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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb. 6, 2008 | MA | H 4488 | Education Reorganization | Bill Passed - House (135 - 19) |
| Jan. 30, 2008 | CO | HB 1025 | Governor's Energy Office | Bill Passed - House (59 - 5) |
| Jan. 15, 2008 | WI | SJR 5 | Limiting Governor's Partial Veto Authority | Joint Resolution Passed - House (94 - 1) |
| Nov. 19, 2007 | MD | HB 1 | 2007-2008 Budget Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (100 - 33) |
| Nov. 13, 2007 | MD | HB 1 | 2007-2008 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (103 - 36) |
| Oct. 31, 2007 | MI | SB 229 | 2007-2008 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (83 - 25) |
| Oct. 11, 2007 | MA | H 4282 | 2007-2008 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (126 - 18) |
| May 22, 2007 | National | S 214 | United States Attorneys Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - House (306 - 114) |
| April 25, 2007 | VT | HR. 18 | Urging National Executive Impeachment | Resolution Failed - House (60 - 87) |
| March 27, 2007 | SC | Amendment No. 23 | Remove the Transportation Commission | Amendment Tabled - House (71 - 36) |
| March 21, 2007 | NH | CACR 11 | Governor Term Increase | Resolution Failed - House (185 - 168) |
| March 21, 2007 | TX | HJR 59 | Extending Veto Override Time Frame | Joint Resolution Passed - House (109 - 29) |
| Feb. 20, 2007 | IN | HB 1009 | Review of State Privatization Contracts | Bill Passed - House (52 - 45) |
| Feb. 15, 2007 | KY | HB 3 | Restrictions on Governor Pardons | Amendment Adopted - House (71 - 26) |
| Feb. 7, 2007 | IN | HB 1262 | BMV Commission Elimination | Bill Passed - House (51 - 49) |
| Feb. 1, 2007 | WI | AJR 1 | Partial Veto by Alteration Ban | Joint Resolution Passed - House (70 - 25) |
| June 23, 2006 | RI | H 6885 | International Trade Agreements | Veto Override Passed - House (49 - 15) |
| June 22, 2006 | National | HR 4890 | Line Item Veto Bill | Bill Passed - House (247 - 172) |
| March 9, 2006 | AZ | HB 2701 | National Guard Mobilization; Border; Appropriation | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (39 - 21) |
| March 8, 2006 | MS | SB 2400 | Salary Fixes for Certain Elected State and District Officials | Bill Passed - House (78 - 40) |
| March 7, 2006 | VA | Amendment | LeBlanc Nomination | Amendment Adopted - House (55 - 42) |
| Feb. 9, 2006 | MS | HB 638 | Executive Branch Salaries | Bill Passed - House (64 - 55) |
| July 26, 2002 | National | HR 5005 | Establishing the Department of Homeland Security | Bill Passed - House (295 - 132) |
| Sept. 9, 1999 | National | H Con Res 180 | Puerto Rican Nationals resolution | Resolution Passed - House (311 - 41) |
| Dec. 19, 1998 | National | H Res 611 | Impeachment Resolution: Article One | Resolution Passed - House (221 - 212) |
| Dec. 19, 1998 | National | H Res 611 | Impeachment Resolution: Article One | Resolution Failed - House (148 - 285) |
| Dec. 19, 1998 | National | H Res 611 | Impeachment Resolution: Article One | Resolution Failed - House (205 - 229) |
| Dec. 19, 1998 | National | H Res 611 | Impeachment Resolution: Article One | Resolution Passed - House (228 - 206) |
| Sept. 25, 1998 | National | HR 2621 | Reciprocal Trade Agreement Bill | Bill Failed - House (180 - 243) |
| March 18, 1998 | National | H Con Res 227 | Bosnia and Herzegovina U.S. Troop Removal Resolution | Resolution Failed - House (193 - 225) |
| Feb. 5, 1998 | National | HR 2631 | Line Item Veto Cancellation bill | Veto Override Passed - House (347 - 69) |
| Nov. 8, 1997 | National | HR 2631 | Line Item Veto Cancellation bill | Bill Passed - House (352 - 64) |
| May 22, 1996 | National | H Amdt 1075 | Disclosure of Intelligence Spending Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (176 - 248) |
| May 9, 1996 | National | HR 956 | Product Liability bill | Veto Override Failed - House (258 - 163) |
| March 29, 1996 | National | HR 956 | Product Liability bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (259 - 158) |
| Nov. 15, 1995 | National | HR 2020 | Appropriations bill FY96, Treasury, Postal Service | Conference Report Adopted - House (374 - 52) |
| July 19, 1995 | National | HR 2020 | Appropriations bill FY96, Treasury, Postal Service | Bill Passed - House (216 - 211) |
| Feb. 6, 1995 | National | HR 2 | Line Item Veto Act | Bill Passed - House (294 - 134) |
| June 9, 1994 | National | H Amdt 611 | Lifting Arms Embargo on Bosnia Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (244 - 178) |
