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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 11, 1996 | National | H Amdt 1276 | Human Embryo Research Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (167 - 256) |
| June 20, 1996 | National | H Amdt 1183 | Forest Service Funding Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (211 - 211) |
| May 1, 1996 | National | S 641 | Ryan White CARE reauthorization Act of 1995 | Conference Report Adopted - House (402 - 4) |
| April 18, 1996 | National | S Amdt 3677 | Deletion of Medical Savings Accounts Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (52 - 46) |
| March 28, 1996 | National | HR 3103 | Health Insurance Portability bill | Bill Passed - House (267 - 151) |
| Feb. 29, 1996 | National | H Amdt 936 | Agricultural Conservation Programs Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (372 - 37) |
| Feb. 29, 1996 | National | H Amdt 941 | Florida Everglades Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (299 - 124) |
| Nov. 1, 1995 | National | H Amdt 890 | Domestic Partners Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (249 - 172) |
| Oct. 19, 1995 | National | HR 2425 | Medicare Preservation Act of 1995 | Bill Passed - House (231 - 201) |
| July 27, 1995 | National | S 641 | Ryan White CARE Reauthorization Act of 1995 | Bill Passed - Senate (97 - 3) |
| June 22, 1995 | National | PN 245 | Henry W. Foster Jr., Medical Director in the Regular Corps of the Public Health Service | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (57 - 43) |
| May 16, 1995 | National | HR 961 | Comprehensive Wetlands Conservation and Management Act | Bill Passed - House (240 - 185) |
| Feb. 28, 1995 | National | HR 1022 | Risk Assessment and Cost-Benefit Act of 1995 | Bill Passed - House (286 - 141) |
| Feb. 28, 1995 | National | HR 1022 | Risk Assessment and Cost-Benefit Act of 1995 | Bill Passed - House (286 - 141) |
| Aug. 10, 1994 | National | HR 4506 | Appropriations Bill FY95, Energy and Water Development | Conference Report Adopted - House (393 - 34) |
| July 12, 1994 | National | H Amdt 725 | East Mojave National Preserve Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (239 - 183) |
| June 30, 1994 | National | HR 4506 | Appropriations Bill FY95, Energy and Water Development | Bill Passed - Senate (91 - 8) |
| June 14, 1994 | National | HR 4506 | Appropriations Bill FY95, Energy and Water Development | Bill Passed - House (393 - 29) |
| March 22, 1994 | National | H Amdt 488 | Optional Abstinence Emphasis Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (262 - 166) |
| March 9, 1994 | National | H Amdt 462 | Tobacco Education Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (353 - 70) |
| Feb. 8, 1994 | National | S Amdt 1390 | Contraceptives Distribution Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (34 - 59) |
| Nov. 22, 1993 | National | H Amdt 416 | Penny Amendment to the Government Reform and Savings Act of 1993 | Amendment Rejected - House (213 - 219) |
| Nov. 18, 1993 | National | HR 796 | Abortion Clinic Access Bill | Motion Rejected - House (182 - 246) |
| Nov. 9, 1993 | National | HR 2520 | Interior Department Fiscal Year 1994 Appropriations Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (91 - 9) |
| Oct. 19, 1993 | National | HR 2491 | Veterans Administration and Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Bill Fiscal Year 1994 | Conference Report Adopted - House (341 - 89) |
| Oct. 18, 1993 | National | HR 2518 | Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (80 - 15) |
| Oct. 7, 1993 | National | HR 2518 | Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (311 - 115) |
| Sept. 29, 1993 | National | HR 2518 | Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (82 - 17) |
| Sept. 29, 1993 | National | HR 2401 | Fiscal Year 1994 Defense Authorization Bill | Bill Passed - House (268 - 162) |
| Sept. 29, 1993 | National | HR 2401 | Fiscal Year 1994 Defense Authorization Bill | Bill Passed - House (268 - 162) |
| Sept. 22, 1993 | National | HR 2491 | Veterans Administration and Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Bill Fiscal Year 1994 | Bill Passed - Senate (91 - 9) |
| Sept. 8, 1993 | National | HR 2010 | National Service Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (57 - 40) |
| Sept. 7, 1993 | National | PN 452 | M. Joycelyn Elders, United States Surgeon General | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (65 - 34) |
| Aug. 6, 1993 | National | HR 2010 | National Service Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (275 - 152) |
| Aug. 3, 1993 | National | HR 2010 | National Service Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (58 - 41) |
| July 28, 1993 | National | HR 2010 | National Service Bill | Bill Passed - House (275 - 152) |
| July 15, 1993 | National | HR 2520 | Interior Department Fiscal Year 1994 Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - House (278 - 138) |
| June 30, 1993 | National | HR 2518 | Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - House (305 - 124) |
| June 29, 1993 | National | HR 2491 | Veterans Administration and Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Bill Fiscal Year 1994 | Bill Passed - House (313 - 110) |
| May 4, 1993 | National | S 171 | Department of the Environment Act | Bill Passed - Senate (79 - 15) |
| March 25, 1993 | National | HR 670 | Abortion Counseling Bill | Motion Rejected - House (179 - 243) |
| March 25, 1993 | National | HR 670 | Abortion Counseling Bill | Bill Passed - House (273 - 149) |
| March 11, 1993 | National | HR 4 | Fetal Tissue Research Bill | Bill Passed - House (283 - 131) |
