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. 16, 2010 | National | HR 4785 | Authorizing Loans for Energy Efficiency Purposes | Bill Passed - House (240 - 172) |
| July 30, 2010 | National | HR 5982 | Tax Law Amendments | Bill Failed - House (241 - 154) |
| July 21, 2010 | National | HR 4380 | Temporary Tariff Suspensions and Reductions | Bill Passed - House (378 - 43) |
| June 30, 2010 | National | HR 4173 | Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act | Conference Report Adopted - House (237 - 192) |
| June 30, 2010 | National | HR 4173 | Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act | Conference Report Adopted - House (237 - 192) |
| June 17, 2010 | National | HR 5297 | Small Business Lending Fund and Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (241 - 182) |
| June 17, 2010 | National | HR 5297 | Small Business Lending Fund and Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (241 - 182) |
| Dec. 11, 2009 | National | HR 4173 | Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act | Bill Passed - House (223 - 202) |
| Dec. 11, 2009 | National | HR 4173 | Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act | Bill Passed - House (223 - 202) |
| Nov. 19, 2009 | National | HR 3961 | Revising Medicare Physician Fee Schedules and Reinstatement of PAYGO | Bill Passed - House (243 - 183) |
| June 26, 2009 | National | HR 2454 | Energy and Environmental Law Amendments ("Cap and Trade") | Bill Passed - House (219 - 212) |
| March 5, 2009 | National | HR 1106 | Mortgage Restructuring In Bankruptcy | Bill Passed - House (234 - 191) |
| Jan. 22, 2009 | National | H J Res 3 | Releasing Funds for Economic Stabilization Act | Joint Resolution Passed - House (270 - 155) |
| Jan. 21, 2009 | National | HR 384 | Oversight of the Troubled Asset Relief Program | Bill Passed - House (260 - 166) |
| Oct. 3, 2008 | National | HR 1424 | Financial Asset Purchase Authority and Tax Law Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (263 - 171) |
| Sept. 29, 2008 | National | HR 3997 | Financial Asset Purchase Authority | Concurrence Vote Failed - House (205 - 228) |
| Sept. 23, 2008 | National | HR 5244 | Credit Card Regulations | Bill Passed - House (312 - 112) |
| Sept. 23, 2008 | National | HR 5244 | Credit Card Regulations | Bill Passed - House (312 - 112) |
| Sept. 18, 2008 | National | HR 6604 | Commodity Markets Speculation Bill | Bill Passed - House (283 - 133) |
| 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 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 21, 2008 | National | HR 2419 | Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) | Veto Override Passed - House (316 - 108) |
| 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) |
| 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. 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) |
| May 22, 2007 | National | HR 2264 | Preventing the Organization of Petroleum Export Groups | Bill Passed - House (345 - 72) |
| Jan. 5, 2007 | National | H Res 6 | Pay-As-You-Go Rule | Resolution Passed - House (280 - 152) |
| 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 8, 2006 | National | HR 5252 | COPE Bill of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (321 - 101) |
| July 28, 2005 | National | HR 3045 | CAFTA Implementation Bill | Bill Passed - House (217 - 215) |
| July 20, 2005 | National | HR 2601 | State Department FY 2006/2007 Authorization Bill | Bill Passed - House (351 - 78) |
| 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) |
| 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) |
| July 8, 2004 | National | HR 4754 | Commerce Department FY2005 Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - House (397 - 18) |
| March 18, 2004 | National | HR 1375 | Financial Services Regulatory Relief Act of 2004 | Bill Passed - House (392 - 25) |
| March 10, 2004 | National | HR 339 | Food Industry Obesity Lawsuits (Cheeseburger Bill) | Bill Passed - House (276 - 139) |
| March 3, 2004 | National | HR 1561 | US Patent and Trademark Fee Modernization Act, 2004 | Bill Passed - House (379 - 28) |
| Jan. 28, 2004 | National | S 1920 | Farmer Bankruptcy Bill | Bill Passed - House (265 - 99) |
