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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 22, 2007 | National | S 214 | United States Attorneys Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - House (306 - 114) |
| May 22, 2007 | National | S 214 | United States Attorneys Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - House (306 - 114) |
| May 22, 2007 | National | HR 2264 | Preventing the Organization of Petroleum Export Groups | Bill Passed - House (345 - 72) |
| May 17, 2007 | National | H Amdt 197 | Guantanamo Transfer Plan | Amendment Adopted - House (220 - 208) |
| May 17, 2007 | National | H Amdt 197 | Guantanamo Transfer Plan | Amendment Adopted - House (220 - 208) |
| May 3, 2007 | National | HR 1592 | Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - House (237 - 180) |
| Jan. 9, 2007 | National | HR 1 | Implementing the 9/11 Commission Recommendations Act | Bill Passed - House (299 - 128) |
| Sept. 29, 2006 | National | HR 5441 | Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act 2007 | Conference Report Adopted - House (412 - 6) |
| Sept. 29, 2006 | National | S 3930 | Military Commissions Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (250 - 170) |
| Sept. 29, 2006 | National | HR 4772 | Private Property Rights Implementation Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (231 - 181) |
| Sept. 29, 2006 | National | S 3930 | Military Commissions Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (250 - 170) |
| Sept. 29, 2006 | National | S 3930 | Military Commissions Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (250 - 170) |
| Sept. 28, 2006 | National | HR 5825 | Electronic Surveillance Modernization Act | Bill Passed - House (232 - 191) |
| Sept. 27, 2006 | National | HR 6166 | Military Commissions Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (253 - 168) |
| Sept. 27, 2006 | National | HR 6166 | Military Commissions Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (253 - 168) |
| Sept. 26, 2006 | National | HR 4772 | Private Property Rights Implementation Act of 2005 | Bill Failed - House (234 - 172) |
| Sept. 26, 2006 | National | HR 5092 | Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives | Bill Passed - House (277 - 131) |
| Sept. 26, 2006 | National | HR 2679 | Public Expression of Religion Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (244 - 173) |
| Sept. 21, 2006 | National | HR 6095 | Immigration Law Enforcement Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (277 - 140) |
| Sept. 21, 2006 | National | HR 6095 | Immigration Law Enforcement Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (277 - 140) |
| Sept. 20, 2006 | National | HR 4844 | Federal Election Integrity Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (228 - 196) |
| Sept. 14, 2006 | National | HR 6061 | Secure Fence Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (283 - 138) |
| July 19, 2006 | National | HR 2389 | Pledge Protection Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (260 - 167) |
| July 13, 2006 | National | HR 9 | Voting Rights Act Reauthorization | Bill Passed - House (390 - 33) |
| June 29, 2006 | National | HR 5672 | Commerce Department Appropriations Bill FY 2006 | Bill Passed - House (393 - 23) |
| June 29, 2006 | National | H Res 895 | Intelligence and Law Enforcement Resolution | Resolution Passed - House (227 - 183) |
| June 28, 2006 | National | H Amdt 1156 | Trigger Lock Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (230 - 191) |
| June 16, 2006 | National | H Res 861 | Global War on Terror | Resolution Passed - House (256 - 153) |
| June 13, 2006 | National | HR 4939 | Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2006 | Conference Report Adopted - House (351 - 67) |
| June 9, 2006 | National | HR 5522 | Foreign Operations and Export Finance Appropriation Act | Bill Passed - House (373 - 34) |
| June 6, 2006 | National | HR 5441 | Department of Homeland Security Appropriation Act, 2007 | Bill Passed - House (389 - 9) |
| March 16, 2006 | National | HR 4939 | Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2006 | Bill Passed - House (348 - 71) |
| March 7, 2006 | National | S 2271 | PATRIOT Act Reauthorization bill | Bill Passed - House (280 - 138) |
| March 7, 2006 | National | S 2271 | PATRIOT Act Reauthorization bill | Bill Passed - House (280 - 138) |
| Dec. 19, 2005 | National | HR 2863 | Defense Department FY2006 Appropriations Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (308 - 106) |
| Dec. 19, 2005 | National | HR 2863 | Defense Department FY2006 Appropriations Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (308 - 106) |
| Dec. 16, 2005 | National | HR 4437 | Border Security Bill | Bill Passed - House (239 - 182) |
| Dec. 14, 2005 | National | HR 3199 | PATRIOT Act Reauthorization | Conference Report Adopted - House (251 - 174) |
| Dec. 14, 2005 | National | HR 3199 | PATRIOT Act Reauthorization | Conference Report Adopted - House (251 - 174) |
| Nov. 9, 2005 | National | HR 2862 | Commerce, Justice and Science Appropriations Bill, FY 2006 | Conference Report Adopted - House (397 - 19) |
| Nov. 2, 2005 | National | HR 1606 | Online Freedom of Speech Act | Bill Failed - House (225 - 182) |
| Oct. 27, 2005 | National | HR 420 | Lawsuit Abuse Reduction Act of 2005 | Bill Passed - House (228 - 184) |
| Oct. 20, 2005 | National | S 397 | Firearms Manufacturers Protection Bill | Bill Passed - House (283 - 144) |
| Oct. 19, 2005 | National | HR 554 | Food Industry Obesity Lawsuits | Bill Passed - House (306 - 120) |
| Sept. 15, 2005 | National | H Res 437 | Bipartisan Committee to Investigate Hurricane Katrina | Resolution Passed - House (224 - 188) |
