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, 2008 National HR 1424 Financial Asset Purchase Authority and Tax Law Amendments Concurrence Vote Passed - House (263 - 171)
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. 27, 2008 National HR 7081 United States - India Nuclear Agreement Bill Passed - House (298 - 117)
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 23, 2008 National HR 3221 Housing Bill with Energy Tax Credit Extensions Concurrence Vote Passed - House (272 - 152)
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 - Senate (70 - 26)
July 15, 2008 National HR 6331 Medicare Bill Veto Override Passed - House (383 - 41)
July 15, 2008 National S Amdt 5078 Limiting Countries for HIV/Aids, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Funding Amendment Tabled - Senate (70 - 24)
July 15, 2008 National S Amdt 5078 Limiting Countries for HIV/Aids, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Funding Amendment Tabled - Senate (70 - 24)
July 9, 2008 National HR 6331 Medicare Bill Cloture Invoked - Senate (69 - 30)
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 24, 2008 National HR 6331 Medicare Bill Bill Passed - House (355 - 59)
June 10, 2008 National HR 6028 Assistance for Mexico and Central America for Anti-Drug Programs (Merida Program) Bill Passed - House (311 - 106)
May 20, 2008 National HR 6074 Prohibiting Foreign States or Associations from Forming a Group to Control Oil Bill Passed - House (324 - 84)
May 8, 2008 National HR 3221 Housing-Related Tax Provision Amendments Amendment Adopted - House (266 - 154)
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 H Amdt 1045 Undocumented Immigrants' Ineligibility for Certain Financial Assistance Amendment Adopted - House (391 - 33)
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 23, 2008 National HR 5613 Medicaid Extensions and Changes Bill Passed - House (349 - 62)
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 4309 Restriction of Federal Assistance Based on Compliance with Federal Immigration Laws Amendment Tabled - Senate (58 - 40)
March 13, 2008 National S Amdt 4309 Restriction of Federal Assistance Based on Compliance with Federal Immigration Laws Amendment Tabled - Senate (58 - 40)
March 13, 2008 National S Amdt 4231 Immigration Enforcement and Border Fence Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (61 - 37)
March 13, 2008 National S Amdt 4259 Immigration Enforcement and Employer Sanctions Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (53 - 45)
March 5, 2008 National HR 1424 Mental Health Coverage Bill Bill Passed - House (268 - 148)
Feb. 26, 2008 National S 1200 Indian Health Care Improvement Act Amendments of 2008 Bill Passed - Senate (83 - 10)
Feb. 7, 2008 National HR 5140 Economic Stimulus Plan Concurrence Vote Passed - House (380 - 34)
Feb. 7, 2008 National HR 5140 Economic Stimulus Plan Bill Passed - Senate (81 - 16)
Jan. 29, 2008 National HR 5140 Economic Stimulus Plan Bill Passed - House (385 - 35)
Jan. 16, 2008 National HR 2768 S-MINER Act Bill Passed - House (214 - 199)
Date No. Title Outcome
10/03 HR 1424 Financial Asset Purchase Authority and Tax Law Amendments Concurrence Vote Passed - House (263 - 171)
10/01 HR 1424 Financial Asset Purchase Authority and Tax Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (74 - 25)
10/01 HR 7081 United States - India Nuclear Agreement Bill Passed - Senate (86 - 13)
9/29 HR 3997 Financial Asset Purchase Authority Concurrence Vote Failed - House (205 - 228)
9/27 HR 7081 United States - India Nuclear Agreement Bill Passed - House (298 - 117)
7/26 HR 3221 Housing Bill with Energy Tax Credit Extensions Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (72 - 13)
7/24 HR 5501 Funding to Combat AIDS, Malaria, and Tuberculosis Concurrence Vote Passed - House (303 - 115)
7/23 HR 3221 Housing Bill with Energy Tax Credit Extensions Concurrence Vote Passed - House (272 - 152)
7/16 S Amdt 5077 Funding Amendment to AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Bill Amendment Rejected - Senate (31 - 64)
7/16 HR 5501 Funding to Combat AIDS, Malaria, and Tuberculosis Bill Passed - Senate (80 - 16)
7/15 HR 6331 Medicare Bill Veto Override Passed - Senate (70 - 26)
7/15 HR 6331 Medicare Bill Veto Override Passed - House (383 - 41)
7/15 S Amdt 5078 Limiting Countries for HIV/Aids, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Funding Amendment Tabled - Senate (70 - 24)
7/15 S Amdt 5078 Limiting Countries for HIV/Aids, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Funding Amendment Tabled - Senate (70 - 24)
7/09 HR 6331 Medicare Bill Cloture Invoked - Senate (69 - 30)
6/25 S Amdt 4983 Housing Foreclosure Assistance Programs Amendment Adopted - Senate (79 - 16)
6/25 HR 2176 Bay Mills Indian Community Land Claim Bill Bill Failed - House (121 - 298)
6/24 HR 6331 Medicare Bill Bill Passed - House (355 - 59)
6/10 HR 6028 Assistance for Mexico and Central America for Anti-Drug Programs (Merida Program) Bill Passed - House (311 - 106)
5/20 HR 6074 Prohibiting Foreign States or Associations from Forming a Group to Control Oil Bill Passed - House (324 - 84)
5/08 HR 3221 Housing-Related Tax Provision Amendments Amendment Adopted - House (266 - 154)
5/08 H Amdt 1045 Undocumented Immigrants' Ineligibility for Certain Financial Assistance Amendment Adopted - House (391 - 33)
5/08 HR 3221 Housing-Related Tax Provision Amendments Amendment Adopted - House (322 - 94)
5/08 H Amdt 1045 Undocumented Immigrants' Ineligibility for Certain Financial Assistance Amendment Adopted - House (391 - 33)
5/08 HR 5818 Assistance to States for Purchasing Foreclosed Homes Bill Passed - House (239 - 188)
5/07 S Amdt 4719 Optional Wind Damage Insurance Amendment Rejected - Senate (19 - 74)
4/23 HR 5613 Medicaid Extensions and Changes Bill Passed - House (349 - 62)
4/10 HR 3221 Housing Bill with Energy Tax Credit Extensions Bill Passed - Senate (84 - 12)
4/02 HR 5501 Funding to Combat AIDS, Malaria, and Tuberculosis Bill Passed - House (308 - 116)
3/14 S Amdt 4299 Expressing the Sense of the Senate on the Legalization of Importing Certain Prescription Drugs Amendment Adopted - Senate (73 - 23)
3/13 S Amdt 4309 Restriction of Federal Assistance Based on Compliance with Federal Immigration Laws Amendment Tabled - Senate (58 - 40)
3/13 S Amdt 4309 Restriction of Federal Assistance Based on Compliance with Federal Immigration Laws Amendment Tabled - Senate (58 - 40)
3/13 S Amdt 4231 Immigration Enforcement and Border Fence Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (61 - 37)
3/13 S Amdt 4259 Immigration Enforcement and Employer Sanctions Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (53 - 45)
3/05 HR 1424 Mental Health Coverage Bill Bill Passed - House (268 - 148)
2/26 S 1200 Indian Health Care Improvement Act Amendments of 2008 Bill Passed - Senate (83 - 10)
2/07 HR 5140 Economic Stimulus Plan Concurrence Vote Passed - House (380 - 34)
2/07 HR 5140 Economic Stimulus Plan Bill Passed - Senate (81 - 16)
1/29 HR 5140 Economic Stimulus Plan Bill Passed - House (385 - 35)
1/16 HR 2768 S-MINER Act Bill Passed - House (214 - 199)

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