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. 26, 2007 | National | S Amdt 3017 | Expressing the Sense of Congress Regarding Iran and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps | Amendment Adopted - Senate (76 - 22) |
| Sept. 23, 2007 | MI | Sub SB 237 | 2007-2008 Education Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17) |
| Sept. 21, 2007 | National | S Amdt 2898 | Iraq Troop Reduction Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 47) |
| Sept. 18, 2007 | IL | HB 2035 | Gaming Expansion to Fund Infrastructure and Social Programs | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 15) |
| Sept. 18, 2007 | IL | HB 2035 | Gaming Expansion to Fund Infrastructure and Social Programs | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 15) |
| Sept. 18, 2007 | IL | HB 2035 | Gaming Expansion to Fund Infrastructure and Social Programs | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 15) |
| Sept. 10, 2007 | National | S Amdt 2792 | Bridge Repair Funding | Amendment Adopted - Senate (60 - 33) |
| Sept. 5, 2007 | CA | AB 1155 | Penalties for Healthcare Service Plan Underpayments or Failures to Pay Service Providers | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 11) |
| Sept. 4, 2007 | MI | Sub SB 418 | Public Employees Health Benefit Act | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 18) |
| Aug. 30, 2007 | CA | SB 33 | Underage Driver Cellphone Ban | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 14) |
| Aug. 24, 2007 | KY | HCS HB 1 | Renewable Energy Tax Incentives | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 1) |
| Aug. 9, 2007 | IL | HB 556 | Cigarette Tax Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 24) |
| Aug. 3, 2007 | National | S 1927 | Foreign Intelligence Acquisition | Bill Passed - Senate (60 - 28) |
| July 26, 2007 | National | HR 1 | Implementing the 9/11 Commission Recommendations Act | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (85 - 8) |
| July 26, 2007 | IL | SB 1592 | Electricity Relief and Regulation | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (40 - 13) |
| July 26, 2007 | National | HR 2638 | Department of Homeland Security Appropriations | Bill Passed - Senate (89 - 4) |
| July 18, 2007 | National | S Amdt 2087 | Iraq Troop Reduction | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (52 - 47) |
| July 17, 2007 | NC | CS SB 563 | Traffic and Personal Safety Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 22) |
| July 16, 2007 | PA | SB 246 | Smoking Ban | Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (13 - 36) |
| July 16, 2007 | PA | HB 1590 | Public Transportation and Interstate 80 Toll Road | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 19) |
| July 9, 2007 | KY | SCS SB 5 | Public Employee Health Insurance Plans | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 6) |
| July 3, 2007 | NC | SCS HB 973 | Mental Health Insurance Coverage | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 12) |
| June 28, 2007 | CA | AB 1738 | California Gaming Code Additions | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 6) |
| June 27, 2007 | NH | HB 927 | Adequate Education Definition | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (15 - 9) |
| June 27, 2007 | OH | SB 7 | Eminent Domain Bill | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 3) |
| June 26, 2007 | LA | SB 223 | Required Liability Insurance Increase | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 12) |
| June 26, 2007 | WI | SS SB 40 | 2007-2009 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| June 26, 2007 | MI | Sub for SB 547 | Public School Employee Retirement Plan | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 17) |
| 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 | WI | SS SB 40 | 2007-2009 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| June 25, 2007 | PA | A 2062 | Exceptions to Clean Indoor Air Act | Amendment Adopted - Senate (29 - 21) |
| June 25, 2007 | LA | HB 678 | Insurance Funds Program | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13) |
| June 22, 2007 | NH | HB 1 | 208-2009 Operating Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (16 - 8) |
| June 22, 2007 | NH | HB 1 | 208-2009 Operating Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (16 - 8) |
| June 21, 2007 | National | S Amdt 1704 | Alternative Energy Subsidies | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (57 - 36) |
| June 21, 2007 | ME | LD 1925 | Tax Cuts | Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (7 - 28) |
| June 21, 2007 | National | HR 6 | Energy Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - Senate (65 - 27) |
| June 21, 2007 | National | HR 6 | Energy Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - Senate (65 - 27) |
| June 21, 2007 | NJ | S 3000 | 2007-2008 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15) |
| June 21, 2007 | NJ | S 3000 | 2007-2008 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15) |
| June 21, 2007 | NJ | S 3000 | 2007-2008 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15) |
| June 20, 2007 | MI | Sub for SB 448 | State Registration for CAFOs | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17) |
| June 20, 2007 | OR | SB 329 | Oregon Health Fund | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 7) |
| June 20, 2007 | MI | Sub for SB 504 | Agricultural Pollution | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17) |
| June 20, 2007 | MI | Sub for SB 504 | Agricultural Pollution | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17) |
| June 20, 2007 | MI | Sub for SB 447 | Insurance for Water Pollution | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 16) |
