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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct. 24, 2001 | National | HR 3162 | USA Patriot Act of 2001 | Bill Passed - House (357 - 66) |
| Oct. 24, 2001 | National | HR 3162 | USA Patriot Act of 2001 | Bill Passed - House (357 - 66) |
| Oct. 12, 2001 | National | HR 2975 | Anti-Terrorism Act of 2001 | Bill Passed - House (337 - 79) |
| Oct. 12, 2001 | National | HR 2975 | Anti-Terrorism Act of 2001 | Bill Passed - House (337 - 79) |
| July 17, 2001 | National | H J Res 36 | Flag Burning Resolution | Joint Resolution Passed - House (298 - 125) |
| April 26, 2001 | National | H Amdt 27 | Violence Against Fetuses/Unborn Children Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (196 - 229) |
| April 26, 2001 | National | HR 503 | Unborn Victims of Violence Act | Bill Passed - House (252 - 172) |
| June 20, 2000 | National | S Amdt 3473 | Hate Crimes Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (57 - 42) |
| June 20, 2000 | National | S Amdt 3473 | Hate Crimes Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (57 - 42) |
| Feb. 16, 2000 | National | HR 2366 | Small Business Liability Reform bill | Bill Passed - House (221 - 193) |
| Feb. 2, 2000 | National | S Amdt 2763 | Violent Protesters Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (80 - 17) |
| Oct. 15, 1999 | National | HR 2684 | Veterans Affairs and HUD Appropriations bill, FY 2000 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (93 - 5) |
| Oct. 14, 1999 | National | HR 2684 | Veterans Affairs and HUD Appropriations bill, FY 2000 | Conference Report Adopted - House (406 - 18) |
| Sept. 30, 1999 | National | HR 2436 | Unborn Victims of Violence Act of 1999 | Bill Passed - House (254 - 172) |
| Sept. 9, 1999 | National | H Con Res 180 | Puerto Rican Nationals resolution | Resolution Passed - House (311 - 41) |
| Sept. 9, 1999 | National | HR 2684 | Veterans Affairs and HUD Appropriations bill, FY 2000 | Bill Passed - House (235 - 187) |
| July 15, 1999 | National | S Amdt 1250 | Patient Lawsuit Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (53 - 47) |
| June 18, 1999 | National | H Amdt 216 | 72 Hour Background Check Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (193 - 235) |
| June 18, 1999 | National | H Amdt 215 | 24 Hour Background Check Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (218 - 211) |
| June 18, 1999 | National | HR 2122 | Mandatory Gun Show Background Check Act | Bill Failed - House (147 - 280) |
| June 17, 1999 | National | HR 1501 | Juvenile Justice bill | Bill Passed - House (287 - 139) |
| May 20, 1999 | National | S Amdt 362 | Gun Show Sale Regulation Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (51 - 50) |
| May 20, 1999 | National | HR 1141 | Emergency Supplemental Appropriations-Conference Report | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (64 - 36) |
| May 20, 1999 | National | S 254 | Juvenile Crime bill | Bill Passed - Senate (73 - 25) |
| May 18, 1999 | National | HR 1141 | Emergency Supplemental Appropriations-Conference Report | Conference Report Adopted - House (269 - 158) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10/24 | HR 3162 | USA Patriot Act of 2001 | Bill Passed - House (357 - 66) |
| 10/24 | HR 3162 | USA Patriot Act of 2001 | Bill Passed - House (357 - 66) |
| 10/12 | HR 2975 | Anti-Terrorism Act of 2001 | Bill Passed - House (337 - 79) |
| 10/12 | HR 2975 | Anti-Terrorism Act of 2001 | Bill Passed - House (337 - 79) |
| 7/17 | H J Res 36 | Flag Burning Resolution | Joint Resolution Passed - House (298 - 125) |
| 4/26 | H Amdt 27 | Violence Against Fetuses/Unborn Children Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (196 - 229) |
| 4/26 | HR 503 | Unborn Victims of Violence Act | Bill Passed - House (252 - 172) |
| 6/20 | S Amdt 3473 | Hate Crimes Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (57 - 42) |
| 6/20 | S Amdt 3473 | Hate Crimes Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (57 - 42) |
| 2/16 | HR 2366 | Small Business Liability Reform bill | Bill Passed - House (221 - 193) |
| 2/02 | S Amdt 2763 | Violent Protesters Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (80 - 17) |
| 10/15 | HR 2684 | Veterans Affairs and HUD Appropriations bill, FY 2000 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (93 - 5) |
| 10/14 | HR 2684 | Veterans Affairs and HUD Appropriations bill, FY 2000 | Conference Report Adopted - House (406 - 18) |
| 9/30 | HR 2436 | Unborn Victims of Violence Act of 1999 | Bill Passed - House (254 - 172) |
| 9/09 | H Con Res 180 | Puerto Rican Nationals resolution | Resolution Passed - House (311 - 41) |
| 9/09 | HR 2684 | Veterans Affairs and HUD Appropriations bill, FY 2000 | Bill Passed - House (235 - 187) |
| 7/15 | S Amdt 1250 | Patient Lawsuit Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (53 - 47) |
| 6/18 | H Amdt 216 | 72 Hour Background Check Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (193 - 235) |
| 6/18 | H Amdt 215 | 24 Hour Background Check Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (218 - 211) |
| 6/18 | HR 2122 | Mandatory Gun Show Background Check Act | Bill Failed - House (147 - 280) |
| 6/17 | HR 1501 | Juvenile Justice bill | Bill Passed - House (287 - 139) |
| 5/20 | S Amdt 362 | Gun Show Sale Regulation Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (51 - 50) |
| 5/20 | HR 1141 | Emergency Supplemental Appropriations-Conference Report | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (64 - 36) |
| 5/20 | S 254 | Juvenile Crime bill | Bill Passed - Senate (73 - 25) |
| 5/18 | HR 1141 | Emergency Supplemental Appropriations-Conference Report | Conference Report Adopted - House (269 - 158) |