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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct. 3, 1996 | National | HR 3539 | Federal Aviation Authorization Act of 1996 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (92 - 2) |
| Sept. 27, 1996 | National | HR 3539 | Federal Aviation Authorization Act of 1996 | Conference Report Adopted - House (218 - 198) |
| Sept. 25, 1996 | National | HR 2202 | Immigration Reform bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (305 - 123) |
| Sept. 24, 1996 | National | HR 3666 | Veterans Affairs, HUD FY97 Appropriations bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (388 - 25) |
| Sept. 17, 1996 | National | S Amdt 5353 | Federal Land Grazing Fee Amendment | Amendment Not Tabled - Senate (50 - 50) |
| Aug. 2, 1996 | National | S 1316 | Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments of 1995 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (98 - 0) |
| Aug. 2, 1996 | National | S 1316 | Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments of 1995 | Conference Report Adopted - House (392 - 30) |
| Aug. 1, 1996 | National | HR 3734 | Welfare Reform Act of 1996 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (78 - 21) |
| Aug. 1, 1996 | National | HR 123 | English as the National Language | Bill Passed - House (259 - 169) |
| Aug. 1, 1996 | National | HR 123 | English as the National Language | Bill Passed - House (259 - 169) |
| July 31, 1996 | National | HR 3734 | Welfare Reform Act of 1996 | Conference Report Adopted - House (328 - 101) |
| July 23, 1996 | National | HR 3734 | Welfare Reform Act of 1996 | Bill Passed - Senate (74 - 24) |
| July 18, 1996 | National | HR 3734 | Welfare Reform Act of 1996 | Bill Passed - House (256 - 170) |
| July 11, 1996 | National | H Amdt 1265 | School Improvement Programs Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (294 - 129) |
| July 11, 1996 | National | H Amdt 1273 | Drug Price Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (180 - 242) |
| July 11, 1996 | National | H Amdt 1264 | Education and Training Programs Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (198 - 227) |
| June 26, 1996 | National | HR 3666 | Veterans Affairs, HUD FY97 Appropriations bill | Bill Passed - House (269 - 147) |
| June 20, 1996 | National | H Amdt 1190 | Tribal Land Trust Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (212 - 206) |
| May 15, 1996 | National | H Amdt 1058 | Former Soviet Union Defense Conversion Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (249 - 171) |
| May 15, 1996 | National | H Amdt 1057 | Cooperative Threat Reduction Program Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (202 - 220) |
| May 7, 1996 | National | HR 2137 | Megan's Law | Bill Passed - House (418 - 0) |
| May 2, 1996 | National | S Amdt 3840 | Public Assistance to Legal Immigrants Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (40 - 60) |
| May 2, 1996 | National | HR 2202 | Immigration Reform bill | Bill Passed - Senate (97 - 3) |
| May 1, 1996 | National | S Amdt 3752 | Citizen Verification Pilot Program Amendment | Amendment Tabled - Senate (54 - 46) |
| May 1, 1996 | National | S Amdt 3780 | Asylum Seeker Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (51 - 49) |
| 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 30, 1996 | National | S Amdt 3820 | Legal Immigrants Assistance Eligibility Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 53) |
| April 25, 1996 | National | S Amdt 3670 | Foreign Student Program Amendment | Amendment Tabled - Senate (53 - 47) |
| April 25, 1996 | National | S Amdt 3669 | Foreign Student Public Education Amendment | Amendment Tabled - Senate (53 - 46) |
| April 18, 1996 | National | S Amdt 3677 | Deletion of Medical Savings Accounts Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (52 - 46) |
| April 18, 1996 | National | S 735 | Comprehensive Terrorism Prevention Act | Conference Report Adopted - House (293 - 133) |
| April 17, 1996 | National | S 735 | Comprehensive Terrorism Prevention Act | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (91 - 8) |
| March 28, 1996 | National | HR 1561 | Authorization bill, FY96-97, Foreign Relations | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (52 - 44) |
| 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 21, 1996 | National | S 1459 | Public Rangelands Management Act of 1996 | Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 47) |
| March 20, 1996 | National | H Amdt 974 | Immigrant English Proficiency Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (210 - 207) |
| March 20, 1996 | National | H Amdt 969 | Denying Public Education to Undocumented Immigrants | Amendment Adopted - House (257 - 163) |
| March 20, 1996 | National | H Amdt 968 | Immigrant Public Assistance Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (151 - 269) |
| March 12, 1996 | National | HR 1561 | Authorization bill, FY96-97, Foreign Relations | Conference Report Adopted - House (226 - 172) |
