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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 17, 2004 | National | H Res 557 | War in Iraq Anniversary Resolution | Resolution Passed - House (327 - 93) |
| March 11, 2004 | National | HR 3717 | FCC Indecency Penalties Bill | Bill Passed - House (391 - 22) |
| March 10, 2004 | National | HR 339 | Food Industry Obesity Lawsuits (Cheeseburger Bill) | Bill Passed - House (276 - 139) |
| Jan. 28, 2004 | National | S 1920 | Farmer Bankruptcy Bill | Bill Passed - House (265 - 99) |
| Jan. 28, 2004 | National | S 1920 | Farmer Bankruptcy Bill | Bill Passed - House (265 - 99) |
| Nov. 22, 2003 | National | HR 1 | Medicare Prescription Drug bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (220 - 215) |
| Nov. 18, 2003 | National | HR 2754 | Energy and Water Appropriations, FY 2004 bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (387 - 36) |
| Nov. 18, 2003 | National | HR 6 | Energy Omnibus bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (246 - 180) |
| Nov. 7, 2003 | National | HR 1588 | Defense Department FY2004 Authorization bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (362 - 40) |
| Nov. 5, 2003 | National | HR 2559 | Military Construction Appropriations Act, 2004 | Conference Report Adopted - House (417 - 5) |
| Oct. 31, 2003 | National | HR 3289 | Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act for Defense | Conference Report Adopted - House (298 - 121) |
| Oct. 30, 2003 | National | HR 2115 | Aviation Administration FY2004-2006 Authorization bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (211 - 207) |
| Sept. 9, 2003 | National | HR 2989 | Transportation, Treasury, and Independent Agencies Appropriations | Bill Passed - House (381 - 39) |
| July 25, 2003 | National | HR 2210 | Head Start Bill | Bill Passed - House (217 - 216) |
| July 25, 2003 | National | HR 2861 | Veterans Affairs and HUD Appropriations Act, 2004 | Bill Passed - House (316 - 109) |
| July 25, 2003 | National | HR 2427 | Imports of Prescription Drugs bill | Bill Passed - House (243 - 186) |
| July 24, 2003 | National | HR 2800 | Foreign Operations Appropriations, FY 2004 bill | Bill Passed - House (370 - 50) |
| July 16, 2003 | National | HR 2122 | Project BioShield Act of 2003 | Bill Passed - House (421 - 2) |
| July 14, 2003 | National | HR 2673 | Agriculture, Rural Development, FDA | Bill Passed - House (347 - 64) |
| June 27, 2003 | National | HR 1 | Medicare Prescription Drug bill | Bill Passed - House (216 - 215) |
| June 10, 2003 | National | HR 2143 | Unlawful Internet Gambling Funding Prohibition Act | Bill Passed - House (319 - 104) |
| May 22, 2003 | National | HR 1588 | Defense Department FY2004 Authorization bill | Bill Passed - House (361 - 68) |
| May 1, 2003 | National | HR 1298 | AIDS Assistance bill | Bill Passed - House (375 - 41) |
| April 11, 2003 | National | HR 6 | Energy Omnibus bill | Bill Passed - House (247 - 175) |
| April 3, 2003 | National | HR 1559 | Emergency Wartime Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2003 | Bill Passed - House (414 - 12) |
| March 31, 2003 | National | HR 1463 | Vaccine Compensation bill | Bill Failed - House (184 - 206) |
| Oct. 10, 2002 | National | HR 5010 | Department of Defense Appropriations, Fiscal Year 2003 | Conference Report Adopted - House (409 - 14) |
| Oct. 10, 2002 | National | H J Res 114 | Use of Military Force Against Iraq | Joint Resolution Passed - House (296 - 133) |
| July 23, 2002 | National | HR 4775 | Supplemental Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2002 | Conference Report Adopted - House (397 - 32) |
| July 10, 2002 | National | HR 4635 | Arming Pilots Against Terrorism Act | Bill Passed - House (310 - 113) |
| June 27, 2002 | National | HR 5011 | Military Construction Appropriations Act, Fiscal Year 2003 | Bill Passed - House (426 - 1) |
