National Government Operations Key Votes

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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:

  1. The vote should be helpful in portraying how a member stands on a particular issue
  2. The vote should be clear for any person to understand
  3. The vote has received media attention
  4. The vote was passed or defeated by a very close margin
  5. Occasionally, if a specific bill is consistently inquired about on the Voter's Research Hotline, the vote will be added

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.


results per page:
Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
June 24, 1998 National S Amdt 2912 Bosnia and Herzegovina Withdrawal Amendment Amendment Tabled - Senate (65 - 31)
May 22, 1998 National HR 2400 Transportation Reauthorization bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (88 - 5)
May 5, 1998 National HR 1385 Training Programs bill Bill Passed - Senate (91 - 7)
April 28, 1998 National HR 1757 State Department FY98-99 Authorization bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (51 - 49)
April 1, 1998 National S Amdt 2175 School Modernization Amendment Amendment Tabled - Senate (54 - 46)
March 4, 1998 National S Amdt 1682 Blood Alcohol Content Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (62 - 32)
Feb. 25, 1998 National HR 2631 Line Item Veto Cancellation bill Veto Override Passed - Senate (78 - 20)
Feb. 10, 1998 National PN 623 David Satcher, Surgeon General of the Public Health Service Nomination Confirmed - Senate (63 - 35)
Nov. 8, 1997 National HR 2264 Appropriations bill FY98, Labor, HHS, Education Conference Report Adopted - Senate (91 - 4)
Oct. 1, 1997 National HR 2378 Appropriations bill FY98, Treasury, Postal Service Conference Report Adopted - Senate (55 - 45)
Sept. 25, 1997 National HR 2266 Defense Department FY98 Appropriations bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (93 - 5)
Sept. 11, 1997 National S Amdt 1122 Education Funding Amendment Amendment Not Tabled - Senate (49 - 51)
July 31, 1997 National HR 2014 Budget Reconciliation Bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (92 - 8)
June 5, 1997 National H Con Res 84 Budget Resolution FY1999-2000 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (76 - 22)
May 23, 1997 National S Amdt 357 Violent Crime Victims Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (51 - 49)
May 23, 1997 National H Con Res 84 Budget Resolution FY1999-2000 Resolution Passed - Senate (78 - 22)
April 30, 1997 National PN 82 Alexis M. Herman, Secretary of Labor Nomination Confirmed - Senate (85 - 13)
Oct. 3, 1996 National HR 3539 Federal Aviation Authorization Act of 1996 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (92 - 2)
Sept. 10, 1996 National HR 3396 Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) Bill Passed - Senate (85 - 14)
Aug. 2, 1996 National S 1316 Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments of 1995 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (98 - 0)
Aug. 1, 1996 National HR 3734 Welfare Reform Act of 1996 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (78 - 21)
July 23, 1996 National HR 3734 Welfare Reform Act of 1996 Bill Passed - Senate (74 - 24)
June 6, 1996 National H J Res 1 Balanced Budget Proposed Constitutional Amendment Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (64 - 35)
April 23, 1996 National S J Res 21 Term Limits bill Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (58 - 42)
April 23, 1996 National S J Res 21 Term Limits bill Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (58 - 42)
Date No. Title Outcome
6/24 S Amdt 2912 Bosnia and Herzegovina Withdrawal Amendment Amendment Tabled - Senate (65 - 31)
5/22 HR 2400 Transportation Reauthorization bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (88 - 5)
5/05 HR 1385 Training Programs bill Bill Passed - Senate (91 - 7)
4/28 HR 1757 State Department FY98-99 Authorization bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (51 - 49)
4/01 S Amdt 2175 School Modernization Amendment Amendment Tabled - Senate (54 - 46)
3/04 S Amdt 1682 Blood Alcohol Content Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (62 - 32)
2/25 HR 2631 Line Item Veto Cancellation bill Veto Override Passed - Senate (78 - 20)
2/10 PN 623 David Satcher, Surgeon General of the Public Health Service Nomination Confirmed - Senate (63 - 35)
11/08 HR 2264 Appropriations bill FY98, Labor, HHS, Education Conference Report Adopted - Senate (91 - 4)
10/01 HR 2378 Appropriations bill FY98, Treasury, Postal Service Conference Report Adopted - Senate (55 - 45)
9/25 HR 2266 Defense Department FY98 Appropriations bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (93 - 5)
9/11 S Amdt 1122 Education Funding Amendment Amendment Not Tabled - Senate (49 - 51)
7/31 HR 2014 Budget Reconciliation Bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (92 - 8)
6/05 H Con Res 84 Budget Resolution FY1999-2000 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (76 - 22)
5/23 S Amdt 357 Violent Crime Victims Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (51 - 49)
5/23 H Con Res 84 Budget Resolution FY1999-2000 Resolution Passed - Senate (78 - 22)
4/30 PN 82 Alexis M. Herman, Secretary of Labor Nomination Confirmed - Senate (85 - 13)
10/03 HR 3539 Federal Aviation Authorization Act of 1996 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (92 - 2)
9/10 HR 3396 Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) Bill Passed - Senate (85 - 14)
8/02 S 1316 Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments of 1995 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (98 - 0)
8/01 HR 3734 Welfare Reform Act of 1996 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (78 - 21)
7/23 HR 3734 Welfare Reform Act of 1996 Bill Passed - Senate (74 - 24)
6/06 H J Res 1 Balanced Budget Proposed Constitutional Amendment Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (64 - 35)
4/23 S J Res 21 Term Limits bill Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (58 - 42)
4/23 S J Res 21 Term Limits bill Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (58 - 42)

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