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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sept. 7, 1995 | National | H Amdt 752 | Overseas Military Abortions | Amendment Adopted - House (226 - 191) |
| Sept. 7, 1995 | National | HR 2126 | Appropriations bill FY96, Defense | Bill Passed - House (294 - 125) |
| Sept. 6, 1995 | National | HR 1530 | Authorization bill FY96, Defense Department | Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 34) |
| Sept. 6, 1995 | National | HR 1530 | Authorization bill FY96, Defense Department | Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 34) |
| Aug. 10, 1995 | National | S Amdt 2401 | Space-Based Laser Program Amendment | Amendment Tabled - Senate (57 - 41) |
| July 26, 1995 | National | S 21 | Bosnia and Herzegovina Self-Defense Act of 1995 | Bill Passed - Senate (69 - 29) |
| July 21, 1995 | National | HR 1817 | Military Construction FY96 Appropriations bill | Bill Passed - Senate (84 - 10) |
| July 11, 1995 | National | HR 1868 | Appropriations bill, FY96, Foreign Relations | Bill Passed - House (333 - 89) |
| July 11, 1995 | National | HR 1868 | Appropriations bill, FY96, Foreign Relations | Bill Passed - House (333 - 89) |
| June 28, 1995 | National | H Amdt 477 | Abortion Funding Ban Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (243 - 187) |
| June 21, 1995 | National | HR 1817 | Military Construction FY96 Appropriations bill | Bill Passed - House (319 - 105) |
| June 15, 1995 | National | HR 1530 | Authorization bill FY96, Defense Department | Bill Passed - House (300 - 126) |
| June 15, 1995 | National | HR 1530 | Authorization bill FY96, Defense Department | Bill Passed - House (300 - 126) |
| June 8, 1995 | National | HR 1561 | Authorization bill, FY96-97, Foreign Relations | Bill Passed - House (222 - 192) |
| June 8, 1995 | National | HR 1561 | Authorization bill, FY96-97, Foreign Relations | Bill Passed - House (222 - 192) |
| June 7, 1995 | National | S 735 | Comprehensive Terrorism Prevention Act | Bill Passed - Senate (91 - 8) |
| June 7, 1995 | National | S 735 | Comprehensive Terrorism Prevention Act | Bill Passed - Senate (91 - 8) |
| June 6, 1995 | National | S Amdt 1215 | Anti-terrorism Wiretaps Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (77 - 19) |
| May 24, 1995 | National | H Amdt 403 | Foreign Abortion Ban Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (240 - 181) |
| Feb. 16, 1995 | National | HR 7 | Limiting U.S. Monetary and Troop Assistance to the United Nations | Bill Passed - House (241 - 181) |
| Feb. 16, 1995 | National | HR 7 | Limiting U.S. Monetary and Troop Assistance to the United Nations | Bill Passed - House (241 - 181) |
| Feb. 16, 1995 | National | HR 7 | Limiting U.S. Monetary and Troop Assistance to the United Nations | Bill Passed - House (241 - 181) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9/07 | H Amdt 752 | Overseas Military Abortions | Amendment Adopted - House (226 - 191) |
| 9/07 | HR 2126 | Appropriations bill FY96, Defense | Bill Passed - House (294 - 125) |
| 9/06 | HR 1530 | Authorization bill FY96, Defense Department | Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 34) |
| 9/06 | HR 1530 | Authorization bill FY96, Defense Department | Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 34) |
| 8/10 | S Amdt 2401 | Space-Based Laser Program Amendment | Amendment Tabled - Senate (57 - 41) |
| 7/26 | S 21 | Bosnia and Herzegovina Self-Defense Act of 1995 | Bill Passed - Senate (69 - 29) |
| 7/21 | HR 1817 | Military Construction FY96 Appropriations bill | Bill Passed - Senate (84 - 10) |
| 7/11 | HR 1868 | Appropriations bill, FY96, Foreign Relations | Bill Passed - House (333 - 89) |
| 7/11 | HR 1868 | Appropriations bill, FY96, Foreign Relations | Bill Passed - House (333 - 89) |
| 6/28 | H Amdt 477 | Abortion Funding Ban Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (243 - 187) |
| 6/21 | HR 1817 | Military Construction FY96 Appropriations bill | Bill Passed - House (319 - 105) |
| 6/15 | HR 1530 | Authorization bill FY96, Defense Department | Bill Passed - House (300 - 126) |
| 6/15 | HR 1530 | Authorization bill FY96, Defense Department | Bill Passed - House (300 - 126) |
| 6/08 | HR 1561 | Authorization bill, FY96-97, Foreign Relations | Bill Passed - House (222 - 192) |
| 6/08 | HR 1561 | Authorization bill, FY96-97, Foreign Relations | Bill Passed - House (222 - 192) |
| 6/07 | S 735 | Comprehensive Terrorism Prevention Act | Bill Passed - Senate (91 - 8) |
| 6/07 | S 735 | Comprehensive Terrorism Prevention Act | Bill Passed - Senate (91 - 8) |
| 6/06 | S Amdt 1215 | Anti-terrorism Wiretaps Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (77 - 19) |
| 5/24 | H Amdt 403 | Foreign Abortion Ban Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (240 - 181) |
| 2/16 | HR 7 | Limiting U.S. Monetary and Troop Assistance to the United Nations | Bill Passed - House (241 - 181) |
| 2/16 | HR 7 | Limiting U.S. Monetary and Troop Assistance to the United Nations | Bill Passed - House (241 - 181) |
| 2/16 | HR 7 | Limiting U.S. Monetary and Troop Assistance to the United Nations | Bill Passed - House (241 - 181) |