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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sept. 18, 2008 | National | HR 6604 | Commodity Markets Speculation Bill | Bill Passed - House (283 - 133) |
| July 31, 2008 | National | HR 4040 | Consumer Product Safety Commission Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (89 - 3) |
| July 30, 2008 | National | HR 1108 | FDA Regulation of Tobacco | Bill Passed - House (326 - 102) |
| June 26, 2008 | National | HR 6377 | Energy Futures Trading | Bill Passed - House (402 - 19) |
| June 25, 2008 | National | S Amdt 4983 | Housing Foreclosure Assistance Programs | Amendment Adopted - Senate (79 - 16) |
| June 24, 2008 | National | HR 6346 | Price Gouging Prevention Act | Bill Failed - House (276 - 146) |
| June 19, 2008 | National | HR 2642 | GI Bill, Funding for Midwest Flood Cleanup, Extension of Unemployment Benefits, and Other Provisions | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (416 - 12) |
| May 22, 2008 | National | HR 2419 | Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) | Veto Override Passed - Senate (82 - 13) |
| May 21, 2008 | National | HR 2419 | Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) | Veto Override Passed - House (316 - 108) |
| May 15, 2008 | National | HR 2419 | Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (81 - 15) |
| May 14, 2008 | National | HR 2419 | Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) | Conference Report Adopted - House (318 - 106) |
| April 10, 2008 | National | H Res 1092 | Postponing the Consideration of the Trade Agreement with Colombia | Resolution Passed - House (224 - 195) |
| March 14, 2008 | National | S Amdt 4299 | Expressing the Sense of the Senate on the Legalization of Importing Certain Prescription Drugs | Amendment Adopted - Senate (73 - 23) |
| March 6, 2008 | National | HR 4040 | Consumer Product Safety Commission Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (79 - 13) |
| Dec. 4, 2007 | National | HR 3688 | United States-Peru Trade Agreement | Bill Passed - Senate (77 - 18) |
| Nov. 15, 2007 | National | HR 3915 | Mortgage Reform and Anti-Subprime Lending Act | Bill Passed - House (291 - 127) |
| Nov. 14, 2007 | National | HR 3074 | Appropriations for the Department of Transportation and the Department of Housing and Urban Development | Conference Report Adopted - House (270 - 147) |
| Nov. 8, 2007 | National | HR 3688 | United States-Peru Trade Agreement | Bill Passed - House (285 - 132) |
| Oct. 31, 2007 | National | HR 3920 | Trade and Globalization Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - House (264 - 157) |
| Sept. 11, 2007 | National | S Amdt 2797 | Limiting Mexican Trucks to Commercial Zones Near the Border Between the U.S. and Mexico | Amendment Adopted - Senate (75 - 23) |
| Sept. 7, 2007 | National | HR 1908 | Patent Reform Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - House (220 - 175) |
| Aug. 2, 2007 | National | H Amdt 734 | Prescription Drug Imports | Amendment Rejected - House (146 - 283) |
| July 27, 2007 | National | HR 2419 | Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) | Bill Passed - House (231 - 191) |
| July 11, 2007 | National | HR 556 | Foreign Investment Oversight | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (370 - 45) |
| June 27, 2007 | National | HR 1830 | Andean Trade Preference Act Extension | Bill Passed - House (365 - 59) |
| June 19, 2007 | National | S Amdt 1519 | Preventing Petroleum Export Organizations (NOPEC Act of 2007) | Amendment Adopted - Senate (70 - 23) |
| May 22, 2007 | National | HR 2264 | Preventing the Organization of Petroleum Export Groups | Bill Passed - House (345 - 72) |
| May 7, 2007 | National | S Amdt 1010 | FDA Drug Import Certification Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (49 - 40) |
| Jan. 5, 2007 | National | H Res 6 | Pay-As-You-Go Rule | Resolution Passed - House (280 - 152) |
| Sept. 19, 2006 | National | HR 5684 | U.S.-Oman Free Trade Agreement Implementation | Bill Passed - Senate (62 - 32) |