| March 7, 1996 | National | H Amdt 947 | Lobby Disclosure Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (211 - 209) |
| March 6, 1996 | National | HR 927 | Cuba Sanctions Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (336 - 86) |
| March 5, 1996 | National | HR 927 | Cuba Sanctions Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (74 - 22) |
| Jan. 26, 1996 | National | Treaty Doc. 103-1 | The START II Treaty | Treaty Ratification Passed - Senate (87 - 4) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10/03 | HR 3539 | Federal Aviation Authorization Act of 1996 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (92 - 2) |
| 9/27 | HR 3539 | Federal Aviation Authorization Act of 1996 | Conference Report Adopted - House (218 - 198) |
| 9/25 | HR 2202 | Immigration Reform bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (305 - 123) |
| 9/24 | HR 3666 | Veterans Affairs, HUD FY97 Appropriations bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (388 - 25) |
| 9/17 | S Amdt 5353 | Federal Land Grazing Fee Amendment | Amendment Not Tabled - Senate (50 - 50) |
| 8/02 | S 1316 | Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments of 1995 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (98 - 0) |
| 8/02 | S 1316 | Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments of 1995 | Conference Report Adopted - House (392 - 30) |
| 8/01 | HR 3734 | Welfare Reform Act of 1996 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (78 - 21) |
| 8/01 | HR 123 | English as the National Language | Bill Passed - House (259 - 169) |
| 8/01 | HR 123 | English as the National Language | Bill Passed - House (259 - 169) |
| 7/31 | HR 3734 | Welfare Reform Act of 1996 | Conference Report Adopted - House (328 - 101) |
| 7/23 | HR 3734 | Welfare Reform Act of 1996 | Bill Passed - Senate (74 - 24) |
| 7/18 | HR 3734 | Welfare Reform Act of 1996 | Bill Passed - House (256 - 170) |
| 7/11 | H Amdt 1265 | School Improvement Programs Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (294 - 129) |
| 7/11 | H Amdt 1273 | Drug Price Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (180 - 242) |
| 7/11 | H Amdt 1264 | Education and Training Programs Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (198 - 227) |
| 6/26 | HR 3666 | Veterans Affairs, HUD FY97 Appropriations bill | Bill Passed - House (269 - 147) |
| 6/20 | H Amdt 1190 | Tribal Land Trust Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (212 - 206) |
| 5/15 | H Amdt 1058 | Former Soviet Union Defense Conversion Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (249 - 171) |
| 5/15 | H Amdt 1057 | Cooperative Threat Reduction Program Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (202 - 220) |
| 5/07 | HR 2137 | Megan's Law | Bill Passed - House (418 - 0) |
| 5/02 | S Amdt 3840 | Public Assistance to Legal Immigrants Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (40 - 60) |
| 5/02 | HR 2202 | Immigration Reform bill | Bill Passed - Senate (97 - 3) |
| 5/01 | S Amdt 3752 | Citizen Verification Pilot Program Amendment | Amendment Tabled - Senate (54 - 46) |
| 5/01 | S Amdt 3780 | Asylum Seeker Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (51 - 49) |
| 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) |
| 4/30 | S Amdt 3820 | Legal Immigrants Assistance Eligibility Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 53) |
| 4/25 | S Amdt 3670 | Foreign Student Program Amendment | Amendment Tabled - Senate (53 - 47) |
| 4/25 | S Amdt 3669 | Foreign Student Public Education Amendment | Amendment Tabled - Senate (53 - 46) |
| 4/18 | S Amdt 3677 | Deletion of Medical Savings Accounts Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (52 - 46) |
| 4/18 | S 735 | Comprehensive Terrorism Prevention Act | Conference Report Adopted - House (293 - 133) |
| 4/17 | S 735 | Comprehensive Terrorism Prevention Act | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (91 - 8) |
| 3/28 | HR 1561 | Authorization bill, FY96-97, Foreign Relations | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (52 - 44) |
| 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) |
| 3/21 | S 1459 | Public Rangelands Management Act of 1996 | Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 47) |
| 3/20 | H Amdt 974 | Immigrant English Proficiency Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (210 - 207) |
| 3/20 | H Amdt 969 | Denying Public Education to Undocumented Immigrants | Amendment Adopted - House (257 - 163) |
| 3/20 | H Amdt 968 | Immigrant Public Assistance Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (151 - 269) |
| 3/12 | HR 1561 | Authorization bill, FY96-97, Foreign Relations | Conference Report Adopted - House (226 - 172) |
| 3/07 | H Amdt 947 | Lobby Disclosure Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (211 - 209) |
| 3/06 | HR 927 | Cuba Sanctions Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (336 - 86) |
| 3/05 | HR 927 | Cuba Sanctions Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (74 - 22) |
| 1/26 | Treaty Doc. 103-1 | The START II Treaty | Treaty Ratification Passed - Senate (87 - 4) |