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. 1, 2001 National H Amdt 288 Corporate Average Fuel Efficiency (CAFE) Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (160 - 269)
Aug. 1, 2001 National H Amdt 298 Prohibiting Oil Drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Amendment Rejected - House (206 - 223)
July 31, 2001 National H Amdt 285 Human Cloning Substitute Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (178 - 249)
July 31, 2001 National HR 2505 Human Cloning Prohibition Act of 2001 Bill Passed - House (265 - 162)
June 29, 2001 National S 1052 Patients' Bill of Rights Bill Passed - Senate (59 - 36)
June 29, 2001 National S 1052 Patients' Bill of Rights Bill Passed - Senate (59 - 36)
Sept. 26, 2000 National HR 5175 Small Business Superfund Exemption Bill Failed - House (253 - 161)
July 13, 2000 National H Amdt 997 Family Planning Assistance Funding amendment Amendment Rejected - House (206 - 221)
June 29, 2000 National S Amdt 3694 Health Care Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (51 - 47)
June 28, 2000 National HR 4680 Medicare Rx bill Bill Passed - House (217 - 214)
June 22, 2000 National S Amdt 3598 Outpatient Prescription Drugs Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (44 - 53)
June 21, 2000 National H Amdt 858 EPA Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (208 - 216)
June 7, 2000 National H Amdt 748 San Rafael Legacy District Motor Vehicle Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (210 - 214)
June 7, 2000 National H Amdt 745 San Rafael Swell Area Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (212 - 211)
May 11, 2000 National H Amdt 694 Local Government Participation Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (187 - 238)
May 11, 2000 National HR 701 Conservation and Reinvestment Act of 1999 Bill Passed - House (315 - 102)
May 10, 2000 National H Amdt 685 Land Conservation-Land Acquisition Funding Amendment Rejected - House (109 - 315)
May 10, 2000 National H Amdt 687 Social Security and Medicare Solvency Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (216 - 208)
Oct. 27, 1999 National HR 2260 Pain Relief Promotion Act of 1999 Bill Passed - House (271 - 156)
Oct. 7, 1999 National H Amdt 514 Patient Protection Substitute Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (193 - 238)
Oct. 7, 1999 National HR 2723 Patient Protection bill Bill Passed - House (275 - 151)
Oct. 6, 1999 National HR 2990 Patients' Bill of Rights bill Bill Passed - House (227 - 205)
Sept. 30, 1999 National H Amdt 509 Substitute Amendment to Unborn Victims of Violence Act Amendment Rejected - House (201 - 224)
Sept. 30, 1999 National HR 2436 Unborn Victims of Violence Act of 1999 Bill Passed - House (254 - 172)
Sept. 21, 1999 National HR 2116 Veterans' Millennium Health Care Act Bill Passed - House (369 - 46)
July 29, 1999 National H Amdt 360 Abortion Funding Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (221 - 208)
July 15, 1999 National S Amdt 1250 Patient Lawsuit Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (53 - 47)
July 15, 1999 National S 1344 Patient Bill of Rights bill Bill Passed - Senate (53 - 47)
July 14, 1999 National S Amdt 1241 Women's Health and Cancer Rights Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (55 - 45)
July 14, 1999 National S Amdt 1241 Women's Health and Cancer Rights Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (55 - 45)
June 22, 1999 National S Amdt 702 Patients' Bill of Rights Amendment Amendment Tabled - Senate (53 - 47)
Oct. 8, 1998 National H Amdt 923 Contraceptive Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (224 - 200)
Sept. 16, 1998 National H Amdt 887 Illegal Drug Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (291 - 133)
Aug. 7, 1998 National H Amdt 869 Illegal Drug Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (250 - 169)
July 24, 1998 National H Amdt 776 Patients' Bill of Rights Act Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (212 - 217)
July 24, 1998 National H Amdt 776 Patients' Bill of Rights Act Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (212 - 217)
July 24, 1998 National HR 4250 Patient Protection bill Bill Passed - House (216 - 210)
July 24, 1998 National HR 4250 Patient Protection bill Bill Passed - House (216 - 210)
July 16, 1998 National H Amdt 728 Federal Health Plan Contraceptive Coverage Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (224 - 198)
July 16, 1998 National H Amdt 728 Federal Health Plan Contraceptive Coverage Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (224 - 198)
June 9, 1998 National S Amdt 2451 Illegal Drug Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (52 - 46)
June 4, 1998 National S Amdt 2438 Underage Tobacco Usage amendment Amendment Not Tabled - Senate (29 - 66)
April 1, 1998 National S Amdt 2169 Medicare Choices Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (51 - 47)
March 31, 1998 National S Amdt 2168 Tobacco Immunity Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (79 - 19)
March 27, 1998 National H Amdt 542 Road Construction Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (200 - 187)
