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 22, 2004 | National | HR 4613 | Defense Department FY2005 Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - House (403 - 17) |
| June 17, 2004 | National | HR 4568 | Interior Department FY2005 Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - House (334 - 86) |
| June 2, 2004 | National | H J Res 83 | Special Elections/Appointments Provisions Bill | Joint Resolution Failed - House (63 - 353) |
| May 20, 2004 | National | HR 4359 | Child Credit Preservation and Expansion Act of 2004 | Bill Passed - House (271 - 139) |
| May 20, 2004 | National | HR 4359 | Child Credit Preservation and Expansion Act of 2004 | Bill Passed - House (271 - 139) |
| May 18, 2004 | National | HR 3722 | Undocumented Immigrant Emergency Medical Assistance | Bill Failed - House (88 - 331) |
| May 6, 2004 | National | H Res 627 | Resolution Condemning Abuse of Iraqi Prisoners | Resolution Passed - House (365 - 50) |
| April 22, 2004 | National | HR 2844 | Continuity in Representation Act of 2003 | Bill Passed - House (306 - 97) |
| March 24, 2004 | National | HR 3873 | Child Nutrition Improvement and Integrity Act | Bill Passed - House (419 - 5) |
| March 24, 2004 | National | HR 3873 | Child Nutrition Improvement and Integrity Act | Bill Passed - House (419 - 5) |
| Nov. 21, 2003 | National | S 1156 | Department of Veterans Affairs Improvement Act of 2003 | Bill Passed - House (423 - 2) |
| Nov. 7, 2003 | National | HR 1588 | Defense Department FY2004 Authorization bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (362 - 40) |
| Sept. 24, 2003 | National | HR 2658 | Terrorism Information Awareness bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (407 - 15) |
| Sept. 24, 2003 | National | HR 2657 | Emergency Supplemental Appropriation, FY 2003 bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (371 - 56) |
| Sept. 23, 2003 | National | HR 1409 | Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Land Exchange Act '02 | Bill Passed - House (288 - 127) |
| July 25, 2003 | National | HR 2861 | Veterans Affairs and HUD Appropriations Act, 2004 | Bill Passed - House (316 - 109) |
| July 9, 2003 | National | HR 438 | Student Loan Forgiveness for Teachers | Bill Passed - House (417 - 7) |
| July 9, 2003 | National | HR 2657 | Emergency Supplemental Appropriation, FY 2003 bill | Bill Passed - House (394 - 26) |
| July 8, 2003 | National | HR 2658 | Terrorism Information Awareness bill | Bill Passed - House (399 - 19) |
| June 11, 2003 | National | HR 2350 | Welfare Reform bill | Bill Passed - House (406 - 6) |
| May 23, 2003 | National | HR 2 | Jobs and Economic Growth bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (231 - 200) |
| May 22, 2003 | National | HR 1588 | Defense Department FY2004 Authorization bill | Bill Passed - House (361 - 68) |
| April 2, 2003 | National | HR 743 | Social Security Protection Act of 2003 | Bill Passed - House (396 - 28) |
| March 13, 2003 | National | HR 5 | Malpractice Liability bill | Bill Passed - House (229 - 196) |
| Feb. 13, 2003 | National | HR 4 | Welfare Reform bill | Bill Passed - House (230 - 192) |
| Feb. 13, 2003 | National | HR 4 | Welfare Reform bill | Bill Passed - House (230 - 192) |
| Oct. 10, 2002 | National | HR 5010 | Department of Defense Appropriations, Fiscal Year 2003 | Conference Report Adopted - House (409 - 14) |
| July 26, 2002 | National | HR 5005 | Establishing the Department of Homeland Security | Bill Passed - House (295 - 132) |
| July 24, 2002 | National | H Res 495 | Expulsion of Representative James A. Traficant, Jr., D-Ohio | Resolution Passed - House (420 - 1) |
| July 18, 2002 | National | HR 5121 | Legislative Branch Appropriation, FY2003 | Bill Passed - House (365 - 49) |
| July 17, 2002 | National | HR 5093 | Department of the Interior Appropriations Act, Fiscal Year 2003 | Bill Passed - House (377 - 46) |
