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 23, 1999 | National | S Con Res 21 | Kosovo Resolution | Resolution Passed - Senate (58 - 41) |
| Oct. 8, 1998 | National | HR 4194 | FY 1999 VA-HUD Appropriations | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (96 - 1) |
| Oct. 6, 1998 | National | HR 4101 | Agriculture FY99 Appropriations bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (55 - 43) |
| Oct. 1, 1998 | National | HR 3616 | Defense Department FY99 Authorization bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (96 - 2) |
| Sept. 29, 1998 | National | HR 4103 | Defense Department FY99 Appropriations bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (94 - 2) |
| Sept. 9, 1998 | National | S 1873 | American Missile Protection bill | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (59 - 41) |
| Sept. 1, 1998 | National | S Amdt 3506 | Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (49 - 44) |
| Sept. 1, 1998 | National | S Amdt 3506 | Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (49 - 44) |
| July 23, 1998 | National | S Amdt 3258 | Temporary Farm Workers Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (68 - 31) |
| July 23, 1998 | National | S Amdt 3266 | Internet Gambling Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (90 - 10) |
| June 25, 1998 | National | S Amdt 3011 | Separate Housing Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (39 - 53) |
| June 25, 1998 | National | S Amdt 2981 | Military Closure Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (48 - 45) |
| June 24, 1998 | National | S Amdt 2912 | Bosnia and Herzegovina Withdrawal Amendment | Amendment Tabled - Senate (65 - 31) |
| June 4, 1998 | National | S Amdt 2438 | Underage Tobacco Usage amendment | Amendment Not Tabled - Senate (29 - 66) |
| May 22, 1998 | National | HR 2400 | Transportation Reauthorization bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (88 - 5) |
| May 18, 1998 | National | S 1723 | Non-Immigrant Specialty Workers bill | Bill Passed - Senate (78 - 20) |
| May 13, 1998 | National | S 1260 | Securities Litigation | Bill Passed - Senate (79 - 21) |
| May 12, 1998 | National | S 1150 | Agricultural Research bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (92 - 8) |
| May 5, 1998 | National | HR 1385 | Training Programs bill | Bill Passed - Senate (91 - 7) |
| April 30, 1998 | National | HR 3579 | Emergency Supplemental Appropriations bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (88 - 11) |
| March 31, 1998 | National | S Amdt 2168 | Tobacco Immunity Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (79 - 19) |
| March 12, 1998 | National | S Amdt 1676 | Intermodal Transportation Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (96 - 4) |
| March 6, 1998 | National | S Amdt 1708 | Disadvantaged Business Enterprises Amendment | Amendment Tabled - Senate (58 - 37) |
| March 4, 1998 | National | S Amdt 1682 | Blood Alcohol Content Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (62 - 32) |
| Feb. 25, 1998 | National | HR 2631 | Line Item Veto Cancellation bill | Veto Override Passed - Senate (78 - 20) |
| Feb. 10, 1998 | National | PN 623 | David Satcher, Surgeon General of the Public Health Service | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (63 - 35) |
| Nov. 8, 1997 | National | HR 2264 | Appropriations bill FY98, Labor, HHS, Education | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (91 - 4) |
| Nov. 8, 1997 | National | HR 2264 | Appropriations bill FY98, Labor, HHS, Education | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (91 - 4) |
| Nov. 6, 1997 | National | HR 1119 | Defense Department FY98-99 Authorization bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (90 - 10) |
| Sept. 25, 1997 | National | HR 2266 | Defense Department FY98 Appropriations bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (93 - 5) |
| Sept. 24, 1997 | National | S 830 | Prescription Drug bill | Bill Passed - Senate (98 - 2) |
| Sept. 11, 1997 | National | S Amdt 1122 | Education Funding Amendment | Amendment Not Tabled - Senate (49 - 51) |
| July 9, 1997 | National | S Amdt 771 | Base Closure Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (66 - 33) |
| June 25, 1997 | National | S Amdt 468 | Private Contracts Amendment | Motion Agreed - Senate (64 - 35) |
| June 25, 1997 | National | S 947 | Budget Reconciliation bill | Bill Passed - Senate (73 - 27) |
| June 25, 1997 | National | S 947 | Budget Reconciliation bill | Bill Passed - Senate (73 - 27) |
| June 25, 1997 | National | S 947 | Budget Reconciliation bill | Bill Passed - Senate (73 - 27) |
| April 17, 1997 | National | S 495 | Chemical and Biological Weapons Threat Reduction Act | Bill Passed - Senate (53 - 44) |
| April 16, 1997 | National | HR 1003 | Assisted Suicide Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (99 - 0) |
| April 15, 1997 | National | S 104 | Nuclear Waste Disposal bill | Bill Passed - Senate (65 - 34) |
| Oct. 3, 1996 | National | HR 3539 | Federal Aviation Authorization Act of 1996 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (92 - 2) |
| Sept. 17, 1996 | National | S Amdt 5353 | Federal Land Grazing Fee Amendment | Amendment Not Tabled - Senate (50 - 50) |
| Sept. 17, 1996 | National | S Amdt 5353 | Federal Land Grazing Fee Amendment | Amendment Not Tabled - Senate (50 - 50) |
| Sept. 17, 1996 | National | HR 3816 | Appropriations bill FY97, Energy and Water Development | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (92 - 8) |
| Sept. 10, 1996 | National | HR 3230 | National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1997 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (73 - 26) |
