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 19, 2007 | National | HR 3043 | Appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies | Bill Passed - House (276 - 140) |
| July 11, 2007 | National | S 1701 | Extension of Funding for Transitional Medical Assistance and Abstinence Education | Bill Passed - House (291 - 126) |
| July 11, 2007 | National | S 1701 | Extension of Funding for Transitional Medical Assistance and Abstinence Education | Bill Passed - House (291 - 126) |
| June 7, 2007 | National | S 5 | Stem Cell Research Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - House (247 - 176) |
| June 6, 2007 | National | HR 2560 | Human Cloning Prohibition Act of 2007 | Bill Failed - House (204 - 213) |
| May 17, 2007 | National | S Con Res 21 | 2008 Budget Resolution | Conference Report Adopted - House (214 - 209) |
| May 17, 2007 | National | S Con Res 21 | 2008 Budget Resolution | Conference Report Adopted - House (214 - 209) |
| Jan. 12, 2007 | National | HR 4 | Medicare Prescription Drug Price Negotiation Act | Bill Passed - House (255 - 170) |
| Jan. 11, 2007 | National | HR 3 | Stem Cell Research Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - House (253 - 174) |
| Sept. 25, 2006 | National | HR 5062 | New Hampshire Wilderness Act | Bill Failed - House (220 - 169) |
| Sept. 7, 2006 | National | HR 503 | Horse Slaughter Prohibition Bill | Bill Passed - House (263 - 146) |
| July 29, 2006 | National | HR 5970 | Death/Estate Tax and Minimum Wage Bill | Bill Passed - House (230 - 180) |
| July 27, 2006 | National | HR 4157 | Better Health Information Systems Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (270 - 148) |
| July 19, 2006 | National | HR 810 | Stem Cell Research Bill of 2005 | Veto Override Failed - House (235 - 193) |
| July 18, 2006 | National | S 2754 | Alternative Stem Cell Therapies Act | Bill Failed - House (273 - 154) |
| June 9, 2006 | National | HR 5522 | Foreign Operations and Export Finance Appropriation Act | Bill Passed - House (373 - 34) |
| June 9, 2006 | National | HR 5522 | Foreign Operations and Export Finance Appropriation Act | Bill Passed - House (373 - 34) |
| June 9, 2006 | National | HR 5522 | Foreign Operations and Export Finance Appropriation Act | Bill Passed - House (373 - 34) |
| May 23, 2006 | National | HR 5384 | Agriculture, Rural Development, FDA Appropriations Act | Bill Passed - House (378 - 46) |
| May 18, 2006 | National | HR 5386 | Interior Department FY2007 Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - House (293 - 128) |
| March 8, 2006 | National | HR 4167 | National Uniformity for Food Act | Bill Passed - House (283 - 139) |
| March 8, 2006 | National | HR 4167 | National Uniformity for Food Act | Bill Passed - House (283 - 139) |
| Feb. 1, 2006 | National | H Res 653 | Budget Reconciliation Adoption | Resolution Passed - House (216 - 214) |
| Dec. 19, 2005 | National | S 1932 | Budget Reconciliation Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (212 - 206) |
| Dec. 19, 2005 | National | S 1932 | Budget Reconciliation Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (212 - 206) |
| Dec. 19, 2005 | National | HR 2863 | Defense Department FY2006 Appropriations Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (308 - 106) |
| Dec. 14, 2005 | National | HR 3010 | Labor, HHS and Education FY 2006 Appropriations Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (215 - 213) |
| Nov. 17, 2005 | National | HR 3010 | Labor, HHS and Education FY 2006 Appropriations Bill | Conference Report Rejected - House (209 - 224) |
| Nov. 9, 2005 | National | HR 2862 | Commerce, Justice and Science Appropriations Bill, FY 2006 | Conference Report Adopted - House (397 - 19) |
| Nov. 9, 2005 | National | HR 2419 | Energy and Water Appropriations Bill FY 2006 | Conference Report Adopted - House (339 - 17) |
