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. 28, 2008 IN SB 345 Penalties for Employers of Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - House (66 - 33)
Feb. 28, 2008 WI AB 581 Gun Possession During Emergencies Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 5)
Feb. 27, 2008 CO HB 1180 Unemployment Benefits for Military Spouses Bill Passed - House (60 - 5)
Feb. 26, 2008 WI A Amnd. 1 Divestment Due to Genocide Amendment Amendment Tabled - House (50 - 47)
Feb. 26, 2008 GA HR 413 English as the Official Language of Georgia Resolution Failed - House (103 - 61)
Feb. 26, 2008 CO SB 139 Undocumented Immigrant Hiring Ban Notification Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 4)
Feb. 25, 2008 WY HB 145 Restricting Benefits for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - House (40 - 18)
Feb. 21, 2008 UT SB 81 Expanding Immigration Enforcement Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 5)
Feb. 14, 2008 MI HB 4505 Changes to Driver's License Eligibility Concurrence Vote Passed - House (99 - 5)
Feb. 13, 2008 National HR 2082 Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (51 - 45)
Feb. 13, 2008 National HR 2082 Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (51 - 45)
Feb. 12, 2008 National S Amdt 3907 Striking Telecommunications Companies' Civil Immunity for Surveillance Amendment Rejected - Senate (31 - 67)
Feb. 12, 2008 National S Amdt 3910 FISA as Exclusive Means for Conducting Electronic Surveillance Amendment Rejected - Senate (57 - 41)
Feb. 12, 2008 UT HB 241 Restricting In-State Tuition Eligibility Bill Passed - House (40 - 35)
Feb. 12, 2008 National S 2248 FISA Amendments Act of 2007 Bill Passed - Senate (68 - 29)
Feb. 11, 2008 OR SB 1080 Driver's License Residency Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 7)
Feb. 11, 2008 UT HB 239 Driver's License Requirements Bill Passed - House (39 - 35)
Feb. 7, 2008 GA SB 340 Prohibiting Sanctuary Policies Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 8)
Feb. 7, 2008 GA SB 350 Increasing Penalties for Driving Without a License Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 13)
Feb. 6, 2008 MI SB 962 Prohibiting Driver's Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 9)
Feb. 4, 2008 ID H 366 Driver's License Residency Requirement Bill Passed - House (47 - 21)
Feb. 4, 2008 UT HR 1 North American Union Withdrawal Resolution Passed - House (57 - 15)
Feb. 4, 2008 UT HR 1 North American Union Withdrawal Resolution Passed - House (57 - 15)
Feb. 1, 2008 MS SB 2037 Requirements for Public Works Laborers Bill Passed - Senate (46 - 5)
Feb. 1, 2008 UT HB 237 Immigration Enforcement Bill Passed - House (44 - 25)
Jan. 31, 2008 SC H 4400 Immigration Bill Bill Passed - House (80 - 13)
Jan. 29, 2008 IN SB 335 Immigration Bill Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 11)
Jan. 22, 2008 National HR 4986 Defense Authorizations Bill Bill Passed - Senate (91 - 3)
Jan. 22, 2008 National HR 4986 Defense Authorizations Bill Bill Passed - Senate (91 - 3)
Jan. 16, 2008 National HR 4986 Defense Authorizations Bill Bill Passed - House (369 - 46)
Jan. 16, 2008 National HR 4986 Defense Authorizations Bill Bill Passed - House (369 - 46)
Dec. 19, 2007 National HR 2764 Inclusion of Iraq and Afghanistan Military Operations Funding with the Consolidated Appropriations Concurrence Vote Passed - House (272 - 142)
Dec. 18, 2007 National S Amdt 3875 Iraq Withdrawal Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (24 - 71)
Dec. 18, 2007 National S Amdt 3875 Iraq Withdrawal Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (24 - 71)
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. 18, 2007 National HR 2764 Inclusion of Iraq and Afghanistan Military Operations Funding with the Consolidated Appropriations Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (76 - 17)
Dec. 18, 2007 National HR 2764 Inclusion of Iraq and Afghanistan Military Operations Funding with the Consolidated Appropriations Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (70 - 25)
Dec. 17, 2007 National HR 2764 Appropriations for Operations in Afghanistan Concurrence Vote Passed - House (253 - 154)
