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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sept. 26, 2006 | National | S 403 | Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act | Bill Passed - House (264 - 153) |
| July 25, 2006 | National | S 403 | Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act | Bill Passed - Senate (65 - 34) |
| March 24, 2004 | National | HR 3873 | Child Nutrition Improvement and Integrity Act | Bill Passed - House (419 - 5) |
| April 10, 2003 | National | S 151 | Enhance AMBER Alert bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (400 - 25) |
| Oct. 8, 1998 | National | H Amdt 923 | Contraceptive Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (224 - 200) |
| Sept. 15, 1998 | National | S 2073 | Juvenile Crime Control and Delinquency Prevention Act | Bill Passed - House (280 - 126) |
| July 15, 1998 | National | HR 3682 | Child Custody Protection Act | Bill Passed - House (276 - 150) |
| July 12, 1996 | National | H Amdt 1280 | Family Planning Services Clinics Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (232 - 193) |
| Sept. 20, 1995 | National | H Amdt 814 | Drinking and Driving Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (223 - 203) |
| June 21, 1995 | National | S Amdt 1446 | Drinking and Driving Minors Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (64 - 36) |
| April 21, 1994 | National | HR 4092 | Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 | Bill Passed - House (285 - 141) |
| Feb. 8, 1994 | National | S Amdt 1390 | Contraceptives Distribution Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (34 - 59) |
| Nov. 19, 1993 | National | HR 3351 | Youth Offenders Alternative Punishment | Bill Passed - House (336 - 82) |
| Nov. 8, 1993 | National | S Amdt 1132 | Prohibiting the Death Penalty for Minors | Amendment Tabled - Senate (52 - 41) |
| Nov. 5, 1993 | National | S Amdt 1117 | Charging Teens as Adults for Crimes Involving a Firearm | Amendment Adopted - Senate (64 - 23) |
| Sept. 8, 1993 | National | HR 2010 | National Service Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (57 - 40) |
| 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) |
| April 2, 1992 | National | S Amdt 1757 | Prohibiting Federal Funding of Human Sexual Behavior Surveys | Amendment Adopted - Senate (51 - 46) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9/26 | S 403 | Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act | Bill Passed - House (264 - 153) |
| 7/25 | S 403 | Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act | Bill Passed - Senate (65 - 34) |
| 3/24 | HR 3873 | Child Nutrition Improvement and Integrity Act | Bill Passed - House (419 - 5) |
| 4/10 | S 151 | Enhance AMBER Alert bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (400 - 25) |
| 10/08 | H Amdt 923 | Contraceptive Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (224 - 200) |
| 9/15 | S 2073 | Juvenile Crime Control and Delinquency Prevention Act | Bill Passed - House (280 - 126) |
| 7/15 | HR 3682 | Child Custody Protection Act | Bill Passed - House (276 - 150) |
| 7/12 | H Amdt 1280 | Family Planning Services Clinics Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (232 - 193) |
| 9/20 | H Amdt 814 | Drinking and Driving Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (223 - 203) |
| 6/21 | S Amdt 1446 | Drinking and Driving Minors Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (64 - 36) |
| 4/21 | HR 4092 | Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 | Bill Passed - House (285 - 141) |
| 2/08 | S Amdt 1390 | Contraceptives Distribution Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (34 - 59) |
| 11/19 | HR 3351 | Youth Offenders Alternative Punishment | Bill Passed - House (336 - 82) |
| 11/08 | S Amdt 1132 | Prohibiting the Death Penalty for Minors | Amendment Tabled - Senate (52 - 41) |
| 11/05 | S Amdt 1117 | Charging Teens as Adults for Crimes Involving a Firearm | Amendment Adopted - Senate (64 - 23) |
| 9/08 | HR 2010 | National Service Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (57 - 40) |
| 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) |
| 4/02 | S Amdt 1757 | Prohibiting Federal Funding of Human Sexual Behavior Surveys | Amendment Adopted - Senate (51 - 46) |