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
Sept. 18, 1997 National H Res 168 House Ethics Reform Task Force Resolution Passed - House (258 - 154)
Sept. 17, 1997 National HR 2378 Appropriations bill FY98, Treasury, Postal Service Bill Passed - House (231 - 192)
Sept. 11, 1997 National S Amdt 1122 Education Funding Amendment Amendment Not Tabled - Senate (49 - 51)
Sept. 11, 1997 National H Amdt 347 Needle Exchange Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (266 - 158)
Sept. 9, 1997 National H Amdt 335 Family Planning Parental Notification Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (220 - 201)
Sept. 4, 1997 National S Amdt 1077 Fetal Tissue Research Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (38 - 60)
Sept. 4, 1997 National H Amdt 318 International Family Planning amendment Amendment Adopted - House (234 - 191)
Sept. 4, 1997 National H Amdt 314 Army School of the Americas amendment Amendment Rejected - House (210 - 217)
Sept. 4, 1997 National HR 2159 Foreign Operations FY98 Appropriations bill Bill Passed - House (375 - 49)
July 31, 1997 National HR 2015 Budget Reconciliation bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (85 - 15)
July 31, 1997 National HR 2014 Budget Reconciliation Bill Conference Report Adopted - House (389 - 43)
July 31, 1997 National HR 2014 Budget Reconciliation Bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (92 - 8)
July 30, 1997 National HR 2015 Budget Reconciliation bill Conference Report Adopted - House (346 - 85)
July 29, 1997 National HR 2266 Defense Department FY98 Appropriations bill Bill Passed - House (322 - 105)
July 28, 1997 National HR 2209 FY 1998 Legislative Branch Appropriations Bill Bill Passed - House (214 - 203)
July 24, 1997 National H Amdt 271 Tobacco Crops Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (209 - 216)
July 24, 1997 National HR 2160 Agriculture FY98 Appropriations bill Bill Passed - House (392 - 32)
July 22, 1997 National S Amdt 936 Abortion Funding Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (54 - 45)
July 22, 1997 National H Res 175 Republic of Congo Elections Resolution Failed - House (279 - 147)
July 17, 1997 National S Amdt 890 Most Favored Nation Repeal Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (22 - 77)
July 15, 1997 National HR 2107 Interior Department FY98 Appropriations bill Bill Passed - House (238 - 192)
July 10, 1997 National S Amdt 593 Abortions at Overseas Military Facilities Amendment Rejected - Senate (48 - 51)
July 9, 1997 National S Amdt 771 Base Closure Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (66 - 33)
June 26, 1997 National S Amdt 527 Family Tax Relief Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (38 - 61)
June 26, 1997 National HR 2014 Budget Reconciliation Bill Bill Passed - House (253 - 179)
Date No. Title Outcome
9/18 H Res 168 House Ethics Reform Task Force Resolution Passed - House (258 - 154)
9/17 HR 2378 Appropriations bill FY98, Treasury, Postal Service Bill Passed - House (231 - 192)
9/11 S Amdt 1122 Education Funding Amendment Amendment Not Tabled - Senate (49 - 51)
9/11 H Amdt 347 Needle Exchange Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (266 - 158)
9/09 H Amdt 335 Family Planning Parental Notification Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (220 - 201)
9/04 S Amdt 1077 Fetal Tissue Research Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (38 - 60)
9/04 H Amdt 318 International Family Planning amendment Amendment Adopted - House (234 - 191)
9/04 H Amdt 314 Army School of the Americas amendment Amendment Rejected - House (210 - 217)
9/04 HR 2159 Foreign Operations FY98 Appropriations bill Bill Passed - House (375 - 49)
7/31 HR 2015 Budget Reconciliation bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (85 - 15)
7/31 HR 2014 Budget Reconciliation Bill Conference Report Adopted - House (389 - 43)
7/31 HR 2014 Budget Reconciliation Bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (92 - 8)
7/30 HR 2015 Budget Reconciliation bill Conference Report Adopted - House (346 - 85)
7/29 HR 2266 Defense Department FY98 Appropriations bill Bill Passed - House (322 - 105)
7/28 HR 2209 FY 1998 Legislative Branch Appropriations Bill Bill Passed - House (214 - 203)
7/24 H Amdt 271 Tobacco Crops Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (209 - 216)
7/24 HR 2160 Agriculture FY98 Appropriations bill Bill Passed - House (392 - 32)
7/22 S Amdt 936 Abortion Funding Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (54 - 45)
7/22 H Res 175 Republic of Congo Elections Resolution Failed - House (279 - 147)
7/17 S Amdt 890 Most Favored Nation Repeal Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (22 - 77)
7/15 HR 2107 Interior Department FY98 Appropriations bill Bill Passed - House (238 - 192)
7/10 S Amdt 593 Abortions at Overseas Military Facilities Amendment Rejected - Senate (48 - 51)
7/09 S Amdt 771 Base Closure Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (66 - 33)
6/26 S Amdt 527 Family Tax Relief Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (38 - 61)
6/26 HR 2014 Budget Reconciliation Bill Bill Passed - House (253 - 179)

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