Key Votes

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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:

  1. The vote should be helpful in portraying how a member stands on a particular issue
  2. The vote should be clear for any person to understand
  3. The vote has received media attention
  4. The vote was passed or defeated by a very close margin
  5. Occasionally, if a specific bill is consistently inquired about on the Voter's Research Hotline, the vote will be added

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.


results per page:
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. 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)
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. 12, 1996 National HR 3816 Appropriations bill FY97, Energy and Water Development Conference Report Adopted - House (383 - 29)
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 - House (392 - 30)
Aug. 2, 1996 National S 1316 Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments of 1995 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (98 - 0)
Aug. 2, 1996 National HR 3953 Aviation Security and Antiterrorism Act of 1996 Bill Passed - House (389 - 22)
Aug. 1, 1996 National HR 3230 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1997 Conference Report Adopted - House (285 - 132)
July 31, 1996 National S 1936 Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1996 Bill Passed - Senate (63 - 37)
July 25, 1996 National H Amdt 1360 Renewable Energy Research Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (279 - 135)
July 25, 1996 National H Amdt 1359 Energy Research Appropriation Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (198 - 211)
July 11, 1996 National H Amdt 1265 School Improvement Programs Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (294 - 129)
July 11, 1996 National H Amdt 1264 Education and Training Programs Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (198 - 227)
July 11, 1996 National H Amdt 1273 Drug Price Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (180 - 242)
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)
June 13, 1996 National H Amdt 1164 Department of Defense Appropriations Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (194 - 219)
June 13, 1996 National H Amdt 1167 Spaced-based Weapons Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (190 - 208)
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 15, 1996 National HR 3230 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1997 Bill Passed - House (272 - 153)
May 1, 1996 National S 641 Ryan White CARE reauthorization Act of 1995 Conference Report Adopted - House (402 - 4)
April 18, 1996 National S Amdt 3677 Deletion of Medical Savings Accounts Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (52 - 46)
April 17, 1996 National HR 842 Truth in Budgeting Act Bill Passed - House (284 - 143)
March 29, 1996 National HR 2854 Agricultural Market Transition Act Conference Report Adopted - House (318 - 89)
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)
March 21, 1996 National S 1459 Public Rangelands Management Act of 1996 Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 47)
Feb. 29, 1996 National H Amdt 936 Agricultural Conservation Programs Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (372 - 37)
Feb. 29, 1996 National HR 2854 Agricultural Market Transition Act Bill Passed - House (270 - 155)
Feb. 28, 1996 National H Amdt 934 Sugar Program Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (208 - 217)
Feb. 28, 1996 National H Amdt 935 Dairy Program Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (258 - 164)
Feb. 28, 1996 National H Amdt 933 Peanut Program Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (209 - 212)
Feb. 7, 1996 National S 1541 Farm Bill Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 32)
Feb. 1, 1996 National S 652 Telecommunications Bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (91 - 5)
Feb. 1, 1996 National S 652 Telecommunications Bill Conference Report Adopted - House (414 - 16)
Jan. 26, 1996 National S 1124 Authorization bill FY96, Defense Department Conference Report Adopted - Senate (56 - 34)
Jan. 26, 1996 National Treaty Doc. 103-1 The START II Treaty Treaty Ratification Passed - Senate (87 - 4)
Jan. 24, 1996 National S 1124 Authorization bill FY96, Defense Department Conference Report Adopted - House (287 - 129)
Jan. 4, 1996 National HR 1977 1996 Interior Appropriations Veto Override Failed - House (239 - 177)
Jan. 3, 1996 National HR 1530 Authorization bill FY96, Defense Department Veto Override Passed - House (240 - 156)
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)
9/24 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)
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)
9/12 HR 3816 Appropriations bill FY97, Energy and Water Development Conference Report Adopted - House (383 - 29)
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 - House (392 - 30)
8/02 S 1316 Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments of 1995 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (98 - 0)
8/02 HR 3953 Aviation Security and Antiterrorism Act of 1996 Bill Passed - House (389 - 22)
8/01 HR 3230 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1997 Conference Report Adopted - House (285 - 132)
7/31 S 1936 Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1996 Bill Passed - Senate (63 - 37)
7/25 H Amdt 1360 Renewable Energy Research Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (279 - 135)
7/25 H Amdt 1359 Energy Research Appropriation Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (198 - 211)
7/11 H Amdt 1265 School Improvement Programs Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (294 - 129)
7/11 H Amdt 1264 Education and Training Programs Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (198 - 227)
7/11 H Amdt 1273 Drug Price Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (180 - 242)
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)
6/13 H Amdt 1164 Department of Defense Appropriations Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (194 - 219)
6/13 H Amdt 1167 Spaced-based Weapons Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (190 - 208)
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)
5/15 HR 3230 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1997 Bill Passed - House (272 - 153)
5/01 S 641 Ryan White CARE reauthorization Act of 1995 Conference Report Adopted - House (402 - 4)
4/18 S Amdt 3677 Deletion of Medical Savings Accounts Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (52 - 46)
4/17 HR 842 Truth in Budgeting Act Bill Passed - House (284 - 143)
3/29 HR 2854 Agricultural Market Transition Act Conference Report Adopted - House (318 - 89)
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)
3/21 S 1459 Public Rangelands Management Act of 1996 Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 47)
2/29 H Amdt 936 Agricultural Conservation Programs Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (372 - 37)
2/29 HR 2854 Agricultural Market Transition Act Bill Passed - House (270 - 155)
2/28 H Amdt 934 Sugar Program Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (208 - 217)
2/28 H Amdt 935 Dairy Program Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (258 - 164)
2/28 H Amdt 933 Peanut Program Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (209 - 212)
2/07 S 1541 Farm Bill Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 32)
2/01 S 652 Telecommunications Bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (91 - 5)
2/01 S 652 Telecommunications Bill Conference Report Adopted - House (414 - 16)
1/26 S 1124 Authorization bill FY96, Defense Department Conference Report Adopted - Senate (56 - 34)
1/26 Treaty Doc. 103-1 The START II Treaty Treaty Ratification Passed - Senate (87 - 4)
1/24 S 1124 Authorization bill FY96, Defense Department Conference Report Adopted - House (287 - 129)
1/04 HR 1977 1996 Interior Appropriations Veto Override Failed - House (239 - 177)
1/03 HR 1530 Authorization bill FY96, Defense Department Veto Override Passed - House (240 - 156)

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