| July 28, 2005 | National | HR 5 | Malpractice Liability Reform Bill | Bill Passed - House (230 - 194) |
| July 21, 2005 | National | HR 3199 | PATRIOT Act Reauthorization | Motion Rejected - House (209 - 218) |
| July 21, 2005 | National | HR 3199 | PATRIOT Act Reauthorization | Motion Rejected - House (209 - 218) |
| July 21, 2005 | National | HR 3199 | PATRIOT Act Reauthorization | Bill Passed - House (257 - 171) |
| July 21, 2005 | National | HR 3199 | PATRIOT Act Reauthorization | Bill Passed - House (257 - 171) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5/22 | S 214 | United States Attorneys Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - House (306 - 114) |
| 5/22 | S 214 | United States Attorneys Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - House (306 - 114) |
| 5/22 | HR 2264 | Preventing the Organization of Petroleum Export Groups | Bill Passed - House (345 - 72) |
| 5/17 | H Amdt 197 | Guantanamo Transfer Plan | Amendment Adopted - House (220 - 208) |
| 5/17 | H Amdt 197 | Guantanamo Transfer Plan | Amendment Adopted - House (220 - 208) |
| 5/03 | HR 1592 | Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - House (237 - 180) |
| 1/09 | HR 1 | Implementing the 9/11 Commission Recommendations Act | Bill Passed - House (299 - 128) |
| 9/29 | HR 5441 | Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act 2007 | Conference Report Adopted - House (412 - 6) |
| 9/29 | S 3930 | Military Commissions Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (250 - 170) |
| 9/29 | HR 4772 | Private Property Rights Implementation Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (231 - 181) |
| 9/29 | S 3930 | Military Commissions Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (250 - 170) |
| 9/29 | S 3930 | Military Commissions Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (250 - 170) |
| 9/28 | HR 5825 | Electronic Surveillance Modernization Act | Bill Passed - House (232 - 191) |
| 9/27 | HR 6166 | Military Commissions Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (253 - 168) |
| 9/27 | HR 6166 | Military Commissions Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (253 - 168) |
| 9/26 | HR 4772 | Private Property Rights Implementation Act of 2005 | Bill Failed - House (234 - 172) |
| 9/26 | HR 5092 | Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives | Bill Passed - House (277 - 131) |
| 9/26 | HR 2679 | Public Expression of Religion Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (244 - 173) |
| 9/21 | HR 6095 | Immigration Law Enforcement Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (277 - 140) |
| 9/21 | HR 6095 | Immigration Law Enforcement Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (277 - 140) |
| 9/20 | HR 4844 | Federal Election Integrity Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (228 - 196) |
| 9/14 | HR 6061 | Secure Fence Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (283 - 138) |
| 7/19 | HR 2389 | Pledge Protection Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (260 - 167) |
| 7/13 | HR 9 | Voting Rights Act Reauthorization | Bill Passed - House (390 - 33) |
| 6/29 | HR 5672 | Commerce Department Appropriations Bill FY 2006 | Bill Passed - House (393 - 23) |
| 6/29 | H Res 895 | Intelligence and Law Enforcement Resolution | Resolution Passed - House (227 - 183) |
| 6/28 | H Amdt 1156 | Trigger Lock Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (230 - 191) |
| 6/16 | H Res 861 | Global War on Terror | Resolution Passed - House (256 - 153) |
| 6/13 | HR 4939 | Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2006 | Conference Report Adopted - House (351 - 67) |
| 6/09 | HR 5522 | Foreign Operations and Export Finance Appropriation Act | Bill Passed - House (373 - 34) |
| 6/06 | HR 5441 | Department of Homeland Security Appropriation Act, 2007 | Bill Passed - House (389 - 9) |
| 3/16 | HR 4939 | Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2006 | Bill Passed - House (348 - 71) |
| 3/07 | S 2271 | PATRIOT Act Reauthorization bill | Bill Passed - House (280 - 138) |
| 3/07 | S 2271 | PATRIOT Act Reauthorization bill | Bill Passed - House (280 - 138) |
| 12/19 | HR 2863 | Defense Department FY2006 Appropriations Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (308 - 106) |
| 12/19 | HR 2863 | Defense Department FY2006 Appropriations Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (308 - 106) |
| 12/16 | HR 4437 | Border Security Bill | Bill Passed - House (239 - 182) |
| 12/14 | HR 3199 | PATRIOT Act Reauthorization | Conference Report Adopted - House (251 - 174) |
| 12/14 | HR 3199 | PATRIOT Act Reauthorization | Conference Report Adopted - House (251 - 174) |
| 11/09 | HR 2862 | Commerce, Justice and Science Appropriations Bill, FY 2006 | Conference Report Adopted - House (397 - 19) |
| 11/02 | HR 1606 | Online Freedom of Speech Act | Bill Failed - House (225 - 182) |
| 10/27 | HR 420 | Lawsuit Abuse Reduction Act of 2005 | Bill Passed - House (228 - 184) |
| 10/20 | S 397 | Firearms Manufacturers Protection Bill | Bill Passed - House (283 - 144) |
| 10/19 | HR 554 | Food Industry Obesity Lawsuits | Bill Passed - House (306 - 120) |
| 9/15 | H Res 437 | Bipartisan Committee to Investigate Hurricane Katrina | Resolution Passed - House (224 - 188) |
| 7/28 | HR 5 | Malpractice Liability Reform Bill | Bill Passed - House (230 - 194) |
| 7/21 | HR 3199 | PATRIOT Act Reauthorization | Motion Rejected - House (209 - 218) |
| 7/21 | HR 3199 | PATRIOT Act Reauthorization | Motion Rejected - House (209 - 218) |
| 7/21 | HR 3199 | PATRIOT Act Reauthorization | Bill Passed - House (257 - 171) |
| 7/21 | HR 3199 | PATRIOT Act Reauthorization | Bill Passed - House (257 - 171) |