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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan. 5, 1995 | National | S Amdt 1 | Filibuster Amendment | Amendment Tabled - Senate (76 - 19) |
| Sept. 21, 1994 | National | HR 4649 | District of Columbia FY95 Appropriations Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (71 - 27) |
| July 29, 1994 | National | PN 1399 | Stephen G. Breyer, Associate Justice | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (87 - 9) |
| July 27, 1994 | National | S Amdt 2416 | Voluntary Prayer Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 53) |
| July 21, 1994 | National | HR 4649 | District of Columbia FY95 Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (68 - 32) |
| July 14, 1994 | National | H Amdt 755 | Federal Land Appraisals | Amendment Adopted - House (281 - 148) |
| July 13, 1994 | National | HR 4649 | District of Columbia FY95 Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - House (213 - 210) |
| July 1, 1994 | National | HR 4454 | Legislative Branch FY95 Appropriations bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (73 - 27) |
| June 29, 1994 | National | S Amdt 2117 | Military Operations in Haiti Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (34 - 65) |
| June 16, 1994 | National | H Amdt 645 | Interstate Commerce Commission Funding | Amendment Adopted - House (234 - 192) |
| June 9, 1994 | National | H Amdt 611 | Lifting Arms Embargo on Bosnia Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (244 - 178) |
| May 26, 1994 | National | HR 4454 | Legislative Branch FY95 Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - House (210 - 205) |
| March 24, 1994 | National | H Amdt 497 | Funding and Programs Substitute Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (173 - 245) |
| March 17, 1994 | National | H J Res 103 | Balanced Budget Amendment | Joint Resolution Failed - House (271 - 153) |
| March 1, 1994 | National | S J Res 41 | Balanced Budget amendment | Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (63 - 37) |
| Feb. 10, 1994 | National | H Amdt 436 | Bryant Amendment to Independent Counsel Reauthorization Act of 1993 | Amendment Adopted - House (230 - 188) |
| Nov. 22, 1993 | National | H Amdt 416 | Penny Amendment to the Government Reform and Savings Act of 1993 | Amendment Rejected - House (213 - 219) |
| Nov. 22, 1993 | National | H Amdt 415 | Sabo Amendment to the Government Reform and Savings Act of 1993 | Amendment Adopted - House (277 - 153) |
| Nov. 21, 1993 | National | HR 51 | D.C. Statehood Bill | Bill Failed - House (153 - 277) |
| Oct. 27, 1993 | National | HR 2492 | District of Columbia Fiscal Year 1994 Appropriations Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (225 - 201) |
| Sept. 10, 1993 | National | S Amdt 816 | Postponement of Base Closures Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (18 - 79) |
| Sept. 9, 1993 | National | S Amdt 785 | Ballistic Missile Defense Funding Reducation Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (50 - 48) |
| Aug. 3, 1993 | National | PN 422 | Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Associate Justice | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (96 - 3) |
| July 27, 1993 | National | HR 2492 | District of Columbia Fiscal Year 1994 Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (70 - 29) |
| July 23, 1993 | National | HR 2348 | Legislative Branch FY94 Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (85 - 7) |
| July 20, 1993 | National | HR 20 | Hatch Act Reform Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (68 - 31) |
| July 1, 1993 | National | HR 2118 | Supplemental Appropriations Act of 1993 | Conference Report Adopted - House (280 - 138) |
| June 30, 1993 | National | H Amdt 188 | DC's Domestic Partners Ordinance | Amendment Adopted - House (253 - 167) |
| June 30, 1993 | National | HR 2492 | District of Columbia Fiscal Year 1994 Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - House (213 - 211) |
| June 23, 1993 | National | H Amdt 134 | Space Station Termination Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (215 - 216) |
| June 10, 1993 | National | HR 2348 | Legislative Branch FY94 Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - House (224 - 187) |
| May 26, 1993 | National | HR 2118 | Supplemental Appropriations Act of 1993 | Bill Passed - House (300 - 125) |
| May 11, 1993 | National | HR 2 | Motor Voter Registration | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (62 - 36) |
| May 5, 1993 | National | HR 2 | Motor Voter Registration | Conference Report Adopted - House (259 - 164) |
| March 17, 1993 | National | HR 2 | Motor Voter Registration | Bill Passed - Senate (62 - 37) |
| March 11, 1993 | National | HR 4 | Fetal Tissue Research Bill | Bill Passed - House (283 - 131) |
| March 3, 1993 | National | HR 20 | Hatch Act Reform Bill | Bill Passed - House (333 - 86) |
| Feb. 4, 1993 | National | HR 2 | Motor Voter Registration | Bill Passed - House (259 - 160) |
| Oct. 1, 1992 | National | HR 5318 | Conditional Extension of Most-Favored-Nation Trade Status to China | Veto Override Failed - Senate (59 - 40) |
| Sept. 30, 1992 | National | HR 5318 | Conditional Extension of Most-Favored-Nation Trade Status to China | Veto Override Passed - House (345 - 74) |
| July 21, 1992 | National | HR 5318 | Conditional Extension of Most-Favored-Nation Trade Status to China | Bill Passed - House (339 - 62) |
