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 27, 2003 | National | S 1 | Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit bill | Bill Passed - Senate (76 - 21) |
| June 24, 2003 | National | HR 2555 | Homeland Security Appropriations, FY 2004 bill | Bill Passed - House (425 - 2) |
| June 19, 2003 | National | HR 660 | Small Business Health Fairness Act of 2003 | Bill Passed - House (262 - 162) |
| June 19, 2003 | National | HR 1528 | Taxpayer Protection and IRS Accountability Act of 2003 | Bill Passed - House (252 - 170) |
| June 11, 2003 | National | HR 2350 | Welfare Reform bill | Bill Passed - House (406 - 6) |
| June 10, 2003 | National | S Amdt 871 | Reduction of Foreign Oil Dependence Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (99 - 1) |
| June 10, 2003 | National | S Amdt 865 | Hydrogen Fuel Cell Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (67 - 32) |
| June 10, 2003 | National | HR 2143 | Unlawful Internet Gambling Funding Prohibition Act | Bill Passed - House (319 - 104) |
| June 4, 2003 | National | HR 760 | Prohibit Partial-Birth/Late Term Abortion Bill | Bill Passed - House (282 - 139) |
| June 3, 2003 | National | H J Res 4 | Flag Burning Resolution | Bill Passed - House (300 - 125) |
| May 23, 2003 | National | HR 2 | Jobs and Economic Growth bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (51 - 50) |
| May 23, 2003 | National | HR 2 | Jobs and Economic Growth bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (231 - 200) |
| May 22, 2003 | National | S 1050 | Fiscal 2004 Defense Authorization-Passage | Bill Passed - Senate (98 - 1) |
| May 22, 2003 | National | HR 1588 | Defense Department FY2004 Authorization bill | Bill Passed - House (361 - 68) |
| May 20, 2003 | National | HR 1904 | Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 | (256 - 170) |
| May 1, 2003 | National | HR 1298 | AIDS Assistance bill | Bill Passed - House (375 - 41) |
| April 30, 2003 | National | HR 1350 | Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act | Bill Passed - House (251 - 171) |
| April 11, 2003 | National | H Con Res 95 | Congressional Budget for fiscal year 2004 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (51 - 50) |
| April 11, 2003 | National | H Con Res 95 | Congressional Budget for fiscal year 2004 | Conference Report Adopted - House (216 - 211) |
| April 11, 2003 | National | HR 6 | Energy Omnibus bill | Bill Passed - House (247 - 175) |
| April 10, 2003 | National | S 151 | Enhance AMBER Alert bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (400 - 25) |
| April 9, 2003 | National | HR 1036 | Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act | Bill Passed - House (285 - 140) |
| April 3, 2003 | National | HR 1559 | Emergency Wartime Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2003 | Bill Passed - House (414 - 12) |
| April 2, 2003 | National | HR 743 | Social Security Protection Act of 2003 | Bill Passed - House (396 - 28) |
| March 31, 2003 | National | HR 1463 | Vaccine Compensation bill | Bill Failed - House (184 - 206) |
| March 26, 2003 | National | S Con Res 23 | Budget Resolution FY2004 | Resolution Passed - Senate (56 - 44) |
| March 21, 2003 | National | H Con Res 95 | Congressional Budget for fiscal year 2004 | Resolution Passed - House (215 - 212) |
| March 19, 2003 | National | S Amdt 272 | ANWR Oil Drilling Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (52 - 48) |
| March 13, 2003 | National | HR 5 | Malpractice Liability bill | Bill Passed - House (229 - 196) |
| Feb. 27, 2003 | National | HR 534 | Cloning of Humans bill | Bill Passed - House (241 - 155) |
| Feb. 13, 2003 | National | H J Res 2 | Consolidated Appropriations Resolution, 2003 | Conference Report Adopted - House (338 - 83) |