| Oct. 28, 2005 | National | HR 2744 | Agriculture, Rural Development and FDA Appropriations Act | Conference Report Adopted - House (318 - 63) |
| 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 2361 | Interior Department FY 2006 Appropriations Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (410 - 10) |
| July 28, 2005 | National | HR 5 | Malpractice Liability Reform Bill | Bill Passed - House (230 - 194) |
| July 26, 2005 | National | H Amdt 514 | Small Employer Health Benefits Plan Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (197 - 230) |
| July 20, 2005 | National | HR 2601 | State Department FY 2006/2007 Authorization Bill | Bill Passed - House (351 - 78) |
| July 20, 2005 | National | HR 2601 | State Department FY 2006/2007 Authorization Bill | Bill Passed - House (351 - 78) |
| July 19, 2005 | National | H Amdt 464 | Obstetric Fistula Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (223 - 205) |
| July 12, 2005 | National | HR 741 | Independent Review of OSHA Act of 2005 | Bill Passed - House (226 - 197) |
| June 23, 2005 | National | H Amdt 343 | Restoring Funds for Public Broadcasting | Amendment Adopted - House (284 - 140) |
| June 23, 2005 | National | H Amdt 346 | Annual Fit Test Funding Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (206 - 216) |
| June 20, 2005 | National | HR 2863 | Defense Department FY2006 Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - House (398 - 19) |
| June 16, 2005 | National | HR 2862 | Commerce, Justice and Science Appropriations Bill, FY 2006 | Bill Passed - House (418 - 7) |
| June 8, 2005 | National | HR 2744 | Agriculture, Rural Development and FDA Appropriations Act | Bill Passed - House (408 - 18) |
| May 24, 2005 | National | HR 810 | Stem Cell Research Bill of 2005 | Bill Passed - House (238 - 194) |
| May 24, 2005 | National | HR 2419 | Energy and Water Appropriations Bill FY 2006 | Bill Passed - House (416 - 13) |
| May 19, 2005 | National | HR 2361 | Interior Department FY 2006 Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - House (329 - 89) |
| May 5, 2005 | National | HR 1268 | Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2005 | Conference Report Adopted - House (368 - 58) |
| May 5, 2005 | National | HR 1268 | Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2005 | Conference Report Adopted - House (368 - 58) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7/19 | HR 3043 | Appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies | Bill Passed - House (276 - 140) |
| 7/11 | S 1701 | Extension of Funding for Transitional Medical Assistance and Abstinence Education | Bill Passed - House (291 - 126) |
| 7/11 | S 1701 | Extension of Funding for Transitional Medical Assistance and Abstinence Education | Bill Passed - House (291 - 126) |
| 6/07 | S 5 | Stem Cell Research Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - House (247 - 176) |
| 6/06 | HR 2560 | Human Cloning Prohibition Act of 2007 | Bill Failed - House (204 - 213) |
| 5/17 | S Con Res 21 | 2008 Budget Resolution | Conference Report Adopted - House (214 - 209) |
| 5/17 | S Con Res 21 | 2008 Budget Resolution | Conference Report Adopted - House (214 - 209) |
| 1/12 | HR 4 | Medicare Prescription Drug Price Negotiation Act | Bill Passed - House (255 - 170) |
| 1/11 | HR 3 | Stem Cell Research Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - House (253 - 174) |
| 9/25 | HR 5062 | New Hampshire Wilderness Act | Bill Failed - House (220 - 169) |
| 9/07 | HR 503 | Horse Slaughter Prohibition Bill | Bill Passed - House (263 - 146) |
| 7/29 | HR 5970 | Death/Estate Tax and Minimum Wage Bill | Bill Passed - House (230 - 180) |
| 7/27 | HR 4157 | Better Health Information Systems Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (270 - 148) |
