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.


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Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
March 30, 2006 National H Amdt 772 Reverse the Raid on Student Aid Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (200 - 220)
March 28, 2006 MD SB 539 Hate Crimes Against Homeless Persons Bill Bill Failed - Senate (20 - 25)
March 27, 2006 MD SB 539 Hate Crimes Against Homeless Persons Bill Bill Failed - Senate (23 - 22)
March 16, 2006 National S Amdt 3074 LIHEAP Funding Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (51 - 49)
Feb. 23, 2006 KY HCS HB 338 Affordable Housing Trust Fund Bill Bill Passed - House (83 - 15)
Feb. 23, 2006 WI SB 567 Limit Public Assistance to Citizens or Legal Residents of the United States Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14)
Feb. 21, 2006 IN HB 1006 Allocation of School Resources for Homeless Students Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 15)
Feb. 15, 2006 MI SB 838 Medicare Eligibility Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14)
Feb. 2, 2006 IN HB 1006 Allocation of School Resources for Homeless Students Bill Passed - House (56 - 40)
Feb. 1, 2006 National H Res 653 Budget Reconciliation Adoption Resolution Passed - House (216 - 214)
Dec. 21, 2005 National S Con Res 74 Removal of ANWR Provision from HR 2863 Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (48 - 45)
Dec. 14, 2005 National HR 3010 Labor, HHS and Education FY 2006 Appropriations Bill Conference Report Adopted - House (215 - 213)
Nov. 17, 2005 National HR 3010 Labor, HHS and Education FY 2006 Appropriations Bill Conference Report Rejected - House (209 - 224)
Nov. 3, 2005 National S Amdt 2409 Targeted Case Management Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 52)
Nov. 3, 2005 National S Amdt 2365 Medical Assistance and Prescription Drug Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (54 - 45)
Nov. 3, 2005 National S Amdt 2348 Medicaid Generic Drug Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (49 - 50)
Nov. 3, 2005 National HR 2744 Agriculture, Rural Development and FDA Appropriations Act Conference Report Adopted - Senate (81 - 18)
Oct. 28, 2005 National HR 2744 Agriculture, Rural Development and FDA Appropriations Act Conference Report Adopted - House (318 - 63)
Oct. 27, 2005 National HR 3010 Labor, HHS and Education FY 2006 Appropriations Bill Bill Passed - Senate (94 - 3)
Oct. 26, 2005 National S Amdt 2253 Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Funding Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 53)
Oct. 26, 2005 National S Amdt 2194 Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program Amendment Motion Rejected - Senate (54 - 43)
Oct. 5, 2005 National S Amdt 2033 Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program Amendment Motion Rejected - Senate (50 - 49)
Sept. 22, 2005 National HR 2744 Agriculture, Rural Development and FDA Appropriations Act Bill Passed - Senate (97 - 2)
June 8, 2005 National HR 2744 Agriculture, Rural Development and FDA Appropriations Act Bill Passed - House (408 - 18)
May 11, 2004 National S Amdt 3114 Unemployment Benefits Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (59 - 40)
March 24, 2004 National HR 3873 Child Nutrition Improvement and Integrity Act Bill Passed - House (419 - 5)
July 9, 2003 National HR 438 Student Loan Forgiveness for Teachers Bill Passed - House (417 - 7)
June 11, 2003 National HR 2350 Welfare Reform bill Bill Passed - House (406 - 6)
Feb. 13, 2003 National HR 4 Welfare Reform bill Bill Passed - House (230 - 192)
May 16, 2002 National HR 4737 Temporary Aid to Needy Families Bill Passed - House (229 - 197)
May 8, 2002 National HR 2646 Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (64 - 35)
May 2, 2002 National HR 2646 Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 Conference Report Adopted - House (280 - 141)
Feb. 13, 2002 National HR 2646 Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 Bill Passed - Senate (58 - 40)
Oct. 5, 2001 National HR 2646 Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 Bill Passed - House (291 - 120)
Oct. 21, 1999 National HR 2 Education Funding for Disadvantaged Students-Passage Bill Passed - House (358 - 67)
Oct. 13, 1999 National HR 1906 FY 2000 Agriculture Appropriations bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (74 - 26)
Oct. 1, 1999 National HR 1906 FY 2000 Agriculture Appropriations bill Conference Report Adopted - House (240 - 175)
June 8, 1999 National HR 1906 FY 2000 Agriculture Appropriations bill Bill Passed - House (246 - 183)
March 11, 1999 National H Amdt 22 High Needs District Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (195 - 223)
Aug. 6, 1998 National H Amdt 874 Low Income Educational Scholarship Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (214 - 208)
May 5, 1998 National HR 1385 Training Programs bill Bill Passed - Senate (91 - 7)
April 30, 1998 National S 1502 Washington, D.C. School Vouchers bill Bill Passed - House (214 - 206)
