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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct. 1, 2007 | National | HR 1585 | National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 | Bill Passed - Senate (92 - 3) |
| Oct. 1, 2007 | MI | H Sub for Sub SB 547 | Public School Employee Retirement Plan | Bill Passed - House (56 - 53) |
| Oct. 1, 2007 | MI | H Sub for S Sub SB 546 | Public School Employee Retirement Benefits | Bill Passed - House (65 - 44) |
| Oct. 1, 2007 | MI | H Sub for S Sub SB 546 | Public School Employee Retirement Benefits | Bill Passed - House (65 - 44) |
| Sept. 30, 2007 | MI | S Sub for Sub HB 5194 | Income Tax Increase | Conference Report Adopted - House (57 - 52) |
| Sept. 27, 2007 | MA | Koutoujian Amendment | Expanding Pension Fund Divestment to Any State with a History of Genocide | Amendment Rejected - House (53 - 101) |
| Sept. 27, 2007 | MA | Jones Amendment | Expanding Pension Fund Divestments to Any State Sponsor of Terrorism | Amendment Rejected - House (32 - 124) |
| Sept. 27, 2007 | National | HR 976 | State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (67 - 29) |
| Sept. 27, 2007 | National | HR 976 | State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (67 - 29) |
| Sept. 27, 2007 | National | HR 976 | State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (67 - 29) |
| Sept. 27, 2007 | MI | Sub SB 374 | Estate Recovery for Medicaid Recipients in Michigan | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 13) |
| Sept. 27, 2007 | MI | Sub SB 374 | Estate Recovery for Medicaid Recipients in Michigan | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 13) |
| Sept. 27, 2007 | MA | S 2255 | State Pension Fund Divestment from Sudan | Bill Passed - House (154 - 2) |
| Sept. 26, 2007 | MI | Sub SB 374 | Estate Recovery for Medicaid Recipients in Michigan | Bill Passed - House (57 - 52) |
| Sept. 26, 2007 | MI | Sub SB 374 | Estate Recovery for Medicaid Recipients in Michigan | Bill Passed - House (57 - 52) |
| Sept. 25, 2007 | National | HR 976 | State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (265 - 159) |
| Sept. 25, 2007 | National | HR 976 | State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (265 - 159) |
| Sept. 25, 2007 | National | HR 976 | State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (265 - 159) |
| Sept. 20, 2007 | National | S Amdt 2947 | Expressing Support for All Men and Women in the U.S. Armed Forces | Amendment Rejected - Senate (50 - 47) |
| Sept. 20, 2007 | National | S Amdt 2934 | Expressing Support for General Petraeus and All Members of the Armed Forces | Amendment Adopted - Senate (72 - 25) |
| Sept. 19, 2007 | National | S Amdt 2909 | Time Between Troop Deployments | Amendment Rejected - Senate (56 - 44) |
| Sept. 18, 2007 | National | S 1257 | District of Columbia House Voting Rights Act of 2007 | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (57 - 42) |
| Aug. 30, 2007 | CA | SB 924 | Iraq Withdrawal Ballot Question | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 14) |
| Aug. 30, 2007 | MI | Sub SB 689 | State Employees' Retirement Act | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 16) |
| Aug. 30, 2007 | MI | Sub SB 689 | State Employees' Retirement Act | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 16) |
| Aug. 27, 2007 | CA | SB 924 | Iraq Withdrawal Ballot Question | Bill Passed - House (43 - 32) |
| Aug. 4, 2007 | National | HR 3221 | Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation Tax Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - House (241 - 172) |
| Aug. 4, 2007 | National | HR 3221 | Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation Tax Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - House (241 - 172) |
| Aug. 4, 2007 | National | HR 3221 | Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation Tax Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - House (241 - 172) |
| Aug. 2, 2007 | National | S 1 | Lobbying and Donation Regulations | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (83 - 14) |
| Aug. 2, 2007 | National | HR 976 | State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization | Bill Passed - Senate (68 - 31) |
| Aug. 2, 2007 | National | HR 976 | State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization | Bill Passed - Senate (68 - 31) |
| Aug. 2, 2007 | National | HR 3159 | Mandatory Troop Rest Periods Between Deployments to Iraq | Bill Passed - House (229 - 194) |
