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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 7, 2008 | SC | Amendment No. 8A | Requiring Employers to Verify Immigration the Status of Their Employees | Amendment Adopted - House (80 - 33) |
| May 5, 2008 | CO | HB 1325 | Seasonal Foreign Worker Pilot Program | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (47 - 17) |
| April 29, 2008 | RI | H 7107 | Employment Verification Program | Bill Passed - House (52 - 17) |
| April 25, 2008 | RI | H 7204 | 2007-2008 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (60 - 12) |
| April 23, 2008 | OK | SB 163 | English as the Official Language | Bill Passed - House (70 - 28) |
| April 22, 2008 | CO | HB 1325 | Seasonal Foreign Worker Pilot Program | Bill Passed - House (46 - 18) |
| April 16, 2008 | National | HR 2634 | Expanding the List of Countries Eligible for Debt Forgiveness | Bill Passed - House (285 - 132) |
| April 16, 2008 | IA | HF 2686 | Employee Identification Verification | Bill Passed - House (84 - 16) |
| April 10, 2008 | National | H Res 1092 | Postponing the Consideration of the Trade Agreement with Colombia | Resolution Passed - House (224 - 195) |
| April 9, 2008 | AZ | SB 1096 | English Language Education Funding | Bill Passed - House (37 - 23) |
| April 4, 2008 | GA | HB 978 | Vehicle Seizures for Unlicensed Drivers | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (115 - 44) |
| April 2, 2008 | National | HR 5501 | Funding to Combat AIDS, Malaria, and Tuberculosis | Bill Passed - House (308 - 116) |
| April 1, 2008 | AZ | HB 2745 | Amending Undocumented Immigrant Employment Sanctions | Bill Passed - House (41 - 16) |
| March 27, 2008 | KS | Rhoades Amnd. | Repealing In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants | Amendment Rejected - House (51 - 70) |
| March 27, 2008 | KS | Carlson Amnd. | Employment Eligibility Verification Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (86 - 36) |
| March 20, 2008 | GA | SB 350 | Increasing Penalties for Driving Without a License | Bill Passed - House (99 - 68) |
| March 18, 2008 | CO | SB 139 | Undocumented Immigrant Hiring Ban Notification | Bill Passed - House (52 - 12) |
| March 14, 2008 | National | HR 3773 | Electronic Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Review Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (213 - 197) |
| March 13, 2008 | National | H Con Res 312 | Concurrent Budget Resolution | Joint Resolution Passed - House (212 - 207) |
| March 11, 2008 | National | HR 2082 | Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 | Veto Override Failed - House (225 - 188) |
| March 11, 2008 | National | HR 2082 | Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 | Veto Override Failed - House (225 - 188) |
| March 7, 2008 | CO | HJR 1009 | Ratification of the UN Convention Against the Discrimination of Women | Joint Resolution Passed - House (43 - 21) |
| March 5, 2008 | MS | SB 2988 | Prohibiting Employment of Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (112 - 8) |
| March 3, 2008 | MN | Seifert Amendment: Restriction of State Aid Based on Compliance with Immigration Laws | Amendment Rejected - House (66 - 67) | |
| March 3, 2008 | UT | SB 81 | Expanding Immigration Enforcement | Bill Passed - House (56 - 15) |
| March 3, 2008 | AZ | HB 2359 | County Sheriff and Border Patrol Collaboration | Bill Passed - House (33 - 27) |
| Feb. 28, 2008 | IN | SB 345 | Penalties for Employers of Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (66 - 33) |
| Feb. 28, 2008 | GA | HB 978 | Vehicle Seizures for Undocumented Immigrant Traffic Violations | Bill Passed - House (104 - 51) |
| 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. 25, 2008 | WY | HB 145 | Restricting Benefits for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (40 - 18) |
| Feb. 14, 2008 | MI | HB 4505 | Changes to Driver's License Eligibility | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (99 - 5) |
| Feb. 12, 2008 | UT | HB 241 | Restricting In-State Tuition Eligibility | Bill Passed - House (40 - 35) |
| Feb. 11, 2008 | UT | HB 239 | Driver's License Requirements | Bill Passed - House (39 - 35) |
| Feb. 4, 2008 | UT | HR 1 | North American Union Withdrawal | Resolution Passed - House (57 - 15) |
| 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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) |
| 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. 18, 2007 | National | HR 976 | State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization | Veto Override Failed - House (273 - 156) |
| 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. 16, 2007 | National | HR 2102 | Reporter's Source Confidentiality Guidelines | Bill Passed - House (398 - 21) |
| Oct. 4, 2007 | National | HR 2740 | Military Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Act (MEJA) Expansion and Enforcement Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - House (389 - 30) |
| 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) |
| 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 | MA | S 2255 | State Pension Fund Divestment from Sudan | Bill Passed - House (154 - 2) |
| Sept. 25, 2007 | National | HR 976 | State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (265 - 159) |
| Sept. 25, 2007 | National | HR 1400 | Iran Counter-Proliferation Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - House (397 - 16) |
| Sept. 25, 2007 | National | HR 1400 | Iran Counter-Proliferation Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - House (397 - 16) |
| Sept. 19, 2007 | National | HR 2761 | Terrorism Risk Insurance Revision and Extension Act (TRIA) | Bill Passed - House (312 - 110) |
| Aug. 27, 2007 | CA | SB 924 | Iraq Withdrawal Ballot Question | Bill Passed - House (43 - 32) |