| June 28, 2002 | National | HR 4954 | Medicare Modernization and Prescription Drug Act | Bill Passed - House (221 - 208) |
| June 27, 2002 | National | HR 5010 | Department of Defense Appropriations, Fiscal Year 2003 | Bill Passed - House (413 - 18) |
| June 27, 2002 | National | HR 5011 | Military Construction Appropriations Act, Fiscal Year 2003 | Bill Passed - House (426 - 1) |
| May 16, 2002 | National | HR 4737 | Temporary Aid to Needy Families | Bill Passed - House (229 - 197) |
| May 16, 2002 | National | HR 4737 | Temporary Aid to Needy Families | Bill Passed - House (229 - 197) |
| May 10, 2002 | National | HR 4546 | National Defense Authorization Act for FY 2003 | Bill Passed - House (359 - 58) |
| May 2, 2002 | National | HR 2646 | Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 | Conference Report Adopted - House (280 - 141) |
| Dec. 13, 2001 | National | S 1438 | National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2002 | Conference Report Adopted - House (382 - 40) |
| Nov. 8, 2001 | National | HR 2620 | Veterans Affairs and HUD Appropriations Act of 2002 | Conference Report Adopted - House (401 - 18) |
| Nov. 1, 2001 | National | HR 2647 | Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2002 | Conference Report Adopted - House (374 - 52) |
| Oct. 17, 2001 | National | HR 2217 | Interior Department Appropriations for FY 2002 | Conference Report Adopted - House (380 - 28) |
| Oct. 5, 2001 | National | HR 2646 | Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 | Bill Passed - House (291 - 120) |
| July 19, 2001 | National | HR 7 | Community Solutions Act of 2001 | Bill Passed - House (233 - 198) |
| March 7, 2001 | National | S J Res 6 | Ergonomics Regulations Resolution | Joint Resolution Passed - House (223 - 206) |
| July 27, 2000 | National | H Amdt 1041 | Social Security Benefits Tax Relief | Amendment Rejected - House (169 - 256) |
| July 27, 2000 | National | HR 4865 | Social Security Benefits Tax Relief bill | Bill Passed - House (265 - 159) |
| June 28, 2000 | National | HR 4680 | Medicare Rx bill | Bill Passed - House (217 - 214) |
| May 18, 2000 | National | H Amdt 722 | Oversea Military Abortions Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (195 - 221) |
| Oct. 21, 1999 | National | HR 2 | Education Funding for Disadvantaged Students-Passage | Bill Passed - House (358 - 67) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6/22 | HR 4613 | Defense Department FY2005 Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - House (403 - 17) |
| 6/17 | HR 4568 | Interior Department FY2005 Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - House (334 - 86) |
| 6/02 | H J Res 83 | Special Elections/Appointments Provisions Bill | Joint Resolution Failed - House (63 - 353) |
| 5/20 | HR 4359 | Child Credit Preservation and Expansion Act of 2004 | Bill Passed - House (271 - 139) |
| 5/20 | HR 4359 | Child Credit Preservation and Expansion Act of 2004 | Bill Passed - House (271 - 139) |
| 5/18 | HR 3722 | Undocumented Immigrant Emergency Medical Assistance | Bill Failed - House (88 - 331) |
| 5/06 | H Res 627 | Resolution Condemning Abuse of Iraqi Prisoners | Resolution Passed - House (365 - 50) |
| 4/22 | HR 2844 | Continuity in Representation Act of 2003 | Bill Passed - House (306 - 97) |
| 3/24 | HR 3873 | Child Nutrition Improvement and Integrity Act | Bill Passed - House (419 - 5) |
| 3/24 | HR 3873 | Child Nutrition Improvement and Integrity Act | Bill Passed - House (419 - 5) |
| 11/21 | S 1156 | Department of Veterans Affairs Improvement Act of 2003 | Bill Passed - House (423 - 2) |
| 11/07 | HR 1588 | Defense Department FY2004 Authorization bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (362 - 40) |
| 9/24 | HR 2658 | Terrorism Information Awareness bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (407 - 15) |