| June 27, 2002 | National | HR 5010 | Department of Defense Appropriations, Fiscal Year 2003 | Bill Passed - House (413 - 18) |
| May 24, 2002 | National | HR 4775 | Supplemental Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2002 | Bill Passed - House (280 - 138) |
| May 10, 2002 | National | HR 4546 | National Defense Authorization Act for FY 2003 | Bill Passed - House (359 - 58) |
| May 2, 2002 | National | HR 2646 | Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 | Conference Report Adopted - House (280 - 141) |
| Dec. 13, 2001 | National | S 1438 | National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2002 | Conference Report Adopted - House (382 - 40) |
| Nov. 30, 2001 | National | HR 2299 | Department of Transportation Appropriations Act, 2002 | Conference Report Adopted - House (371 - 11) |
| Nov. 16, 2001 | National | S 1447 | Federalize Aviation Security bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (410 - 9) |
| Nov. 13, 2001 | National | HR 2330 | Agriculture FY2002 Appropriations bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (379 - 33) |
| Nov. 8, 2001 | National | HR 2620 | Veterans Affairs and HUD Appropriations Act of 2002 | Conference Report Adopted - House (401 - 18) |
| Nov. 1, 2001 | National | HR 2311 | Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act, 2002 | Conference Report Adopted - House (399 - 29) |
| Oct. 5, 2001 | National | HR 2646 | Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 | Bill Passed - House (291 - 120) |
| Sept. 21, 2001 | National | HR 2926 | Airline Industry Financial Assistance bill | Bill Passed - House (356 - 54) |
| Sept. 14, 2001 | National | H J Res 64 | Authorization for Use of Military Force | Joint Resolution Passed - House (420 - 1) |
| Aug. 2, 2001 | National | H Amdt 303 | Amendment to the Bipartisan Patient Protection Act | Amendment Adopted - House (218 - 213) |
| Aug. 2, 2001 | National | HR 4 | Securing America's Future Energy (SAFE) Act of 2001 | Bill Passed - House (240 - 189) |
| Aug. 1, 2001 | National | H Amdt 288 | Corporate Average Fuel Efficiency (CAFE) Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (160 - 269) |
| Sept. 7, 2000 | National | HR 8 | Estate Tax Elimination Act of 2000 | Veto Override Failed - House (274 - 157) |
| June 9, 2000 | National | H Amdt 763 | Estate Tax Substitute Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (196 - 222) |
| June 9, 2000 | National | HR 8 | Estate Tax Elimination Act of 2000 | Bill Passed - House (279 - 136) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/17 | H Res 557 | War in Iraq Anniversary Resolution | Resolution Passed - House (327 - 93) |
| 3/11 | HR 3717 | FCC Indecency Penalties Bill | Bill Passed - House (391 - 22) |
| 3/10 | HR 339 | Food Industry Obesity Lawsuits (Cheeseburger Bill) | Bill Passed - House (276 - 139) |
| 1/28 | S 1920 | Farmer Bankruptcy Bill | Bill Passed - House (265 - 99) |
| 1/28 | S 1920 | Farmer Bankruptcy Bill | Bill Passed - House (265 - 99) |
| 11/22 | HR 1 | Medicare Prescription Drug bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (220 - 215) |
| 11/18 | HR 2754 | Energy and Water Appropriations, FY 2004 bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (387 - 36) |
| 11/18 | HR 6 | Energy Omnibus bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (246 - 180) |
| 11/07 | HR 1588 | Defense Department FY2004 Authorization bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (362 - 40) |
| 11/05 | HR 2559 | Military Construction Appropriations Act, 2004 | Conference Report Adopted - House (417 - 5) |
| 10/31 | HR 3289 | Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act for Defense | Conference Report Adopted - House (298 - 121) |
| 10/30 | HR 2115 | Aviation Administration FY2004-2006 Authorization bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (211 - 207) |
| 9/09 | HR 2989 | Transportation, Treasury, and Independent Agencies Appropriations | Bill Passed - House (381 - 39) |