| Aug. 27, 2007 | CA | SB 924 | Iraq Withdrawal Ballot Question | Bill Passed - House (43 - 32) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5/07 | Amendment No. 8A | Requiring Employers to Verify Immigration the Status of Their Employees | Amendment Adopted - House (80 - 33) |
| 5/05 | HB 1325 | Seasonal Foreign Worker Pilot Program | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (47 - 17) |
| 4/29 | H 7107 | Employment Verification Program | Bill Passed - House (52 - 17) |
| 4/25 | H 7204 | 2007-2008 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (60 - 12) |
| 4/23 | SB 163 | English as the Official Language | Bill Passed - House (70 - 28) |
| 4/22 | HB 1325 | Seasonal Foreign Worker Pilot Program | Bill Passed - House (46 - 18) |
| 4/16 | HR 2634 | Expanding the List of Countries Eligible for Debt Forgiveness | Bill Passed - House (285 - 132) |
| 4/16 | HF 2686 | Employee Identification Verification | Bill Passed - House (84 - 16) |
| 4/10 | H Res 1092 | Postponing the Consideration of the Trade Agreement with Colombia | Resolution Passed - House (224 - 195) |
| 4/09 | SB 1096 | English Language Education Funding | Bill Passed - House (37 - 23) |
| 4/04 | HB 978 | Vehicle Seizures for Unlicensed Drivers | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (115 - 44) |
| 4/02 | HR 5501 | Funding to Combat AIDS, Malaria, and Tuberculosis | Bill Passed - House (308 - 116) |
| 4/01 | HB 2745 | Amending Undocumented Immigrant Employment Sanctions | Bill Passed - House (41 - 16) |
| 3/27 | Rhoades Amnd. | Repealing In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants | Amendment Rejected - House (51 - 70) |
| 3/27 | Carlson Amnd. | Employment Eligibility Verification Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (86 - 36) |
| 3/20 | SB 350 | Increasing Penalties for Driving Without a License | Bill Passed - House (99 - 68) |
| 3/18 | SB 139 | Undocumented Immigrant Hiring Ban Notification | Bill Passed - House (52 - 12) |
| 3/14 | HR 3773 | Electronic Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Review Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (213 - 197) |
| 3/13 | H Con Res 312 | Concurrent Budget Resolution | Joint Resolution Passed - House (212 - 207) |
| 3/11 | HR 2082 | Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 | Veto Override Failed - House (225 - 188) |
| 3/11 | HR 2082 | Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 | Veto Override Failed - House (225 - 188) |
| 3/07 | HJR 1009 | Ratification of the UN Convention Against the Discrimination of Women | Joint Resolution Passed - House (43 - 21) |
| 3/05 | SB 2988 | Prohibiting Employment of Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (112 - 8) |
| 3/03 | Seifert Amendment: Restriction of State Aid Based on Compliance with Immigration Laws | Amendment Rejected - House (66 - 67) | |
| 3/03 | SB 81 | Expanding Immigration Enforcement | Bill Passed - House (56 - 15) |
| 3/03 | HB 2359 | County Sheriff and Border Patrol Collaboration | Bill Passed - House (33 - 27) |
| 2/28 | SB 345 | Penalties for Employers of Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (66 - 33) |
| 2/28 | HB 978 | Vehicle Seizures for Undocumented Immigrant Traffic Violations | Bill Passed - House (104 - 51) |
| 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) |
| 2/25 | HB 145 | Restricting Benefits for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (40 - 18) |
| 2/14 | HB 4505 | Changes to Driver's License Eligibility | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (99 - 5) |
| 2/12 | HB 241 | Restricting In-State Tuition Eligibility | Bill Passed - House (40 - 35) |
| 2/11 | HB 239 | Driver's License Requirements | Bill Passed - House (39 - 35) |
| 2/04 | HR 1 | North American Union Withdrawal | Resolution Passed - House (57 - 15) |
| 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) |
| 2/01 | HB 237 | Immigration Enforcement | Bill Passed - House (44 - 25) |
| 1/31 | H 4400 | Immigration Bill | Bill Passed - House (80 - 13) |
| 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) |
| 12/17 | 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) |
| 12/17 | 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) |
| 12/13 | 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) |
| 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) |
| 10/18 | HR 976 | State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization | Veto Override Failed - House (273 - 156) |
| 10/16 | H Res 734 | Sense of the House on Classification of Information on Corruption in Iraq | Resolution Passed - House (395 - 21) |
| 10/16 | HR 2102 | Reporter's Source Confidentiality Guidelines | Bill Passed - House (398 - 21) |
| 10/04 | HR 2740 | Military Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Act (MEJA) Expansion and Enforcement Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - House (389 - 30) |
| 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) |
| 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 | S 2255 | State Pension Fund Divestment from Sudan | Bill Passed - House (154 - 2) |
| 9/25 | HR 976 | State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (265 - 159) |
| 9/25 | HR 1400 | Iran Counter-Proliferation Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - House (397 - 16) |
| 9/25 | HR 1400 | Iran Counter-Proliferation Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - House (397 - 16) |
| 9/19 | HR 2761 | Terrorism Risk Insurance Revision and Extension Act (TRIA) | Bill Passed - House (312 - 110) |
| 8/27 | SB 924 | Iraq Withdrawal Ballot Question | Bill Passed - House (43 - 32) |
| 8/27 | SB 924 | Iraq Withdrawal Ballot Question | Bill Passed - House (43 - 32) |