Nov. 4, 1997 National HR 2746 HELP Scholarships bill Bill Failed - House (191 - 228)
June 25, 1997 National S 947 Budget Reconciliation bill Bill Passed - Senate (73 - 27)
May 16, 1997 National HR 1385 Training Programs bill Bill Passed - House (343 - 60)
Aug. 2, 1996 National HR 3448 Minimum Wage Increase bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (76 - 22)
Aug. 2, 1996 National HR 3448 Minimum Wage Increase bill Conference Report Adopted - House (354 - 72)
Aug. 1, 1996 National HR 3734 Welfare Reform Act of 1996 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (78 - 21)
July 31, 1996 National HR 3734 Welfare Reform Act of 1996 Conference Report Adopted - House (328 - 101)
July 23, 1996 National HR 3734 Welfare Reform Act of 1996 Bill Passed - Senate (74 - 24)
July 18, 1996 National H Amdt 1307 Food Stamp Recipient Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (239 - 184)
July 18, 1996 National HR 3734 Welfare Reform Act of 1996 Bill Passed - House (256 - 170)
July 9, 1996 National HR 3448 Minimum Wage Increase bill Bill Passed - Senate (74 - 24)
June 6, 1996 National H Amdt 1133 Wisconsin Welfare Reform Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (194 - 233)
June 6, 1996 National HR 3562 Wisconsin Welfare Reform Bill Bill Passed - House (289 - 136)
May 22, 1996 National HR 3448 Minimum Wage Increase bill Bill Passed - House (414 - 10)
May 2, 1996 National S Amdt 3840 Public Assistance to Legal Immigrants Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (40 - 60)
April 30, 1996 National S Amdt 3820 Legal Immigrants Assistance Eligibility Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 53)
March 20, 1996 National H Amdt 968 Immigrant Public Assistance Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (151 - 269)
March 7, 1996 National H Amdt 946 Medicaid Funded Abortions Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (198 - 222)
Feb. 7, 1996 National S 1541 Farm Bill Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 32)
Dec. 22, 1995 National HR 4 Welfare Reform Bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (52 - 47)
Dec. 21, 1995 National HR 4 Welfare Reform Bill Conference Report Adopted - House (245 - 178)
Sept. 19, 1995 National HR 4 Welfare Reform Bill Bill Passed - Senate (87 - 12)
Sept. 14, 1995 National S Amdt 2478 Naturalized Citizen Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (37 - 61)
March 24, 1995 National HR 4 Welfare Reform Bill Bill Passed - House (234 - 199)
July 22, 1994 National H Amdt 778 Prohibiting Benefits to Undocumented Immigrants Amendment Adopted - House (220 - 176)
July 21, 1994 National H Amdt 771 Limiting Entitlement Program Expenditures Amendment Rejected - House (194 - 233)
Oct. 18, 1993 National HR 2518 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (80 - 15)
Oct. 7, 1993 National HR 2518 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Bill Conference Report Adopted - House (311 - 115)
Sept. 29, 1993 National HR 2518 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Bill Bill Passed - Senate (82 - 17)
June 30, 1993 National HR 2518 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Bill Bill Passed - House (305 - 124)
Date No. Title Outcome
3/30 H Amdt 772 Reverse the Raid on Student Aid Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (200 - 220)
3/28 SB 539 Hate Crimes Against Homeless Persons Bill Bill Failed - Senate (20 - 25)
3/27 SB 539 Hate Crimes Against Homeless Persons Bill Bill Failed - Senate (23 - 22)
3/16 S Amdt 3074 LIHEAP Funding Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (51 - 49)
2/23 HCS HB 338 Affordable Housing Trust Fund Bill Bill Passed - House (83 - 15)
2/23 SB 567 Limit Public Assistance to Citizens or Legal Residents of the United States Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14)
2/21 HB 1006 Allocation of School Resources for Homeless Students Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 15)
2/15 SB 838 Medicare Eligibility Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14)
2/02 HB 1006 Allocation of School Resources for Homeless Students Bill Passed - House (56 - 40)
2/01 H Res 653 Budget Reconciliation Adoption Resolution Passed - House (216 - 214)
12/21 S Con Res 74 Removal of ANWR Provision from HR 2863 Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (48 - 45)
12/14 HR 3010 Labor, HHS and Education FY 2006 Appropriations Bill Conference Report Adopted - House (215 - 213)
11/17 HR 3010 Labor, HHS and Education FY 2006 Appropriations Bill Conference Report Rejected - House (209 - 224)
11/03 S Amdt 2409 Targeted Case Management Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 52)
11/03 S Amdt 2365 Medical Assistance and Prescription Drug Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (54 - 45)
11/03 S Amdt 2348 Medicaid Generic Drug Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (49 - 50)
11/03 HR 2744 Agriculture, Rural Development and FDA Appropriations Act Conference Report Adopted - Senate (81 - 18)
10/28 HR 2744 Agriculture, Rural Development and FDA Appropriations Act Conference Report Adopted - House (318 - 63)