| Aug. 1, 2007 | National | HR 3162 | State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) Reauthorization | Bill Passed - House (225 - 204) |
| Aug. 1, 2007 | National | HR 3162 | State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) Reauthorization | Bill Passed - House (225 - 204) |
| Aug. 1, 2007 | National | HR 3162 | State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) Reauthorization | Bill Passed - House (225 - 204) |
| July 31, 2007 | National | S 1 | Lobbying and Donation Regulations | Bill Passed - House (411 - 8) |
| July 31, 2007 | National | HR 2831 | Equal Pay Bill | Bill Passed - House (225 - 199) |
| July 27, 2007 | National | HR 2419 | Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) | Bill Passed - House (231 - 191) |
| July 26, 2007 | National | S Amdt 2405 | REAL ID Funding | Amendment Tabled - Senate (50 - 44) |
| July 26, 2007 | National | S Amdt 2480 | Border Fence and Customs Appropriations | Amendment Adopted - Senate (89 - 1) |
| July 17, 2007 | NC | CS HB 1016 | County Medicaid Cost Assumption | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 18) |
| July 17, 2007 | National | HR 980 | Collective Bargaining for Public Safety Officers | Bill Passed - House (314 - 97) |
| July 16, 2007 | PA | SB 246 | Smoking Ban | Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (13 - 36) |
| July 16, 2007 | PA | SB 246 | Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - House (141 - 62) |
| July 12, 2007 | CA | SB 180 | Collective Bargaining Representation for Agricultural Workers | Bill Passed - House (46 - 33) |
| July 12, 2007 | National | HR 1851 | Section 8 Voucher Adjustments Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - House (333 - 83) |
| July 11, 2007 | National | S 1701 | Extension of Funding for Transitional Medical Assistance and Abstinence Education | Bill Passed - House (291 - 126) |
| July 9, 2007 | KY | SCS SB 5 | Public Employee Health Insurance Plans | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 6) |
| July 6, 2007 | IL | HB 2055 | State Lottery Privatization | Bill Failed - House (6 - 78) |
| July 3, 2007 | NC | SCS HB 973 | Mental Health Insurance Coverage | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 12) |
| June 29, 2007 | DE | SB 36 | State Employee Collective Bargaining | Bill Passed - House (26 - 10) |
| June 28, 2007 | National | S 1639 | Second Immigration Act of 2007 | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (46 - 53) |
| June 28, 2007 | DE | HA 1 | Employee Paycheck Consent | Amendment Rejected - House (15 - 23) |
| June 27, 2007 | OH | SB 7 | Eminent Domain Bill | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 3) |
| June 27, 2007 | OH | SB 7 | Eminent Domain Bill | Bill Passed - House (71 - 27) |
| June 27, 2007 | OH | SJR 1 | Eminent Domain Constitutional Amendment Ballot Bill | Bill Failed - House (56 - 42) |
| June 26, 2007 | National | HR 800 | Union Organization Bill | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (51 - 48) |
| June 26, 2007 | LA | HB 489 | Salary Increase for Statewide Elected Officials | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (73 - 28) |
| June 26, 2007 | MI | Sub for SB 547 | Public School Employee Retirement Plan | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 17) |
| June 26, 2007 | PA | SB 246 | Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 17) |
| June 26, 2007 | AK | HCS CS SB 4 | Senior Benefits Payment Program | Bill Passed - House (34 - 3) |
| June 25, 2007 | LA | HB 489 | Salary Increase for Statewide Elected Officials | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| June 20, 2007 | AZ | HB 2779 | Employment of Undocumented Immigrants | Conference Report Adopted - House (47 - 11) |
| June 20, 2007 | AZ | HB 2779 | Employment of Undocumented Immigrants | Conference Report Adopted - House (47 - 11) |
| June 20, 2007 | AZ | HB 2779 | Employment of Undocumented Immigrants | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (20 - 4) |
| June 20, 2007 | AZ | HB 2779 | Employment of Undocumented Immigrants | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (20 - 4) |
| June 20, 2007 | AZ | HB 2641 | Maturity Requirement for Underage Abortions | Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 6) |
| June 20, 2007 | AZ | HB 2641 | Maturity Requirement for Underage Abortions | Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 6) |
| June 19, 2007 | RI | LCO # 2552/4 to H5300Aaa | Repeal of Provision Requiring the Trying Seventeen Year-Olds as Adults in Criminal Cases | Amendment Rejected - Senate (5 - 30) |
