (86 - 8) |
| 12/11 | S Amdt 3711 | Government Sponsored Farm Insurance Policies | Amendment Rejected - Senate (37 - 58) |
| 11/19 | HB 1 | 2007-2008 Budget Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (100 - 33) |
| 11/19 | HB 1 | 2007-2008 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 13) |
| 11/13 | HB 1 | 2007-2008 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (103 - 36) |
| 11/08 | HR 1495 | Water Resources Development Act of 2007 | Veto Override Passed - Senate (79 - 14) |
| 11/06 | HR 1495 | Water Resources Development Act of 2007 | Veto Override Passed - House (361 - 54) |
| 11/01 | HR 2262 | Hardrock Mining and Reclamation Act | Bill Passed - House (244 - 166) |
| 10/31 | SB 1 | Superferry Environmental Assessment | Bill Passed - House (39 - 11) |
| 10/30 | S Sub for Sub HB 4354 | 2007-2008 Department of Natural Resources Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 6) |
| 10/30 | S Sub for Sub HB 4358 | 2007-2008 Department of Environmental Quality Appropriations | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 13) |
| 10/30 | SB 15 | Secretary of Natural Resources Appointment | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12) |
| 10/29 | S Sub for Sub HB 4354 | 2007-2008 Department of Natural Resources Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (63 - 46) |
| 10/29 | S Sub for Sub HB 4358 | 2007-2008 Department of Environmental Quality Appropriations | Conference Report Adopted - House (56 - 53) |
| 10/29 | SB 1 | Superferry Environmental Assessment | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 5) |
| 10/26 | HFA 1 | Expanding Superferry Environmental Restrictions | Amendment Rejected - House (11 - 35) |
| 10/26 | HB 1 | Superferry Environmental Assessment | Bill Passed - House (37 - 9) |
| 9/05 | SB 1 | Extending Fire Related State of Emergencies | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 20) |
| 8/24 | HCS HB 1 | Renewable Energy Tax Incentives | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 1) |
| 8/22 | HCS HB 1 | Renewable Energy Tax Incentives | Bill Passed - House (87 - 10) |
| 6/21 | HR 6 | Energy Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - Senate (65 - 27) |
| 6/20 | SB 1552 | Air Pollution Control | Conference Report Adopted - House (47 - 8) |
| 6/20 | HB 1200 | Alternative Energy Incentives | Bill Passed - House (128 - 70) |
| 6/20 | Sub for SB 447 | Insurance for Water Pollution | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 16) |