10/27 HR 3010 Labor, HHS and Education FY 2006 Appropriations Bill Bill Passed - Senate (94 - 3)
10/26 S Amdt 2253 Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Funding Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 53)
10/26 S Amdt 2194 Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program Amendment Motion Rejected - Senate (54 - 43)
10/05 S Amdt 2033 Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program Amendment Motion Rejected - Senate (50 - 49)
9/22 HR 2744 Agriculture, Rural Development and FDA Appropriations Act Bill Passed - Senate (97 - 2)
6/08 HR 2744 Agriculture, Rural Development and FDA Appropriations Act Bill Passed - House (408 - 18)
5/11 S Amdt 3114 Unemployment Benefits Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (59 - 40)
3/24 HR 3873 Child Nutrition Improvement and Integrity Act Bill Passed - House (419 - 5)
7/09 HR 438 Student Loan Forgiveness for Teachers Bill Passed - House (417 - 7)
6/11 HR 2350 Welfare Reform bill Bill Passed - House (406 - 6)
2/13 HR 4 Welfare Reform bill Bill Passed - House (230 - 192)
5/16 HR 4737 Temporary Aid to Needy Families Bill Passed - House (229 - 197)
5/08 HR 2646 Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (64 - 35)
5/02 HR 2646 Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 Conference Report Adopted - House (280 - 141)
2/13 HR 2646 Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 Bill Passed - Senate (58 - 40)
10/05 HR 2646 Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 Bill Passed - House (291 - 120)
10/21 HR 2 Education Funding for Disadvantaged Students-Passage Bill Passed - House (358 - 67)
10/13 HR 1906 FY 2000 Agriculture Appropriations bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (74 - 26)
10/01 HR 1906 FY 2000 Agriculture Appropriations bill Conference Report Adopted - House (240 - 175)
6/08 HR 1906 FY 2000 Agriculture Appropriations bill Bill Passed - House (246 - 183)
3/11 H Amdt 22 High Needs District Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (195 - 223)
8/06 H Amdt 874 Low Income Educational Scholarship Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (214 - 208)
5/05 HR 1385 Training Programs bill Bill Passed - Senate (91 - 7)
4/30 S 1502 Washington, D.C. School Vouchers bill Bill Passed - House (214 - 206)
11/04 HR 2746 HELP Scholarships bill Bill Failed - House (191 - 228)
6/25 S 947 Budget Reconciliation bill Bill Passed - Senate (73 - 27)
5/16 HR 1385 Training Programs bill Bill Passed - House (343 - 60)
8/02 HR 3448 Minimum Wage Increase bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (76 - 22)
8/02 HR 3448 Minimum Wage Increase bill Conference Report Adopted - House (354 - 72)
8/01 HR 3734 Welfare Reform Act of 1996 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (78 - 21)
7/31 HR 3734 Welfare Reform Act of 1996 Conference Report Adopted - House (328 - 101)
7/23 HR 3734 Welfare Reform Act of 1996 Bill Passed - Senate (74 - 24)
7/18 H Amdt 1307 Food Stamp Recipient Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (239 - 184)
7/18 HR 3734 Welfare Reform Act of 1996 Bill Passed - House (256 - 170)
7/09 HR 3448 Minimum Wage Increase bill Bill Passed - Senate (74 - 24)
6/06 H Amdt 1133 Wisconsin Welfare Reform Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (194 - 233)
6/06 HR 3562 Wisconsin Welfare Reform Bill Bill Passed - House (289 - 136)
5/22 HR 3448 Minimum Wage Increase bill Bill Passed - House (414 - 10)
5/02 S Amdt 3840 Public Assistance to Legal Immigrants Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (40 - 60)
4/30 S Amdt 3820 Legal Immigrants Assistance Eligibility Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 53)
3/20 H Amdt 968 Immigrant Public Assistance Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (151 - 269)
3/07 H Amdt 946 Medicaid Funded Abortions Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (198 - 222)
2/07 S 1541 Farm Bill Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 32)
12/22 HR 4 Welfare Reform Bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (52 - 47)
12/21 HR 4 Welfare Reform Bill Conference Report Adopted - House (245 - 178)
9/19 HR 4 Welfare Reform Bill Bill Passed - Senate (87 - 12)
9/14 S Amdt 2478 Naturalized Citizen Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (37 - 61)
3/24 HR 4 Welfare Reform Bill Bill Passed - House (234 - 199)
7/22 H Amdt 778 Prohibiting Benefits to Undocumented Immigrants Amendment Adopted - House (220 - 176)
7/21 H Amdt 771 Limiting Entitlement Program Expenditures Amendment Rejected - House (194 - 233)
10/18 HR 2518 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (80 - 15)
10/07 HR 2518 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Bill Conference Report Adopted - House (311 - 115)
9/29 HR 2518 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Bill Bill Passed - Senate (82 - 17)
6/30 HR 2518 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Bill Bill Passed - House (305 - 124)

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