| June 19, 2007 | RI | LCO # 2572/2 to H5300A | Privatization of State Services Repeal | Amendment Rejected - Senate (9 - 24) |
| June 19, 2007 | RI | LCO # 2552/4 to H5300Aaa | Repeal of Provision Requiring the Trying Seventeen Year-Olds as Adults in Criminal Cases | Amendment Rejected - Senate (5 - 30) |
| June 19, 2007 | OH | HB 119 | 2008-2009 Budget | Concurrence Vote Failed - House (46 - 53) |
| June 19, 2007 | RI | H 5127 | Mandatory Minimum Drug Possession Sentence Repeal | Bill Passed - House (54 - 6) |
| June 19, 2007 | NY | A 8590 | Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - House (85 - 61) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10/01 | HR 1585 | National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 | Bill Passed - Senate (92 - 3) |
| 10/01 | H Sub for Sub SB 547 | Public School Employee Retirement Plan | Bill Passed - House (56 - 53) |
| 10/01 | H Sub for S Sub SB 546 | Public School Employee Retirement Benefits | Bill Passed - House (65 - 44) |
| 10/01 | H Sub for S Sub SB 546 | Public School Employee Retirement Benefits | Bill Passed - House (65 - 44) |
| 9/30 | S Sub for Sub HB 5194 | Income Tax Increase | Conference Report Adopted - House (57 - 52) |
| 9/27 | Koutoujian Amendment | Expanding Pension Fund Divestment to Any State with a History of Genocide | Amendment Rejected - House (53 - 101) |
| 9/27 | Jones Amendment | Expanding Pension Fund Divestments to Any State Sponsor of Terrorism | Amendment Rejected - House (32 - 124) |
| 9/27 | HR 976 | State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (67 - 29) |
| 9/27 | HR 976 | State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (67 - 29) |
| 9/27 | HR 976 | State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (67 - 29) |
| 9/27 | Sub SB 374 | Estate Recovery for Medicaid Recipients in Michigan | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 13) |
| 9/27 | Sub SB 374 | Estate Recovery for Medicaid Recipients in Michigan | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 13) |
| 9/27 | S 2255 | State Pension Fund Divestment from Sudan | Bill Passed - House (154 - 2) |
| 9/26 | Sub SB 374 | Estate Recovery for Medicaid Recipients in Michigan | Bill Passed - House (57 - 52) |
| 9/26 | Sub SB 374 | Estate Recovery for Medicaid Recipients in Michigan | Bill Passed - House (57 - 52) |
| 9/25 | HR 976 | State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (265 - 159) |
| 9/25 | HR 976 | State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (265 - 159) |
| 9/25 | HR 976 | State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (265 - 159) |
| 9/20 | S Amdt 2947 | Expressing Support for All Men and Women in the U.S. Armed Forces | Amendment Rejected - Senate (50 - 47) |
| 9/20 | S Amdt 2934 | Expressing Support for General Petraeus and All Members of the Armed Forces | Amendment Adopted - Senate (72 - 25) |
| 9/19 | S Amdt 2909 | Time Between Troop Deployments | Amendment Rejected - Senate (56 - 44) |
| 9/18 | S 1257 | District of Columbia House Voting Rights Act of 2007 | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (57 - 42) |
| 8/30 | SB 924 | Iraq Withdrawal Ballot Question | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 14) |
| 8/30 | Sub SB 689 | State Employees' Retirement Act | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 16) |
| 8/30 | Sub SB 689 | State Employees' Retirement Act | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 16) |
| 8/27 | SB 924 | Iraq Withdrawal Ballot Question | Bill Passed - House (43 - 32) |
| 8/04 | HR 3221 | Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation Tax Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - House (241 - 172) |
| 8/04 | HR 3221 | Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation Tax Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - House (241 - 172) |
| 8/04 | HR 3221 | Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation Tax Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - House (241 - 172) |
| 8/02 | S 1 | Lobbying and Donation Regulations | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (83 - 14) |
| 8/02 | HR 976 | State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization | Bill Passed - Senate (68 - 31) |
| 8/02 | HR 976 | State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization | Bill Passed - Senate (68 - 31) |
| 8/02 | HR 3159 | Mandatory Troop Rest Periods Between Deployments to Iraq | Bill Passed - House (229 - 194) |
