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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan. 10, 2008 | IL | HB 656 | Transportation Act | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 25) |
| Nov. 7, 2007 | National | HR 3043 | Appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies | Bill Passed - Senate (56 - 37) |
| Oct. 31, 2007 | MI | SB 229 | 2007-2008 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (29 - 8) |
| Oct. 23, 2007 | National | HR 3043 | Appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies | Bill Passed - Senate (75 - 19) |
| Oct. 1, 2007 | MI | H Sub for S Sub SB 546 | Public School Employee Retirement Benefits | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| Sept. 27, 2007 | MI | Sub SB 374 | Estate Recovery for Medicaid Recipients in Michigan | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 13) |
| Aug. 30, 2007 | MI | Sub SB 689 | State Employees' Retirement Act | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 16) |
| May 17, 2007 | National | S Con Res 21 | 2008 Budget Resolution | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (52 - 40) |
| May 7, 2007 | MN | SF 2171 | 2008-2009 Health and Human Services Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (47 - 19) |
| April 10, 2007 | AK | CSSB 4 | Senior Benefits Payment Program | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 2) |
| March 29, 2007 | MN | SF 2171 | 2008-2009 Health and Human Services Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 23) |
| March 23, 2007 | National | S Con Res 21 | 2008 Budget Resolution | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (52 - 47) |
| Aug. 22, 2006 | CA | SB 1248 | Long-Term Health Care Facilities | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 11) |
| May 24, 2006 | ME | LD 1021 | Police and Firefighter Insurance | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 13) |
| May 11, 2006 | CA | AB 813 | Medi-Cal: Emergency Drug Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 7) |
| May 2, 2006 | IA | SF 2408 | Elderly Income Tax Reduction | Bill Passed - Senate (46 - 4) |
| April 20, 2006 | OR | SB 5644 | Social Services and Education Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 7) |
| March 16, 2006 | National | S Con Res 83 | 2007 Budget Resolution | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (51 - 49) |
| Feb. 2, 2006 | National | S Amdt 2730 | Medicare Part D Amendment | Motion Rejected - Senate (52 - 45) |
| Nov. 17, 2005 | National | S Amdt 2601 | Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Amendment | Motion Rejected - Senate (51 - 47) |
| Nov. 3, 2005 | National | S Amdt 2381 | Prescription Drug Plan Amendment | Motion Rejected - Senate (43 - 56) |
| Nov. 3, 2005 | National | S Amdt 2357 | Medicare Premiums Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (49 - 50) |
| Nov. 3, 2005 | National | S Amdt 2371 | Medicare Prescription Drug Amendment | Motion Rejected - Senate (51 - 48) |
| March 17, 2005 | National | S Amdt 229 | Medicaid Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (49 - 51) |
| May 23, 2003 | National | HR 2 | Jobs and Economic Growth bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (51 - 50) |
| June 29, 2000 | National | S Amdt 3689 | Social Security and Medicare Surplus Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (54 - 43) |
| June 22, 2000 | National | S Amdt 3598 | Outpatient Prescription Drugs Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (44 - 53) |
| April 1, 1998 | National | S Amdt 2209 | Personal Retirement Accounts Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (51 - 49) |
| April 1, 1998 | National | S Amdt 2169 | Medicare Choices Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (51 - 47) |
| June 25, 1997 | National | S Amdt 468 | Private Contracts Amendment | Motion Agreed - Senate (64 - 35) |
| June 25, 1997 | National | S 947 | Budget Reconciliation bill | Bill Passed - Senate (73 - 27) |
| Aug. 2, 1996 | National | HR 3448 | Minimum Wage Increase bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (76 - 22) |
| July 9, 1996 | National | HR 3448 | Minimum Wage Increase bill | Bill Passed - Senate (74 - 24) |
| Dec. 6, 1995 | National | HR 660 | Housing for Older Persons Act of 1995 | Bill Passed - Senate (94 - 3) |
| Oct. 18, 1993 | National | HR 2518 | Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (80 - 15) |
