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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct. 10, 2007 | National | HR 2895 | National Affordable Housing Trust Fund Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - House (264 - 148) |
| Oct. 4, 2007 | National | HR 3648 | Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - House (386 - 27) |
| Sept. 25, 2007 | National | HR 976 | State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (265 - 159) |
| Aug. 4, 2007 | National | HR 3221 | Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation Tax Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - House (241 - 172) |
| Aug. 1, 2007 | National | HR 3162 | State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) Reauthorization | Bill Passed - House (225 - 204) |
| July 27, 2007 | National | HR 2419 | Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) | Bill Passed - House (231 - 191) |
| July 12, 2007 | National | HR 1851 | Section 8 Voucher Adjustments Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - House (333 - 83) |
| Sept. 21, 2006 | National | S 2832 | Appalachian Regional Development Act Amendments of 2006 | Bill Failed - House (215 - 204) |
| July 29, 2006 | National | HR 5970 | Death/Estate Tax and Minimum Wage Bill | Bill Passed - House (230 - 180) |
| May 23, 2006 | National | HR 5384 | Agriculture, Rural Development, FDA Appropriations Act | Bill Passed - House (378 - 46) |
| March 30, 2006 | National | H Amdt 772 | Reverse the Raid on Student Aid Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (200 - 220) |
| Feb. 1, 2006 | National | H Res 653 | Budget Reconciliation Adoption | Resolution Passed - House (216 - 214) |
| 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) |
| Oct. 28, 2005 | National | HR 2744 | Agriculture, Rural Development and FDA Appropriations Act | Conference Report Adopted - House (318 - 63) |
| June 8, 2005 | National | HR 2744 | Agriculture, Rural Development and FDA Appropriations Act | Bill Passed - House (408 - 18) |
| March 24, 2004 | National | HR 3873 | Child Nutrition Improvement and Integrity Act | Bill Passed - House (419 - 5) |
| July 9, 2003 | National | HR 438 | Student Loan Forgiveness for Teachers | Bill Passed - House (417 - 7) |
| June 11, 2003 | National | HR 2350 | Welfare Reform bill | Bill Passed - House (406 - 6) |
| Feb. 13, 2003 | National | HR 4 | Welfare Reform bill | Bill Passed - House (230 - 192) |
| May 16, 2002 | National | HR 4737 | Temporary Aid to Needy Families | Bill Passed - House (229 - 197) |
| May 2, 2002 | National | HR 2646 | Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 | Conference Report Adopted - House (280 - 141) |
| Oct. 5, 2001 | National | HR 2646 | Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 | Bill Passed - House (291 - 120) |
| Oct. 21, 1999 | National | HR 2 | Education Funding for Disadvantaged Students-Passage | Bill Passed - House (358 - 67) |
| Oct. 1, 1999 | National | HR 1906 | FY 2000 Agriculture Appropriations bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (240 - 175) |
| June 8, 1999 | National | HR 1906 | FY 2000 Agriculture Appropriations bill | Bill Passed - House (246 - 183) |
| March 11, 1999 | National | H Amdt 22 | High Needs District Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (195 - 223) |
| Aug. 6, 1998 | National | H Amdt 874 | Low Income Educational Scholarship Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (214 - 208) |
| April 30, 1998 | National | S 1502 | Washington, D.C. School Vouchers bill | Bill Passed - House (214 - 206) |
| Nov. 4, 1997 | National | HR 2746 | HELP Scholarships bill | Bill Failed - House (191 - 228) |
| May 16, 1997 | National | HR 1385 | Training Programs bill | Bill Passed - House (343 - 60) |
| Aug. 2, 1996 | National | HR 3448 | Minimum Wage Increase bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (354 - 72) |
| July 31, 1996 | National | HR 3734 | Welfare Reform Act of 1996 | Conference Report Adopted - House (328 - 101) |
| July 18, 1996 | National | H Amdt 1307 | Food Stamp Recipient Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (239 - 184) |
| July 18, 1996 | National | HR 3734 | Welfare Reform Act of 1996 | Bill Passed - House (256 - 170) |
| June 6, 1996 | National | H Amdt 1133 | Wisconsin Welfare Reform Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (194 - 233) |
| June 6, 1996 | National | HR 3562 | Wisconsin Welfare Reform Bill | Bill Passed - House (289 - 136) |
| May 22, 1996 | National | HR 3448 | Minimum Wage Increase bill | Bill Passed - House (414 - 10) |
| March 20, 1996 | National | H Amdt 968 | Immigrant Public Assistance Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (151 - 269) |
| March 7, 1996 | National | H Amdt 946 | Medicaid Funded Abortions Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (198 - 222) |
| Dec. 21, 1995 | National | HR 4 | Welfare Reform Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (245 - 178) |
| March 24, 1995 | National | HR 4 | Welfare Reform Bill | Bill Passed - House (234 - 199) |