| July 24, 2003 | National | HR 2739 | U.S.-Singapore Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act | Bill Passed - House (272 - 155) |
| July 24, 2003 | National | HR 2738 | U.S.-Chile Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act | Bill Passed - House (270 - 156) |
| July 27, 2002 | National | HR 3009 | Andean Trade Preference Act Extension | Conference Report Adopted - House (215 - 212) |
| Dec. 6, 2001 | National | HR 3005 | Fast Track Trade Authority bill | Bill Passed - House (215 - 214) |
| July 19, 2001 | National | H J Res 50 | China Trade Relations bill | Joint Resolution Failed - House (169 - 259) |
| Sept. 26, 2000 | National | HR 5175 | Small Business Superfund Exemption | Bill Failed - House (253 - 161) |
| June 21, 2000 | National | H J Res 90 | WTO Withdrawal resolution | Joint Resolution Failed - House (56 - 363) |
| June 9, 2000 | National | H Amdt 763 | Estate Tax Substitute Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (196 - 222) |
| May 24, 2000 | National | HR 4444 | U.S.-China Relations Act of 2000 | Bill Passed - House (237 - 197) |
| May 4, 2000 | National | HR 434 | Africa Free Trade bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (309 - 110) |
| March 9, 2000 | National | HR 3081 | Small Business Tax Fairness Act of 2000 | Bill Passed - House (257 - 169) |
| Feb. 16, 2000 | National | HR 2366 | Small Business Liability Reform bill | Bill Passed - House (221 - 193) |
| Aug. 3, 1999 | National | H J Res 58 | Economic Assistance to Vietnam | Joint Resolution Failed - House (130 - 297) |
| July 27, 1999 | National | H J Res 57 | China Trade resolution | Joint Resolution Failed - House (170 - 260) |
| July 1, 1999 | National | HR 10 | Financial Modernization bill | Bill Passed - House (343 - 86) |
| May 5, 1999 | National | HR 833 | Bankruptcy Reform bill | Bill Passed - House (313 - 108) |
| March 17, 1999 | National | HR 975 | Steel Import Limitation bill | Bill Passed - House (289 - 141) |
| Oct. 13, 1998 | National | S 1260 | Securities Litigation | Conference Report Adopted - House (319 - 82) |
| Sept. 25, 1998 | National | HR 2621 | Reciprocal Trade Agreement Bill | Bill Failed - House (180 - 243) |
| Sept. 24, 1998 | National | HR 3736 | Nonimmigrant Specialty Workers bill | Bill Passed - House (288 - 133) |
| July 30, 1998 | National | H J Res 120 | Vietnam Trade Waiver Disapproval resolution | Joint Resolution Failed - House (163 - 260) |
| July 22, 1998 | National | H J Res 121 | Disapproval of 'Normal Trade Relations' Status with China | Joint Resolution Failed - House (166 - 264) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9/16 | HR 4785 | Authorizing Loans for Energy Efficiency Purposes | Bill Passed - House (240 - 172) |
| 7/30 | HR 5982 | Tax Law Amendments | Bill Failed - House (241 - 154) |
| 7/21 | HR 4380 | Temporary Tariff Suspensions and Reductions | Bill Passed - House (378 - 43) |
| 6/30 | HR 4173 | Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act | Conference Report Adopted - House (237 - 192) |
| 6/30 | HR 4173 | Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act | Conference Report Adopted - House (237 - 192) |
| 6/17 | HR 5297 | Small Business Lending Fund and Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (241 - 182) |
| 6/17 | HR 5297 | Small Business Lending Fund and Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (241 - 182) |
| 12/11 | HR 4173 | Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act | Bill Passed - House (223 - 202) |
| 12/11 | HR 4173 | Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act | Bill Passed - House (223 - 202) |
| 11/19 | HR 3961 | Revising Medicare Physician Fee Schedules and Reinstatement of PAYGO | Bill Passed - House (243 - 183) |
| 6/26 | HR 2454 | Energy and Environmental Law Amendments ("Cap and Trade") | Bill Passed - House (219 - 212) |
| 3/05 | HR 1106 | Mortgage Restructuring In Bankruptcy | Bill Passed - House (234 - 191) |
| 1/22 | H J Res 3 | Releasing Funds for Economic Stabilization Act | Joint Resolution Passed - House (270 - 155) |
| 1/21 | HR 384 | Oversight of the Troubled Asset Relief Program | Bill Passed - House (260 - 166) |