| 7/25 | HR 2210 | Head Start Bill | Bill Passed - House (217 - 216) |
| 7/25 | HR 2861 | Veterans Affairs and HUD Appropriations Act, 2004 | Bill Passed - House (316 - 109) |
| 7/25 | HR 2427 | Imports of Prescription Drugs bill | Bill Passed - House (243 - 186) |
| 7/24 | HR 2800 | Foreign Operations Appropriations, FY 2004 bill | Bill Passed - House (370 - 50) |
| 7/16 | HR 2122 | Project BioShield Act of 2003 | Bill Passed - House (421 - 2) |
| 7/14 | HR 2673 | Agriculture, Rural Development, FDA | Bill Passed - House (347 - 64) |
| 6/27 | HR 1 | Medicare Prescription Drug bill | Bill Passed - House (216 - 215) |
| 6/10 | HR 2143 | Unlawful Internet Gambling Funding Prohibition Act | Bill Passed - House (319 - 104) |
| 5/22 | HR 1588 | Defense Department FY2004 Authorization bill | Bill Passed - House (361 - 68) |
| 5/01 | HR 1298 | AIDS Assistance bill | Bill Passed - House (375 - 41) |
| 4/11 | HR 6 | Energy Omnibus bill | Bill Passed - House (247 - 175) |
| 4/03 | HR 1559 | Emergency Wartime Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2003 | Bill Passed - House (414 - 12) |
| 3/31 | HR 1463 | Vaccine Compensation bill | Bill Failed - House (184 - 206) |
| 10/10 | HR 5010 | Department of Defense Appropriations, Fiscal Year 2003 | Conference Report Adopted - House (409 - 14) |
| 10/10 | H J Res 114 | Use of Military Force Against Iraq | Joint Resolution Passed - House (296 - 133) |
| 7/23 | HR 4775 | Supplemental Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2002 | Conference Report Adopted - House (397 - 32) |
| 7/10 | HR 4635 | Arming Pilots Against Terrorism Act | Bill Passed - House (310 - 113) |
| 6/27 | HR 5011 | Military Construction Appropriations Act, Fiscal Year 2003 | Bill Passed - House (426 - 1) |
| 6/27 | HR 5010 | Department of Defense Appropriations, Fiscal Year 2003 | Bill Passed - House (413 - 18) |
| 5/24 | HR 4775 | Supplemental Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2002 | Bill Passed - House (280 - 138) |
| 5/10 | HR 4546 | National Defense Authorization Act for FY 2003 | Bill Passed - House (359 - 58) |
| 5/02 | HR 2646 | Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 | Conference Report Adopted - House (280 - 141) |
| 12/13 | S 1438 | National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2002 | Conference Report Adopted - House (382 - 40) |
| 11/30 | HR 2299 | Department of Transportation Appropriations Act, 2002 | Conference Report Adopted - House (371 - 11) |
| 11/16 | S 1447 | Federalize Aviation Security bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (410 - 9) |
| 11/13 | HR 2330 | Agriculture FY2002 Appropriations bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (379 - 33) |
| 11/08 | HR 2620 | Veterans Affairs and HUD Appropriations Act of 2002 | Conference Report Adopted - House (401 - 18) |
| 11/01 | HR 2311 | Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act, 2002 | Conference Report Adopted - House (399 - 29) |
| 10/05 | HR 2646 | Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 | Bill Passed - House (291 - 120) |
| 9/21 | HR 2926 | Airline Industry Financial Assistance bill | Bill Passed - House (356 - 54) |
| 9/14 | H J Res 64 | Authorization for Use of Military Force | Joint Resolution Passed - House (420 - 1) |
| 8/02 | H Amdt 303 | Amendment to the Bipartisan Patient Protection Act | Amendment Adopted - House (218 - 213) |
| 8/02 | HR 4 | Securing America's Future Energy (SAFE) Act of 2001 | Bill Passed - House (240 - 189) |
| 8/01 | H Amdt 288 | Corporate Average Fuel Efficiency (CAFE) Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (160 - 269) |
| 9/07 | HR 8 | Estate Tax Elimination Act of 2000 | Veto Override Failed - House (274 - 157) |
| 6/09 | H Amdt 763 | Estate Tax Substitute Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (196 - 222) |
| 6/09 | HR 8 | Estate Tax Elimination Act of 2000 | Bill Passed - House (279 - 136) |