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 17, 2007 | National | HR 980 | Collective Bargaining for Public Safety Officers | Bill Passed - House (314 - 97) |
| 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 22, 2007 | National | S 214 | United States Attorneys Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - House (306 - 114) |
| 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) |
| May 3, 2007 | National | HR 1592 | Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - House (237 - 180) |
| Jan. 11, 2007 | National | HR 3 | Stem Cell Research Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - House (253 - 174) |
| Sept. 29, 2006 | National | S 3930 | Military Commissions Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (250 - 170) |
| 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) |
| Sept. 13, 2006 | National | HR 4893 | Restricting Indian Gaming to Homelands of Tribes Act | Bill Failed - House (247 - 171) |
| Sept. 7, 2006 | National | HR 503 | Horse Slaughter Prohibition Bill | Bill Passed - House (263 - 146) |
| July 19, 2006 | National | HR 810 | Stem Cell Research Bill of 2005 | Veto Override Failed - House (235 - 193) |
| July 19, 2006 | National | HR 2389 | Pledge Protection Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (260 - 167) |
| July 18, 2006 | National | S 2754 | Alternative Stem Cell Therapies Act | Bill Failed - House (273 - 154) |
| July 18, 2006 | National | H J Res 88 | Same-Sex Marriage Resolution | Joint Resolution Failed - House (236 - 187) |
| July 13, 2006 | National | HR 9 | Voting Rights Act Reauthorization | Bill Passed - House (390 - 33) |
| July 11, 2006 | National | H Amdt 1179 | Online Gambling Ban Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (114 - 297) |
| July 11, 2006 | National | HR 4411 | Internet Gambling Bill | Bill Passed - House (317 - 93) |
| June 29, 2006 | National | HR 5672 | Commerce Department Appropriations Bill FY 2006 | Bill Passed - House (393 - 23) |
| June 28, 2006 | National | H Amdt 1156 | Trigger Lock Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (230 - 191) |
| 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 10, 2006 | National | HR 4297 | Tax Relief Extension Reconciliation Act of 2005 | Conference Report Adopted - House (244 - 185) |
| Dec. 19, 2005 | National | S 1932 | Budget Reconciliation Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (212 - 206) |
| 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 3010 | Labor, HHS and Education FY 2006 Appropriations Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (215 - 213) |
| Dec. 8, 2005 | National | HR 4297 | Tax Relief Extension Reconciliation Act of 2005 | Bill Passed - House (234 - 197) |
| 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. 2, 2005 | National | HR 1606 | Online Freedom of Speech Act | Bill Failed - House (225 - 182) |
| Oct. 20, 2005 | National | S 397 | Firearms Manufacturers Protection Bill | Bill Passed - House (283 - 144) |
| Sept. 29, 2005 | National | H Amdt 588 | Endangered Species Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (206 - 216) |
| Sept. 29, 2005 | National | HR 3824 | Endangered Species Reauthorization Bill | Bill Passed - House (229 - 193) |
| July 28, 2005 | National | HR 2361 | Interior Department FY 2006 Appropriations Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (410 - 10) |
| 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 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) |
| June 23, 2005 | National | H Amdt 343 | Restoring Funds for Public Broadcasting | Amendment Adopted - House (284 - 140) |
| June 17, 2005 | National | HR 2745 | United Nations Reform Act of 2005 | Bill Passed - House (221 - 184) |
| 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) |
| 7/17 | HR 980 | Collective Bargaining for Public Safety Officers | Bill Passed - House (314 - 97) |
| 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) |
| 5/22 | S 214 | United States Attorneys Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - House (306 - 114) |
| 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) |
| 5/03 | HR 1592 | Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - House (237 - 180) |
| 1/11 | HR 3 | Stem Cell Research Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - House (253 - 174) |
| 9/29 | S 3930 | Military Commissions Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (250 - 170) |
| 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) |
| 9/13 | HR 4893 | Restricting Indian Gaming to Homelands of Tribes Act | Bill Failed - House (247 - 171) |
| 9/07 | HR 503 | Horse Slaughter Prohibition Bill | Bill Passed - House (263 - 146) |
| 7/19 | HR 810 | Stem Cell Research Bill of 2005 | Veto Override Failed - House (235 - 193) |
| 7/19 | HR 2389 | Pledge Protection Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (260 - 167) |
| 7/18 | S 2754 | Alternative Stem Cell Therapies Act | Bill Failed - House (273 - 154) |
| 7/18 | H J Res 88 | Same-Sex Marriage Resolution | Joint Resolution Failed - House (236 - 187) |
| 7/13 | HR 9 | Voting Rights Act Reauthorization | Bill Passed - House (390 - 33) |
| 7/11 | H Amdt 1179 | Online Gambling Ban Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (114 - 297) |
| 7/11 | HR 4411 | Internet Gambling Bill | Bill Passed - House (317 - 93) |
| 6/29 | HR 5672 | Commerce Department Appropriations Bill FY 2006 | Bill Passed - House (393 - 23) |
| 6/28 | H Amdt 1156 | Trigger Lock Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (230 - 191) |
| 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) |
| 5/10 | HR 4297 | Tax Relief Extension Reconciliation Act of 2005 | Conference Report Adopted - House (244 - 185) |
| 12/19 | S 1932 | Budget Reconciliation Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (212 - 206) |
| 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 3010 | Labor, HHS and Education FY 2006 Appropriations Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (215 - 213) |
| 12/08 | HR 4297 | Tax Relief Extension Reconciliation Act of 2005 | Bill Passed - House (234 - 197) |
| 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) |
| 11/02 | HR 1606 | Online Freedom of Speech Act | Bill Failed - House (225 - 182) |
| 10/20 | S 397 | Firearms Manufacturers Protection Bill | Bill Passed - House (283 - 144) |
| 9/29 | H Amdt 588 | Endangered Species Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (206 - 216) |
| 9/29 | HR 3824 | Endangered Species Reauthorization Bill | Bill Passed - House (229 - 193) |
| 7/28 | HR 2361 | Interior Department FY 2006 Appropriations Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (410 - 10) |
| 7/21 | HR 3199 | PATRIOT Act Reauthorization | Motion Rejected - House (209 - 218) |
| 7/21 | HR 3199 | PATRIOT Act Reauthorization | Bill Passed - House (257 - 171) |
| 7/20 | 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) |
| 6/23 | H Amdt 343 | Restoring Funds for Public Broadcasting | Amendment Adopted - House (284 - 140) |
| 6/17 | HR 2745 | United Nations Reform Act of 2005 | Bill Passed - House (221 - 184) |