| 10/03 | HR 1424 | Financial Asset Purchase Authority and Tax Law Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (263 - 171) |
| 9/29 | HR 3997 | Financial Asset Purchase Authority | Concurrence Vote Failed - House (205 - 228) |
| 9/23 | HR 5244 | Credit Card Regulations | Bill Passed - House (312 - 112) |
| 9/23 | HR 5244 | Credit Card Regulations | Bill Passed - House (312 - 112) |
| 9/18 | HR 6604 | Commodity Markets Speculation Bill | Bill Passed - House (283 - 133) |
| 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) |
| 6/24 | 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) |
| 5/21 | HR 2419 | Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) | Veto Override Passed - House (316 - 108) |
| 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) |
| 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) |
| 9/07 | 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) |
| 5/22 | HR 2264 | Preventing the Organization of Petroleum Export Groups | Bill Passed - House (345 - 72) |
| 1/05 | H Res 6 | Pay-As-You-Go Rule | Resolution Passed - House (280 - 152) |
| 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) |
| 6/08 | HR 5252 | COPE Bill of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (321 - 101) |
| 7/28 | HR 3045 | CAFTA Implementation Bill | Bill Passed - House (217 - 215) |
| 7/20 | HR 2601 | State Department FY 2006/2007 Authorization Bill | Bill Passed - House (351 - 78) |
| 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) |
| 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) |
| 7/08 | HR 4754 | Commerce Department FY2005 Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - House (397 - 18) |
| 3/18 | HR 1375 | Financial Services Regulatory Relief Act of 2004 | Bill Passed - House (392 - 25) |
| 3/10 | HR 339 | Food Industry Obesity Lawsuits (Cheeseburger Bill) | Bill Passed - House (276 - 139) |
| 3/03 | HR 1561 | US Patent and Trademark Fee Modernization Act, 2004 | Bill Passed - House (379 - 28) |
| 1/28 | S 1920 | Farmer Bankruptcy Bill | Bill Passed - House (265 - 99) |
| 7/24 | HR 2739 | U.S.-Singapore Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act | Bill Passed - House (272 - 155) |
| 7/24 | HR 2738 | U.S.-Chile Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act | Bill Passed - House (270 - 156) |
| 7/27 | HR 3009 | Andean Trade Preference Act Extension | Conference Report Adopted - House (215 - 212) |
| 12/06 | HR 3005 | Fast Track Trade Authority bill | Bill Passed - House (215 - 214) |
| 7/19 | H J Res 50 | China Trade Relations bill | Joint Resolution Failed - House (169 - 259) |
| 9/26 | HR 5175 | Small Business Superfund Exemption | Bill Failed - House (253 - 161) |
| 6/21 | H J Res 90 | WTO Withdrawal resolution | Joint Resolution Failed - House (56 - 363) |
| 6/09 | H Amdt 763 | Estate Tax Substitute Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (196 - 222) |
| 5/24 | HR 4444 | U.S.-China Relations Act of 2000 | Bill Passed - House (237 - 197) |
| 5/04 | HR 434 | Africa Free Trade bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (309 - 110) |
| 3/09 | HR 3081 | Small Business Tax Fairness Act of 2000 | Bill Passed - House (257 - 169) |
| 2/16 | HR 2366 | Small Business Liability Reform bill | Bill Passed - House (221 - 193) |
| 8/03 | H J Res 58 | Economic Assistance to Vietnam | Joint Resolution Failed - House (130 - 297) |
| 7/27 | H J Res 57 | China Trade resolution | Joint Resolution Failed - House (170 - 260) |
| 7/01 | HR 10 | Financial Modernization bill | Bill Passed - House (343 - 86) |
| 5/05 | HR 833 | Bankruptcy Reform bill | Bill Passed - House (313 - 108) |
| 3/17 | HR 975 | Steel Import Limitation bill | Bill Passed - House (289 - 141) |
| 10/13 | S 1260 | Securities Litigation | Conference Report Adopted - House (319 - 82) |
| 9/25 | HR 2621 | Reciprocal Trade Agreement Bill | Bill Failed - House (180 - 243) |
| 9/24 | HR 3736 | Nonimmigrant Specialty Workers bill | Bill Passed - House (288 - 133) |
| 7/30 | H J Res 120 | Vietnam Trade Waiver Disapproval resolution | Joint Resolution Failed - House (163 - 260) |
| 7/22 | H J Res 121 | Disapproval of 'Normal Trade Relations' Status with China | Joint Resolution Failed - House (166 - 264) |