| June 19, 2007 | AZ | SB 1552 | Air Pollution Control | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (23 - 3) |
| June 19, 2007 | LA | HB 25 | Abortion Information Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 2) |
| June 18, 2007 | OR | SB 571 | Smoking Ban Expansion | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (18 - 12) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9/26 | S Amdt 3017 | Expressing the Sense of Congress Regarding Iran and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps | Amendment Adopted - Senate (76 - 22) |
| 9/23 | Sub SB 237 | 2007-2008 Education Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17) |
| 9/21 | S Amdt 2898 | Iraq Troop Reduction Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 47) |
| 9/18 | HB 2035 | Gaming Expansion to Fund Infrastructure and Social Programs | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 15) |
| 9/18 | HB 2035 | Gaming Expansion to Fund Infrastructure and Social Programs | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 15) |
| 9/18 | HB 2035 | Gaming Expansion to Fund Infrastructure and Social Programs | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 15) |
| 9/10 | S Amdt 2792 | Bridge Repair Funding | Amendment Adopted - Senate (60 - 33) |
| 9/05 | AB 1155 | Penalties for Healthcare Service Plan Underpayments or Failures to Pay Service Providers | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 11) |
| 9/04 | Sub SB 418 | Public Employees Health Benefit Act | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 18) |
| 8/30 | SB 33 | Underage Driver Cellphone Ban | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 14) |
| 8/24 | HCS HB 1 | Renewable Energy Tax Incentives | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 1) |
| 8/09 | HB 556 | Cigarette Tax Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 24) |
| 8/03 | S 1927 | Foreign Intelligence Acquisition | Bill Passed - Senate (60 - 28) |
| 7/26 | HR 1 | Implementing the 9/11 Commission Recommendations Act | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (85 - 8) |
| 7/26 | SB 1592 | Electricity Relief and Regulation | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (40 - 13) |
| 7/26 | HR 2638 | Department of Homeland Security Appropriations | Bill Passed - Senate (89 - 4) |
| 7/18 | S Amdt 2087 | Iraq Troop Reduction | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (52 - 47) |
| 7/17 | CS SB 563 | Traffic and Personal Safety Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 22) |
| 7/16 | SB 246 | Smoking Ban | Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (13 - 36) |
| 7/16 | HB 1590 | Public Transportation and Interstate 80 Toll Road | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 19) |
| 7/09 | SCS SB 5 | Public Employee Health Insurance Plans | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 6) |
| 7/03 | SCS HB 973 | Mental Health Insurance Coverage | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 12) |
| 6/28 | AB 1738 | California Gaming Code Additions | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 6) |
| 6/27 | HB 927 | Adequate Education Definition | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (15 - 9) |
| 6/27 | SB 7 | Eminent Domain Bill | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 3) |
| 6/26 | SB 223 | Required Liability Insurance Increase | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 12) |
| 6/26 | SS SB 40 | 2007-2009 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| 6/26 | Sub for SB 547 | Public School Employee Retirement Plan | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 17) |
| 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 | SS SB 40 | 2007-2009 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| 6/25 | A 2062 | Exceptions to Clean Indoor Air Act | Amendment Adopted - Senate (29 - 21) |
| 6/25 | HB 678 | Insurance Funds Program | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13) |
| 6/22 | HB 1 | 208-2009 Operating Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (16 - 8) |
| 6/22 | HB 1 | 208-2009 Operating Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (16 - 8) |
| 6/21 | S Amdt 1704 | Alternative Energy Subsidies | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (57 - 36) |
| 6/21 | LD 1925 | Tax Cuts | Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (7 - 28) |
| 6/21 | HR 6 | Energy Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - Senate (65 - 27) |
| 6/21 | HR 6 | Energy Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - Senate (65 - 27) |
| 6/21 | S 3000 | 2007-2008 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15) |
| 6/21 | S 3000 | 2007-2008 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15) |
| 6/21 | S 3000 | 2007-2008 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15) |
| 6/20 | Sub for SB 448 | State Registration for CAFOs | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17) |
| 6/20 | SB 329 | Oregon Health Fund | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 7) |
| 6/20 | Sub for SB 504 | Agricultural Pollution | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17) |
| 6/20 | Sub for SB 504 | Agricultural Pollution | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17) |
| 6/20 | Sub for SB 447 | Insurance for Water Pollution | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 16) |
| 6/19 | SB 1552 | Air Pollution Control | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (23 - 3) |
| 6/19 | HB 25 | Abortion Information Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 2) |
| 6/18 | SB 571 | Smoking Ban Expansion | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (18 - 12) |