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.


results per page:
Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
July 11, 2007 National S 1701 Extension of Funding for Transitional Medical Assistance and Abstinence Education Bill Passed - House (291 - 126)
May 17, 2007 National S Con Res 21 2008 Budget Resolution Conference Report Adopted - House (214 - 209)
May 17, 2007 National S Con Res 21 2008 Budget Resolution Conference Report Adopted - Senate (52 - 40)
March 23, 2007 National S Con Res 21 2008 Budget Resolution Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (52 - 47)
Feb. 1, 2006 National H Res 653 Budget Reconciliation Adoption Resolution Passed - House (216 - 214)
Dec. 19, 2005 National S 1932 Budget Reconciliation Bill Conference Report Adopted - House (212 - 206)
Nov. 3, 2005 National S 1932 Budget Reconciliation Bill Bill Passed - Senate (52 - 47)
July 26, 2005 National H Amdt 514 Small Employer Health Benefits Plan Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (197 - 230)
May 12, 2004 National HR 4279 Small Business Health Fairness Act of 2004 Bill Passed - House (273 - 152)
June 19, 2003 National HR 660 Small Business Health Fairness Act of 2003 Bill Passed - House (262 - 162)
June 19, 2003 National HR 1528 Taxpayer Protection and IRS Accountability Act of 2003 Bill Passed - House (252 - 170)
June 28, 2002 National HR 4954 Medicare Modernization and Prescription Drug Act Bill Passed - House (221 - 208)
Aug. 2, 2001 National HR 2563 Bipartisan Patient Protection Act Bill Passed - House (226 - 203)
June 29, 2001 National S 1052 Patients' Bill of Rights Bill Passed - Senate (59 - 36)
June 29, 2000 National S Amdt 3694 Health Care Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (51 - 47)
June 28, 2000 National HR 4680 Medicare Rx bill Bill Passed - House (217 - 214)
June 22, 2000 National S Amdt 3598 Outpatient Prescription Drugs Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (44 - 53)
Oct. 7, 1999 National H Amdt 514 Patient Protection Substitute Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (193 - 238)
Oct. 6, 1999 National HR 2990 Patients' Bill of Rights bill Bill Passed - House (227 - 205)
July 15, 1999 National S Amdt 1250 Patient Lawsuit Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (53 - 47)
July 15, 1999 National S 1344 Patient Bill of Rights bill Bill Passed - Senate (53 - 47)
July 14, 1999 National S Amdt 1241 Women's Health and Cancer Rights Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (55 - 45)
July 24, 1998 National H Amdt 776 Patients' Bill of Rights Act Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (212 - 217)
July 24, 1998 National HR 4250 Patient Protection bill Bill Passed - House (216 - 210)
July 16, 1998 National H Amdt 728 Federal Health Plan Contraceptive Coverage Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (224 - 198)
Date No. Title Outcome
7/11 S 1701 Extension of Funding for Transitional Medical Assistance and Abstinence Education Bill Passed - House (291 - 126)
5/17 S Con Res 21 2008 Budget Resolution Conference Report Adopted - House (214 - 209)
5/17 S Con Res 21 2008 Budget Resolution Conference Report Adopted - Senate (52 - 40)
3/23 S Con Res 21 2008 Budget Resolution Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (52 - 47)
2/01 H Res 653 Budget Reconciliation Adoption Resolution Passed - House (216 - 214)
12/19 S 1932 Budget Reconciliation Bill Conference Report Adopted - House (212 - 206)
11/03 S 1932 Budget Reconciliation Bill Bill Passed - Senate (52 - 47)
7/26 H Amdt 514 Small Employer Health Benefits Plan Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (197 - 230)
5/12 HR 4279 Small Business Health Fairness Act of 2004 Bill Passed - House (273 - 152)
6/19 HR 660 Small Business Health Fairness Act of 2003 Bill Passed - House (262 - 162)
6/19 HR 1528 Taxpayer Protection and IRS Accountability Act of 2003 Bill Passed - House (252 - 170)
6/28 HR 4954 Medicare Modernization and Prescription Drug Act Bill Passed - House (221 - 208)
8/02 HR 2563 Bipartisan Patient Protection Act Bill Passed - House (226 - 203)
6/29 S 1052 Patients' Bill of Rights Bill Passed - Senate (59 - 36)
6/29 S Amdt 3694 Health Care Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (51 - 47)
6/28 HR 4680 Medicare Rx bill Bill Passed - House (217 - 214)
6/22 S Amdt 3598 Outpatient Prescription Drugs Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (44 - 53)
10/07 H Amdt 514 Patient Protection Substitute Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (193 - 238)
10/06 HR 2990 Patients' Bill of Rights bill Bill Passed - House (227 - 205)
7/15 S Amdt 1250 Patient Lawsuit Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (53 - 47)
7/15 S 1344 Patient Bill of Rights bill Bill Passed - Senate (53 - 47)
7/14 S Amdt 1241 Women's Health and Cancer Rights Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (55 - 45)
7/24 H Amdt 776 Patients' Bill of Rights Act Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (212 - 217)
7/24 HR 4250 Patient Protection bill Bill Passed - House (216 - 210)
7/16 H Amdt 728 Federal Health Plan Contraceptive Coverage Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (224 - 198)

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