March 27, 1998 National HR 2515 Forest Recovery and Protection bill Bill Failed - House (181 - 201)
Feb. 11, 1998 National S 1601 Human Cloning Research bill Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (42 - 54)
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)
Nov. 7, 1997 National HR 2264 Appropriations bill FY98, Labor, HHS, Education Conference Report Adopted - House (352 - 65)
Date No. Title Outcome
8/01 H Amdt 288 Corporate Average Fuel Efficiency (CAFE) Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (160 - 269)
8/01 H Amdt 298 Prohibiting Oil Drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Amendment Rejected - House (206 - 223)
7/31 H Amdt 285 Human Cloning Substitute Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (178 - 249)
7/31 HR 2505 Human Cloning Prohibition Act of 2001 Bill Passed - House (265 - 162)
6/29 S 1052 Patients' Bill of Rights Bill Passed - Senate (59 - 36)
6/29 S 1052 Patients' Bill of Rights Bill Passed - Senate (59 - 36)
9/26 HR 5175 Small Business Superfund Exemption Bill Failed - House (253 - 161)
7/13 H Amdt 997 Family Planning Assistance Funding amendment Amendment Rejected - House (206 - 221)
6/29 S Amdt 3694 Health Care Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (51 - 47)
6/28 HR 4680 Medicare Rx bill Bill Passed - House (217 - 214)
6/22 S Amdt 3598 Outpatient Prescription Drugs Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (44 - 53)
6/21 H Amdt 858 EPA Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (208 - 216)
6/07 H Amdt 748 San Rafael Legacy District Motor Vehicle Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (210 - 214)
6/07 H Amdt 745 San Rafael Swell Area Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (212 - 211)
5/11 H Amdt 694 Local Government Participation Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (187 - 238)
5/11 HR 701 Conservation and Reinvestment Act of 1999 Bill Passed - House (315 - 102)
5/10 H Amdt 685 Land Conservation-Land Acquisition Funding Amendment Rejected - House (109 - 315)
5/10 H Amdt 687 Social Security and Medicare Solvency Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (216 - 208)
10/27 HR 2260 Pain Relief Promotion Act of 1999 Bill Passed - House (271 - 156)
10/07 H Amdt 514 Patient Protection Substitute Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (193 - 238)
10/07 HR 2723 Patient Protection bill Bill Passed - House (275 - 151)
10/06 HR 2990 Patients' Bill of Rights bill Bill Passed - House (227 - 205)
9/30 H Amdt 509 Substitute Amendment to Unborn Victims of Violence Act Amendment Rejected - House (201 - 224)
9/30 HR 2436 Unborn Victims of Violence Act of 1999 Bill Passed - House (254 - 172)
9/21 HR 2116 Veterans' Millennium Health Care Act Bill Passed - House (369 - 46)
7/29 H Amdt 360 Abortion Funding Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (221 - 208)
7/15 S Amdt 1250 Patient Lawsuit Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (53 - 47)
7/15 S 1344 Patient Bill of Rights bill Bill Passed - Senate (53 - 47)
7/14 S Amdt 1241 Women's Health and Cancer Rights Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (55 - 45)
7/14 S Amdt 1241 Women's Health and Cancer Rights Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (55 - 45)
6/22 S Amdt 702 Patients' Bill of Rights Amendment Amendment Tabled - Senate (53 - 47)
10/08 H Amdt 923 Contraceptive Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (224 - 200)
9/16 H Amdt 887 Illegal Drug Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (291 - 133)
8/07 H Amdt 869 Illegal Drug Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (250 - 169)
7/24 H Amdt 776 Patients' Bill of Rights Act Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (212 - 217)
7/24 H Amdt 776 Patients' Bill of Rights Act Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (212 - 217)
7/24 HR 4250 Patient Protection bill Bill Passed - House (216 - 210)
7/24 HR 4250 Patient Protection bill Bill Passed - House (216 - 210)
7/16 H Amdt 728 Federal Health Plan Contraceptive Coverage Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (224 - 198)
7/16 H Amdt 728 Federal Health Plan Contraceptive Coverage Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (224 - 198)
6/09 S Amdt 2451 Illegal Drug Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (52 - 46)
6/04 S Amdt 2438 Underage Tobacco Usage amendment Amendment Not Tabled - Senate (29 - 66)
4/01 S Amdt 2169 Medicare Choices Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (51 - 47)
3/31 S Amdt 2168 Tobacco Immunity Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (79 - 19)
3/27 H Amdt 542 Road Construction Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (200 - 187)
3/27 HR 2515 Forest Recovery and Protection bill Bill Failed - House (181 - 201)
2/11 S 1601 Human Cloning Research bill Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (42 - 54)
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)
11/07 HR 2264 Appropriations bill FY98, Labor, HHS, Education Conference Report Adopted - House (352 - 65)

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