| 9/24 | HR 2657 | Emergency Supplemental Appropriation, FY 2003 bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (371 - 56) |
| 9/23 | HR 1409 | Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Land Exchange Act '02 | Bill Passed - House (288 - 127) |
| 7/25 | HR 2861 | Veterans Affairs and HUD Appropriations Act, 2004 | Bill Passed - House (316 - 109) |
| 7/09 | HR 438 | Student Loan Forgiveness for Teachers | Bill Passed - House (417 - 7) |
| 7/09 | HR 2657 | Emergency Supplemental Appropriation, FY 2003 bill | Bill Passed - House (394 - 26) |
| 7/08 | HR 2658 | Terrorism Information Awareness bill | Bill Passed - House (399 - 19) |
| 6/11 | HR 2350 | Welfare Reform bill | Bill Passed - House (406 - 6) |
| 5/23 | HR 2 | Jobs and Economic Growth bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (231 - 200) |
| 5/22 | HR 1588 | Defense Department FY2004 Authorization bill | Bill Passed - House (361 - 68) |
| 4/02 | HR 743 | Social Security Protection Act of 2003 | Bill Passed - House (396 - 28) |
| 3/13 | HR 5 | Malpractice Liability bill | Bill Passed - House (229 - 196) |
| 2/13 | HR 4 | Welfare Reform bill | Bill Passed - House (230 - 192) |
| 2/13 | HR 4 | Welfare Reform bill | Bill Passed - House (230 - 192) |
| 10/10 | HR 5010 | Department of Defense Appropriations, Fiscal Year 2003 | Conference Report Adopted - House (409 - 14) |
| 7/26 | HR 5005 | Establishing the Department of Homeland Security | Bill Passed - House (295 - 132) |
| 7/24 | H Res 495 | Expulsion of Representative James A. Traficant, Jr., D-Ohio | Resolution Passed - House (420 - 1) |
| 7/18 | HR 5121 | Legislative Branch Appropriation, FY2003 | Bill Passed - House (365 - 49) |
| 7/17 | HR 5093 | Department of the Interior Appropriations Act, Fiscal Year 2003 | Bill Passed - House (377 - 46) |
| 6/28 | HR 4954 | Medicare Modernization and Prescription Drug Act | Bill Passed - House (221 - 208) |
| 6/27 | HR 5010 | Department of Defense Appropriations, Fiscal Year 2003 | Bill Passed - House (413 - 18) |
| 6/27 | HR 5011 | Military Construction Appropriations Act, Fiscal Year 2003 | Bill Passed - House (426 - 1) |
| 5/16 | HR 4737 | Temporary Aid to Needy Families | Bill Passed - House (229 - 197) |
| 5/16 | HR 4737 | Temporary Aid to Needy Families | Bill Passed - House (229 - 197) |
| 5/10 | HR 4546 | National Defense Authorization Act for FY 2003 | Bill Passed - House (359 - 58) |
| 5/02 | HR 2646 | Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 | Conference Report Adopted - House (280 - 141) |
| 12/13 | S 1438 | National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2002 | Conference Report Adopted - House (382 - 40) |
| 11/08 | HR 2620 | Veterans Affairs and HUD Appropriations Act of 2002 | Conference Report Adopted - House (401 - 18) |
| 11/01 | HR 2647 | Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2002 | Conference Report Adopted - House (374 - 52) |
| 10/17 | HR 2217 | Interior Department Appropriations for FY 2002 | Conference Report Adopted - House (380 - 28) |
| 10/05 | HR 2646 | Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 | Bill Passed - House (291 - 120) |
| 7/19 | HR 7 | Community Solutions Act of 2001 | Bill Passed - House (233 - 198) |
| 3/07 | S J Res 6 | Ergonomics Regulations Resolution | Joint Resolution Passed - House (223 - 206) |
| 7/27 | H Amdt 1041 | Social Security Benefits Tax Relief | Amendment Rejected - House (169 - 256) |
| 7/27 | HR 4865 | Social Security Benefits Tax Relief bill | Bill Passed - House (265 - 159) |
| 6/28 | HR 4680 | Medicare Rx bill | Bill Passed - House (217 - 214) |
| 5/18 | H Amdt 722 | Oversea Military Abortions Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (195 - 221) |
| 10/21 | HR 2 | Education Funding for Disadvantaged Students-Passage | Bill Passed - House (358 - 67) |