| Feb. 13, 2003 | National | H J Res 2 | Consolidated Appropriations Resolution, 2003 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (76 - 20) |
| Feb. 13, 2003 | National | HR 4 | Welfare Reform bill | Bill Passed - House (230 - 192) |
| Jan. 8, 2003 | National | S 23 | Unemployment Benefits bill | Bill Passed - House (416 - 4) |
| Nov. 19, 2002 | National | HR 5005 | Establishing the Department of Homeland Security | Bill Passed - Senate (90 - 9) |
| Oct. 16, 2002 | National | HR 3295 | Help America Vote Act of 2002 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (92 - 2) |
| Oct. 16, 2002 | National | HR 5010 | Department of Defense Appropriations, Fiscal Year 2003 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (93 - 1) |
| Oct. 11, 2002 | National | H J Res 114 | Use of Military Force Against Iraq | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (77 - 23) |
| Oct. 10, 2002 | National | HR 5010 | Department of Defense Appropriations, Fiscal Year 2003 | Conference Report Adopted - House (409 - 14) |
| Oct. 10, 2002 | National | HR 3295 | Help America Vote Act of 2002 | Conference Report Adopted - House (357 - 48) |
| Oct. 10, 2002 | National | H J Res 114 | Use of Military Force Against Iraq | Joint Resolution Passed - House (296 - 133) |
| Aug. 1, 2002 | National | HR 3009 | Andean Trade Preference Act Extension | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (64 - 34) |
| Aug. 1, 2002 | National | HR 5010 | Department of Defense Appropriations, Fiscal Year 2003 | Bill Passed - Senate (95 - 3) |
| July 31, 2002 | National | S 812 | Greater Access to Affordable Pharmaceuticals Act | Bill Passed - Senate (78 - 21) |
| July 27, 2002 | National | HR 3009 | Andean Trade Preference Act Extension | Conference Report Adopted - House (215 - 212) |
| July 26, 2002 | National | HR 5005 | Establishing the Department of Homeland Security | Bill Passed - House (295 - 132) |
| July 25, 2002 | National | HR 5121 | Legislative Branch Appropriation, FY2003 | Bill Passed - Senate (85 - 14) |
| July 24, 2002 | National | HR 4775 | Supplemental Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2002 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (92 - 7) |
| July 24, 2002 | National | H Res 495 | Expulsion of Representative James A. Traficant, Jr., D-Ohio | Resolution Passed - House (420 - 1) |
| July 24, 2002 | National | HR 5120 | Treasury and General Government Appropriations Act, 2002 | Bill Passed - House (308 - 121) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6/27 | S 1 | Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit bill | Bill Passed - Senate (76 - 21) |
| 6/24 | HR 2555 | Homeland Security Appropriations, FY 2004 bill | Bill Passed - House (425 - 2) |
| 6/19 | HR 660 | Small Business Health Fairness Act of 2003 | Bill Passed - House (262 - 162) |
| 6/19 | HR 1528 | Taxpayer Protection and IRS Accountability Act of 2003 | Bill Passed - House (252 - 170) |
| 6/11 | HR 2350 | Welfare Reform bill | Bill Passed - House (406 - 6) |
| 6/10 | S Amdt 871 | Reduction of Foreign Oil Dependence Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (99 - 1) |
| 6/10 | S Amdt 865 | Hydrogen Fuel Cell Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (67 - 32) |
| 6/10 | HR 2143 | Unlawful Internet Gambling Funding Prohibition Act | Bill Passed - House (319 - 104) |
| 6/04 | HR 760 | Prohibit Partial-Birth/Late Term Abortion Bill | Bill Passed - House (282 - 139) |
| 6/03 | H J Res 4 | Flag Burning Resolution | Bill Passed - House (300 - 125) |
| 5/23 | HR 2 | Jobs and Economic Growth bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (51 - 50) |
| 5/23 | HR 2 | Jobs and Economic Growth bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (231 - 200) |
| 5/22 | S 1050 | Fiscal 2004 Defense Authorization-Passage | Bill Passed - Senate (98 - 1) |
| 5/22 | HR 1588 | Defense Department FY2004 Authorization bill | Bill Passed - House (361 - 68) |