| Feb. 18, 1993 | National | S Amdt 39 | Prohibiting Immigrants with AIDS from entering the United States | Amendment Adopted - Senate (76 - 23) |
| Feb. 3, 1993 | National | HR 1 | Family & Medical Leave Bill | Bill Passed - House (265 - 163) |
| April 2, 1992 | National | S Amdt 1757 | Prohibiting Federal Funding of Human Sexual Behavior Surveys | Amendment Adopted - Senate (51 - 46) |
| April 2, 1992 | National | S Amdt 1757 | Prohibiting Federal Funding of Human Sexual Behavior Surveys | Amendment Adopted - Senate (51 - 46) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7/11 | H Amdt 1276 | Human Embryo Research Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (167 - 256) |
| 6/20 | H Amdt 1183 | Forest Service Funding Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (211 - 211) |
| 5/01 | S 641 | Ryan White CARE reauthorization Act of 1995 | Conference Report Adopted - House (402 - 4) |
| 4/18 | S Amdt 3677 | Deletion of Medical Savings Accounts Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (52 - 46) |
| 3/28 | HR 3103 | Health Insurance Portability bill | Bill Passed - House (267 - 151) |
| 2/29 | H Amdt 936 | Agricultural Conservation Programs Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (372 - 37) |
| 2/29 | H Amdt 941 | Florida Everglades Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (299 - 124) |
| 11/01 | H Amdt 890 | Domestic Partners Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (249 - 172) |
| 10/19 | HR 2425 | Medicare Preservation Act of 1995 | Bill Passed - House (231 - 201) |
| 7/27 | S 641 | Ryan White CARE Reauthorization Act of 1995 | Bill Passed - Senate (97 - 3) |
| 6/22 | PN 245 | Henry W. Foster Jr., Medical Director in the Regular Corps of the Public Health Service | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (57 - 43) |
| 5/16 | HR 961 | Comprehensive Wetlands Conservation and Management Act | Bill Passed - House (240 - 185) |
| 2/28 | HR 1022 | Risk Assessment and Cost-Benefit Act of 1995 | Bill Passed - House (286 - 141) |
| 2/28 | HR 1022 | Risk Assessment and Cost-Benefit Act of 1995 | Bill Passed - House (286 - 141) |
| 8/10 | HR 4506 | Appropriations Bill FY95, Energy and Water Development | Conference Report Adopted - House (393 - 34) |
| 7/12 | H Amdt 725 | East Mojave National Preserve Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (239 - 183) |
| 6/30 | HR 4506 | Appropriations Bill FY95, Energy and Water Development | Bill Passed - Senate (91 - 8) |
| 6/14 | HR 4506 | Appropriations Bill FY95, Energy and Water Development | Bill Passed - House (393 - 29) |
| 3/22 | H Amdt 488 | Optional Abstinence Emphasis Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (262 - 166) |
| 3/09 | H Amdt 462 | Tobacco Education Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (353 - 70) |
| 2/08 | S Amdt 1390 | Contraceptives Distribution Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (34 - 59) |
| 11/22 | H Amdt 416 | Penny Amendment to the Government Reform and Savings Act of 1993 | Amendment Rejected - House (213 - 219) |
| 11/18 | HR 796 | Abortion Clinic Access Bill | Motion Rejected - House (182 - 246) |
| 11/09 | HR 2520 | Interior Department Fiscal Year 1994 Appropriations Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (91 - 9) |
| 10/19 | HR 2491 | Veterans Administration and Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Bill Fiscal Year 1994 | Conference Report Adopted - House (341 - 89) |
| 10/18 | HR 2518 | Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (80 - 15) |
| 10/07 | HR 2518 | Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (311 - 115) |
| 9/29 | HR 2518 | Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (82 - 17) |
| 9/29 | HR 2401 | Fiscal Year 1994 Defense Authorization Bill | Bill Passed - House (268 - 162) |
| 9/29 | HR 2401 | Fiscal Year 1994 Defense Authorization Bill | Bill Passed - House (268 - 162) |
| 9/22 | HR 2491 | Veterans Administration and Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Bill Fiscal Year 1994 | Bill Passed - Senate (91 - 9) |
| 9/08 | HR 2010 | National Service Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (57 - 40) |
| 9/07 | PN 452 | M. Joycelyn Elders, United States Surgeon General | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (65 - 34) |
| 8/06 | HR 2010 | National Service Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (275 - 152) |
| 8/03 | HR 2010 | National Service Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (58 - 41) |
| 7/28 | HR 2010 | National Service Bill | Bill Passed - House (275 - 152) |
| 7/15 | HR 2520 | Interior Department Fiscal Year 1994 Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - House (278 - 138) |
| 6/30 | HR 2518 | Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - House (305 - 124) |
| 6/29 | HR 2491 | Veterans Administration and Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Bill Fiscal Year 1994 | Bill Passed - House (313 - 110) |
| 5/04 | S 171 | Department of the Environment Act | Bill Passed - Senate (79 - 15) |
| 3/25 | HR 670 | Abortion Counseling Bill | Motion Rejected - House (179 - 243) |
| 3/25 | HR 670 | Abortion Counseling Bill | Bill Passed - House (273 - 149) |
| 3/11 | HR 4 | Fetal Tissue Research Bill | Bill Passed - House (283 - 131) |
| 2/18 | S Amdt 39 | Prohibiting Immigrants with AIDS from entering the United States | Amendment Adopted - Senate (76 - 23) |
| 2/03 | HR 1 | Family & Medical Leave Bill | Bill Passed - House (265 - 163) |
| 4/02 | S Amdt 1757 | Prohibiting Federal Funding of Human Sexual Behavior Surveys | Amendment Adopted - Senate (51 - 46) |
| 4/02 | S Amdt 1757 | Prohibiting Federal Funding of Human Sexual Behavior Surveys | Amendment Adopted - Senate (51 - 46) |