Dec. 17, 2007 National HR 2764 Appropriations for Operations in Afghanistan Concurrence Vote Passed - House (253 - 154)
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 (206 - 201)
Dec. 13, 2007 National HR 2082 Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 Conference Report Adopted - House (222 - 199)
Dec. 13, 2007 National HR 2082 Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 Conference Report Adopted - House (222 - 199)
Dec. 12, 2007 National HR 1585 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 Conference Report Adopted - House (370 - 49)
Dec. 12, 2007 National HR 1585 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 Conference Report Adopted - House (370 - 49)
Dec. 12, 2007 National HR 4299 Terrorism Risk Insurance Extension and Modification Bill Passed - House (303 - 116)
Dec. 11, 2007 WI AB 581 Gun Possession During Emergencies Bill Passed - House (84 - 13)
Dec. 4, 2007 National HR 3688 United States-Peru Trade Agreement Bill Passed - Senate (77 - 18)
Nov. 16, 2007 National S 2340 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations for the Department of Defense Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (45 - 53)
Nov. 16, 2007 National HR 4156 Supplemental Appropriations for the Department of Defense and Timeline for Withdrawal from Iraq Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 45)
Nov. 15, 2007 National HR 3773 Electronic Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Review Act Bill Passed - House (227 - 189)
Nov. 14, 2007 National HR 3074 Appropriations for the Department of Transportation and the Department of Housing and Urban Development Conference Report Adopted - House (270 - 147)
Nov. 14, 2007 National HR 4156 Supplemental Appropriations for the Department of Defense and Timeline for Withdrawal from Iraq Bill Passed - House (218 - 203)
Nov. 8, 2007 National HR 3222 Department of Defense Appropriations, Fiscal Year 2008 Conference Report Adopted - House (400 - 15)
Nov. 8, 2007 National HR 3688 United States-Peru Trade Agreement Bill Passed - House (285 - 132)
Oct. 31, 2007 National HR 3920 Trade and Globalization Act of 2007 Bill Passed - House (264 - 157)
Oct. 29, 2007 MI H Sub for Sub SB 235 2007-2008 Department of Military and Veterans Affairs Budget Conference Report Adopted - House (101 - 8)
Oct. 29, 2007 MI H Sub for Sub SB 235 2007-2008 Department of Military and Veterans Affairs Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 3)
Oct. 24, 2007 National S 2205 DREAM Act Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (52 - 44)
Oct. 22, 2007 NY S 6484 Driver's License Citizenship Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 19)
Oct. 18, 2007 National HR 976 State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization Veto Override Failed - House (273 - 156)
Oct. 16, 2007 National HR 2102 Reporter's Source Confidentiality Guidelines Bill Passed - House (398 - 21)
Oct. 16, 2007 National H Res 734 Sense of the House on Classification of Information on Corruption in Iraq Resolution Passed - House (395 - 21)
Oct. 4, 2007 National HR 2740 Military Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Act (MEJA) Expansion and Enforcement Act of 2007 Bill Passed - House (389 - 30)
Oct. 3, 2007 National S Amdt 3117 Border Fence and Customs Appropriations Amendment Adopted - Senate (95 - 1)
Oct. 2, 2007 National HR 3087 Requiring Reports from the Defense Department to Congress Regarding Withdrawal from Iraq Bill Passed - House (377 - 46)
Oct. 2, 2007 National HR 3087 Requiring Reports from the Defense Department to Congress Regarding Withdrawal from Iraq Bill Passed - House (377 - 46)
Oct. 1, 2007 National HR 1585 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 Bill Passed - Senate (92 - 3)
Oct. 1, 2007 National HR 1585 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 Bill Passed - Senate (92 - 3)
Sept. 27, 2007 MA Koutoujian Amendment Expanding Pension Fund Divestment to Any State with a History of Genocide Amendment Rejected - House (53 - 101)
Sept. 27, 2007 MA Jones Amendment Expanding Pension Fund Divestments to Any State Sponsor of Terrorism Amendment Rejected - House (32 - 124)
