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 20, 2004 | National | HR 4359 | Child Credit Preservation and Expansion Act of 2004 | Bill Passed - House (271 - 139) |
| May 6, 2004 | National | H Res 627 | Resolution Condemning Abuse of Iraqi Prisoners | Resolution Passed - House (365 - 50) |
| Nov. 7, 2003 | National | HR 1588 | Defense Department FY2004 Authorization bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (362 - 40) |
| Sept. 24, 2003 | National | HR 2658 | Terrorism Information Awareness bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (407 - 15) |
| July 8, 2003 | National | HR 2658 | Terrorism Information Awareness bill | Bill Passed - House (399 - 19) |
| May 22, 2003 | National | HR 1588 | Defense Department FY2004 Authorization bill | Bill Passed - House (361 - 68) |
| Oct. 10, 2002 | National | HR 5010 | Department of Defense Appropriations, Fiscal Year 2003 | Conference Report Adopted - House (409 - 14) |
| June 27, 2002 | National | HR 5010 | Department of Defense Appropriations, Fiscal Year 2003 | Bill Passed - House (413 - 18) |
| June 27, 2002 | National | HR 5011 | Military Construction Appropriations Act, Fiscal Year 2003 | Bill Passed - House (426 - 1) |
| May 10, 2002 | National | HR 4546 | National Defense Authorization Act for FY 2003 | Bill Passed - House (359 - 58) |
| Dec. 13, 2001 | National | S 1438 | National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2002 | Conference Report Adopted - House (382 - 40) |
| May 18, 2000 | National | H Amdt 722 | Oversea Military Abortions Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (195 - 221) |
| April 28, 1999 | National | H Con Res 82 | Withdrawal of U.S. Troops from the Balkans resolution | Resolution Failed - House (139 - 290) |
| Sept. 28, 1998 | National | HR 4103 | Defense Department FY99 Appropriations bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (369 - 43) |
| Sept. 24, 1998 | National | HR 3616 | Defense Department FY99 Authorization bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (373 - 50) |
| June 24, 1998 | National | HR 4103 | Defense Department FY99 Appropriations bill | Bill Passed - House (358 - 61) |
| June 22, 1998 | National | HR 4059 | Military Construction FY99 Appropriations bill | Bill Passed - House (396 - 10) |
| May 21, 1998 | National | HR 3616 | Defense Department FY99 Authorization bill | Bill Passed - House (357 - 60) |
| May 20, 1998 | National | H Amdt 643 | Abortion Private Funding Restoration Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (190 - 232) |
| Oct. 28, 1997 | National | HR 1119 | Defense Department FY98-99 Authorization bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (286 - 123) |
| Sept. 25, 1997 | National | HR 2266 | Defense Department FY98 Appropriations bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (356 - 65) |
| July 29, 1997 | National | HR 2266 | Defense Department FY98 Appropriations bill | Bill Passed - House (322 - 105) |
| June 25, 1997 | National | HR 1119 | Defense Department FY98-99 Authorization bill | Bill Passed - House (304 - 120) |
| June 24, 1997 | National | H Amdt 203 | Bosnia Deployment Termination Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (278 - 148) |
| June 24, 1997 | National | H Amdt 204 | Bosnia Deployment Extension Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (196 - 231) |
| June 23, 1997 | National | H Amdt 192 | Border Defense Personnel Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (269 - 119) |
| June 19, 1997 | National | H Amdt 187 | Overseas Military Facilities Abortion Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (196 - 224) |
| Aug. 1, 1996 | National | HR 3230 | National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1997 | Conference Report Adopted - House (285 - 132) |
| May 15, 1996 | National | HR 3230 | National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1997 | Bill Passed - House (272 - 153) |
| Jan. 24, 1996 | National | S 1124 | Authorization bill FY96, Defense Department | Conference Report Adopted - House (287 - 129) |
| Jan. 3, 1996 | National | HR 1530 | Authorization bill FY96, Defense Department | Veto Override Passed - House (240 - 156) |
| Dec. 15, 1995 | National | HR 1530 | Authorization bill FY96, Defense Department | Conference Report Adopted - House (267 - 149) |
| Sept. 7, 1995 | National | H Amdt 752 | Overseas Military Abortions | Amendment Adopted - House (226 - 191) |
| June 15, 1995 | National | HR 1530 | Authorization bill FY96, Defense Department | Bill Passed - House (300 - 126) |
| May 24, 1995 | National | H Amdt 403 | Foreign Abortion Ban Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (240 - 181) |
| Sept. 29, 1994 | National | HR 4650 | Defense FY95 Appropriations Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (327 - 86) |
| Aug. 17, 1994 | National | S 2182 | National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1995 | Conference Report Adopted - House (280 - 137) |
| June 29, 1994 | National | HR 4650 | Defense FY95 Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - House (330 - 91) |
| May 23, 1994 | National | H Amdt 570 | Ending Requirement for Selective Service Registration | Amendment Rejected - House (125 - 273) |
| Sept. 30, 1993 | National | HR 3116 | Defense Fiscal Year 1994 Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - House (325 - 102) |
