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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 24, 1997 | National | H J Res 79 | China Most-Favored-Nation Resolution | Joint Resolution Failed - House (173 - 259) |
| June 23, 1997 | National | H Amdt 192 | Border Defense Personnel Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (269 - 119) |
| June 23, 1997 | National | H Amdt 198 | B-2 Bomber Program Termination Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (209 - 216) |
| June 19, 1997 | National | H Amdt 187 | Overseas Military Facilities Abortion Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (196 - 224) |
| June 19, 1997 | National | S Amdt 416 | Intelligence Appropriations Declassification amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (43 - 56) |
| June 12, 1997 | National | HR 1871 | Emergency Supplemental Appropriations bill | Bill Passed - Senate (78 - 21) |
| June 12, 1997 | National | H J Res 54 | Flag Desecration Constitutional Amendment | Joint Resolution Passed - House (310 - 114) |
| June 12, 1997 | National | HR 1871 | Emergency Supplemental Appropriations bill | Bill Passed - House (348 - 74) |
| June 5, 1997 | National | HR 1469 | Emergency Supplemental Appropriations bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (220 - 201) |
| June 5, 1997 | National | HR 1469 | Emergency Supplemental Appropriations bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (67 - 31) |
| June 5, 1997 | National | H Con Res 84 | Budget Resolution FY1999-2000 | Conference Report Adopted - House (327 - 97) |
| June 5, 1997 | National | H Con Res 84 | Budget Resolution FY1999-2000 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (76 - 22) |
| June 4, 1997 | National | H Amdt 138 | U.S. Withdrawal from the U.N. Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (54 - 369) |
| May 23, 1997 | National | S Amdt 357 | Violent Crime Victims Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (51 - 49) |
| May 23, 1997 | National | H Con Res 84 | Budget Resolution FY1999-2000 | Resolution Passed - Senate (78 - 22) |
| May 22, 1997 | National | S Amdt 301 | Budget Deficit Amendment | Amendment Tabled - Senate (52 - 47) |
| May 21, 1997 | National | H Con Res 84 | Budget Resolution FY1999-2000 | Resolution Passed - House (333 - 99) |
| May 20, 1997 | National | HR 1122 | Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion bill | Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 36) |
| May 16, 1997 | National | HR 1385 | Training Programs bill | Bill Passed - House (343 - 60) |
| May 15, 1997 | National | HR 1469 | Emergency Supplemental Appropriations bill | Bill Passed - House (244 - 178) |
| May 14, 1997 | National | HR 2 | Public Housing bill | Bill Passed - House (293 - 132) |
| May 8, 1997 | National | HR 3 | Juvenile Crime bill | Bill Passed - House (286 - 132) |
| May 7, 1997 | National | H Amdt 71 | Endangered Species Act Exemption Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (227 - 196) |
| April 30, 1997 | National | PN 82 | Alexis M. Herman, Secretary of Labor | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (85 - 13) |
| April 24, 1997 | National | S Res 75 | Chemical Weapons Convention bill | Resolution Passed - Senate (74 - 26) |
| April 17, 1997 | National | S 495 | Chemical and Biological Weapons Threat Reduction Act | Bill Passed - Senate (53 - 44) |
| April 16, 1997 | National | HR 1003 | Assisted Suicide Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (99 - 0) |
| April 15, 1997 | National | S Amdt 31 | Yucca Mountain Alternate Sites amendment | Amendment Tabled - Senate (59 - 39) |
| April 15, 1997 | National | S 104 | Nuclear Waste Disposal bill | Bill Passed - Senate (65 - 34) |
| April 10, 1997 | National | HR 1003 | Assisted Suicide Bill | Bill Passed - House (398 - 16) |
| March 20, 1997 | National | S Amdt 25 | U.S.- Mexico Drug Trafficking Prevention Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (94 - 5) |
| March 20, 1997 | National | HR 1122 | Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion bill | Bill Passed - House (295 - 136) |
| March 19, 1997 | National | HR 1 | Compensatory Time Bill | Bill Passed - House (222 - 210) |
| March 12, 1997 | National | H Res 89 | Balanced Budget Request resolution | Resolution Passed - House (231 - 197) |
| March 5, 1997 | National | H Con Res 31 | Display of the Ten Commandments | Resolution Passed - House (295 - 125) |
