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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 10, 2008 | National | HR 6028 | Assistance for Mexico and Central America for Anti-Drug Programs (Merida Program) | Bill Passed - House (311 - 106) |
| May 22, 2008 | National | HR 2419 | Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) | Veto Override Passed - Senate (82 - 13) |
| May 22, 2008 | National | S Amdt 4803 | GI Bill and Other Domestic Provisions | Amendment Adopted - Senate (75 - 22) |
| May 21, 2008 | National | HR 2419 | Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) | Veto Override Passed - House (316 - 108) |
| May 15, 2008 | National | HR 2419 | Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (81 - 15) |
| May 15, 2008 | National | HR 2642 | Iraq Related Provisions such as a Troop Withdrawal, a Permanent Base Ban, and Limiting Interrogation Techniques | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (256 - 166) |
| May 14, 2008 | National | HR 2419 | Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) | Conference Report Adopted - House (318 - 106) |
| April 23, 2008 | National | HR 5613 | Medicaid Extensions and Changes | Bill Passed - House (349 - 62) |
| April 16, 2008 | National | HR 2634 | Expanding the List of Countries Eligible for Debt Forgiveness | Bill Passed - House (285 - 132) |
| April 2, 2008 | National | HR 5501 | Funding to Combat AIDS, Malaria, and Tuberculosis | Bill Passed - House (308 - 116) |
| March 14, 2008 | National | S Con Res 70 | Concurrent Budget Resolution | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (51 - 44) |
| March 14, 2008 | National | S Con Res 70 | Concurrent Budget Resolution | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (51 - 44) |
| March 13, 2008 | National | H Amdt 972 | Substitute Amendment for the House Budget Resolution | Amendment Rejected - House (157 - 263) |
| March 13, 2008 | National | S Amdt 4347 | Earmark Moratorium | Motion Rejected - Senate (29 - 71) |
| March 13, 2008 | National | H Con Res 312 | Concurrent Budget Resolution | Joint Resolution Passed - House (212 - 207) |
| Feb. 26, 2008 | National | S 1200 | Indian Health Care Improvement Act Amendments of 2008 | Bill Passed - Senate (83 - 10) |
| Feb. 7, 2008 | National | HR 5140 | Economic Stimulus Plan | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (380 - 34) |
| Feb. 7, 2008 | National | HR 5140 | Economic Stimulus Plan | Bill Passed - Senate (81 - 16) |
| Jan. 29, 2008 | National | HR 5140 | Economic Stimulus Plan | Bill Passed - House (385 - 35) |
| Jan. 23, 2008 | National | HR 3963 | Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007 (CHIP) | Veto Override Failed - House (260 - 152) |
| Dec. 18, 2007 | National | HR 2764 | Inclusion of Iraq and Afghanistan Military Operations Funding with the Consolidated Appropriations | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (76 - 17) |
| Dec. 17, 2007 | National | HR 2764 | Appropriations for Operations in Afghanistan | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (206 - 201) |
| Dec. 17, 2007 | National | HR 2764 | Appropriations for Operations in Afghanistan | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (253 - 154) |
| Dec. 14, 2007 | National | HR 2419 | Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) | Bill Passed - Senate (79 - 14) |
| Nov. 15, 2007 | National | HR 3043 | Appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies | Veto Override Failed - House (277 - 141) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6/10 | HR 6028 | Assistance for Mexico and Central America for Anti-Drug Programs (Merida Program) | Bill Passed - House (311 - 106) |
| 5/22 | HR 2419 | Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) | Veto Override Passed - Senate (82 - 13) |
| 5/22 | S Amdt 4803 | GI Bill and Other Domestic Provisions | Amendment Adopted - Senate (75 - 22) |
| 5/21 | HR 2419 | Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) | Veto Override Passed - House (316 - 108) |
| 5/15 | HR 2419 | Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (81 - 15) |
| 5/15 | HR 2642 | Iraq Related Provisions such as a Troop Withdrawal, a Permanent Base Ban, and Limiting Interrogation Techniques | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (256 - 166) |
| 5/14 | HR 2419 | Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) | Conference Report Adopted - House (318 - 106) |
| 4/23 | HR 5613 | Medicaid Extensions and Changes | Bill Passed - House (349 - 62) |
| 4/16 | HR 2634 | Expanding the List of Countries Eligible for Debt Forgiveness | Bill Passed - House (285 - 132) |
| 4/02 | HR 5501 | Funding to Combat AIDS, Malaria, and Tuberculosis | Bill Passed - House (308 - 116) |
| 3/14 | S Con Res 70 | Concurrent Budget Resolution | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (51 - 44) |
| 3/14 | S Con Res 70 | Concurrent Budget Resolution | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (51 - 44) |
| 3/13 | H Amdt 972 | Substitute Amendment for the House Budget Resolution | Amendment Rejected - House (157 - 263) |
| 3/13 | S Amdt 4347 | Earmark Moratorium | Motion Rejected - Senate (29 - 71) |
| 3/13 | H Con Res 312 | Concurrent Budget Resolution | Joint Resolution Passed - House (212 - 207) |
| 2/26 | S 1200 | Indian Health Care Improvement Act Amendments of 2008 | Bill Passed - Senate (83 - 10) |
| 2/07 | HR 5140 | Economic Stimulus Plan | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (380 - 34) |
| 2/07 | HR 5140 | Economic Stimulus Plan | Bill Passed - Senate (81 - 16) |
| 1/29 | HR 5140 | Economic Stimulus Plan | Bill Passed - House (385 - 35) |
| 1/23 | HR 3963 | Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007 (CHIP) | Veto Override Failed - House (260 - 152) |
| 12/18 | HR 2764 | Inclusion of Iraq and Afghanistan Military Operations Funding with the Consolidated Appropriations | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (76 - 17) |
| 12/17 | HR 2764 | Appropriations for Operations in Afghanistan | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (206 - 201) |
| 12/17 | HR 2764 | Appropriations for Operations in Afghanistan | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (253 - 154) |
| 12/14 | HR 2419 | Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) | Bill Passed - Senate (79 - 14) |
| 11/15 | HR 3043 | Appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies | Veto Override Failed - House (277 - 141) |