| Sept. 29, 1993 | National | H Amdt 318 | "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (295 - 133) |
| Sept. 29, 1993 | National | HR 2401 | Fiscal Year 1994 Defense Authorization Bill | Bill Passed - House (268 - 162) |
| June 28, 1993 | National | H Amdt 151 | Selective Service Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (202 - 207) |
| Feb. 4, 1993 | National | H Res 71 | Agreeing to Family and Medical Leave Bill | Resolution Passed - House (247 - 152) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5/20 | HR 4359 | Child Credit Preservation and Expansion Act of 2004 | Bill Passed - House (271 - 139) |
| 5/06 | H Res 627 | Resolution Condemning Abuse of Iraqi Prisoners | Resolution Passed - House (365 - 50) |
| 11/07 | HR 1588 | Defense Department FY2004 Authorization bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (362 - 40) |
| 9/24 | HR 2658 | Terrorism Information Awareness bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (407 - 15) |
| 7/08 | HR 2658 | Terrorism Information Awareness bill | Bill Passed - House (399 - 19) |
| 5/22 | HR 1588 | Defense Department FY2004 Authorization bill | Bill Passed - House (361 - 68) |
| 10/10 | HR 5010 | Department of Defense Appropriations, Fiscal Year 2003 | Conference Report Adopted - House (409 - 14) |
| 6/27 | HR 5010 | Department of Defense Appropriations, Fiscal Year 2003 | Bill Passed - House (413 - 18) |
| 6/27 | HR 5011 | Military Construction Appropriations Act, Fiscal Year 2003 | Bill Passed - House (426 - 1) |
| 5/10 | HR 4546 | National Defense Authorization Act for FY 2003 | Bill Passed - House (359 - 58) |
| 12/13 | S 1438 | National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2002 | Conference Report Adopted - House (382 - 40) |
| 5/18 | H Amdt 722 | Oversea Military Abortions Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (195 - 221) |
| 4/28 | H Con Res 82 | Withdrawal of U.S. Troops from the Balkans resolution | Resolution Failed - House (139 - 290) |
| 9/28 | HR 4103 | Defense Department FY99 Appropriations bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (369 - 43) |
| 9/24 | HR 3616 | Defense Department FY99 Authorization bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (373 - 50) |
| 6/24 | HR 4103 | Defense Department FY99 Appropriations bill | Bill Passed - House (358 - 61) |
| 6/22 | HR 4059 | Military Construction FY99 Appropriations bill | Bill Passed - House (396 - 10) |
| 5/21 | HR 3616 | Defense Department FY99 Authorization bill | Bill Passed - House (357 - 60) |
| 5/20 | H Amdt 643 | Abortion Private Funding Restoration Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (190 - 232) |
| 10/28 | HR 1119 | Defense Department FY98-99 Authorization bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (286 - 123) |
| 9/25 | HR 2266 | Defense Department FY98 Appropriations bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (356 - 65) |
| 7/29 | HR 2266 | Defense Department FY98 Appropriations bill | Bill Passed - House (322 - 105) |
| 6/25 | HR 1119 | Defense Department FY98-99 Authorization bill | Bill Passed - House (304 - 120) |
| 6/24 | H Amdt 203 | Bosnia Deployment Termination Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (278 - 148) |
| 6/24 | H Amdt 204 | Bosnia Deployment Extension Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (196 - 231) |
| 6/23 | H Amdt 192 | Border Defense Personnel Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (269 - 119) |
| 6/19 | H Amdt 187 | Overseas Military Facilities Abortion Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (196 - 224) |
| 8/01 | HR 3230 | National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1997 | Conference Report Adopted - House (285 - 132) |
| 5/15 | HR 3230 | National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1997 | Bill Passed - House (272 - 153) |
| 1/24 | S 1124 | Authorization bill FY96, Defense Department | Conference Report Adopted - House (287 - 129) |
| 1/03 | HR 1530 | Authorization bill FY96, Defense Department | Veto Override Passed - House (240 - 156) |
| 12/15 | HR 1530 | Authorization bill FY96, Defense Department | Conference Report Adopted - House (267 - 149) |
| 9/07 | H Amdt 752 | Overseas Military Abortions | Amendment Adopted - House (226 - 191) |
| 6/15 | HR 1530 | Authorization bill FY96, Defense Department | Bill Passed - House (300 - 126) |
| 5/24 | H Amdt 403 | Foreign Abortion Ban Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (240 - 181) |
| 9/29 | HR 4650 | Defense FY95 Appropriations Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (327 - 86) |
| 8/17 | S 2182 | National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1995 | Conference Report Adopted - House (280 - 137) |
| 6/29 | HR 4650 | Defense FY95 Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - House (330 - 91) |
| 5/23 | H Amdt 570 | Ending Requirement for Selective Service Registration | Amendment Rejected - House (125 - 273) |
| 9/30 | HR 3116 | Defense Fiscal Year 1994 Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - House (325 - 102) |
| 9/29 | H Amdt 318 | "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (295 - 133) |
| 9/29 | HR 2401 | Fiscal Year 1994 Defense Authorization Bill | Bill Passed - House (268 - 162) |
| 6/28 | H Amdt 151 | Selective Service Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (202 - 207) |
| 2/04 | H Res 71 | Agreeing to Family and Medical Leave Bill | Resolution Passed - House (247 - 152) |