| March 4, 1997 | National | S J Res 1 | Balanced Budget amendment | Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (66 - 34) |
| Feb. 13, 1997 | National | HR 581 | Population Planning Bill | Bill Passed - House (231 - 194) |
| Feb. 12, 1997 | National | H J Res 2 | Term Limits Resolution | Joint Resolution Failed - House (217 - 211) |
| Jan. 21, 1997 | National | H Res 31 | Ethics Report on Newt Gingrich | Resolution Passed - House (395 - 28) |
| Oct. 3, 1996 | National | HR 3539 | Federal Aviation Authorization Act of 1996 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (92 - 2) |
| Sept. 28, 1996 | National | HR 3610 | Omnibus FY97 Appropriations bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (370 - 37) |
| Sept. 27, 1996 | National | HR 3539 | Federal Aviation Authorization Act of 1996 | Conference Report Adopted - House (218 - 198) |
| Sept. 26, 1996 | National | HR 1833 | Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion Ban | Veto Override Failed - Senate (58 - 40) |
| Sept. 25, 1996 | National | HR 2202 | Immigration Reform bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (305 - 123) |
| Sept. 24, 1996 | National | HR 3666 | Veterans Affairs, HUD FY97 Appropriations bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (388 - 25) |
| Sept. 19, 1996 | National | HR 1833 | Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion Ban | Veto Override Passed - House (285 - 137) |
| Sept. 17, 1996 | National | S Amdt 5353 | Federal Land Grazing Fee Amendment | Amendment Not Tabled - Senate (50 - 50) |
| Sept. 17, 1996 | National | HR 3816 | Appropriations bill FY97, Energy and Water Development | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (92 - 8) |
| Sept. 12, 1996 | National | HR 3816 | Appropriations bill FY97, Energy and Water Development | Conference Report Adopted - House (383 - 29) |
| Sept. 10, 1996 | National | HR 3230 | National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1997 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (73 - 26) |
| Sept. 10, 1996 | National | S 2056 | Employment Nondiscrimination Act of 1996 | Bill Failed - Senate (49 - 50) |
| Sept. 10, 1996 | National | HR 3396 | Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) | Bill Passed - Senate (85 - 14) |
| Aug. 2, 1996 | National | HR 3448 | Minimum Wage Increase bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (76 - 22) |
| Aug. 2, 1996 | National | S 1316 | Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments of 1995 | Conference Report Adopted - House (392 - 30) |
| Aug. 2, 1996 | National | HR 3448 | Minimum Wage Increase bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (354 - 72) |
| Aug. 2, 1996 | National | HR 3103 | Health Insurance Portability bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (98 - 0) |
| Aug. 2, 1996 | National | S 1316 | Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments of 1995 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (98 - 0) |
| Aug. 2, 1996 | National | HR 3953 | Aviation Security and Antiterrorism Act of 1996 | Bill Passed - House (389 - 22) |
| Aug. 1, 1996 | National | HR 3230 | National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1997 | Conference Report Adopted - House (285 - 132) |
| Aug. 1, 1996 | National | HR 3103 | Health Insurance Portability bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (421 - 2) |
| Aug. 1, 1996 | National | HR 3734 | Welfare Reform Act of 1996 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (78 - 21) |
| Aug. 1, 1996 | National | HR 123 | English as the National Language | Bill Passed - House (259 - 169) |
| July 31, 1996 | National | HR 3734 | Welfare Reform Act of 1996 | Conference Report Adopted - House (328 - 101) |
| July 31, 1996 | National | S 1936 | Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1996 | Bill Passed - Senate (63 - 37) |
| July 30, 1996 | National | HR 2391 | Working Families Flexibility Act of 1996 | Bill Passed - House (225 - 195) |
| July 25, 1996 | National | H Amdt 1360 | Renewable Energy Research Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (279 - 135) |
| July 25, 1996 | National | H Amdt 1359 | Energy Research Appropriation Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (198 - 211) |
| July 25, 1996 | National | HR 3820 | Campaign Finance Reform | Bill Failed - House (162 - 259) |
| July 24, 1996 | National | H Amdt 1356 | Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) Funding Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (184 - 236) |
