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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb. 18, 2011 | National | H Amdt 95 | Prohibiting Use of Federal Funds For Planned Parenthood | Amendment Adopted - House (240 - 185) |
| Feb. 18, 2011 | National | H Amdt 95 | Prohibiting Use of Federal Funds For Planned Parenthood | Amendment Adopted - House (240 - 185) |
| Sept. 22, 2010 | National | HR 3470 | Infant Mortality Pilot Programs | Bill Passed - House (324 - 64) |
| Jan. 27, 2009 | National | S 181 | Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009 | Bill Passed - House (250 - 177) |
| Jan. 14, 2009 | National | HR 2 | Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization and Expansion | Bill Passed - House (289 - 139) |
| Jan. 9, 2009 | National | HR 12 | Employment Discrimination Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (256 - 163) |
| Jan. 9, 2009 | National | HR 11 | Employment Discrimination Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (247 - 171) |
| July 31, 2008 | National | HR 1338 | Employment Discrimination Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (247 - 178) |
| July 24, 2008 | National | HR 5501 | Funding to Combat AIDS, Malaria, and Tuberculosis | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (303 - 115) |
| April 2, 2008 | National | HR 5501 | Funding to Combat AIDS, Malaria, and Tuberculosis | Bill Passed - House (308 - 116) |
| Jan. 23, 2008 | National | HR 3963 | Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007 (CHIP) | Veto Override Failed - House (260 - 152) |
| Jan. 23, 2008 | National | HR 3963 | Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007 (CHIP) | Veto Override Failed - House (260 - 152) |
| Dec. 17, 2007 | National | HR 2764 | Appropriations for Operations in Afghanistan | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (206 - 201) |
| Oct. 25, 2007 | National | HR 3963 | Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007 (CHIP) | Bill Passed - House (265 - 142) |
| Oct. 25, 2007 | National | HR 3963 | Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007 (CHIP) | Bill Passed - House (265 - 142) |
| Oct. 18, 2007 | National | HR 976 | State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization | Veto Override Failed - House (273 - 156) |
| Sept. 25, 2007 | National | HR 976 | State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (265 - 159) |
| Aug. 1, 2007 | National | HR 3162 | State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) Reauthorization | Bill Passed - House (225 - 204) |
| Aug. 1, 2007 | National | HR 3162 | State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) Reauthorization | Bill Passed - House (225 - 204) |
| July 31, 2007 | National | HR 2831 | Equal Pay Bill | Bill Passed - House (225 - 199) |
| 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) |
| June 6, 2007 | National | HR 2560 | Human Cloning Prohibition Act of 2007 | Bill Failed - House (204 - 213) |
| June 9, 2006 | National | HR 5522 | Foreign Operations and Export Finance Appropriation Act | Bill Passed - House (373 - 34) |
| 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) |
| May 25, 2005 | National | HR 1815 | Defense Department FY2006 Authorization Bill | Bill Passed - House (390 - 39) |
| Feb. 26, 2004 | National | HR 1997 | Unborn Victims of Violence Act 2004 | Bill Passed - House (254 - 163) |
| June 4, 2003 | National | HR 760 | Prohibit Partial-Birth/Late Term Abortion Bill | Bill Passed - House (282 - 139) |
| May 1, 2003 | National | HR 1298 | AIDS Assistance bill | Bill Passed - House (375 - 41) |
| July 13, 2000 | National | H Amdt 997 | Family Planning Assistance Funding amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (206 - 221) |
| Sept. 30, 1999 | National | H Amdt 509 | Substitute Amendment to Unborn Victims of Violence Act | Amendment Rejected - House (201 - 224) |
| Sept. 30, 1999 | National | HR 2436 | Unborn Victims of Violence Act of 1999 | Bill Passed - House (254 - 172) |
| July 29, 1999 | National | H Amdt 360 | Abortion Funding Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (221 - 208) |
| Oct. 8, 1998 | National | H Amdt 923 | Contraceptive Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (224 - 200) |
| July 16, 1998 | National | H Amdt 728 | Federal Health Plan Contraceptive Coverage Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (224 - 198) |
| Sept. 9, 1997 | National | H Amdt 335 | Family Planning Parental Notification Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (220 - 201) |
| Sept. 4, 1997 | National | H Amdt 318 | International Family Planning amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (234 - 191) |
| June 19, 1997 | National | H Amdt 187 | Overseas Military Facilities Abortion Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (196 - 224) |
| July 12, 1996 | National | H Amdt 1280 | Family Planning Services Clinics Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (232 - 193) |