| May 21, 1992 | National | S Amdt 1852 | Eliminating Emergency Funding for Emergency Summer Youth Employment Programs | Amendment Rejected - Senate (37 - 62) |
| April 29, 1992 | National | H Amdt 506 | Eliminating Space Station Freedom Funding | Amendment Rejected - House (159 - 254) |
| April 29, 1992 | National | H Res 441 | House Bank Records - Comply with Subpoena | Resolution Passed - House (347 - 64) |
| April 9, 1992 | National | H Res 423 | House Administrative Reforms | Resolution Passed - House (269 - 81) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1/05 | S Amdt 1 | Filibuster Amendment | Amendment Tabled - Senate (76 - 19) |
| 9/21 | HR 4649 | District of Columbia FY95 Appropriations Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (71 - 27) |
| 7/29 | PN 1399 | Stephen G. Breyer, Associate Justice | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (87 - 9) |
| 7/27 | S Amdt 2416 | Voluntary Prayer Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 53) |
| 7/21 | HR 4649 | District of Columbia FY95 Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (68 - 32) |
| 7/14 | H Amdt 755 | Federal Land Appraisals | Amendment Adopted - House (281 - 148) |
| 7/13 | HR 4649 | District of Columbia FY95 Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - House (213 - 210) |
| 7/01 | HR 4454 | Legislative Branch FY95 Appropriations bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (73 - 27) |
| 6/29 | S Amdt 2117 | Military Operations in Haiti Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (34 - 65) |
| 6/16 | H Amdt 645 | Interstate Commerce Commission Funding | Amendment Adopted - House (234 - 192) |
| 6/09 | H Amdt 611 | Lifting Arms Embargo on Bosnia Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (244 - 178) |
| 5/26 | HR 4454 | Legislative Branch FY95 Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - House (210 - 205) |
| 3/24 | H Amdt 497 | Funding and Programs Substitute Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (173 - 245) |
| 3/17 | H J Res 103 | Balanced Budget Amendment | Joint Resolution Failed - House (271 - 153) |
| 3/01 | S J Res 41 | Balanced Budget amendment | Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (63 - 37) |
| 2/10 | H Amdt 436 | Bryant Amendment to Independent Counsel Reauthorization Act of 1993 | Amendment Adopted - House (230 - 188) |
| 11/22 | H Amdt 416 | Penny Amendment to the Government Reform and Savings Act of 1993 | Amendment Rejected - House (213 - 219) |
| 11/22 | H Amdt 415 | Sabo Amendment to the Government Reform and Savings Act of 1993 | Amendment Adopted - House (277 - 153) |
| 11/21 | HR 51 | D.C. Statehood Bill | Bill Failed - House (153 - 277) |
| 10/27 | HR 2492 | District of Columbia Fiscal Year 1994 Appropriations Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (225 - 201) |
| 9/10 | S Amdt 816 | Postponement of Base Closures Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (18 - 79) |
| 9/09 | S Amdt 785 | Ballistic Missile Defense Funding Reducation Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (50 - 48) |
| 8/03 | PN 422 | Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Associate Justice | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (96 - 3) |
| 7/27 | HR 2492 | District of Columbia Fiscal Year 1994 Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (70 - 29) |
| 7/23 | HR 2348 | Legislative Branch FY94 Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (85 - 7) |
| 7/20 | HR 20 | Hatch Act Reform Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (68 - 31) |
| 7/01 | HR 2118 | Supplemental Appropriations Act of 1993 | Conference Report Adopted - House (280 - 138) |
| 6/30 | H Amdt 188 | DC's Domestic Partners Ordinance | Amendment Adopted - House (253 - 167) |
| 6/30 | HR 2492 | District of Columbia Fiscal Year 1994 Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - House (213 - 211) |
| 6/23 | H Amdt 134 | Space Station Termination Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (215 - 216) |
| 6/10 | HR 2348 | Legislative Branch FY94 Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - House (224 - 187) |
| 5/26 | HR 2118 | Supplemental Appropriations Act of 1993 | Bill Passed - House (300 - 125) |
| 5/11 | HR 2 | Motor Voter Registration | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (62 - 36) |
| 5/05 | HR 2 | Motor Voter Registration | Conference Report Adopted - House (259 - 164) |
| 3/17 | HR 2 | Motor Voter Registration | Bill Passed - Senate (62 - 37) |
| 3/11 | HR 4 | Fetal Tissue Research Bill | Bill Passed - House (283 - 131) |
| 3/03 | HR 20 | Hatch Act Reform Bill | Bill Passed - House (333 - 86) |
| 2/04 | HR 2 | Motor Voter Registration | Bill Passed - House (259 - 160) |
| 10/01 | HR 5318 | Conditional Extension of Most-Favored-Nation Trade Status to China | Veto Override Failed - Senate (59 - 40) |
| 9/30 | HR 5318 | Conditional Extension of Most-Favored-Nation Trade Status to China | Veto Override Passed - House (345 - 74) |
| 7/21 | HR 5318 | Conditional Extension of Most-Favored-Nation Trade Status to China | Bill Passed - House (339 - 62) |
| 5/21 | S Amdt 1852 | Eliminating Emergency Funding for Emergency Summer Youth Employment Programs | Amendment Rejected - Senate (37 - 62) |
| 4/29 | H Amdt 506 | Eliminating Space Station Freedom Funding | Amendment Rejected - House (159 - 254) |
| 4/29 | H Res 441 | House Bank Records - Comply with Subpoena | Resolution Passed - House (347 - 64) |
| 4/09 | H Res 423 | House Administrative Reforms | Resolution Passed - House (269 - 81) |