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
June 6, 1996 National HR 3562 Wisconsin Welfare Reform Bill Bill Passed - House (289 - 136)
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)
March 29, 1996 National HR 956 Product Liability bill Conference Report Adopted - House (259 - 158)
March 20, 1996 National H Amdt 969 Denying Public Education to Undocumented Immigrants Amendment Adopted - House (257 - 163)
March 7, 1996 National H Amdt 946 Medicaid Funded Abortions Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (198 - 222)
March 7, 1996 National H Amdt 947 Lobby Disclosure Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (211 - 209)
Feb. 28, 1996 National H Amdt 935 Dairy Program Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (258 - 164)
Dec. 21, 1995 National HR 4 Welfare Reform Bill Conference Report Adopted - House (245 - 178)
Nov. 29, 1995 National HR 2564 Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 Bill Passed - House (421 - 0)
Nov. 28, 1995 National H Amdt 903 Prohibit Federal Funds for Lobbying Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (190 - 238)
Nov. 28, 1995 National H Amdt 903 Prohibit Federal Funds for Lobbying Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (190 - 238)
Nov. 15, 1995 National HR 2020 Appropriations bill FY96, Treasury, Postal Service Conference Report Adopted - House (374 - 52)
Nov. 2, 1995 National HR 2546 Appropriations Bill FY 96, District of Columbia Bill Passed - House (224 - 191)
Oct. 31, 1995 National HR 2492 Appropriations Bill FY96, Legislative Branch Bill Passed - House (315 - 106)
Sept. 20, 1995 National H Amdt 814 Drinking and Driving Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (223 - 203)
July 19, 1995 National HR 2020 Appropriations bill FY96, Treasury, Postal Service Bill Passed - House (216 - 211)
June 28, 1995 National H J Res 79 Flag Desecration bill Joint Resolution Passed - House (312 - 120)
May 16, 1995 National HR 961 Comprehensive Wetlands Conservation and Management Act Bill Passed - House (240 - 185)
March 29, 1995 National H J Res 73 Term Limits bill Joint Resolution Failed - House (227 - 204)
March 24, 1995 National HR 4 Welfare Reform Bill Bill Passed - House (234 - 199)
Feb. 28, 1995 National HR 1022 Risk Assessment and Cost-Benefit Act of 1995 Bill Passed - House (286 - 141)
Feb. 14, 1995 National HR 728 Anti-Crime bill Bill Passed - House (238 - 192)
Feb. 6, 1995 National HR 2 Line Item Veto Act Bill Passed - House (294 - 134)
Jan. 26, 1995 National H J Res 1 Balanced Budget Proposed Constitutional Amendment Joint Resolution Passed - House (300 - 132)
Date No. Title Outcome
6/06 HR 3562 Wisconsin Welfare Reform Bill Bill Passed - House (289 - 136)
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)
3/29 HR 956 Product Liability bill Conference Report Adopted - House (259 - 158)
3/20 H Amdt 969 Denying Public Education to Undocumented Immigrants Amendment Adopted - House (257 - 163)
3/07 H Amdt 946 Medicaid Funded Abortions Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (198 - 222)
3/07 H Amdt 947 Lobby Disclosure Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (211 - 209)
2/28 H Amdt 935 Dairy Program Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (258 - 164)
12/21 HR 4 Welfare Reform Bill Conference Report Adopted - House (245 - 178)
11/29 HR 2564 Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 Bill Passed - House (421 - 0)
11/28 H Amdt 903 Prohibit Federal Funds for Lobbying Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (190 - 238)
11/28 H Amdt 903 Prohibit Federal Funds for Lobbying Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (190 - 238)
11/15 HR 2020 Appropriations bill FY96, Treasury, Postal Service Conference Report Adopted - House (374 - 52)
11/02 HR 2546 Appropriations Bill FY 96, District of Columbia Bill Passed - House (224 - 191)
10/31 HR 2492 Appropriations Bill FY96, Legislative Branch Bill Passed - House (315 - 106)
9/20 H Amdt 814 Drinking and Driving Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (223 - 203)
7/19 HR 2020 Appropriations bill FY96, Treasury, Postal Service Bill Passed - House (216 - 211)
6/28 H J Res 79 Flag Desecration bill Joint Resolution Passed - House (312 - 120)
5/16 HR 961 Comprehensive Wetlands Conservation and Management Act Bill Passed - House (240 - 185)
3/29 H J Res 73 Term Limits bill Joint Resolution Failed - House (227 - 204)
3/24 HR 4 Welfare Reform Bill Bill Passed - House (234 - 199)
2/28 HR 1022 Risk Assessment and Cost-Benefit Act of 1995 Bill Passed - House (286 - 141)
2/14 HR 728 Anti-Crime bill Bill Passed - House (238 - 192)
2/06 HR 2 Line Item Veto Act Bill Passed - House (294 - 134)
1/26 H J Res 1 Balanced Budget Proposed Constitutional Amendment Joint Resolution Passed - House (300 - 132)

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