| Feb. 10, 1994 | National | H Amdt 436 | Bryant Amendment to Independent Counsel Reauthorization Act of 1993 | Amendment Adopted - House (230 - 188) |
| Sept. 30, 1992 | National | HR 5318 | Conditional Extension of Most-Favored-Nation Trade Status to China | Veto Override Passed - House (345 - 74) |
| July 21, 1992 | National | HR 5318 | Conditional Extension of Most-Favored-Nation Trade Status to China | Bill Passed - House (339 - 62) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2/06 | H 4488 | Education Reorganization | Bill Passed - House (135 - 19) |
| 1/30 | HB 1025 | Governor's Energy Office | Bill Passed - House (59 - 5) |
| 1/15 | SJR 5 | Limiting Governor's Partial Veto Authority | Joint Resolution Passed - House (94 - 1) |
| 11/19 | HB 1 | 2007-2008 Budget Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (100 - 33) |
| 11/13 | HB 1 | 2007-2008 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (103 - 36) |
| 10/31 | SB 229 | 2007-2008 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (83 - 25) |
| 10/11 | H 4282 | 2007-2008 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - House (126 - 18) |
| 5/22 | S 214 | United States Attorneys Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - House (306 - 114) |
| 4/25 | HR. 18 | Urging National Executive Impeachment | Resolution Failed - House (60 - 87) |
| 3/27 | Amendment No. 23 | Remove the Transportation Commission | Amendment Tabled - House (71 - 36) |
| 3/21 | CACR 11 | Governor Term Increase | Resolution Failed - House (185 - 168) |
| 3/21 | HJR 59 | Extending Veto Override Time Frame | Joint Resolution Passed - House (109 - 29) |
| 2/20 | HB 1009 | Review of State Privatization Contracts | Bill Passed - House (52 - 45) |
| 2/15 | HB 3 | Restrictions on Governor Pardons | Amendment Adopted - House (71 - 26) |
| 2/07 | HB 1262 | BMV Commission Elimination | Bill Passed - House (51 - 49) |
| 2/01 | AJR 1 | Partial Veto by Alteration Ban | Joint Resolution Passed - House (70 - 25) |
| 6/23 | H 6885 | International Trade Agreements | Veto Override Passed - House (49 - 15) |
| 6/22 | HR 4890 | Line Item Veto Bill | Bill Passed - House (247 - 172) |
| 3/09 | HB 2701 | National Guard Mobilization; Border; Appropriation | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (39 - 21) |
| 3/08 | SB 2400 | Salary Fixes for Certain Elected State and District Officials | Bill Passed - House (78 - 40) |
| 3/07 | Amendment | LeBlanc Nomination | Amendment Adopted - House (55 - 42) |
| 2/09 | HB 638 | Executive Branch Salaries | Bill Passed - House (64 - 55) |
| 7/26 | HR 5005 | Establishing the Department of Homeland Security | Bill Passed - House (295 - 132) |
| 9/09 | H Con Res 180 | Puerto Rican Nationals resolution | Resolution Passed - House (311 - 41) |
| 12/19 | H Res 611 | Impeachment Resolution: Article One | Resolution Passed - House (221 - 212) |
| 12/19 | H Res 611 | Impeachment Resolution: Article One | Resolution Failed - House (148 - 285) |
| 12/19 | H Res 611 | Impeachment Resolution: Article One | Resolution Failed - House (205 - 229) |
| 12/19 | H Res 611 | Impeachment Resolution: Article One | Resolution Passed - House (228 - 206) |
| 9/25 | HR 2621 | Reciprocal Trade Agreement Bill | Bill Failed - House (180 - 243) |
| 3/18 | H Con Res 227 | Bosnia and Herzegovina U.S. Troop Removal Resolution | Resolution Failed - House (193 - 225) |
| 2/05 | HR 2631 | Line Item Veto Cancellation bill | Veto Override Passed - House (347 - 69) |
| 11/08 | HR 2631 | Line Item Veto Cancellation bill | Bill Passed - House (352 - 64) |
| 5/22 | H Amdt 1075 | Disclosure of Intelligence Spending Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (176 - 248) |
| 5/09 | HR 956 | Product Liability bill | Veto Override Failed - House (258 - 163) |
| 3/29 | HR 956 | Product Liability bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (259 - 158) |
| 11/15 | HR 2020 | Appropriations bill FY96, Treasury, Postal Service | Conference Report Adopted - House (374 - 52) |
| 7/19 | HR 2020 | Appropriations bill FY96, Treasury, Postal Service | Bill Passed - House (216 - 211) |
| 2/06 | HR 2 | Line Item Veto Act | Bill Passed - House (294 - 134) |
| 6/09 | H Amdt 611 | Lifting Arms Embargo on Bosnia Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (244 - 178) |
| 2/10 | H Amdt 436 | Bryant Amendment to Independent Counsel Reauthorization Act of 1993 | Amendment Adopted - House (230 - 188) |
| 9/30 | HR 5318 | Conditional Extension of Most-Favored-Nation Trade Status to China | Veto Override Passed - House (345 - 74) |
| 7/21 | HR 5318 | Conditional Extension of Most-Favored-Nation Trade Status to China | Bill Passed - House (339 - 62) |