| Aug. 2, 1996 | National | S 1316 | Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments of 1995 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (98 - 0) |
| July 31, 1996 | National | S 1936 | Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1996 | Bill Passed - Senate (63 - 37) |
| April 18, 1996 | National | S Amdt 3677 | Deletion of Medical Savings Accounts Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (52 - 46) |
| 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) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/23 | S Con Res 21 | Kosovo Resolution | Resolution Passed - Senate (58 - 41) |
| 10/08 | HR 4194 | FY 1999 VA-HUD Appropriations | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (96 - 1) |
| 10/06 | HR 4101 | Agriculture FY99 Appropriations bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (55 - 43) |
| 10/01 | HR 3616 | Defense Department FY99 Authorization bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (96 - 2) |
| 9/29 | HR 4103 | Defense Department FY99 Appropriations bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (94 - 2) |
| 9/09 | S 1873 | American Missile Protection bill | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (59 - 41) |
| 9/01 | S Amdt 3506 | Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (49 - 44) |
| 9/01 | S Amdt 3506 | Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (49 - 44) |
| 7/23 | S Amdt 3258 | Temporary Farm Workers Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (68 - 31) |
| 7/23 | S Amdt 3266 | Internet Gambling Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (90 - 10) |
| 6/25 | S Amdt 3011 | Separate Housing Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (39 - 53) |
| 6/25 | S Amdt 2981 | Military Closure Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (48 - 45) |
| 6/24 | S Amdt 2912 | Bosnia and Herzegovina Withdrawal Amendment | Amendment Tabled - Senate (65 - 31) |
| 6/04 | S Amdt 2438 | Underage Tobacco Usage amendment | Amendment Not Tabled - Senate (29 - 66) |
| 5/22 | HR 2400 | Transportation Reauthorization bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (88 - 5) |
| 5/18 | S 1723 | Non-Immigrant Specialty Workers bill | Bill Passed - Senate (78 - 20) |
| 5/13 | S 1260 | Securities Litigation | Bill Passed - Senate (79 - 21) |
| 5/12 | S 1150 | Agricultural Research bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (92 - 8) |
| 5/05 | HR 1385 | Training Programs bill | Bill Passed - Senate (91 - 7) |
| 4/30 | HR 3579 | Emergency Supplemental Appropriations bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (88 - 11) |
| 3/31 | S Amdt 2168 | Tobacco Immunity Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (79 - 19) |
| 3/12 | S Amdt 1676 | Intermodal Transportation Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (96 - 4) |
| 3/06 | S Amdt 1708 | Disadvantaged Business Enterprises Amendment | Amendment Tabled - Senate (58 - 37) |
| 3/04 | S Amdt 1682 | Blood Alcohol Content Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (62 - 32) |
| 2/25 | HR 2631 | Line Item Veto Cancellation bill | Veto Override Passed - Senate (78 - 20) |
| 2/10 | PN 623 | David Satcher, Surgeon General of the Public Health Service | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (63 - 35) |
| 11/08 | HR 2264 | Appropriations bill FY98, Labor, HHS, Education | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (91 - 4) |
| 11/08 | HR 2264 | Appropriations bill FY98, Labor, HHS, Education | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (91 - 4) |
| 11/06 | HR 1119 | Defense Department FY98-99 Authorization bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (90 - 10) |
| 9/25 | HR 2266 | Defense Department FY98 Appropriations bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (93 - 5) |
| 9/24 | S 830 | Prescription Drug bill | Bill Passed - Senate (98 - 2) |
| 9/11 | S Amdt 1122 | Education Funding Amendment | Amendment Not Tabled - Senate (49 - 51) |
| 7/09 | S Amdt 771 | Base Closure Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (66 - 33) |
| 6/25 | S Amdt 468 | Private Contracts Amendment | Motion Agreed - Senate (64 - 35) |
| 6/25 | S 947 | Budget Reconciliation bill | Bill Passed - Senate (73 - 27) |
| 6/25 | S 947 | Budget Reconciliation bill | Bill Passed - Senate (73 - 27) |
| 6/25 | S 947 | Budget Reconciliation bill | Bill Passed - Senate (73 - 27) |
| 4/17 | S 495 | Chemical and Biological Weapons Threat Reduction Act | Bill Passed - Senate (53 - 44) |
| 4/16 | HR 1003 | Assisted Suicide Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (99 - 0) |
| 4/15 | S 104 | Nuclear Waste Disposal bill | Bill Passed - Senate (65 - 34) |
| 10/03 | HR 3539 | Federal Aviation Authorization Act of 1996 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (92 - 2) |
| 9/17 | S Amdt 5353 | Federal Land Grazing Fee Amendment | Amendment Not Tabled - Senate (50 - 50) |
| 9/17 | S Amdt 5353 | Federal Land Grazing Fee Amendment | Amendment Not Tabled - Senate (50 - 50) |
| 9/17 | HR 3816 | Appropriations bill FY97, Energy and Water Development | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (92 - 8) |
| 9/10 | HR 3230 | National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1997 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (73 - 26) |
| 8/02 | S 1316 | Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments of 1995 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (98 - 0) |
| 7/31 | S 1936 | Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1996 | Bill Passed - Senate (63 - 37) |
| 4/18 | S Amdt 3677 | Deletion of Medical Savings Accounts Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (52 - 46) |
| 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) |