| 8/01 | HR 3162 | State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) Reauthorization | Bill Passed - House (225 - 204) |
| 8/01 | HR 3162 | State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) Reauthorization | Bill Passed - House (225 - 204) |
| 8/01 | HR 3162 | State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) Reauthorization | Bill Passed - House (225 - 204) |
| 7/31 | S 1 | Lobbying and Donation Regulations | Bill Passed - House (411 - 8) |
| 7/31 | HR 2831 | Equal Pay Bill | Bill Passed - House (225 - 199) |
| 7/27 | HR 2419 | Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) | Bill Passed - House (231 - 191) |
| 7/26 | S Amdt 2405 | REAL ID Funding | Amendment Tabled - Senate (50 - 44) |
| 7/26 | S Amdt 2480 | Border Fence and Customs Appropriations | Amendment Adopted - Senate (89 - 1) |
| 7/17 | CS HB 1016 | County Medicaid Cost Assumption | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 18) |
| 7/17 | HR 980 | Collective Bargaining for Public Safety Officers | Bill Passed - House (314 - 97) |
| 7/16 | SB 246 | Smoking Ban | Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (13 - 36) |
| 7/16 | SB 246 | Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - House (141 - 62) |
| 7/12 | SB 180 | Collective Bargaining Representation for Agricultural Workers | Bill Passed - House (46 - 33) |
| 7/12 | HR 1851 | Section 8 Voucher Adjustments Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - House (333 - 83) |
| 7/11 | S 1701 | Extension of Funding for Transitional Medical Assistance and Abstinence Education | Bill Passed - House (291 - 126) |
| 7/09 | SCS SB 5 | Public Employee Health Insurance Plans | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 6) |
| 7/06 | HB 2055 | State Lottery Privatization | Bill Failed - House (6 - 78) |
| 7/03 | SCS HB 973 | Mental Health Insurance Coverage | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 12) |
| 6/29 | SB 36 | State Employee Collective Bargaining | Bill Passed - House (26 - 10) |
| 6/28 | S 1639 | Second Immigration Act of 2007 | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (46 - 53) |
| 6/28 | HA 1 | Employee Paycheck Consent | Amendment Rejected - House (15 - 23) |
| 6/27 | SB 7 | Eminent Domain Bill | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 3) |
| 6/27 | SB 7 | Eminent Domain Bill | Bill Passed - House (71 - 27) |
| 6/27 | SJR 1 | Eminent Domain Constitutional Amendment Ballot Bill | Bill Failed - House (56 - 42) |
| 6/26 | HR 800 | Union Organization Bill | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (51 - 48) |
| 6/26 | HB 489 | Salary Increase for Statewide Elected Officials | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (73 - 28) |
| 6/26 | Sub for SB 547 | Public School Employee Retirement Plan | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 17) |
| 6/26 | SB 246 | Smoking Ban | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 17) |
| 6/26 | HCS CS SB 4 | Senior Benefits Payment Program | Bill Passed - House (34 - 3) |
| 6/25 | HB 489 | Salary Increase for Statewide Elected Officials | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| 6/20 | HB 2779 | Employment of Undocumented Immigrants | Conference Report Adopted - House (47 - 11) |
| 6/20 | HB 2779 | Employment of Undocumented Immigrants | Conference Report Adopted - House (47 - 11) |
| 6/20 | HB 2779 | Employment of Undocumented Immigrants | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (20 - 4) |
| 6/20 | HB 2779 | Employment of Undocumented Immigrants | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (20 - 4) |
| 6/20 | HB 2641 | Maturity Requirement for Underage Abortions | Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 6) |
| 6/20 | HB 2641 | Maturity Requirement for Underage Abortions | Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 6) |
| 6/19 | LCO # 2552/4 to H5300Aaa | Repeal of Provision Requiring the Trying Seventeen Year-Olds as Adults in Criminal Cases | Amendment Rejected - Senate (5 - 30) |
| 6/19 | LCO # 2572/2 to H5300A | Privatization of State Services Repeal | Amendment Rejected - Senate (9 - 24) |
| 6/19 | LCO # 2552/4 to H5300Aaa | Repeal of Provision Requiring the Trying Seventeen Year-Olds as Adults in Criminal Cases | Amendment Rejected - Senate (5 - 30) |
| 6/19 | HB 119 | 2008-2009 Budget | Concurrence Vote Failed - House (46 - 53) |
| 6/19 | H 5127 | Mandatory Minimum Drug Possession Sentence Repeal | Bill Passed - House (54 - 6) |
| 6/19 | A 8590 | Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - House (85 - 61) |