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
May 14, 2008 SC H 3032 Immigration Reform Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (20 - 26)
May 13, 2008 AZ HB 2807 Local Enforcement of Immigration Laws Veto Override Failed - House (30 - 25)
May 13, 2008 LA HB 1357 Harboring of Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - House (77 - 18)
May 13, 2008 LA HB 1358 Transporting Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - House (70 - 17)
May 13, 2008 LA HB 25 Verification of Citizenship or Immigration Status Bill Passed - House (83 - 11)
May 12, 2008 CA SB 1301 Extending Student Financial Aid Eligibility Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13)
May 8, 2008 National H Amdt 1045 Undocumented Immigrants' Ineligibility for Certain Financial Assistance Amendment Adopted - House (391 - 33)
May 8, 2008 National HR 3221 Housing-Related Tax Provision Amendments Amendment Adopted - House (322 - 94)
May 8, 2008 National HR 3221 Housing-Related Tax Provision Amendments Amendment Adopted - House (266 - 154)
May 7, 2008 SC Amendment No. 8A Requiring Employers to Verify Immigration the Status of Their Employees Amendment Adopted - House (80 - 33)
May 5, 2008 CO HB 1325 Seasonal Foreign Worker Pilot Program Concurrence Vote Passed - House (47 - 17)
May 2, 2008 CO HB 1325 Seasonal Foreign Worker Pilot Program Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15)
May 1, 2008 RI H 7204 2007-2008 Budget Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11)
April 29, 2008 RI H 7107 Employment Verification Program Bill Passed - House (52 - 17)
April 28, 2008 AZ HB 2745 Amending Undocumented Immigrant Employment Sanctions Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 4)
April 25, 2008 RI H 7204 2007-2008 Budget Amendments Bill Passed - House (60 - 12)
April 23, 2008 OK SB 163 English as the Official Language Bill Passed - House (70 - 28)
April 23, 2008 AZ HB 2359 County Sheriff and Border Patrol Collaboration Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 10)
April 22, 2008 CO HB 1325 Seasonal Foreign Worker Pilot Program Bill Passed - House (46 - 18)
April 16, 2008 National HR 2634 Expanding the List of Countries Eligible for Debt Forgiveness Bill Passed - House (285 - 132)
April 16, 2008 IA HF 2686 Employee Identification Verification Bill Passed - House (84 - 16)
April 10, 2008 AZ SB 1096 English Language Education Funding Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (16 - 14)
April 10, 2008 National H Res 1092 Postponing the Consideration of the Trade Agreement with Colombia Resolution Passed - House (224 - 195)
April 9, 2008 AZ SB 1096 English Language Education Funding Bill Passed - House (37 - 23)
April 4, 2008 GA HB 978 Vehicle Seizures for Unlicensed Drivers Concurrence Vote Passed - House (115 - 44)
April 4, 2008 GA HB 978 Vehicle Seizures for Unlicensed Drivers Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 18)
April 3, 2008 MO SB 858 Restrictions on Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7)
April 2, 2008 MN Hann Amnd. Prohibiting Funding for Cities that Prevent Immigration Status Checks Amendment Rejected - Senate (24 - 33)
April 2, 2008 National HR 5501 Funding to Combat AIDS, Malaria, and Tuberculosis Bill Passed - House (308 - 116)
April 1, 2008 AZ HB 2745 Amending Undocumented Immigrant Employment Sanctions Bill Passed - House (41 - 16)
March 27, 2008 KS Rhoades Amnd. Repealing In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants Amendment Rejected - House (51 - 70)
March 27, 2008 KS Carlson Amnd. Employment Eligibility Verification Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (86 - 36)
March 26, 2008 KS Huelskamp Amnd. 1 Employment Verification Amendment Rejected - Senate (11 - 27)
March 26, 2008 KS Barnett Amnd. Immigration Reform Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (12 - 27)
March 26, 2008 KS Journey Amnd. 2 Repealing In-State Tuition for Immigrants Amendment Rejected - Senate (14 - 25)
March 26, 2008 KS Journey Amnd. 1 Penalties for Obstructing Immigration Enforcement Amendment Rejected - Senate (14 - 24)
March 26, 2008 KS Huelskamp Amnd. 2 Undocumented Immigrants Ineligible for Public Benefits Amendment Rejected - Senate (12 - 26)
March 26, 2008 KS Brownlee Amnd. Prohibits Union from collecting dues from Undocumented Workers Amendment Adopted - Senate (19 - 18)
March 20, 2008 GA SB 350 Increasing Penalties for Driving Without a License Bill Passed - House (99 - 68)
March 18, 2008 CO SB 139 Undocumented Immigrant Hiring Ban Notification Bill Passed - House (52 - 12)
March 14, 2008 National S Amdt 4299 Expressing the Sense of the Senate on the Legalization of Importing Certain Prescription Drugs Amendment Adopted - Senate (73 - 23)
March 14, 2008 National HR 3773 Electronic Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Review Act Concurrence Vote Passed - House (213 - 197)
March 13, 2008 National S Amdt 4309 Restriction of Federal Assistance Based on Compliance with Federal Immigration Laws Amendment Tabled - Senate (58 - 40)
March 13, 2008 National S Amdt 4231 Immigration Enforcement and Border Fence Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (61 - 37)
March 13, 2008 National S Amdt 4259 Immigration Enforcement and Employer Sanctions Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (53 - 45)
March 13, 2008 National S Amdt 4231 Immigration Enforcement and Border Fence Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (61 - 37)
March 13, 2008 National H Con Res 312 Concurrent Budget Resolution Joint Resolution Passed - House (212 - 207)
March 11, 2008 National HR 2082 Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 Veto Override Failed - House (225 - 188)