| Sept. 29, 1993 | National | HR 2518 | Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (82 - 17) |
| Sept. 8, 1993 | National | HR 2010 | National Service Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (57 - 40) |
| Aug. 3, 1993 | National | HR 2010 | National Service Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (58 - 41) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1/10 | HB 656 | Transportation Act | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 25) |
| 11/07 | HR 3043 | Appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies | Bill Passed - Senate (56 - 37) |
| 10/31 | SB 229 | 2007-2008 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (29 - 8) |
| 10/23 | HR 3043 | Appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies | Bill Passed - Senate (75 - 19) |
| 10/01 | H Sub for S Sub SB 546 | Public School Employee Retirement Benefits | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| 9/27 | Sub SB 374 | Estate Recovery for Medicaid Recipients in Michigan | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 13) |
| 8/30 | Sub SB 689 | State Employees' Retirement Act | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 16) |
| 5/17 | S Con Res 21 | 2008 Budget Resolution | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (52 - 40) |
| 5/07 | SF 2171 | 2008-2009 Health and Human Services Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (47 - 19) |
| 4/10 | CSSB 4 | Senior Benefits Payment Program | Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 2) |
| 3/29 | SF 2171 | 2008-2009 Health and Human Services Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 23) |
| 3/23 | S Con Res 21 | 2008 Budget Resolution | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (52 - 47) |
| 8/22 | SB 1248 | Long-Term Health Care Facilities | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 11) |
| 5/24 | LD 1021 | Police and Firefighter Insurance | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 13) |
| 5/11 | AB 813 | Medi-Cal: Emergency Drug Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 7) |
| 5/02 | SF 2408 | Elderly Income Tax Reduction | Bill Passed - Senate (46 - 4) |
| 4/20 | SB 5644 | Social Services and Education Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 7) |
| 3/16 | S Con Res 83 | 2007 Budget Resolution | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (51 - 49) |
| 2/02 | S Amdt 2730 | Medicare Part D Amendment | Motion Rejected - Senate (52 - 45) |
| 11/17 | S Amdt 2601 | Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Amendment | Motion Rejected - Senate (51 - 47) |
| 11/03 | S Amdt 2381 | Prescription Drug Plan Amendment | Motion Rejected - Senate (43 - 56) |
| 11/03 | S Amdt 2357 | Medicare Premiums Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (49 - 50) |
| 11/03 | S Amdt 2371 | Medicare Prescription Drug Amendment | Motion Rejected - Senate (51 - 48) |
| 3/17 | S Amdt 229 | Medicaid Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (49 - 51) |
| 5/23 | HR 2 | Jobs and Economic Growth bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (51 - 50) |
| 6/29 | S Amdt 3689 | Social Security and Medicare Surplus Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (54 - 43) |
| 6/22 | S Amdt 3598 | Outpatient Prescription Drugs Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (44 - 53) |
| 4/01 | S Amdt 2209 | Personal Retirement Accounts Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (51 - 49) |
| 4/01 | S Amdt 2169 | Medicare Choices Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (51 - 47) |
| 6/25 | S Amdt 468 | Private Contracts Amendment | Motion Agreed - Senate (64 - 35) |
| 6/25 | S 947 | Budget Reconciliation bill | Bill Passed - Senate (73 - 27) |
| 8/02 | HR 3448 | Minimum Wage Increase bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (76 - 22) |
| 7/09 | HR 3448 | Minimum Wage Increase bill | Bill Passed - Senate (74 - 24) |
| 12/06 | HR 660 | Housing for Older Persons Act of 1995 | Bill Passed - Senate (94 - 3) |
| 10/18 | HR 2518 | Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (80 - 15) |
| 9/29 | HR 2518 | Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (82 - 17) |
| 9/08 | HR 2010 | National Service Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (57 - 40) |
| 8/03 | HR 2010 | National Service Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (58 - 41) |