| 7/19 | HR 810 | Stem Cell Research Bill of 2005 | Veto Override Failed - House (235 - 193) |
| 7/18 | S 2754 | Alternative Stem Cell Therapies Act | Bill Failed - House (273 - 154) |
| 6/09 | HR 5522 | Foreign Operations and Export Finance Appropriation Act | Bill Passed - House (373 - 34) |
| 6/09 | HR 5522 | Foreign Operations and Export Finance Appropriation Act | Bill Passed - House (373 - 34) |
| 6/09 | HR 5522 | Foreign Operations and Export Finance Appropriation Act | Bill Passed - House (373 - 34) |
| 5/23 | HR 5384 | Agriculture, Rural Development, FDA Appropriations Act | Bill Passed - House (378 - 46) |
| 5/18 | HR 5386 | Interior Department FY2007 Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - House (293 - 128) |
| 3/08 | HR 4167 | National Uniformity for Food Act | Bill Passed - House (283 - 139) |
| 3/08 | HR 4167 | National Uniformity for Food Act | Bill Passed - House (283 - 139) |
| 2/01 | H Res 653 | Budget Reconciliation Adoption | Resolution Passed - House (216 - 214) |
| 12/19 | S 1932 | Budget Reconciliation Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (212 - 206) |
| 12/19 | S 1932 | Budget Reconciliation Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (212 - 206) |
| 12/19 | HR 2863 | Defense Department FY2006 Appropriations Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (308 - 106) |
| 12/14 | HR 3010 | Labor, HHS and Education FY 2006 Appropriations Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (215 - 213) |
| 11/17 | HR 3010 | Labor, HHS and Education FY 2006 Appropriations Bill | Conference Report Rejected - House (209 - 224) |
| 11/09 | HR 2862 | Commerce, Justice and Science Appropriations Bill, FY 2006 | Conference Report Adopted - House (397 - 19) |
| 11/09 | HR 2419 | Energy and Water Appropriations Bill FY 2006 | Conference Report Adopted - House (339 - 17) |
| 10/28 | HR 2744 | Agriculture, Rural Development and FDA Appropriations Act | Conference Report Adopted - House (318 - 63) |
| 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 2361 | Interior Department FY 2006 Appropriations Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (410 - 10) |
| 7/28 | HR 5 | Malpractice Liability Reform Bill | Bill Passed - House (230 - 194) |
| 7/26 | H Amdt 514 | Small Employer Health Benefits Plan Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (197 - 230) |
| 7/20 | HR 2601 | State Department FY 2006/2007 Authorization Bill | Bill Passed - House (351 - 78) |
| 7/20 | HR 2601 | State Department FY 2006/2007 Authorization Bill | Bill Passed - House (351 - 78) |
| 7/19 | H Amdt 464 | Obstetric Fistula Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (223 - 205) |
| 7/12 | HR 741 | Independent Review of OSHA Act of 2005 | Bill Passed - House (226 - 197) |
| 6/23 | H Amdt 343 | Restoring Funds for Public Broadcasting | Amendment Adopted - House (284 - 140) |
| 6/23 | H Amdt 346 | Annual Fit Test Funding Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (206 - 216) |
| 6/20 | HR 2863 | Defense Department FY2006 Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - House (398 - 19) |
| 6/16 | HR 2862 | Commerce, Justice and Science Appropriations Bill, FY 2006 | Bill Passed - House (418 - 7) |
| 6/08 | HR 2744 | Agriculture, Rural Development and FDA Appropriations Act | Bill Passed - House (408 - 18) |
| 5/24 | HR 810 | Stem Cell Research Bill of 2005 | Bill Passed - House (238 - 194) |
| 5/24 | HR 2419 | Energy and Water Appropriations Bill FY 2006 | Bill Passed - House (416 - 13) |
| 5/19 | HR 2361 | Interior Department FY 2006 Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - House (329 - 89) |
| 5/05 | HR 1268 | Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2005 | Conference Report Adopted - House (368 - 58) |
| 5/05 | HR 1268 | Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2005 | Conference Report Adopted - House (368 - 58) |