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 12, 1996 | National | H Con Res 178 | Fiscal Year 1997 Budget Resolution | Conference Report Adopted - House (216 - 211) |
| May 22, 1996 | National | HR 3448 | Minimum Wage Increase bill | Bill Passed - House (414 - 10) |
| May 21, 1996 | National | HR 3415 | Repeal Gas Tax bill | Bill Passed - House (301 - 108) |
| May 16, 1996 | National | H Con Res 178 | Fiscal Year 1997 Budget Resolution | Resolution Passed - House (226 - 195) |
| April 30, 1996 | National | HR 1561 | Authorization bill, FY96-97, Foreign Relations | Veto Override Failed - House (234 - 188) |
| April 25, 1996 | National | HR 3019 | Appropriations bill FY96, Omnibus | Conference Report Adopted - House (399 - 25) |
| April 17, 1996 | National | HR 842 | Truth in Budgeting Act | Bill Passed - House (284 - 143) |
| March 12, 1996 | National | HR 1561 | Authorization bill, FY96-97, Foreign Relations | Conference Report Adopted - House (226 - 172) |
| March 7, 1996 | National | HR 3019 | Appropriations bill FY96, Omnibus | Bill Passed - House (209 - 206) |
| Jan. 4, 1996 | National | HR 1977 | 1996 Interior Appropriations | Veto Override Failed - House (239 - 177) |
| Dec. 21, 1995 | National | HR 4 | Welfare Reform Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (245 - 178) |
| Dec. 13, 1995 | National | HR 1977 | Interior Department FY96 Appropriations bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (244 - 181) |
| Dec. 7, 1995 | National | HR 2099 | Veterans Affairs, HUD FY '96 Appropriations bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (227 - 190) |
| Dec. 6, 1995 | National | HR 2076 | Appropriations bill FY96, Commerce, Justice, State | Conference Report Adopted - House (256 - 166) |
| Nov. 16, 1995 | National | H J Res 122 | Continuing Appropriation Bill | Bill Passed - House (277 - 151) |
| Nov. 15, 1995 | National | HR 2020 | Appropriations bill FY96, Treasury, Postal Service | Conference Report Adopted - House (374 - 52) |
| Nov. 2, 1995 | National | HR 2546 | Appropriations Bill FY 96, District of Columbia | Bill Passed - House (224 - 191) |
| Oct. 31, 1995 | National | HR 1868 | Appropriations bill, FY96, Foreign Relations | Conference Report Adopted - House (351 - 71) |
| Oct. 31, 1995 | National | HR 2492 | Appropriations Bill FY96, Legislative Branch | Bill Passed - House (315 - 106) |
| Oct. 26, 1995 | National | HR 2491 | Budget Reconciliation Bill | Bill Passed - House (227 - 203) |
| Oct. 12, 1995 | National | HR 1976 | Appropriations bill FY96, Agriculture | Conference Report Adopted - House (288 - 132) |
| Oct. 12, 1995 | National | HR 2405 | Omnibus Civilian Science Authorization Act of 1995 | Bill Passed - House (248 - 161) |
| Sept. 20, 1995 | National | H Amdt 814 | Drinking and Driving Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (223 - 203) |
| Aug. 4, 1995 | National | HR 2127 | Appropriations bill FY96, Labor, HHS, Education | Bill Passed - House (219 - 208) |
| Aug. 3, 1995 | National | H Amdt 725 | Corporation for Public Broadcasting Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (136 - 286) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6/12 | H Con Res 178 | Fiscal Year 1997 Budget Resolution | Conference Report Adopted - House (216 - 211) |
| 5/22 | HR 3448 | Minimum Wage Increase bill | Bill Passed - House (414 - 10) |
| 5/21 | HR 3415 | Repeal Gas Tax bill | Bill Passed - House (301 - 108) |
| 5/16 | H Con Res 178 | Fiscal Year 1997 Budget Resolution | Resolution Passed - House (226 - 195) |
| 4/30 | HR 1561 | Authorization bill, FY96-97, Foreign Relations | Veto Override Failed - House (234 - 188) |
| 4/25 | HR 3019 | Appropriations bill FY96, Omnibus | Conference Report Adopted - House (399 - 25) |
| 4/17 | HR 842 | Truth in Budgeting Act | Bill Passed - House (284 - 143) |
| 3/12 | HR 1561 | Authorization bill, FY96-97, Foreign Relations | Conference Report Adopted - House (226 - 172) |
| 3/07 | HR 3019 | Appropriations bill FY96, Omnibus | Bill Passed - House (209 - 206) |
| 1/04 | HR 1977 | 1996 Interior Appropriations | Veto Override Failed - House (239 - 177) |
| 12/21 | HR 4 | Welfare Reform Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (245 - 178) |
| 12/13 | HR 1977 | Interior Department FY96 Appropriations bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (244 - 181) |
| 12/07 | HR 2099 | Veterans Affairs, HUD FY '96 Appropriations bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (227 - 190) |
| 12/06 | HR 2076 | Appropriations bill FY96, Commerce, Justice, State | Conference Report Adopted - House (256 - 166) |
| 11/16 | H J Res 122 | Continuing Appropriation Bill | Bill Passed - House (277 - 151) |
| 11/15 | HR 2020 | Appropriations bill FY96, Treasury, Postal Service | Conference Report Adopted - House (374 - 52) |
| 11/02 | HR 2546 | Appropriations Bill FY 96, District of Columbia | Bill Passed - House (224 - 191) |
| 10/31 | HR 1868 | Appropriations bill, FY96, Foreign Relations | Conference Report Adopted - House (351 - 71) |
| 10/31 | HR 2492 | Appropriations Bill FY96, Legislative Branch | Bill Passed - House (315 - 106) |
| 10/26 | HR 2491 | Budget Reconciliation Bill | Bill Passed - House (227 - 203) |
| 10/12 | HR 1976 | Appropriations bill FY96, Agriculture | Conference Report Adopted - House (288 - 132) |
| 10/12 | HR 2405 | Omnibus Civilian Science Authorization Act of 1995 | Bill Passed - House (248 - 161) |
| 9/20 | H Amdt 814 | Drinking and Driving Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (223 - 203) |
| 8/04 | HR 2127 | Appropriations bill FY96, Labor, HHS, Education | Bill Passed - House (219 - 208) |
| 8/03 | H Amdt 725 | Corporation for Public Broadcasting Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (136 - 286) |