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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec. 10, 2008 | National | HR 7321 | Automotive Industry Financing | Bill Passed - House (237 - 170) |
| Oct. 3, 2008 | National | HR 1424 | Financial Asset Purchase Authority and Tax Law Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (263 - 171) |
| Oct. 3, 2008 | National | HR 1424 | Financial Asset Purchase Authority and Tax Law Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (263 - 171) |
| Oct. 1, 2008 | National | HR 2095 | Amtrak Reauthorization | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (74 - 24) |
| Oct. 1, 2008 | National | HR 1424 | Financial Asset Purchase Authority and Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (74 - 25) |
| Oct. 1, 2008 | National | HR 1424 | Financial Asset Purchase Authority and Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (74 - 25) |
| Oct. 1, 2008 | National | HR 7081 | United States - India Nuclear Agreement | Bill Passed - Senate (86 - 13) |
| Sept. 29, 2008 | National | HR 3997 | Financial Asset Purchase Authority | Concurrence Vote Failed - House (205 - 228) |
| Sept. 29, 2008 | National | HR 3997 | Financial Asset Purchase Authority | Concurrence Vote Failed - House (205 - 228) |
| Sept. 27, 2008 | National | HR 7081 | United States - India Nuclear Agreement | Bill Passed - House (298 - 117) |
| Sept. 26, 2008 | National | HR 7060 | Renewable Energy Credits and Other Business and Individual Credits | Bill Passed - House (257 - 166) |
| Sept. 26, 2008 | National | HR 7060 | Renewable Energy Credits and Other Business and Individual Credits | Bill Passed - House (257 - 166) |
| Sept. 24, 2008 | National | HR 2638 | Continuing Appropriations | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (370 - 58) |
| Sept. 24, 2008 | National | S 3001 | Defense Authorizations Bill | Bill Passed - House (392 - 39) |
| Sept. 23, 2008 | National | HR 5244 | Credit Card Regulations | Bill Passed - House (312 - 112) |
| Sept. 17, 2008 | National | S 3001 | Defense Authorizations Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (88 - 8) |
| Sept. 16, 2008 | National | HR 6899 | Offshore Oil and Gas Drilling and Extending Certain Renewable Energy Tax Credits | Bill Passed - House (236 - 189) |
| Sept. 16, 2008 | National | HR 6899 | Offshore Oil and Gas Drilling and Extending Certain Renewable Energy Tax Credits | Bill Passed - House (236 - 189) |
| July 26, 2008 | National | S 3186 | Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Funding | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (50 - 35) |
| July 26, 2008 | National | HR 3221 | Housing Bill with Energy Tax Credit Extensions | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (72 - 13) |
| July 24, 2008 | National | HR 5501 | Funding to Combat AIDS, Malaria, and Tuberculosis | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (303 - 115) |
| July 24, 2008 | National | HR 3999 | National Highway Bridge Reconstruction and Inspection Act | Bill Passed - House (367 - 55) |
| July 23, 2008 | National | HR 3221 | Housing Bill with Energy Tax Credit Extensions | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (272 - 152) |
| July 23, 2008 | National | HR 6532 | Restoring the Highway Trust Fund Balance | Bill Passed - House (387 - 37) |
| July 16, 2008 | National | S Amdt 5077 | Funding Amendment to AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Bill | Amendment Rejected - Senate (31 - 64) |
| July 16, 2008 | National | HR 5501 | Funding to Combat AIDS, Malaria, and Tuberculosis | Bill Passed - Senate (80 - 16) |
| July 15, 2008 | National | HR 6331 | Medicare Bill | Veto Override Passed - House (383 - 41) |
| July 15, 2008 | National | HR 6331 | Medicare Bill | Veto Override Passed - Senate (70 - 26) |
| July 15, 2008 | National | S Amdt 5078 | Limiting Countries for HIV/Aids, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Funding | Amendment Tabled - Senate (70 - 24) |
| July 10, 2008 | National | PN 1641 | Nomination of General Petraeus as Military Leader of the Middle East | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (95 - 2) |
| July 9, 2008 | National | HR 6331 | Medicare Bill | Cloture Invoked - Senate (69 - 30) |
| June 26, 2008 | National | HR 2642 | Iraq and Afghanistan War Funding, Unemployment Benefits Extension, and GI Bill | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (92 - 6) |
| June 26, 2008 | National | HR 6052 | Public Transportation and Alternative Fuel Grants | Bill Passed - House (322 - 98) |
| June 26, 2008 | National | HR 6377 | Energy Futures Trading | Bill Passed - House (402 - 19) |
| June 26, 2008 | National | HR 6377 | Energy Futures Trading | Bill Passed - House (402 - 19) |
| June 25, 2008 | National | S Amdt 4983 | Housing Foreclosure Assistance Programs | Amendment Adopted - Senate (79 - 16) |
| June 25, 2008 | National | S Amdt 4983 | Housing Foreclosure Assistance Programs | Amendment Adopted - Senate (79 - 16) |
| June 25, 2008 | National | HR 2176 | Bay Mills Indian Community Land Claim Bill | Bill Failed - House (121 - 298) |
| June 25, 2008 | National | HR 2176 | Bay Mills Indian Community Land Claim Bill | Bill Failed - House (121 - 298) |
| June 24, 2008 | National | HR 6331 | Medicare Bill | Bill Passed - House (355 - 59) |
| June 19, 2008 | National | HR 2642 | GI Bill, Funding for Midwest Flood Cleanup, Extension of Unemployment Benefits, and Other Provisions | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (268 - 155) |
| June 19, 2008 | National | HR 2642 | GI Bill, Funding for Midwest Flood Cleanup, Extension of Unemployment Benefits, and Other Provisions | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (416 - 12) |
| June 18, 2008 | National | HR 6124 | Second Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) | Veto Override Passed - House (317 - 109) |
| June 18, 2008 | National | HR 6124 | Second Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) | Veto Override Passed - Senate (80 - 14) |
| June 17, 2008 | National | HR 6049 | Alternative Energy Tax Incentives | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (52 - 44) |
| June 11, 2008 | National | HR 6003 | Amtrak Reauthorization | Bill Passed - House (311 - 104) |
| June 10, 2008 | National | S 3044 | Increasing Taxes on Profits, Rescinding Certain Tax Deductions, and Increasing Tax Incentives for Alternative Energy Programs for Oil Companies | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (51 - 43) |
| June 6, 2008 | National | S Amdt 4825 | Carbon Emissions Cap and Trade Plan | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (48 - 36) |
| May 22, 2008 | National | HR 2419 | Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) | Veto Override Passed - Senate (82 - 13) |
| May 22, 2008 | National | HR 2419 | Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) | Veto Override Passed - Senate (82 - 13) |
| May 22, 2008 | National | S Amdt 4818 | Funding for Operations in Iraq and Afghanistan | Amendment Adopted - Senate (70 - 26) |
| May 22, 2008 | National | S Amdt 4817 | Funding for Operations in Iraq and Afghanistan with Provisions Regarding Conduct and Congressional Oversight | Amendment Rejected - Senate (34 - 63) |
| 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 (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 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 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 | 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 (322 - 94) |
| 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 4207 | Amendment on Certain Energy-Related Programs, Including the Development of Oil Shale and Offshore Natural Gas | Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 51) |