| July 23, 1996 | National | HR 3734 | Welfare Reform Act of 1996 | Bill Passed - Senate (74 - 24) |
| July 22, 1996 | National | H Amdt 1309 | Non-Federally Funded Abortions Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (176 - 223) |
| July 18, 1996 | National | H Amdt 1307 | Food Stamp Recipient Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (239 - 184) |
| July 18, 1996 | National | HR 3734 | Welfare Reform Act of 1996 | Bill Passed - House (256 - 170) |
| July 12, 1996 | National | H Amdt 1286 | Definition of Marriage Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (103 - 311) |
| July 12, 1996 | National | H Amdt 1280 | Family Planning Services Clinics Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (232 - 193) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6/24 | H J Res 79 | China Most-Favored-Nation Resolution | Joint Resolution Failed - House (173 - 259) |
| 6/23 | H Amdt 192 | Border Defense Personnel Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (269 - 119) |
| 6/23 | H Amdt 198 | B-2 Bomber Program Termination Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (209 - 216) |
| 6/19 | H Amdt 187 | Overseas Military Facilities Abortion Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (196 - 224) |
| 6/19 | S Amdt 416 | Intelligence Appropriations Declassification amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (43 - 56) |
| 6/12 | HR 1871 | Emergency Supplemental Appropriations bill | Bill Passed - Senate (78 - 21) |
| 6/12 | H J Res 54 | Flag Desecration Constitutional Amendment | Joint Resolution Passed - House (310 - 114) |
| 6/12 | HR 1871 | Emergency Supplemental Appropriations bill | Bill Passed - House (348 - 74) |
| 6/05 | HR 1469 | Emergency Supplemental Appropriations bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (220 - 201) |
| 6/05 | HR 1469 | Emergency Supplemental Appropriations bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (67 - 31) |
| 6/05 | H Con Res 84 | Budget Resolution FY1999-2000 | Conference Report Adopted - House (327 - 97) |
| 6/05 | H Con Res 84 | Budget Resolution FY1999-2000 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (76 - 22) |
| 6/04 | H Amdt 138 | U.S. Withdrawal from the U.N. Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (54 - 369) |
| 5/23 | S Amdt 357 | Violent Crime Victims Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (51 - 49) |
| 5/23 | H Con Res 84 | Budget Resolution FY1999-2000 | Resolution Passed - Senate (78 - 22) |
| 5/22 | S Amdt 301 | Budget Deficit Amendment | Amendment Tabled - Senate (52 - 47) |
| 5/21 | H Con Res 84 | Budget Resolution FY1999-2000 | Resolution Passed - House (333 - 99) |
| 5/20 | HR 1122 | Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion bill | Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 36) |
| 5/16 | HR 1385 | Training Programs bill | Bill Passed - House (343 - 60) |
| 5/15 | HR 1469 | Emergency Supplemental Appropriations bill | Bill Passed - House (244 - 178) |
| 5/14 | HR 2 | Public Housing bill | Bill Passed - House (293 - 132) |
| 5/08 | HR 3 | Juvenile Crime bill | Bill Passed - House (286 - 132) |
| 5/07 | H Amdt 71 | Endangered Species Act Exemption Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (227 - 196) |
| 4/30 | PN 82 | Alexis M. Herman, Secretary of Labor | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (85 - 13) |
| 4/24 | S Res 75 | Chemical Weapons Convention bill | Resolution Passed - Senate (74 - 26) |
| 4/17 | S 495 | Chemical and Biological Weapons Threat Reduction Act | Bill Passed - Senate (53 - 44) |
| 4/16 | HR 1003 | Assisted Suicide Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (99 - 0) |
| 4/15 | S Amdt 31 | Yucca Mountain Alternate Sites amendment | Amendment Tabled - Senate (59 - 39) |
| 4/15 | S 104 | Nuclear Waste Disposal bill | Bill Passed - Senate (65 - 34) |
| 4/10 | HR 1003 | Assisted Suicide Bill | Bill Passed - House (398 - 16) |
| 3/20 | S Amdt 25 | U.S.- Mexico Drug Trafficking Prevention Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (94 - 5) |
| 3/20 | HR 1122 | Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion bill | Bill Passed - House (295 - 136) |
| 3/19 | HR 1 | Compensatory Time Bill | Bill Passed - House (222 - 210) |
| 3/12 | H Res 89 | Balanced Budget Request resolution | Resolution Passed - House (231 - 197) |
| 3/05 | H Con Res 31 | Display of the Ten Commandments | Resolution Passed - House (295 - 125) |
