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
Aug. 5, 1999 National PN 100 Richard Holbrooke, Representative to the United Nations Nomination Confirmed - Senate (81 - 16)
Aug. 5, 1999 National HR 2488 Financial Freedom Act of 1999 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (50 - 49)
June 30, 1999 National S 1234 Foreign Operations FY2000 Appropriations bill Bill Passed - Senate (97 - 2)
June 16, 1999 National HR 1905 Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2000 Bill Passed - Senate (95 - 4)
June 16, 1999 National S 1205 Military Construction FY2000 Appropriations bill Bill Passed - Senate (97 - 2)
May 6, 1999 National S 900 Financial Services Modernization Bill Bill Passed - Senate (54 - 44)
Feb. 12, 1999 National H Res 611 Impeachment Resolution: Article One Resolution Failed - Senate (50 - 50)
Feb. 12, 1999 National H Res 611 Impeachment Resolution: Article One Resolution Failed - Senate (45 - 55)
Oct. 8, 1998 National S 442 Internet Tax Freedom bill Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 2)
July 30, 1998 National S Amdt 3379 Federal Election Commission Term Length Amendment Not Tabled - Senate (45 - 54)
July 30, 1998 National S Amdt 3379 Federal Election Commission Term Length Amendment Not Tabled - Senate (45 - 54)
July 21, 1998 National HR 4112 Legislative Branch FY99 Appropriations bill Bill Passed - Senate (90 - 9)
June 25, 1998 National S Amdt 2981 Military Closure Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (48 - 45)
June 25, 1998 National S Amdt 2981 Military Closure Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (48 - 45)
June 24, 1998 National S Amdt 2912 Bosnia and Herzegovina Withdrawal Amendment Amendment Tabled - Senate (65 - 31)
May 22, 1998 National HR 2400 Transportation Reauthorization bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (88 - 5)
May 5, 1998 National HR 1385 Training Programs bill Bill Passed - Senate (91 - 7)
April 28, 1998 National HR 1757 State Department FY98-99 Authorization bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (51 - 49)
April 1, 1998 National S Amdt 2175 School Modernization Amendment Amendment Tabled - Senate (54 - 46)
March 4, 1998 National S Amdt 1682 Blood Alcohol Content Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (62 - 32)
Feb. 25, 1998 National HR 2631 Line Item Veto Cancellation bill Veto Override Passed - Senate (78 - 20)
Feb. 10, 1998 National PN 623 David Satcher, Surgeon General of the Public Health Service Nomination Confirmed - Senate (63 - 35)
Nov. 8, 1997 National HR 2264 Appropriations bill FY98, Labor, HHS, Education Conference Report Adopted - Senate (91 - 4)
Oct. 1, 1997 National HR 2378 Appropriations bill FY98, Treasury, Postal Service Conference Report Adopted - Senate (55 - 45)
Sept. 25, 1997 National HR 2266 Defense Department FY98 Appropriations bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (93 - 5)
Date No. Title Outcome
8/05 PN 100 Richard Holbrooke, Representative to the United Nations Nomination Confirmed - Senate (81 - 16)
8/05 HR 2488 Financial Freedom Act of 1999 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (50 - 49)
6/30 S 1234 Foreign Operations FY2000 Appropriations bill Bill Passed - Senate (97 - 2)
6/16 HR 1905 Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2000 Bill Passed - Senate (95 - 4)
6/16 S 1205 Military Construction FY2000 Appropriations bill Bill Passed - Senate (97 - 2)
5/06 S 900 Financial Services Modernization Bill Bill Passed - Senate (54 - 44)
2/12 H Res 611 Impeachment Resolution: Article One Resolution Failed - Senate (50 - 50)
2/12 H Res 611 Impeachment Resolution: Article One Resolution Failed - Senate (45 - 55)
10/08 S 442 Internet Tax Freedom bill Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 2)
7/30 S Amdt 3379 Federal Election Commission Term Length Amendment Not Tabled - Senate (45 - 54)
7/30 S Amdt 3379 Federal Election Commission Term Length Amendment Not Tabled - Senate (45 - 54)
7/21 HR 4112 Legislative Branch FY99 Appropriations bill Bill Passed - Senate (90 - 9)
6/25 S Amdt 2981 Military Closure Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (48 - 45)
6/25 S Amdt 2981 Military Closure Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (48 - 45)
6/24 S Amdt 2912 Bosnia and Herzegovina Withdrawal Amendment Amendment Tabled - Senate (65 - 31)
5/22 HR 2400 Transportation Reauthorization bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (88 - 5)
5/05 HR 1385 Training Programs bill Bill Passed - Senate (91 - 7)
4/28 HR 1757 State Department FY98-99 Authorization bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (51 - 49)
4/01 S Amdt 2175 School Modernization Amendment Amendment Tabled - Senate (54 - 46)
3/04 S Amdt 1682 Blood Alcohol Content Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (62 - 32)
2/25 HR 2631 Line Item Veto Cancellation bill Veto Override Passed - Senate (78 - 20)
2/10 PN 623 David Satcher, Surgeon General of the Public Health Service Nomination Confirmed - Senate (63 - 35)
11/08 HR 2264 Appropriations bill FY98, Labor, HHS, Education Conference Report Adopted - Senate (91 - 4)
10/01 HR 2378 Appropriations bill FY98, Treasury, Postal Service Conference Report Adopted - Senate (55 - 45)
9/25 HR 2266 Defense Department FY98 Appropriations bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (93 - 5)

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