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 15, 1996 | National | HR 3230 | National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1997 | Bill Passed - House (272 - 153) |
| May 9, 1996 | National | HR 956 | Product Liability bill | Veto Override Failed - House (258 - 163) |
| May 7, 1996 | National | HR 2137 | Megan's Law | Bill Passed - House (418 - 0) |
| May 1, 1996 | National | S 641 | Ryan White CARE reauthorization Act of 1995 | Conference Report Adopted - House (402 - 4) |
| April 30, 1996 | National | HR 1561 | Authorization bill, FY96-97, Foreign Relations | Veto Override Failed - House (234 - 188) |
| April 25, 1996 | National | HR 3019 | Appropriations bill FY96, Omnibus | Conference Report Adopted - House (399 - 25) |
| April 18, 1996 | National | S 735 | Comprehensive Terrorism Prevention Act | Conference Report Adopted - House (293 - 133) |
| April 17, 1996 | National | HR 842 | Truth in Budgeting Act | Bill Passed - House (284 - 143) |
| March 29, 1996 | National | HR 956 | Product Liability bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (259 - 158) |
| March 29, 1996 | National | HR 2854 | Agricultural Market Transition Act | Conference Report Adopted - House (318 - 89) |
| March 28, 1996 | National | HR 3103 | Health Insurance Portability bill | Bill Passed - House (267 - 151) |
| March 22, 1996 | National | HR 125 | Gun Ban Repeal Act of 1995 | Bill Passed - House (239 - 173) |
| March 21, 1996 | National | HR 2202 | Immigration Reform bill | Bill Passed - House (333 - 87) |
| March 20, 1996 | National | H Amdt 974 | Immigrant English Proficiency Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (210 - 207) |
| March 20, 1996 | National | H Amdt 968 | Immigrant Public Assistance Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (151 - 269) |
| March 20, 1996 | National | H Amdt 969 | Denying Public Education to Undocumented Immigrants | Amendment Adopted - House (257 - 163) |
| March 14, 1996 | National | H Amdt 954 | Habeas Corpus Reform Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (135 - 283) |
| March 14, 1996 | National | HR 2703 | Antiterrorism bill | Bill Passed - House (229 - 191) |
| March 12, 1996 | National | HR 1561 | Authorization bill, FY96-97, Foreign Relations | Conference Report Adopted - House (226 - 172) |
| March 7, 1996 | National | H Amdt 946 | Medicaid Funded Abortions Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (198 - 222) |
| March 7, 1996 | National | H Amdt 947 | Lobby Disclosure Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (211 - 209) |
| March 7, 1996 | National | HR 3019 | Appropriations bill FY96, Omnibus | Bill Passed - House (209 - 206) |
| March 6, 1996 | National | HR 927 | Cuba Sanctions Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (336 - 86) |
| Feb. 29, 1996 | National | H Amdt 936 | Agricultural Conservation Programs Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (372 - 37) |
| Feb. 29, 1996 | National | H Amdt 941 | Florida Everglades Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (299 - 124) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5/15 | HR 3230 | National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1997 | Bill Passed - House (272 - 153) |
| 5/09 | HR 956 | Product Liability bill | Veto Override Failed - House (258 - 163) |
| 5/07 | HR 2137 | Megan's Law | Bill Passed - House (418 - 0) |
| 5/01 | S 641 | Ryan White CARE reauthorization Act of 1995 | Conference Report Adopted - House (402 - 4) |
| 4/30 | HR 1561 | Authorization bill, FY96-97, Foreign Relations | Veto Override Failed - House (234 - 188) |
| 4/25 | HR 3019 | Appropriations bill FY96, Omnibus | Conference Report Adopted - House (399 - 25) |
| 4/18 | S 735 | Comprehensive Terrorism Prevention Act | Conference Report Adopted - House (293 - 133) |
| 4/17 | HR 842 | Truth in Budgeting Act | Bill Passed - House (284 - 143) |
| 3/29 | HR 956 | Product Liability bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (259 - 158) |
| 3/29 | HR 2854 | Agricultural Market Transition Act | Conference Report Adopted - House (318 - 89) |
| 3/28 | HR 3103 | Health Insurance Portability bill | Bill Passed - House (267 - 151) |
| 3/22 | HR 125 | Gun Ban Repeal Act of 1995 | Bill Passed - House (239 - 173) |
| 3/21 | HR 2202 | Immigration Reform bill | Bill Passed - House (333 - 87) |
| 3/20 | H Amdt 974 | Immigrant English Proficiency Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (210 - 207) |
| 3/20 | H Amdt 968 | Immigrant Public Assistance Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (151 - 269) |
| 3/20 | H Amdt 969 | Denying Public Education to Undocumented Immigrants | Amendment Adopted - House (257 - 163) |
| 3/14 | H Amdt 954 | Habeas Corpus Reform Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (135 - 283) |
| 3/14 | HR 2703 | Antiterrorism bill | Bill Passed - House (229 - 191) |
| 3/12 | HR 1561 | Authorization bill, FY96-97, Foreign Relations | Conference Report Adopted - House (226 - 172) |
| 3/07 | H Amdt 946 | Medicaid Funded Abortions Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (198 - 222) |
| 3/07 | H Amdt 947 | Lobby Disclosure Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (211 - 209) |
| 3/07 | HR 3019 | Appropriations bill FY96, Omnibus | Bill Passed - House (209 - 206) |
| 3/06 | HR 927 | Cuba Sanctions Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (336 - 86) |
| 2/29 | H Amdt 936 | Agricultural Conservation Programs Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (372 - 37) |
| 2/29 | H Amdt 941 | Florida Everglades Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (299 - 124) |