| July 22, 1994 | National | H Amdt 778 | Prohibiting Benefits to Undocumented Immigrants | Amendment Adopted - House (220 - 176) |
| July 21, 1994 | National | H Amdt 771 | Limiting Entitlement Program Expenditures | Amendment Rejected - House (194 - 233) |
| Oct. 7, 1993 | National | HR 2518 | Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (311 - 115) |
| June 30, 1993 | National | HR 2518 | Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - House (305 - 124) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10/10 | HR 2895 | National Affordable Housing Trust Fund Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - House (264 - 148) |
| 10/04 | HR 3648 | Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - House (386 - 27) |
| 9/25 | HR 976 | State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (265 - 159) |
| 8/04 | HR 3221 | Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation Tax Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - House (241 - 172) |
| 8/01 | HR 3162 | State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) Reauthorization | Bill Passed - House (225 - 204) |
| 7/27 | HR 2419 | Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) | Bill Passed - House (231 - 191) |
| 7/12 | HR 1851 | Section 8 Voucher Adjustments Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - House (333 - 83) |
| 9/21 | S 2832 | Appalachian Regional Development Act Amendments of 2006 | Bill Failed - House (215 - 204) |
| 7/29 | HR 5970 | Death/Estate Tax and Minimum Wage Bill | Bill Passed - House (230 - 180) |
| 5/23 | HR 5384 | Agriculture, Rural Development, FDA Appropriations Act | Bill Passed - House (378 - 46) |
| 3/30 | H Amdt 772 | Reverse the Raid on Student Aid Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (200 - 220) |
| 2/01 | H Res 653 | Budget Reconciliation Adoption | Resolution Passed - House (216 - 214) |
| 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) |
| 10/28 | HR 2744 | Agriculture, Rural Development and FDA Appropriations Act | Conference Report Adopted - House (318 - 63) |
| 6/08 | HR 2744 | Agriculture, Rural Development and FDA Appropriations Act | Bill Passed - House (408 - 18) |
| 3/24 | HR 3873 | Child Nutrition Improvement and Integrity Act | Bill Passed - House (419 - 5) |
| 7/09 | HR 438 | Student Loan Forgiveness for Teachers | Bill Passed - House (417 - 7) |
| 6/11 | HR 2350 | Welfare Reform bill | Bill Passed - House (406 - 6) |
| 2/13 | HR 4 | Welfare Reform bill | Bill Passed - House (230 - 192) |
| 5/16 | HR 4737 | Temporary Aid to Needy Families | Bill Passed - House (229 - 197) |
| 5/02 | HR 2646 | Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 | Conference Report Adopted - House (280 - 141) |
| 10/05 | HR 2646 | Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 | Bill Passed - House (291 - 120) |
| 10/21 | HR 2 | Education Funding for Disadvantaged Students-Passage | Bill Passed - House (358 - 67) |
| 10/01 | HR 1906 | FY 2000 Agriculture Appropriations bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (240 - 175) |
| 6/08 | HR 1906 | FY 2000 Agriculture Appropriations bill | Bill Passed - House (246 - 183) |
| 3/11 | H Amdt 22 | High Needs District Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (195 - 223) |
| 8/06 | H Amdt 874 | Low Income Educational Scholarship Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (214 - 208) |
| 4/30 | S 1502 | Washington, D.C. School Vouchers bill | Bill Passed - House (214 - 206) |
| 11/04 | HR 2746 | HELP Scholarships bill | Bill Failed - House (191 - 228) |
| 5/16 | HR 1385 | Training Programs bill | Bill Passed - House (343 - 60) |
| 8/02 | HR 3448 | Minimum Wage Increase bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (354 - 72) |
| 7/31 | HR 3734 | Welfare Reform Act of 1996 | Conference Report Adopted - House (328 - 101) |
| 7/18 | H Amdt 1307 | Food Stamp Recipient Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (239 - 184) |
| 7/18 | HR 3734 | Welfare Reform Act of 1996 | Bill Passed - House (256 - 170) |
| 6/06 | H Amdt 1133 | Wisconsin Welfare Reform Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (194 - 233) |
| 6/06 | HR 3562 | Wisconsin Welfare Reform Bill | Bill Passed - House (289 - 136) |
| 5/22 | HR 3448 | Minimum Wage Increase bill | Bill Passed - House (414 - 10) |
| 3/20 | H Amdt 968 | Immigrant Public Assistance Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (151 - 269) |
| 3/07 | H Amdt 946 | Medicaid Funded Abortions Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (198 - 222) |
| 12/21 | HR 4 | Welfare Reform Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (245 - 178) |
| 3/24 | HR 4 | Welfare Reform Bill | Bill Passed - House (234 - 199) |
| 7/22 | H Amdt 778 | Prohibiting Benefits to Undocumented Immigrants | Amendment Adopted - House (220 - 176) |
| 7/21 | H Amdt 771 | Limiting Entitlement Program Expenditures | Amendment Rejected - House (194 - 233) |
| 10/07 | HR 2518 | Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (311 - 115) |
| 6/30 | HR 2518 | Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - House (305 - 124) |