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
Oct. 3, 2000 National S 2045 American Competitiveness in the 21st Century Act, 2000 Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 1)
Sept. 19, 2000 National HR 4444 U.S.-China Relations Act of 2000 Bill Passed - Senate (83 - 15)
Sept. 13, 2000 National S Amdt 4132 China Nonproliferation Act Amendment Tabled - Senate (65 - 32)
July 21, 2000 National HR 4810 Marriage Tax Relief Bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (60 - 34)
July 14, 2000 National HR 8 Estate Tax Elimination Act of 2000 Bill Passed - Senate (59 - 39)
July 13, 2000 National S Amdt 3821 Estate Tax Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 53)
June 29, 2000 National S Amdt 3690 Off-budget Lockbox Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (60 - 37)
June 29, 2000 National S Amdt 3689 Social Security and Medicare Surplus Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (54 - 43)
June 29, 2000 National S Amdt 3694 Health Care Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (51 - 47)
June 29, 2000 National HR 4762 '527' Political Groups Bill Passed - Senate (92 - 6)
June 28, 2000 National S Amdt 3655 Funding for Special Education Amendment Amendment Tabled - Senate (51 - 47)
June 22, 2000 National S Amdt 3598 Outpatient Prescription Drugs Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (44 - 53)
June 20, 2000 National S Amdt 3252 Military Abortions Amendment Amendment Tabled - Senate (50 - 49)
June 20, 2000 National S Amdt 3473 Hate Crimes Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (57 - 42)
May 18, 2000 National S Amdt 3154 Troop Withdrawal from Kosovo Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (53 - 47)
May 11, 2000 National HR 434 Africa Free Trade bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (77 - 19)
April 13, 2000 National H Con Res 290 Congressional Budget resolution FY 2001 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (50 - 48)
April 7, 2000 National H Con Res 290 Congressional Budget resolution FY 2001 Resolution Passed - Senate (51 - 45)
April 6, 2000 National S Amdt 2955 Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Drilling amendment Amendment Tabled - Senate (51 - 49)
March 29, 2000 National S J Res 14 Flag Desecration amendment Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (63 - 37)
March 2, 2000 National S 1134 Education Savings Accounts Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 37)
Feb. 10, 2000 National S 1287 Nuclear Waste Policy Amendments Act Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 34)
Feb. 3, 2000 National PN 729 Alan Greenspan, Federal Reserve Chairman Nomination Confirmed - Senate (89 - 4)
Feb. 2, 2000 National S Amdt 2763 Violent Protesters Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (80 - 17)
Feb. 2, 2000 National HR 833 Bankruptcy Reform bill Bill Passed - Senate (83 - 14)
Nov. 19, 1999 National HR 3194 District of Columbia FY2000 Appropriations bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (74 - 24)
Nov. 9, 1999 National S Amdt 2751 Two Year Minimum Wage Increase Amendment Amendment Tabled - Senate (50 - 48)
Nov. 9, 1999 National S Amdt 2547 Three Year Minimum Wage Increase Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (54 - 44)
Nov. 3, 1999 National HR 434 Africa Free Trade bill Bill Passed - Senate (76 - 19)
Nov. 2, 1999 National HR 3064 DC/Labor/HHS/Education FY 2000 Appropriations bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (49 - 48)
Oct. 21, 1999 National S Amdt 2321 Expressing Support for Roe v. Wade Decision Amendment Adopted - Senate (51 - 47)
Oct. 21, 1999 National S 1692 Ban on Partial-Birth/Late Term Abortion Bill Passed - Senate (63 - 34)
Oct. 15, 1999 National HR 2684 Veterans Affairs and HUD Appropriations bill, FY 2000 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (93 - 5)
Oct. 13, 1999 National HR 1906 FY 2000 Agriculture Appropriations bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (74 - 26)
Oct. 13, 1999 National Treaty Doc. 105-28 Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty Treaty Ratification Passed - Senate (48 - 51)
Oct. 6, 1999 National HR 2606 Foreign Operations FY2000 Appropriations bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (51 - 49)
Oct. 5, 1999 National PN 49 Ronnie L. White, United States District Judge in Missouri Nomination Rejected - Senate (45 - 54)
Oct. 4, 1999 National HR 2084 Transportation Department FY2000 Appropriations bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (88 - 3)
Sept. 28, 1999 National HR 2605 Energy FY2000 Appropriations bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (96 - 3)
Sept. 23, 1999 National HR 2466 Interior Department FY2000 Appropriations bill Bill Passed - Senate (89 - 10)
Sept. 22, 1999 National S 1059 FY 2000 Defense Authorization Conference Report Adopted - Senate (93 - 5)
Sept. 16, 1999 National HR 2490 Appropriations bill FY2000, Treasury, Postal Service Conference Report Adopted - Senate (54 - 38)
Sept. 16, 1999 National HR 2587 District of Columbia FY2000 Appropriations bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (52 - 39)
Sept. 14, 1999 National S J Res 33 Puerto Rican Nationals resolution Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (95 - 2)
Aug. 5, 1999 National PN 100 Richard Holbrooke, Representative to the United Nations Nomination Confirmed - Senate (81 - 16)
Aug. 5, 1999 National S Amdt 1569 NEA Funding Amendment Tabled - Senate (80 - 16)
