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 11, 2000 | National | HR 701 | Conservation and Reinvestment Act of 1999 | Bill Passed - House (315 - 102) |
| May 10, 2000 | National | HR 3709 | Regarding Internet Taxation | Bill Passed - House (352 - 75) |
| Nov. 3, 1999 | National | HR 3194 | District of Columbia FY2000 Appropriations bill | Bill Passed - House (216 - 210) |
| Oct. 28, 1999 | National | HR 3064 | DC/Labor/HHS/Education FY 2000 Appropriations bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (218 - 211) |
| Oct. 14, 1999 | National | HR 3064 | District of Columbia Appropriations Act, FY 2000 | Bill Passed - House (211 - 205) |
| June 17, 1999 | National | H Amdt 200 | Ten Commandments Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (248 - 180) |
| Aug. 7, 1998 | National | HR 4380 | District of Columbia FY99 Appropriations bill | Bill Passed - House (214 - 206) |
| Aug. 6, 1998 | National | H Amdt 862 | Federal Campaign Finance Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (147 - 222) |
| Aug. 6, 1998 | National | H Amdt 865 | Abortion Funding Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (180 - 243) |
| Aug. 3, 1998 | National | H Amdt 690 | Shays Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (237 - 186) |
| July 15, 1998 | National | HR 3682 | Child Custody Protection Act | Bill Passed - House (276 - 150) |
| May 22, 1998 | National | HR 2400 | Transportation Reauthorization bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (297 - 86) |
| April 30, 1998 | National | S 1502 | Washington, D.C. School Vouchers bill | Bill Passed - House (214 - 206) |
| April 29, 1998 | National | HR 3717 | Needle Exchange Funding Ban | Bill Passed - House (287 - 140) |
| April 1, 1998 | National | HR 2400 | Transportation Reauthorization bill | Bill Passed - House (337 - 80) |
| March 4, 1998 | National | HR 856 | Puerto Rico Political Status bill | Bill Passed - House (209 - 208) |
| Feb. 5, 1998 | National | HR 2846 | National Student Testing bill | Bill Passed - House (242 - 174) |
| Oct. 9, 1997 | National | HR 2607 | District of Columbia FY98 Appropriations bill | Bill Passed - House (203 - 202) |
| May 16, 1997 | National | HR 1385 | Training Programs bill | Bill Passed - House (343 - 60) |
| Aug. 2, 1996 | National | S 1316 | Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments of 1995 | Conference Report Adopted - House (392 - 30) |
| July 22, 1996 | National | H Amdt 1309 | Non-Federally Funded Abortions Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (176 - 223) |
| July 12, 1996 | National | H Amdt 1286 | Definition of Marriage Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (103 - 311) |
| July 12, 1996 | National | HR 3396 | Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) | Bill Passed - House (342 - 67) |
| June 20, 1996 | National | H Amdt 1190 | Tribal Land Trust Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (212 - 206) |
| 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) |
| March 20, 1996 | National | H Amdt 969 | Denying Public Education to Undocumented Immigrants | Amendment Adopted - House (257 - 163) |
| March 7, 1996 | National | H Amdt 946 | Medicaid Funded Abortions Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (198 - 222) |
| Feb. 28, 1996 | National | H Amdt 935 | Dairy Program Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (258 - 164) |
| Dec. 21, 1995 | National | HR 4 | Welfare Reform Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (245 - 178) |
| Nov. 2, 1995 | National | HR 2546 | Appropriations Bill FY 96, District of Columbia | Bill Passed - House (224 - 191) |
| Sept. 20, 1995 | National | H Amdt 814 | Drinking and Driving Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (223 - 203) |
| May 16, 1995 | National | HR 961 | Comprehensive Wetlands Conservation and Management Act | Bill Passed - House (240 - 185) |
| March 24, 1995 | National | HR 4 | Welfare Reform Bill | Bill Passed - House (234 - 199) |
| Feb. 14, 1995 | National | HR 728 | Anti-Crime bill | Bill Passed - House (238 - 192) |
| July 14, 1994 | National | H Amdt 755 | Federal Land Appraisals | Amendment Adopted - House (281 - 148) |
| July 13, 1994 | National | HR 4649 | District of Columbia FY95 Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - House (213 - 210) |
| March 24, 1994 | National | H Amdt 497 | Funding and Programs Substitute Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (173 - 245) |
| Nov. 21, 1993 | National | HR 51 | D.C. Statehood Bill | Bill Failed - House (153 - 277) |
