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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 18, 1996 | National | S Amdt 3677 | Deletion of Medical Savings Accounts Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (52 - 46) |
| April 17, 1996 | National | HR 842 | Truth in Budgeting Act | Bill Passed - House (284 - 143) |
| March 29, 1996 | National | HR 2854 | Agricultural Market Transition Act | Conference Report Adopted - House (318 - 89) |
| March 28, 1996 | National | HR 2854 | Agricultural Market Transition Act | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (74 - 26) |
| March 21, 1996 | National | S 1459 | Public Rangelands Management Act of 1996 | Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 47) |
| March 21, 1996 | National | S 1459 | Public Rangelands Management Act of 1996 | Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 47) |
| Feb. 29, 1996 | National | H Amdt 936 | Agricultural Conservation Programs Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (372 - 37) |
| Feb. 29, 1996 | National | HR 2854 | Agricultural Market Transition Act | Bill Passed - House (270 - 155) |
| Feb. 28, 1996 | National | H Amdt 933 | Peanut Program Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (209 - 212) |
| Feb. 28, 1996 | National | H Amdt 935 | Dairy Program Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (258 - 164) |
| Feb. 28, 1996 | National | H Amdt 934 | Sugar Program Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (208 - 217) |
| Feb. 7, 1996 | National | S 1541 | Farm Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 32) |
| Feb. 1, 1996 | National | S 652 | Telecommunications Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (91 - 5) |
| Feb. 1, 1996 | National | S 652 | Telecommunications Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (414 - 16) |
| Jan. 26, 1996 | National | S 1124 | Authorization bill FY96, Defense Department | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (56 - 34) |
| Jan. 26, 1996 | National | Treaty Doc. 103-1 | The START II Treaty | Treaty Ratification Passed - Senate (87 - 4) |
| Jan. 24, 1996 | National | S 1124 | Authorization bill FY96, Defense Department | Conference Report Adopted - House (287 - 129) |
| Jan. 4, 1996 | National | HR 1977 | 1996 Interior Appropriations | Veto Override Failed - House (239 - 177) |
| Jan. 3, 1996 | National | HR 1530 | Authorization bill FY96, Defense Department | Veto Override Passed - House (240 - 156) |
| Dec. 22, 1995 | National | HR 1058 | Legal Reform bill | Veto Override Passed - Senate (68 - 30) |
| Dec. 20, 1995 | National | HR 1058 | Legal Reform bill | Veto Override Passed - House (319 - 100) |
| Dec. 19, 1995 | National | HR 1530 | Authorization bill FY96, Defense Department | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (51 - 43) |
| Dec. 15, 1995 | National | HR 1530 | Authorization bill FY96, Defense Department | Conference Report Adopted - House (267 - 149) |
| Dec. 14, 1995 | National | HR 1977 | Interior Department FY96 Appropriations bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (58 - 40) |
| Dec. 13, 1995 | National | HR 1977 | Interior Department FY96 Appropriations bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (244 - 181) |
| Dec. 13, 1995 | National | HR 2770 | Troop Deployment in Bosnia Bill | Bill Failed - House (210 - 218) |
| Dec. 13, 1995 | National | S J Res 44 | Deployment of US Armed Forces in Bosnia-Herzegovina | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (69 - 30) |
| Dec. 6, 1995 | National | HR 1058 | Legal Reform bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (320 - 102) |
| Dec. 6, 1995 | National | HR 660 | Housing for Older Persons Act of 1995 | Bill Passed - Senate (94 - 3) |
| Dec. 5, 1995 | National | HR 1058 | Legal Reform bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (65 - 30) |
| Nov. 17, 1995 | National | S 440 | National Highway System Designation Act of 1995 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (80 - 16) |
| Nov. 17, 1995 | National | HR 2606 | U.S. Troops in Bosnia Funding Bill | Bill Passed - House (243 - 171) |
| Nov. 16, 1995 | National | HR 2126 | Appropriations bill FY96, Defense | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (59 - 39) |
| Nov. 16, 1995 | National | HR 2126 | Appropriations bill FY96, Defense | Conference Report Adopted - House (270 - 158) |
| Nov. 2, 1995 | National | HR 2546 | Appropriations Bill FY 96, District of Columbia | Bill Passed - House (224 - 191) |
| Oct. 30, 1995 | National | H Res 247 | Bosnia Troop Deployment Resolution | Resolution Passed - House (315 - 103) |
| Oct. 12, 1995 | National | HR 1976 | Appropriations bill FY96, Agriculture | Conference Report Adopted - House (288 - 132) |
| Sept. 22, 1995 | National | HR 1817 | Military Construction FY96 Appropriations bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (86 - 14) |
| Sept. 20, 1995 | National | H Amdt 814 | Drinking and Driving Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (223 - 203) |
| Sept. 20, 1995 | National | H Amdt 808 | Repeal National Speed Limit Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (112 - 313) |
| Sept. 20, 1995 | National | HR 1817 | Military Construction FY96 Appropriations bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (326 - 98) |
| Sept. 7, 1995 | National | HR 2126 | Appropriations bill FY96, Defense | Bill Passed - House (294 - 125) |
| Sept. 6, 1995 | National | HR 1530 | Authorization bill FY96, Defense Department | Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 34) |
| Aug. 10, 1995 | National | S Amdt 2401 | Space-Based Laser Program Amendment | Amendment Tabled - Senate (57 - 41) |
| Aug. 3, 1995 | National | H Amdt 725 | Corporation for Public Broadcasting Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (136 - 286) |
| July 27, 1995 | National | S 641 | Ryan White CARE Reauthorization Act of 1995 | Bill Passed - Senate (97 - 3) |