Aug. 5, 1999 National HR 2488 Financial Freedom Act of 1999 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (50 - 49)
Aug. 4, 1999 National S Amdt 1499 Agricultural Aid Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (89 - 8)
July 30, 1999 National S 1429 Taxpayer Refund Act of 1999 Bill Passed - Senate (57 - 43)
July 15, 1999 National S Amdt 1250 Patient Lawsuit Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (53 - 47)
Date No. Title Outcome
10/03 S 2045 American Competitiveness in the 21st Century Act, 2000 Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 1)
9/19 HR 4444 U.S.-China Relations Act of 2000 Bill Passed - Senate (83 - 15)
9/13 S Amdt 4132 China Nonproliferation Act Amendment Tabled - Senate (65 - 32)
7/21 HR 4810 Marriage Tax Relief Bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (60 - 34)
7/14 HR 8 Estate Tax Elimination Act of 2000 Bill Passed - Senate (59 - 39)
7/13 S Amdt 3821 Estate Tax Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 53)
6/29 S Amdt 3690 Off-budget Lockbox Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (60 - 37)
6/29 S Amdt 3689 Social Security and Medicare Surplus Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (54 - 43)
6/29 S Amdt 3694 Health Care Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (51 - 47)
6/29 HR 4762 '527' Political Groups Bill Passed - Senate (92 - 6)
6/28 S Amdt 3655 Funding for Special Education Amendment Amendment Tabled - Senate (51 - 47)
6/22 S Amdt 3598 Outpatient Prescription Drugs Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (44 - 53)
6/20 S Amdt 3252 Military Abortions Amendment Amendment Tabled - Senate (50 - 49)
6/20 S Amdt 3473 Hate Crimes Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (57 - 42)
5/18 S Amdt 3154 Troop Withdrawal from Kosovo Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (53 - 47)
5/11 HR 434 Africa Free Trade bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (77 - 19)
4/13 H Con Res 290 Congressional Budget resolution FY 2001 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (50 - 48)
4/07 H Con Res 290 Congressional Budget resolution FY 2001 Resolution Passed - Senate (51 - 45)
4/06 S Amdt 2955 Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Drilling amendment Amendment Tabled - Senate (51 - 49)
3/29 S J Res 14 Flag Desecration amendment Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (63 - 37)
3/02 S 1134 Education Savings Accounts Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 37)
2/10 S 1287 Nuclear Waste Policy Amendments Act Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 34)
2/03 PN 729 Alan Greenspan, Federal Reserve Chairman Nomination Confirmed - Senate (89 - 4)
2/02 S Amdt 2763 Violent Protesters Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (80 - 17)
2/02 HR 833 Bankruptcy Reform bill Bill Passed - Senate (83 - 14)
11/19 HR 3194 District of Columbia FY2000 Appropriations bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (74 - 24)
11/09 S Amdt 2751 Two Year Minimum Wage Increase Amendment Amendment Tabled - Senate (50 - 48)
11/09 S Amdt 2547 Three Year Minimum Wage Increase Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (54 - 44)
11/03 HR 434 Africa Free Trade bill Bill Passed - Senate (76 - 19)
11/02 HR 3064 DC/Labor/HHS/Education FY 2000 Appropriations bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (49 - 48)
10/21 S Amdt 2321 Expressing Support for Roe v. Wade Decision Amendment Adopted - Senate (51 - 47)
10/21 S 1692 Ban on Partial-Birth/Late Term Abortion Bill Passed - Senate (63 - 34)
10/15 HR 2684 Veterans Affairs and HUD Appropriations bill, FY 2000 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (93 - 5)
10/13 HR 1906 FY 2000 Agriculture Appropriations bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (74 - 26)
10/13 Treaty Doc. 105-28 Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty Treaty Ratification Passed - Senate (48 - 51)
10/06 HR 2606 Foreign Operations FY2000 Appropriations bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (51 - 49)
10/05 PN 49 Ronnie L. White, United States District Judge in Missouri Nomination Rejected - Senate (45 - 54)
10/04 HR 2084 Transportation Department FY2000 Appropriations bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (88 - 3)
9/28 HR 2605 Energy FY2000 Appropriations bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (96 - 3)
9/23 HR 2466 Interior Department FY2000 Appropriations bill Bill Passed - Senate (89 - 10)
9/22 S 1059 FY 2000 Defense Authorization Conference Report Adopted - Senate (93 - 5)
9/16 HR 2490 Appropriations bill FY2000, Treasury, Postal Service Conference Report Adopted - Senate (54 - 38)
9/16 HR 2587 District of Columbia FY2000 Appropriations bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (52 - 39)
9/14 S J Res 33 Puerto Rican Nationals resolution Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (95 - 2)
8/05 PN 100 Richard Holbrooke, Representative to the United Nations Nomination Confirmed - Senate (81 - 16)
8/05 S Amdt 1569 NEA Funding Amendment Tabled - Senate (80 - 16)
8/05 HR 2488 Financial Freedom Act of 1999 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (50 - 49)
8/04 S Amdt 1499 Agricultural Aid Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (89 - 8)
7/30 S 1429 Taxpayer Refund Act of 1999 Bill Passed - Senate (57 - 43)
7/15 S Amdt 1250 Patient Lawsuit Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (53 - 47)

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