March 11, 2008 National HR 2082 Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 Veto Override Failed - House (225 - 188)
March 10, 2008 CO HJR 1009 Ratification of the UN Convention Against the Discrimination of Women Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (19 - 14)
Date No. Title Outcome
5/14 H 3032 Immigration Reform Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (20 - 26)
5/13 HB 2807 Local Enforcement of Immigration Laws Veto Override Failed - House (30 - 25)
5/13 HB 1357 Harboring of Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - House (77 - 18)
5/13 HB 1358 Transporting Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - House (70 - 17)
5/13 HB 25 Verification of Citizenship or Immigration Status Bill Passed - House (83 - 11)
5/12 SB 1301 Extending Student Financial Aid Eligibility Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13)
5/08 H Amdt 1045 Undocumented Immigrants' Ineligibility for Certain Financial Assistance Amendment Adopted - House (391 - 33)
5/08 HR 3221 Housing-Related Tax Provision Amendments Amendment Adopted - House (322 - 94)
5/08 HR 3221 Housing-Related Tax Provision Amendments Amendment Adopted - House (266 - 154)
5/07 Amendment No. 8A Requiring Employers to Verify Immigration the Status of Their Employees Amendment Adopted - House (80 - 33)
5/05 HB 1325 Seasonal Foreign Worker Pilot Program Concurrence Vote Passed - House (47 - 17)
5/02 HB 1325 Seasonal Foreign Worker Pilot Program Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15)
5/01 H 7204 2007-2008 Budget Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11)
4/29 H 7107 Employment Verification Program Bill Passed - House (52 - 17)
4/28 HB 2745 Amending Undocumented Immigrant Employment Sanctions Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 4)
4/25 H 7204 2007-2008 Budget Amendments Bill Passed - House (60 - 12)
4/23 SB 163 English as the Official Language Bill Passed - House (70 - 28)
4/23 HB 2359 County Sheriff and Border Patrol Collaboration Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 10)
4/22 HB 1325 Seasonal Foreign Worker Pilot Program Bill Passed - House (46 - 18)
4/16 HR 2634 Expanding the List of Countries Eligible for Debt Forgiveness Bill Passed - House (285 - 132)
4/16 HF 2686 Employee Identification Verification Bill Passed - House (84 - 16)
4/10 SB 1096 English Language Education Funding Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (16 - 14)
4/10 H Res 1092 Postponing the Consideration of the Trade Agreement with Colombia Resolution Passed - House (224 - 195)
4/09 SB 1096 English Language Education Funding Bill Passed - House (37 - 23)
4/04 HB 978 Vehicle Seizures for Unlicensed Drivers Concurrence Vote Passed - House (115 - 44)
4/04 HB 978 Vehicle Seizures for Unlicensed Drivers Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 18)
4/03 SB 858 Restrictions on Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7)
4/02 Hann Amnd. Prohibiting Funding for Cities that Prevent Immigration Status Checks Amendment Rejected - Senate (24 - 33)
4/02 HR 5501 Funding to Combat AIDS, Malaria, and Tuberculosis Bill Passed - House (308 - 116)
4/01 HB 2745 Amending Undocumented Immigrant Employment Sanctions Bill Passed - House (41 - 16)
3/27 Rhoades Amnd. Repealing In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants Amendment Rejected - House (51 - 70)
3/27 Carlson Amnd. Employment Eligibility Verification Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (86 - 36)
3/26 Huelskamp Amnd. 1 Employment Verification Amendment Rejected - Senate (11 - 27)
3/26 Barnett Amnd. Immigration Reform Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (12 - 27)
3/26 Journey Amnd. 2 Repealing In-State Tuition for Immigrants Amendment Rejected - Senate (14 - 25)
3/26 Journey Amnd. 1 Penalties for Obstructing Immigration Enforcement Amendment Rejected - Senate (14 - 24)
3/26 Huelskamp Amnd. 2 Undocumented Immigrants Ineligible for Public Benefits Amendment Rejected - Senate (12 - 26)
3/26 Brownlee Amnd. Prohibits Union from collecting dues from Undocumented Workers Amendment Adopted - Senate (19 - 18)
3/20 SB 350 Increasing Penalties for Driving Without a License Bill Passed - House (99 - 68)
3/18 SB 139 Undocumented Immigrant Hiring Ban Notification Bill Passed - House (52 - 12)
3/14 S Amdt 4299 Expressing the Sense of the Senate on the Legalization of Importing Certain Prescription Drugs Amendment Adopted - Senate (73 - 23)
3/14 HR 3773 Electronic Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Review Act Concurrence Vote Passed - House (213 - 197)
3/13 S Amdt 4309 Restriction of Federal Assistance Based on Compliance with Federal Immigration Laws Amendment Tabled - Senate (58 - 40)
3/13 S Amdt 4231 Immigration Enforcement and Border Fence Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (61 - 37)
3/13 S Amdt 4259 Immigration Enforcement and Employer Sanctions Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (53 - 45)
3/13 S Amdt 4231 Immigration Enforcement and Border Fence Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (61 - 37)
3/13 H Con Res 312 Concurrent Budget Resolution Joint Resolution Passed - House (212 - 207)
3/11 HR 2082 Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 Veto Override Failed - House (225 - 188)
3/11 HR 2082 Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 Veto Override Failed - House (225 - 188)
3/10 HJR 1009 Ratification of the UN Convention Against the Discrimination of Women Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (19 - 14)

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