| 5/20 | HR 1904 | Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 | (256 - 170) |
| 5/01 | HR 1298 | AIDS Assistance bill | Bill Passed - House (375 - 41) |
| 4/30 | HR 1350 | Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act | Bill Passed - House (251 - 171) |
| 4/11 | H Con Res 95 | Congressional Budget for fiscal year 2004 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (51 - 50) |
| 4/11 | H Con Res 95 | Congressional Budget for fiscal year 2004 | Conference Report Adopted - House (216 - 211) |
| 4/11 | HR 6 | Energy Omnibus bill | Bill Passed - House (247 - 175) |
| 4/10 | S 151 | Enhance AMBER Alert bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (400 - 25) |
| 4/09 | HR 1036 | Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act | Bill Passed - House (285 - 140) |
| 4/03 | HR 1559 | Emergency Wartime Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2003 | Bill Passed - House (414 - 12) |
| 4/02 | HR 743 | Social Security Protection Act of 2003 | Bill Passed - House (396 - 28) |
| 3/31 | HR 1463 | Vaccine Compensation bill | Bill Failed - House (184 - 206) |
| 3/26 | S Con Res 23 | Budget Resolution FY2004 | Resolution Passed - Senate (56 - 44) |
| 3/21 | H Con Res 95 | Congressional Budget for fiscal year 2004 | Resolution Passed - House (215 - 212) |
| 3/19 | S Amdt 272 | ANWR Oil Drilling Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (52 - 48) |
| 3/13 | HR 5 | Malpractice Liability bill | Bill Passed - House (229 - 196) |
| 2/27 | HR 534 | Cloning of Humans bill | Bill Passed - House (241 - 155) |
| 2/13 | H J Res 2 | Consolidated Appropriations Resolution, 2003 | Conference Report Adopted - House (338 - 83) |
| 2/13 | H J Res 2 | Consolidated Appropriations Resolution, 2003 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (76 - 20) |
| 2/13 | HR 4 | Welfare Reform bill | Bill Passed - House (230 - 192) |
| 1/08 | S 23 | Unemployment Benefits bill | Bill Passed - House (416 - 4) |
| 11/19 | HR 5005 | Establishing the Department of Homeland Security | Bill Passed - Senate (90 - 9) |
| 10/16 | HR 3295 | Help America Vote Act of 2002 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (92 - 2) |
| 10/16 | HR 5010 | Department of Defense Appropriations, Fiscal Year 2003 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (93 - 1) |
| 10/11 | H J Res 114 | Use of Military Force Against Iraq | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (77 - 23) |
| 10/10 | HR 5010 | Department of Defense Appropriations, Fiscal Year 2003 | Conference Report Adopted - House (409 - 14) |
| 10/10 | HR 3295 | Help America Vote Act of 2002 | Conference Report Adopted - House (357 - 48) |
| 10/10 | H J Res 114 | Use of Military Force Against Iraq | Joint Resolution Passed - House (296 - 133) |
| 8/01 | HR 3009 | Andean Trade Preference Act Extension | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (64 - 34) |
| 8/01 | HR 5010 | Department of Defense Appropriations, Fiscal Year 2003 | Bill Passed - Senate (95 - 3) |
| 7/31 | S 812 | Greater Access to Affordable Pharmaceuticals Act | Bill Passed - Senate (78 - 21) |
| 7/27 | HR 3009 | Andean Trade Preference Act Extension | Conference Report Adopted - House (215 - 212) |
| 7/26 | HR 5005 | Establishing the Department of Homeland Security | Bill Passed - House (295 - 132) |
| 7/25 | HR 5121 | Legislative Branch Appropriation, FY2003 | Bill Passed - Senate (85 - 14) |
| 7/24 | HR 4775 | Supplemental Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2002 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (92 - 7) |
| 7/24 | H Res 495 | Expulsion of Representative James A. Traficant, Jr., D-Ohio | Resolution Passed - House (420 - 1) |
| 7/24 | HR 5120 | Treasury and General Government Appropriations Act, 2002 | Bill Passed - House (308 - 121) |