| Oct. 27, 1993 | National | HR 2492 | District of Columbia Fiscal Year 1994 Appropriations Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (225 - 201) |
| June 30, 1993 | National | H Amdt 188 | DC's Domestic Partners Ordinance | Amendment Adopted - House (253 - 167) |
| June 30, 1993 | National | HR 2492 | District of Columbia Fiscal Year 1994 Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - House (213 - 211) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5/11 | HR 701 | Conservation and Reinvestment Act of 1999 | Bill Passed - House (315 - 102) |
| 5/10 | HR 3709 | Regarding Internet Taxation | Bill Passed - House (352 - 75) |
| 11/03 | HR 3194 | District of Columbia FY2000 Appropriations bill | Bill Passed - House (216 - 210) |
| 10/28 | HR 3064 | DC/Labor/HHS/Education FY 2000 Appropriations bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (218 - 211) |
| 10/14 | HR 3064 | District of Columbia Appropriations Act, FY 2000 | Bill Passed - House (211 - 205) |
| 6/17 | H Amdt 200 | Ten Commandments Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (248 - 180) |
| 8/07 | HR 4380 | District of Columbia FY99 Appropriations bill | Bill Passed - House (214 - 206) |
| 8/06 | H Amdt 862 | Federal Campaign Finance Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (147 - 222) |
| 8/06 | H Amdt 865 | Abortion Funding Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (180 - 243) |
| 8/03 | H Amdt 690 | Shays Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (237 - 186) |
| 7/15 | HR 3682 | Child Custody Protection Act | Bill Passed - House (276 - 150) |
| 5/22 | HR 2400 | Transportation Reauthorization bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (297 - 86) |
| 4/30 | S 1502 | Washington, D.C. School Vouchers bill | Bill Passed - House (214 - 206) |
| 4/29 | HR 3717 | Needle Exchange Funding Ban | Bill Passed - House (287 - 140) |
| 4/01 | HR 2400 | Transportation Reauthorization bill | Bill Passed - House (337 - 80) |
| 3/04 | HR 856 | Puerto Rico Political Status bill | Bill Passed - House (209 - 208) |
| 2/05 | HR 2846 | National Student Testing bill | Bill Passed - House (242 - 174) |
| 10/09 | HR 2607 | District of Columbia FY98 Appropriations bill | Bill Passed - House (203 - 202) |
| 5/16 | HR 1385 | Training Programs bill | Bill Passed - House (343 - 60) |
| 8/02 | S 1316 | Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments of 1995 | Conference Report Adopted - House (392 - 30) |
| 7/22 | H Amdt 1309 | Non-Federally Funded Abortions Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (176 - 223) |
| 7/12 | H Amdt 1286 | Definition of Marriage Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (103 - 311) |
| 7/12 | HR 3396 | Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) | Bill Passed - House (342 - 67) |
| 6/20 | H Amdt 1190 | Tribal Land Trust Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (212 - 206) |
| 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) |
| 3/20 | H Amdt 969 | Denying Public Education to Undocumented Immigrants | Amendment Adopted - House (257 - 163) |
| 3/07 | H Amdt 946 | Medicaid Funded Abortions Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (198 - 222) |
| 2/28 | H Amdt 935 | Dairy Program Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (258 - 164) |
| 12/21 | HR 4 | Welfare Reform Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (245 - 178) |
| 11/02 | HR 2546 | Appropriations Bill FY 96, District of Columbia | Bill Passed - House (224 - 191) |
| 9/20 | H Amdt 814 | Drinking and Driving Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (223 - 203) |
| 5/16 | HR 961 | Comprehensive Wetlands Conservation and Management Act | Bill Passed - House (240 - 185) |
| 3/24 | HR 4 | Welfare Reform Bill | Bill Passed - House (234 - 199) |
| 2/14 | HR 728 | Anti-Crime bill | Bill Passed - House (238 - 192) |
| 7/14 | H Amdt 755 | Federal Land Appraisals | Amendment Adopted - House (281 - 148) |
| 7/13 | HR 4649 | District of Columbia FY95 Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - House (213 - 210) |
| 3/24 | H Amdt 497 | Funding and Programs Substitute Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (173 - 245) |
| 11/21 | HR 51 | D.C. Statehood Bill | Bill Failed - House (153 - 277) |
| 10/27 | HR 2492 | District of Columbia Fiscal Year 1994 Appropriations Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (225 - 201) |
| 6/30 | H Amdt 188 | DC's Domestic Partners Ordinance | Amendment Adopted - House (253 - 167) |
| 6/30 | HR 2492 | District of Columbia Fiscal Year 1994 Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - House (213 - 211) |