| Sept. 13, 2006 | National | S Amdt 4999 | Security of Cargo Containers Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (43 - 55) |
| July 26, 2006 | National | HR 5682 | U.S.and India Nuclear Cooperation Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (359 - 68) |
| July 20, 2006 | National | HR 5684 | U.S.-Oman Free Trade Agreement Implementation | Bill Passed - House (221 - 205) |
| July 12, 2006 | National | HR 2990 | Credit Rating Agency Duopoly Relief Act | Bill Passed - House (255 - 166) |
| June 29, 2006 | National | S 3569 | U.S. -Oman Free Trade Agreement | Bill Passed - Senate (60 - 34) |
| June 8, 2006 | National | HR 5252 | COPE Bill of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (321 - 101) |
| March 14, 2006 | National | S Amdt 3013 | Reinstate Pay-As-You-Go through 2011 Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (50 - 50) |
| July 28, 2005 | National | HR 3045 | CAFTA Implementation Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (55 - 45) |
| July 28, 2005 | National | HR 3045 | CAFTA Implementation Bill | Bill Passed - House (217 - 215) |
| July 26, 2005 | National | S Amdt 1351 | Corporate Financing of Terrorism Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 51) |
| July 20, 2005 | National | HR 2601 | State Department FY 2006/2007 Authorization Bill | Bill Passed - House (351 - 78) |
| June 30, 2005 | National | S 1307 | CAFTA Implementation Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (54 - 45) |
| June 15, 2005 | National | H Amdt 270 | Bans Use of Funds to Enforce Cuba Regulations Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (210 - 216) |
| June 9, 2005 | National | H J Res 27 | Withdrawing Approval from the WTO Agreement | Joint Resolution Failed - House (86 - 338) |
| April 14, 2005 | National | S 256 | Bankruptcy Reform Bill | Bill Passed - House (302 - 126) |
| March 10, 2005 | National | S 256 | Bankruptcy Reform Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (74 - 25) |
| Oct. 11, 2004 | National | HR 4520 | JOBS (Jumpstart Our Business Strength) | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (69 - 17) |
| Oct. 11, 2004 | National | HR 4520 | JOBS (Jumpstart Our Business Strength) | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (69 - 17) |
| Oct. 7, 2004 | National | HR 4520 | JOBS (Jumpstart Our Business Strength) | Conference Report Adopted - House (280 - 141) |
| Oct. 7, 2004 | National | HR 4520 | JOBS (Jumpstart Our Business Strength) | Conference Report Adopted - House (280 - 141) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9/18 | HR 6604 | Commodity Markets Speculation Bill | Bill Passed - House (283 - 133) |
| 7/31 | HR 4040 | Consumer Product Safety Commission Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (89 - 3) |
| 7/30 | HR 1108 | FDA Regulation of Tobacco | Bill Passed - House (326 - 102) |
| 6/26 | HR 6377 | Energy Futures Trading | Bill Passed - House (402 - 19) |
| 6/25 | S Amdt 4983 | Housing Foreclosure Assistance Programs | Amendment Adopted - Senate (79 - 16) |
| 6/24 | HR 6346 | Price Gouging Prevention Act | Bill Failed - House (276 - 146) |
| 6/19 | HR 2642 | GI Bill, Funding for Midwest Flood Cleanup, Extension of Unemployment Benefits, and Other Provisions | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (416 - 12) |
| 5/22 | HR 2419 | Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) | Veto Override Passed - Senate (82 - 13) |
| 5/21 | HR 2419 | Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) | Veto Override Passed - House (316 - 108) |
| 5/15 | HR 2419 | Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (81 - 15) |
| 5/14 | HR 2419 | Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) | Conference Report Adopted - House (318 - 106) |
| 4/10 | H Res 1092 | Postponing the Consideration of the Trade Agreement with Colombia | Resolution Passed - House (224 - 195) |
| 3/14 | S Amdt 4299 | Expressing the Sense of the Senate on the Legalization of Importing Certain Prescription Drugs | Amendment Adopted - Senate (73 - 23) |