| 3/04 | S J Res 1 | Balanced Budget amendment | Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (66 - 34) |
| 2/13 | HR 581 | Population Planning Bill | Bill Passed - House (231 - 194) |
| 2/12 | H J Res 2 | Term Limits Resolution | Joint Resolution Failed - House (217 - 211) |
| 1/21 | H Res 31 | Ethics Report on Newt Gingrich | Resolution Passed - House (395 - 28) |
| 10/03 | HR 3539 | Federal Aviation Authorization Act of 1996 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (92 - 2) |
| 9/28 | HR 3610 | Omnibus FY97 Appropriations bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (370 - 37) |
| 9/27 | HR 3539 | Federal Aviation Authorization Act of 1996 | Conference Report Adopted - House (218 - 198) |
| 9/26 | HR 1833 | Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion Ban | Veto Override Failed - Senate (58 - 40) |
| 9/25 | HR 2202 | Immigration Reform bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (305 - 123) |
| 9/24 | HR 3666 | Veterans Affairs, HUD FY97 Appropriations bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (388 - 25) |
| 9/19 | HR 1833 | Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion Ban | Veto Override Passed - House (285 - 137) |
| 9/17 | S Amdt 5353 | Federal Land Grazing Fee Amendment | Amendment Not Tabled - Senate (50 - 50) |
| 9/17 | HR 3816 | Appropriations bill FY97, Energy and Water Development | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (92 - 8) |
| 9/12 | HR 3816 | Appropriations bill FY97, Energy and Water Development | Conference Report Adopted - House (383 - 29) |
| 9/10 | HR 3230 | National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1997 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (73 - 26) |
| 9/10 | S 2056 | Employment Nondiscrimination Act of 1996 | Bill Failed - Senate (49 - 50) |
| 9/10 | HR 3396 | Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) | Bill Passed - Senate (85 - 14) |
| 8/02 | HR 3448 | Minimum Wage Increase bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (76 - 22) |
| 8/02 | S 1316 | Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments of 1995 | Conference Report Adopted - House (392 - 30) |
| 8/02 | HR 3448 | Minimum Wage Increase bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (354 - 72) |
| 8/02 | HR 3103 | Health Insurance Portability bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (98 - 0) |
| 8/02 | S 1316 | Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments of 1995 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (98 - 0) |
| 8/02 | HR 3953 | Aviation Security and Antiterrorism Act of 1996 | Bill Passed - House (389 - 22) |
| 8/01 | HR 3230 | National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1997 | Conference Report Adopted - House (285 - 132) |
| 8/01 | HR 3103 | Health Insurance Portability bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (421 - 2) |
| 8/01 | HR 3734 | Welfare Reform Act of 1996 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (78 - 21) |
| 8/01 | HR 123 | English as the National Language | Bill Passed - House (259 - 169) |
| 7/31 | HR 3734 | Welfare Reform Act of 1996 | Conference Report Adopted - House (328 - 101) |
| 7/31 | S 1936 | Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1996 | Bill Passed - Senate (63 - 37) |
| 7/30 | HR 2391 | Working Families Flexibility Act of 1996 | Bill Passed - House (225 - 195) |
| 7/25 | H Amdt 1360 | Renewable Energy Research Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (279 - 135) |
| 7/25 | H Amdt 1359 | Energy Research Appropriation Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (198 - 211) |
| 7/25 | HR 3820 | Campaign Finance Reform | Bill Failed - House (162 - 259) |
| 7/24 | H Amdt 1356 | Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) Funding Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (184 - 236) |
| 7/23 | HR 3734 | Welfare Reform Act of 1996 | Bill Passed - Senate (74 - 24) |
| 7/22 | H Amdt 1309 | Non-Federally Funded Abortions Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (176 - 223) |
| 7/18 | H Amdt 1307 | Food Stamp Recipient Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (239 - 184) |
| 7/18 | HR 3734 | Welfare Reform Act of 1996 | Bill Passed - House (256 - 170) |
| 7/12 | H Amdt 1286 | Definition of Marriage Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (103 - 311) |
| 7/12 | H Amdt 1280 | Family Planning Services Clinics Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (232 - 193) |