Sept. 27, 2007 National HR 976 State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (67 - 29)
Sept. 27, 2007 MA S 2255 State Pension Fund Divestment from Sudan Bill Passed - House (154 - 2)
Sept. 26, 2007 National S Amdt 2997 Expressing the Sense of Congress Regarding Federalism in Iraq Amendment Adopted - Senate (75 - 23)
Sept. 26, 2007 National S Amdt 3017 Expressing the Sense of Congress Regarding Iran and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Amendment Adopted - Senate (76 - 22)
Date No. Title Outcome
2/28 SB 345 Penalties for Employers of Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - House (66 - 33)
2/28 AB 581 Gun Possession During Emergencies Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 5)
2/27 HB 1180 Unemployment Benefits for Military Spouses Bill Passed - House (60 - 5)
2/26 A Amnd. 1 Divestment Due to Genocide Amendment Amendment Tabled - House (50 - 47)
2/26 HR 413 English as the Official Language of Georgia Resolution Failed - House (103 - 61)
2/26 SB 139 Undocumented Immigrant Hiring Ban Notification Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 4)
2/25 HB 145 Restricting Benefits for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - House (40 - 18)
2/21 SB 81 Expanding Immigration Enforcement Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 5)
2/14 HB 4505 Changes to Driver's License Eligibility Concurrence Vote Passed - House (99 - 5)
2/13 HR 2082 Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (51 - 45)
2/13 HR 2082 Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (51 - 45)
2/12 S Amdt 3907 Striking Telecommunications Companies' Civil Immunity for Surveillance Amendment Rejected - Senate (31 - 67)
2/12 S Amdt 3910 FISA as Exclusive Means for Conducting Electronic Surveillance Amendment Rejected - Senate (57 - 41)
2/12 HB 241 Restricting In-State Tuition Eligibility Bill Passed - House (40 - 35)
2/12 S 2248 FISA Amendments Act of 2007 Bill Passed - Senate (68 - 29)
2/11 SB 1080 Driver's License Residency Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 7)
2/11 HB 239 Driver's License Requirements Bill Passed - House (39 - 35)
2/07 SB 340 Prohibiting Sanctuary Policies Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 8)
2/07 SB 350 Increasing Penalties for Driving Without a License Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 13)
2/06 SB 962 Prohibiting Driver's Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 9)
2/04 H 366 Driver's License Residency Requirement Bill Passed - House (47 - 21)
2/04 HR 1 North American Union Withdrawal Resolution Passed - House (57 - 15)
2/04 HR 1 North American Union Withdrawal Resolution Passed - House (57 - 15)
2/01 SB 2037 Requirements for Public Works Laborers Bill Passed - Senate (46 - 5)
2/01 HB 237 Immigration Enforcement Bill Passed - House (44 - 25)
1/31 H 4400 Immigration Bill Bill Passed - House (80 - 13)
1/29 SB 335 Immigration Bill Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 11)
1/22 HR 4986 Defense Authorizations Bill Bill Passed - Senate (91 - 3)
1/22 HR 4986 Defense Authorizations Bill Bill Passed - Senate (91 - 3)
1/16 HR 4986 Defense Authorizations Bill Bill Passed - House (369 - 46)
1/16 HR 4986 Defense Authorizations Bill Bill Passed - House (369 - 46)
12/19 HR 2764 Inclusion of Iraq and Afghanistan Military Operations Funding with the Consolidated Appropriations Concurrence Vote Passed - House (272 - 142)
12/18 S Amdt 3875 Iraq Withdrawal Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (24 - 71)
12/18 S Amdt 3875 Iraq Withdrawal Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (24 - 71)
12/18 HR 2764 Inclusion of Iraq and Afghanistan Military Operations Funding with the Consolidated Appropriations Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (76 - 17)
12/18 HR 2764 Inclusion of Iraq and Afghanistan Military Operations Funding with the Consolidated Appropriations Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (76 - 17)
12/18 HR 2764 Inclusion of Iraq and Afghanistan Military Operations Funding with the Consolidated Appropriations Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (70 - 25)
12/17 HR 2764 Appropriations for Operations in Afghanistan Concurrence Vote Passed - House (253 - 154)