| 3/06 | HR 4040 | Consumer Product Safety Commission Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (79 - 13) |
| 12/04 | HR 3688 | United States-Peru Trade Agreement | Bill Passed - Senate (77 - 18) |
| 11/15 | HR 3915 | Mortgage Reform and Anti-Subprime Lending Act | Bill Passed - House (291 - 127) |
| 11/14 | HR 3074 | Appropriations for the Department of Transportation and the Department of Housing and Urban Development | Conference Report Adopted - House (270 - 147) |
| 11/08 | HR 3688 | United States-Peru Trade Agreement | Bill Passed - House (285 - 132) |
| 10/31 | HR 3920 | Trade and Globalization Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - House (264 - 157) |
| 9/11 | S Amdt 2797 | Limiting Mexican Trucks to Commercial Zones Near the Border Between the U.S. and Mexico | Amendment Adopted - Senate (75 - 23) |
| 9/07 | HR 1908 | Patent Reform Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - House (220 - 175) |
| 8/02 | H Amdt 734 | Prescription Drug Imports | Amendment Rejected - House (146 - 283) |
| 7/27 | HR 2419 | Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) | Bill Passed - House (231 - 191) |
| 7/11 | HR 556 | Foreign Investment Oversight | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (370 - 45) |
| 6/27 | HR 1830 | Andean Trade Preference Act Extension | Bill Passed - House (365 - 59) |
| 6/19 | S Amdt 1519 | Preventing Petroleum Export Organizations (NOPEC Act of 2007) | Amendment Adopted - Senate (70 - 23) |
| 5/22 | HR 2264 | Preventing the Organization of Petroleum Export Groups | Bill Passed - House (345 - 72) |
| 5/07 | S Amdt 1010 | FDA Drug Import Certification Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (49 - 40) |
| 1/05 | H Res 6 | Pay-As-You-Go Rule | Resolution Passed - House (280 - 152) |
| 9/19 | HR 5684 | U.S.-Oman Free Trade Agreement Implementation | Bill Passed - Senate (62 - 32) |
| 9/13 | S Amdt 4999 | Security of Cargo Containers Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (43 - 55) |
| 7/26 | HR 5682 | U.S.and India Nuclear Cooperation Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (359 - 68) |
| 7/20 | HR 5684 | U.S.-Oman Free Trade Agreement Implementation | Bill Passed - House (221 - 205) |
| 7/12 | HR 2990 | Credit Rating Agency Duopoly Relief Act | Bill Passed - House (255 - 166) |
| 6/29 | S 3569 | U.S. -Oman Free Trade Agreement | Bill Passed - Senate (60 - 34) |
| 6/08 | HR 5252 | COPE Bill of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (321 - 101) |
| 3/14 | S Amdt 3013 | Reinstate Pay-As-You-Go through 2011 Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (50 - 50) |
| 7/28 | HR 3045 | CAFTA Implementation Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (55 - 45) |
| 7/28 | HR 3045 | CAFTA Implementation Bill | Bill Passed - House (217 - 215) |
| 7/26 | S Amdt 1351 | Corporate Financing of Terrorism Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 51) |
| 7/20 | HR 2601 | State Department FY 2006/2007 Authorization Bill | Bill Passed - House (351 - 78) |
| 6/30 | S 1307 | CAFTA Implementation Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (54 - 45) |
| 6/15 | H Amdt 270 | Bans Use of Funds to Enforce Cuba Regulations Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (210 - 216) |
| 6/09 | H J Res 27 | Withdrawing Approval from the WTO Agreement | Joint Resolution Failed - House (86 - 338) |
| 4/14 | S 256 | Bankruptcy Reform Bill | Bill Passed - House (302 - 126) |
| 3/10 | S 256 | Bankruptcy Reform Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (74 - 25) |
| 10/11 | HR 4520 | JOBS (Jumpstart Our Business Strength) | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (69 - 17) |
| 10/11 | HR 4520 | JOBS (Jumpstart Our Business Strength) | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (69 - 17) |
| 10/07 | HR 4520 | JOBS (Jumpstart Our Business Strength) | Conference Report Adopted - House (280 - 141) |
| 10/07 | HR 4520 | JOBS (Jumpstart Our Business Strength) | Conference Report Adopted - House (280 - 141) |