Key Votes

Chamber

Keyword Search

Search string must be longer than 3 characters.

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
April 21, 1994 National HR 4092 Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 Bill Passed - House (285 - 141)
April 13, 1994 National S 21 California Desert Protection Act of 1994 Bill Passed - Senate (69 - 29)
April 13, 1994 National S 21 California Desert Protection Act of 1994 Bill Passed - Senate (69 - 29)
March 24, 1994 National H Amdt 491 Homosexuality Education Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (224 - 194)
March 22, 1994 National H Amdt 488 Optional Abstinence Emphasis Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (262 - 166)
Feb. 8, 1994 National S Amdt 1390 Contraceptives Distribution Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (34 - 59)
Feb. 8, 1994 National S Amdt 1390 Contraceptives Distribution Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (34 - 59)
Nov. 23, 1993 National HR 1025 Brady Handgun Bill Conference Report Adopted - House (238 - 187)
Nov. 20, 1993 National HR 1025 Brady Handgun Bill Bill Passed - Senate (63 - 36)
Nov. 19, 1993 National HR 3351 Youth Offenders Alternative Punishment Bill Passed - House (336 - 82)
Nov. 18, 1993 National HR 796 Abortion Clinic Access Bill Motion Rejected - House (182 - 246)
Nov. 17, 1993 National S Amdt 1152 Prohibiting the Possession of Semi-Automatic Assault Weapons Amendment Adopted - Senate (56 - 43)
Nov. 10, 1993 National H Amdt 390 Instant Background Checks for Gun Purchase Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (238 - 192)
Nov. 10, 1993 National HR 1025 Brady Handgun Bill Bill Passed - House (238 - 189)
Nov. 9, 1993 National S Amdt 1151 Improving Fingerprint Systems Amendment Amendment Not Tabled - Senate (49 - 51)
Nov. 9, 1993 National HR 2520 Interior Department Fiscal Year 1994 Appropriations Bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (91 - 9)
Nov. 9, 1993 National HR 2520 Interior Department Fiscal Year 1994 Appropriations Bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (91 - 9)
Nov. 5, 1993 National S Amdt 1117 Charging Teens as Adults for Crimes Involving a Firearm Amendment Adopted - Senate (64 - 23)
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)
Sept. 29, 1993 National HR 2401 Fiscal Year 1994 Defense Authorization Bill Bill Passed - House (268 - 162)
Sept. 9, 1993 National S Amdt 783 Homosexuals in the Military Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (33 - 63)
July 15, 1993 National HR 2520 Interior Department Fiscal Year 1994 Appropriations Bill Bill Passed - House (278 - 138)
July 15, 1993 National HR 2520 Interior Department Fiscal Year 1994 Appropriations Bill Bill Passed - House (278 - 138)
June 30, 1993 National H Amdt 188 DC's Domestic Partners Ordinance Amendment Adopted - House (253 - 167)
Date No. Title Outcome
4/21 HR 4092 Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 Bill Passed - House (285 - 141)
4/13 S 21 California Desert Protection Act of 1994 Bill Passed - Senate (69 - 29)
4/13 S 21 California Desert Protection Act of 1994 Bill Passed - Senate (69 - 29)
3/24 H Amdt 491 Homosexuality Education Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (224 - 194)
3/22 H Amdt 488 Optional Abstinence Emphasis Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (262 - 166)
2/08 S Amdt 1390 Contraceptives Distribution Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (34 - 59)
2/08 S Amdt 1390 Contraceptives Distribution Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (34 - 59)
11/23 HR 1025 Brady Handgun Bill Conference Report Adopted - House (238 - 187)
11/20 HR 1025 Brady Handgun Bill Bill Passed - Senate (63 - 36)
11/19 HR 3351 Youth Offenders Alternative Punishment Bill Passed - House (336 - 82)
11/18 HR 796 Abortion Clinic Access Bill Motion Rejected - House (182 - 246)
11/17 S Amdt 1152 Prohibiting the Possession of Semi-Automatic Assault Weapons Amendment Adopted - Senate (56 - 43)
11/10 H Amdt 390 Instant Background Checks for Gun Purchase Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (238 - 192)
11/10 HR 1025 Brady Handgun Bill Bill Passed - House (238 - 189)
11/09 S Amdt 1151 Improving Fingerprint Systems Amendment Amendment Not Tabled - Senate (49 - 51)
11/09 HR 2520 Interior Department Fiscal Year 1994 Appropriations Bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (91 - 9)
11/09 HR 2520 Interior Department Fiscal Year 1994 Appropriations Bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (91 - 9)
11/05 S Amdt 1117 Charging Teens as Adults for Crimes Involving a Firearm Amendment Adopted - Senate (64 - 23)
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)
9/29 HR 2401 Fiscal Year 1994 Defense Authorization Bill Bill Passed - House (268 - 162)
9/09 S Amdt 783 Homosexuals in the Military Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (33 - 63)
7/15 HR 2520 Interior Department Fiscal Year 1994 Appropriations Bill Bill Passed - House (278 - 138)
7/15 HR 2520 Interior Department Fiscal Year 1994 Appropriations Bill Bill Passed - House (278 - 138)
6/30 H Amdt 188 DC's Domestic Partners Ordinance Amendment Adopted - House (253 - 167)

arrow_upward