| July 21, 1995 | National | HR 1817 | Military Construction FY96 Appropriations bill | Bill Passed - Senate (84 - 10) |
| July 18, 1995 | National | HR 1977 | Interior Department FY96 Appropriations bill | Bill Passed - House (244 - 181) |
| June 28, 1995 | National | HR 1058 | Legal Reform bill | Bill Passed - Senate (69 - 30) |
| June 22, 1995 | National | PN 245 | Henry W. Foster Jr., Medical Director in the Regular Corps of the Public Health Service | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (57 - 43) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4/18 | S Amdt 3677 | Deletion of Medical Savings Accounts Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (52 - 46) |
| 4/17 | HR 842 | Truth in Budgeting Act | Bill Passed - House (284 - 143) |
| 3/29 | HR 2854 | Agricultural Market Transition Act | Conference Report Adopted - House (318 - 89) |
| 3/28 | HR 2854 | Agricultural Market Transition Act | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (74 - 26) |
| 3/21 | S 1459 | Public Rangelands Management Act of 1996 | Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 47) |
| 3/21 | S 1459 | Public Rangelands Management Act of 1996 | Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 47) |
| 2/29 | H Amdt 936 | Agricultural Conservation Programs Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (372 - 37) |
| 2/29 | HR 2854 | Agricultural Market Transition Act | Bill Passed - House (270 - 155) |
| 2/28 | H Amdt 933 | Peanut Program Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (209 - 212) |
| 2/28 | H Amdt 935 | Dairy Program Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (258 - 164) |
| 2/28 | H Amdt 934 | Sugar Program Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (208 - 217) |
| 2/07 | S 1541 | Farm Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 32) |
| 2/01 | S 652 | Telecommunications Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (91 - 5) |
| 2/01 | S 652 | Telecommunications Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (414 - 16) |
| 1/26 | S 1124 | Authorization bill FY96, Defense Department | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (56 - 34) |
| 1/26 | Treaty Doc. 103-1 | The START II Treaty | Treaty Ratification Passed - Senate (87 - 4) |
| 1/24 | S 1124 | Authorization bill FY96, Defense Department | Conference Report Adopted - House (287 - 129) |
| 1/04 | HR 1977 | 1996 Interior Appropriations | Veto Override Failed - House (239 - 177) |
| 1/03 | HR 1530 | Authorization bill FY96, Defense Department | Veto Override Passed - House (240 - 156) |
| 12/22 | HR 1058 | Legal Reform bill | Veto Override Passed - Senate (68 - 30) |
| 12/20 | HR 1058 | Legal Reform bill | Veto Override Passed - House (319 - 100) |
| 12/19 | HR 1530 | Authorization bill FY96, Defense Department | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (51 - 43) |
| 12/15 | HR 1530 | Authorization bill FY96, Defense Department | Conference Report Adopted - House (267 - 149) |
| 12/14 | HR 1977 | Interior Department FY96 Appropriations bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (58 - 40) |
| 12/13 | HR 1977 | Interior Department FY96 Appropriations bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (244 - 181) |
| 12/13 | HR 2770 | Troop Deployment in Bosnia Bill | Bill Failed - House (210 - 218) |
| 12/13 | S J Res 44 | Deployment of US Armed Forces in Bosnia-Herzegovina | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (69 - 30) |
| 12/06 | HR 1058 | Legal Reform bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (320 - 102) |
| 12/06 | HR 660 | Housing for Older Persons Act of 1995 | Bill Passed - Senate (94 - 3) |
| 12/05 | HR 1058 | Legal Reform bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (65 - 30) |
| 11/17 | S 440 | National Highway System Designation Act of 1995 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (80 - 16) |
| 11/17 | HR 2606 | U.S. Troops in Bosnia Funding Bill | Bill Passed - House (243 - 171) |
| 11/16 | HR 2126 | Appropriations bill FY96, Defense | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (59 - 39) |
| 11/16 | HR 2126 | Appropriations bill FY96, Defense | Conference Report Adopted - House (270 - 158) |
| 11/02 | HR 2546 | Appropriations Bill FY 96, District of Columbia | Bill Passed - House (224 - 191) |
| 10/30 | H Res 247 | Bosnia Troop Deployment Resolution | Resolution Passed - House (315 - 103) |
| 10/12 | HR 1976 | Appropriations bill FY96, Agriculture | Conference Report Adopted - House (288 - 132) |
| 9/22 | HR 1817 | Military Construction FY96 Appropriations bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (86 - 14) |
| 9/20 | H Amdt 814 | Drinking and Driving Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (223 - 203) |
| 9/20 | H Amdt 808 | Repeal National Speed Limit Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (112 - 313) |
| 9/20 | HR 1817 | Military Construction FY96 Appropriations bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (326 - 98) |
| 9/07 | HR 2126 | Appropriations bill FY96, Defense | Bill Passed - House (294 - 125) |
| 9/06 | HR 1530 | Authorization bill FY96, Defense Department | Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 34) |
| 8/10 | S Amdt 2401 | Space-Based Laser Program Amendment | Amendment Tabled - Senate (57 - 41) |
| 8/03 | H Amdt 725 | Corporation for Public Broadcasting Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (136 - 286) |
| 7/27 | S 641 | Ryan White CARE Reauthorization Act of 1995 | Bill Passed - Senate (97 - 3) |
| 7/21 | HR 1817 | Military Construction FY96 Appropriations bill | Bill Passed - Senate (84 - 10) |
| 7/18 | HR 1977 | Interior Department FY96 Appropriations bill | Bill Passed - House (244 - 181) |
| 6/28 | HR 1058 | Legal Reform bill | Bill Passed - Senate (69 - 30) |
| 6/22 | PN 245 | Henry W. Foster Jr., Medical Director in the Regular Corps of the Public Health Service | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (57 - 43) |