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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 21, 2008 | National | HR 2419 | Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) | Veto Override Passed - House (316 - 108) |
| May 21, 2008 | National | HR 2419 | Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) | Veto Override Passed - House (316 - 108) |
| May 21, 2008 | National | HR 6049 | Alternative Energy Tax Incentives | Bill Passed - House (263 - 160) |
| May 15, 2008 | National | HR 2419 | Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (81 - 15) |
| May 15, 2008 | National | HR 2419 | Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (81 - 15) |
| May 15, 2008 | National | HR 2642 | Iraq Related Provisions such as a Troop Withdrawal, a Permanent Base Ban, and Limiting Interrogation Techniques | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (256 - 166) |
| May 15, 2008 | National | HR 2642 | Iraq Related Provisions such as a Troop Withdrawal, a Permanent Base Ban, and Limiting Interrogation Techniques | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (227 - 196) |
| May 15, 2008 | National | HR 2642 | Iraq Related Provisions such as a Troop Withdrawal, a Permanent Base Ban, and Limiting Interrogation Techniques | Concurrence Vote Failed - House (141 - 149) |
| May 14, 2008 | National | HR 2419 | Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) | Conference Report Adopted - House (318 - 106) |
| May 14, 2008 | National | HR 2419 | Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) | Conference Report Adopted - House (318 - 106) |
| May 8, 2008 | National | HR 3221 | Housing-Related Tax Provision Amendments | Amendment Adopted - House (322 - 94) |
| May 8, 2008 | National | H Amdt 1045 | Undocumented Immigrants' Ineligibility for Certain Financial Assistance | Amendment Adopted - House (391 - 33) |
| May 8, 2008 | National | HR 3221 | Housing-Related Tax Provision Amendments | Amendment Adopted - House (266 - 154) |
| May 8, 2008 | National | HR 5818 | Assistance to States for Purchasing Foreclosed Homes | Bill Passed - House (239 - 188) |
| May 7, 2008 | National | S Amdt 4719 | Optional Wind Damage Insurance | Amendment Rejected - Senate (19 - 74) |
| April 29, 2008 | National | S 2739 | Consolidated Natural Resources Act of 2008 | Bill Passed - House (291 - 117) |
| April 23, 2008 | National | HR 5613 | Medicaid Extensions and Changes | Bill Passed - House (349 - 62) |
| April 10, 2008 | National | S Amdt 4419 to S Amdt 4387 | Energy Tax Credits Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (88 - 8) |
| April 10, 2008 | National | HR 3221 | Housing Bill with Energy Tax Credit Extensions | Bill Passed - Senate (84 - 12) |
| April 10, 2008 | National | HR 3221 | Housing Bill with Energy Tax Credit Extensions | Bill Passed - Senate (84 - 12) |
| April 2, 2008 | National | HR 5501 | Funding to Combat AIDS, Malaria, and Tuberculosis | Bill Passed - House (308 - 116) |
| March 14, 2008 | National | S Amdt 4299 | Expressing the Sense of the Senate on the Legalization of Importing Certain Prescription Drugs | Amendment Adopted - Senate (73 - 23) |
| March 13, 2008 | National | S Amdt 4329 | Amendment on Certain Energy-Related Programs, Including the Development of Oil and Natural Gas in Coastal Areas Not Covered by a Moratorium | Amendment Adopted - Senate (56 - 43) |
| March 13, 2008 | National | S Amdt 4207 | Amendment on Certain Energy-Related Programs, Including the Development of Oil Shale and Offshore Natural Gas | Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 51) |
| March 13, 2008 | National | H Con Res 312 | Concurrent Budget Resolution | Joint Resolution Passed - House (212 - 207) |
| March 11, 2008 | National | HR 2082 | Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 | Veto Override Failed - House (225 - 188) |
| March 5, 2008 | National | HR 1424 | Mental Health Coverage Bill | Bill Passed - House (268 - 148) |
| Feb. 27, 2008 | National | HR 5351 | Energy Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (236 - 182) |
| Feb. 26, 2008 | National | S 1200 | Indian Health Care Improvement Act Amendments of 2008 | Bill Passed - Senate (83 - 10) |
| Feb. 13, 2008 | National | HR 2082 | Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (51 - 45) |
| Feb. 7, 2008 | National | HR 5140 | Economic Stimulus Plan | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (380 - 34) |
| Feb. 7, 2008 | National | HR 5140 | Economic Stimulus Plan | Bill Passed - Senate (81 - 16) |
| Jan. 29, 2008 | National | HR 5140 | Economic Stimulus Plan | Bill Passed - House (385 - 35) |
| Jan. 22, 2008 | National | HR 4986 | Defense Authorizations Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (91 - 3) |
| Jan. 16, 2008 | National | HR 4986 | Defense Authorizations Bill | Bill Passed - House (369 - 46) |
| Dec. 19, 2007 | National | HR 2764 | Inclusion of Iraq and Afghanistan Military Operations Funding with the Consolidated Appropriations | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (272 - 142) |
| Dec. 18, 2007 | National | S Amdt 3875 | Iraq Withdrawal Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (24 - 71) |
| Dec. 18, 2007 | National | HR 6 | Energy Act of 2007 | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (314 - 100) |
| Dec. 18, 2007 | National | HR 2764 | Inclusion of Iraq and Afghanistan Military Operations Funding with the Consolidated Appropriations | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (76 - 17) |
| Dec. 18, 2007 | National | HR 2764 | Inclusion of Iraq and Afghanistan Military Operations Funding with the Consolidated Appropriations | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (70 - 25) |
| Dec. 18, 2007 | National | HR 2764 | Inclusion of Iraq and Afghanistan Military Operations Funding with the Consolidated Appropriations | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (76 - 17) |
| Dec. 17, 2007 | National | HR 2764 | Appropriations for Operations in Afghanistan | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (206 - 201) |
| Dec. 17, 2007 | National | HR 2764 | Appropriations for Operations in Afghanistan | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (206 - 201) |
| Dec. 17, 2007 | National | HR 2764 | Appropriations for Operations in Afghanistan | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (253 - 154) |
| Dec. 17, 2007 | National | HR 2764 | Appropriations for Operations in Afghanistan | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (253 - 154) |
| Dec. 14, 2007 | National | HR 2419 | Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) | Bill Passed - Senate (79 - 14) |
| Dec. 14, 2007 | National | HR 2419 | Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) | Bill Passed - Senate (79 - 14) |
| Dec. 13, 2007 | National | S Amdt 3810 | Income Limit for Subsidies to Farmers | Amendment Rejected - Senate (48 - 47) |
| Dec. 13, 2007 | National | S Amdt 3695 | Limit on Farm Subsidies | Amendment Rejected - Senate (56 - 43) |
| Dec. 13, 2007 | National | HR 2082 | Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 | Conference Report Adopted - House (222 - 199) |