12/17 HR 2764 Appropriations for Operations in Afghanistan Concurrence Vote Passed - House (253 - 154)
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 (206 - 201)
12/13 HR 2082 Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 Conference Report Adopted - House (222 - 199)
12/13 HR 2082 Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 Conference Report Adopted - House (222 - 199)
12/12 HR 1585 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 Conference Report Adopted - House (370 - 49)
12/12 HR 1585 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 Conference Report Adopted - House (370 - 49)
12/12 HR 4299 Terrorism Risk Insurance Extension and Modification Bill Passed - House (303 - 116)
12/11 AB 581 Gun Possession During Emergencies Bill Passed - House (84 - 13)
12/04 HR 3688 United States-Peru Trade Agreement Bill Passed - Senate (77 - 18)
11/16 S 2340 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations for the Department of Defense Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (45 - 53)
11/16 HR 4156 Supplemental Appropriations for the Department of Defense and Timeline for Withdrawal from Iraq Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 45)
11/15 HR 3773 Electronic Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Review Act Bill Passed - House (227 - 189)
11/14 HR 3074 Appropriations for the Department of Transportation and the Department of Housing and Urban Development Conference Report Adopted - House (270 - 147)
11/14 HR 4156 Supplemental Appropriations for the Department of Defense and Timeline for Withdrawal from Iraq Bill Passed - House (218 - 203)
11/08 HR 3222 Department of Defense Appropriations, Fiscal Year 2008 Conference Report Adopted - House (400 - 15)
11/08 HR 3688 United States-Peru Trade Agreement Bill Passed - House (285 - 132)
10/31 HR 3920 Trade and Globalization Act of 2007 Bill Passed - House (264 - 157)
10/29 H Sub for Sub SB 235 2007-2008 Department of Military and Veterans Affairs Budget Conference Report Adopted - House (101 - 8)
10/29 H Sub for Sub SB 235 2007-2008 Department of Military and Veterans Affairs Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 3)
10/24 S 2205 DREAM Act Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (52 - 44)
10/22 S 6484 Driver's License Citizenship Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 19)
10/18 HR 976 State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization Veto Override Failed - House (273 - 156)
10/16 HR 2102 Reporter's Source Confidentiality Guidelines Bill Passed - House (398 - 21)
10/16 H Res 734 Sense of the House on Classification of Information on Corruption in Iraq Resolution Passed - House (395 - 21)
10/04 HR 2740 Military Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Act (MEJA) Expansion and Enforcement Act of 2007 Bill Passed - House (389 - 30)
10/03 S Amdt 3117 Border Fence and Customs Appropriations Amendment Adopted - Senate (95 - 1)
10/02 HR 3087 Requiring Reports from the Defense Department to Congress Regarding Withdrawal from Iraq Bill Passed - House (377 - 46)
10/02 HR 3087 Requiring Reports from the Defense Department to Congress Regarding Withdrawal from Iraq Bill Passed - House (377 - 46)
10/01 HR 1585 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 Bill Passed - Senate (92 - 3)
10/01 HR 1585 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 Bill Passed - Senate (92 - 3)
9/27 Koutoujian Amendment Expanding Pension Fund Divestment to Any State with a History of Genocide Amendment Rejected - House (53 - 101)
9/27 Jones Amendment Expanding Pension Fund Divestments to Any State Sponsor of Terrorism Amendment Rejected - House (32 - 124)
9/27 HR 976 State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (67 - 29)
9/27 S 2255 State Pension Fund Divestment from Sudan Bill Passed - House (154 - 2)
9/26 S Amdt 2997 Expressing the Sense of Congress Regarding Federalism in Iraq Amendment Adopted - Senate (75 - 23)
9/26 S Amdt 3017 Expressing the Sense of Congress Regarding Iran and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Amendment Adopted - Senate (76 - 22)

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