| July 11, 1996 | National | H Amdt 1265 | School Improvement Programs Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (294 - 129) |
| March 22, 1994 | National | H Amdt 488 | Optional Abstinence Emphasis Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (262 - 166) |
| Nov. 18, 1993 | National | HR 796 | Abortion Clinic Access Bill | Motion Rejected - House (182 - 246) |
| 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) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2/18 | H Amdt 95 | Prohibiting Use of Federal Funds For Planned Parenthood | Amendment Adopted - House (240 - 185) |
| 2/18 | H Amdt 95 | Prohibiting Use of Federal Funds For Planned Parenthood | Amendment Adopted - House (240 - 185) |
| 9/22 | HR 3470 | Infant Mortality Pilot Programs | Bill Passed - House (324 - 64) |
| 1/27 | S 181 | Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009 | Bill Passed - House (250 - 177) |
| 1/14 | HR 2 | Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization and Expansion | Bill Passed - House (289 - 139) |
| 1/09 | HR 12 | Employment Discrimination Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (256 - 163) |
| 1/09 | HR 11 | Employment Discrimination Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (247 - 171) |
| 7/31 | HR 1338 | Employment Discrimination Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (247 - 178) |
| 7/24 | HR 5501 | Funding to Combat AIDS, Malaria, and Tuberculosis | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (303 - 115) |
| 4/02 | HR 5501 | Funding to Combat AIDS, Malaria, and Tuberculosis | Bill Passed - House (308 - 116) |
| 1/23 | HR 3963 | Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007 (CHIP) | Veto Override Failed - House (260 - 152) |
| 1/23 | HR 3963 | Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007 (CHIP) | Veto Override Failed - House (260 - 152) |
| 12/17 | HR 2764 | Appropriations for Operations in Afghanistan | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (206 - 201) |
| 10/25 | HR 3963 | Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007 (CHIP) | Bill Passed - House (265 - 142) |
| 10/25 | HR 3963 | Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007 (CHIP) | Bill Passed - House (265 - 142) |
| 10/18 | HR 976 | State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization | Veto Override Failed - House (273 - 156) |
| 9/25 | HR 976 | State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (265 - 159) |
| 8/01 | HR 3162 | State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) Reauthorization | Bill Passed - House (225 - 204) |
| 8/01 | HR 3162 | State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) Reauthorization | Bill Passed - House (225 - 204) |
| 7/31 | HR 2831 | Equal Pay Bill | Bill Passed - House (225 - 199) |
| 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) |
| 6/06 | HR 2560 | Human Cloning Prohibition Act of 2007 | Bill Failed - House (204 - 213) |
| 6/09 | HR 5522 | Foreign Operations and Export Finance Appropriation Act | Bill Passed - House (373 - 34) |
| 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) |
| 5/25 | HR 1815 | Defense Department FY2006 Authorization Bill | Bill Passed - House (390 - 39) |
| 2/26 | HR 1997 | Unborn Victims of Violence Act 2004 | Bill Passed - House (254 - 163) |
| 6/04 | HR 760 | Prohibit Partial-Birth/Late Term Abortion Bill | Bill Passed - House (282 - 139) |
| 5/01 | HR 1298 | AIDS Assistance bill | Bill Passed - House (375 - 41) |
| 7/13 | H Amdt 997 | Family Planning Assistance Funding amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (206 - 221) |
| 9/30 | H Amdt 509 | Substitute Amendment to Unborn Victims of Violence Act | Amendment Rejected - House (201 - 224) |
| 9/30 | HR 2436 | Unborn Victims of Violence Act of 1999 | Bill Passed - House (254 - 172) |
| 7/29 | H Amdt 360 | Abortion Funding Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (221 - 208) |
| 10/08 | H Amdt 923 | Contraceptive Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (224 - 200) |
| 7/16 | H Amdt 728 | Federal Health Plan Contraceptive Coverage Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (224 - 198) |
| 9/09 | H Amdt 335 | Family Planning Parental Notification Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (220 - 201) |
| 9/04 | H Amdt 318 | International Family Planning amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (234 - 191) |
| 6/19 | H Amdt 187 | Overseas Military Facilities Abortion Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (196 - 224) |
| 7/12 | H Amdt 1280 | Family Planning Services Clinics Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (232 - 193) |
| 7/11 | H Amdt 1265 | School Improvement Programs Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (294 - 129) |
| 3/22 | H Amdt 488 | Optional Abstinence Emphasis Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (262 - 166) |
| 11/18 | HR 796 | Abortion Clinic Access Bill | Motion Rejected - House (182 - 246) |
| 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) |