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. 5, 2006 | NJ | S 1412 | Development Subsidies Application and Reporting Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| Jan. 5, 2006 | NJ | S 2907 | Reimbursement for Contaminated Sites | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 15) |
| March 7, 2005 | National | S Amdt 44 | Minimum Wage Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 49) |
| March 7, 2005 | National | S Amdt 128 | Minimum Wage Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (38 - 61) |
| Oct. 11, 2004 | National | HR 4520 | JOBS (Jumpstart Our Business Strength) | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (69 - 17) |
| May 11, 2004 | National | S 1637 | Jumpstart Our Business Strength (JOBS) Act | Bill Passed - Senate (92 - 5) |
| April 8, 2004 | National | HR 3108 | Pension Funding Equity Act of 2004 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (78 - 19) |
| June 18, 2002 | National | S 2600 | Terrorism Insurance Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (84 - 14) |
| March 6, 2001 | National | S J Res 6 | Ergonomics Regulations Resolution | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (56 - 44) |
| July 13, 2000 | National | S Amdt 3821 | Estate Tax Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 53) |
| Feb. 2, 2000 | National | HR 833 | Bankruptcy Reform bill | Bill Passed - Senate (83 - 14) |
| Nov. 9, 1999 | National | S Amdt 2751 | Two Year Minimum Wage Increase Amendment | Amendment Tabled - Senate (50 - 48) |
| Nov. 9, 1999 | National | S Amdt 2547 | Three Year Minimum Wage Increase Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (54 - 44) |
| July 23, 1998 | National | S Amdt 3258 | Temporary Farm Workers Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (68 - 31) |
| May 18, 1998 | National | S Amdt 2417 | U.S. Citizen Recruitment Amendment | Amendment Tabled - Senate (59 - 39) |
| March 6, 1998 | National | S Amdt 1708 | Disadvantaged Business Enterprises Amendment | Amendment Tabled - Senate (58 - 37) |
| Sept. 10, 1996 | National | S 2056 | Employment Nondiscrimination Act of 1996 | Bill Failed - Senate (49 - 50) |
| 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 - Senate (76 - 22) |
| Aug. 2, 1996 | National | HR 3103 | Health Insurance Portability bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (98 - 0) |
| July 10, 1996 | National | S Amdt 4438 | Teamwork for Employees and Managers Act of 1995 | Amendment Adopted - Senate (61 - 38) |
| July 10, 1996 | National | HR 743 | Teamwork for Employees and Managers Act of 1995 | Bill Passed - Senate (53 - 46) |
| July 9, 1996 | National | S Amdt 4435 | Minimum Wage Increase Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 52) |
| July 9, 1996 | National | HR 3448 | Minimum Wage Increase bill | Bill Passed - Senate (74 - 24) |
| July 9, 1996 | National | HR 3448 | Minimum Wage Increase bill | Bill Passed - Senate (74 - 24) |
| May 1, 1996 | National | S Amdt 3752 | Citizen Verification Pilot Program Amendment | Amendment Tabled - Senate (54 - 46) |
| March 21, 1996 | National | HR 956 | Product Liability bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (59 - 40) |
| July 11, 1995 | National | S Amdt 1497 | Small Business Impact Analysis | Amendment Adopted - Senate (53 - 45) |
| July 10, 1995 | National | S Amdt 1491 | Small Business Impact Analyses | Amendment Adopted - Senate (60 - 36) |
| May 10, 1995 | National | HR 956 | Product Liability bill | Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 37) |
| July 12, 1994 | National | S 55 | Striker Replacement | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 47) |
| June 29, 1994 | National | S 687 | Product Liability Bill | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (57 - 41) |
| March 16, 1994 | National | HR 820 | National Competitiveness Act of 1993 | Bill Passed - Senate (59 - 40) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1/05 | S 1412 | Development Subsidies Application and Reporting Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| 1/05 | S 2907 | Reimbursement for Contaminated Sites | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 15) |
| 3/07 | S Amdt 44 | Minimum Wage Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 49) |
| 3/07 | S Amdt 128 | Minimum Wage Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (38 - 61) |
| 10/11 | HR 4520 | JOBS (Jumpstart Our Business Strength) | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (69 - 17) |
| 5/11 | S 1637 | Jumpstart Our Business Strength (JOBS) Act | Bill Passed - Senate (92 - 5) |
| 4/08 | HR 3108 | Pension Funding Equity Act of 2004 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (78 - 19) |
| 6/18 | S 2600 | Terrorism Insurance Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (84 - 14) |
| 3/06 | S J Res 6 | Ergonomics Regulations Resolution | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (56 - 44) |
| 7/13 | S Amdt 3821 | Estate Tax Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 53) |
| 2/02 | HR 833 | Bankruptcy Reform bill | Bill Passed - Senate (83 - 14) |
| 11/09 | S Amdt 2751 | Two Year Minimum Wage Increase Amendment | Amendment Tabled - Senate (50 - 48) |
| 11/09 | S Amdt 2547 | Three Year Minimum Wage Increase Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (54 - 44) |
| 7/23 | S Amdt 3258 | Temporary Farm Workers Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (68 - 31) |
| 5/18 | S Amdt 2417 | U.S. Citizen Recruitment Amendment | Amendment Tabled - Senate (59 - 39) |
| 3/06 | S Amdt 1708 | Disadvantaged Business Enterprises Amendment | Amendment Tabled - Senate (58 - 37) |
| 9/10 | S 2056 | Employment Nondiscrimination Act of 1996 | Bill Failed - Senate (49 - 50) |
| 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 - Senate (76 - 22) |
| 8/02 | HR 3103 | Health Insurance Portability bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (98 - 0) |
| 7/10 | S Amdt 4438 | Teamwork for Employees and Managers Act of 1995 | Amendment Adopted - Senate (61 - 38) |
| 7/10 | HR 743 | Teamwork for Employees and Managers Act of 1995 | Bill Passed - Senate (53 - 46) |
| 7/09 | S Amdt 4435 | Minimum Wage Increase Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 52) |
| 7/09 | HR 3448 | Minimum Wage Increase bill | Bill Passed - Senate (74 - 24) |
| 7/09 | HR 3448 | Minimum Wage Increase bill | Bill Passed - Senate (74 - 24) |
| 5/01 | S Amdt 3752 | Citizen Verification Pilot Program Amendment | Amendment Tabled - Senate (54 - 46) |
| 3/21 | HR 956 | Product Liability bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (59 - 40) |
| 7/11 | S Amdt 1497 | Small Business Impact Analysis | Amendment Adopted - Senate (53 - 45) |
| 7/10 | S Amdt 1491 | Small Business Impact Analyses | Amendment Adopted - Senate (60 - 36) |
| 5/10 | HR 956 | Product Liability bill | Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 37) |
| 7/12 | S 55 | Striker Replacement | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 47) |
| 6/29 | S 687 | Product Liability Bill | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (57 - 41) |
| 3/16 | HR 820 | National Competitiveness Act of 1993 | Bill Passed - Senate (59 - 40) |