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
Dec. 18, 2008 OH HB 649 Funding Veterans' Bonuses Using the Budget Stabilization Fund Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 8)
Dec. 16, 2008 OH HB 649 Funding Veterans' Bonuses Using the Budget Stabilization Fund Bill Passed - House (54 - 42)
Aug. 19, 2008 IL HB 4201 Property Tax Exemption for Disabled Veterans Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (27 - 11)
Aug. 19, 2008 IL HB 5285 Extending Parental Health Insurance to Unmarried Dependents Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (35 - 17)
Aug. 13, 2008 IL HB 4201 Property Tax Exemption for Disabled Veterans Concurrence Vote Passed - House (78 - 12)
Aug. 13, 2008 IL HB 5285 Extending Parental Health Insurance to Unmarried Dependents Concurrence Vote Passed - House (70 - 21)
July 26, 2008 National HR 3221 Housing Bill with Energy Tax Credit Extensions Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (72 - 13)
July 23, 2008 National HR 3221 Housing Bill with Energy Tax Credit Extensions Concurrence Vote Passed - House (272 - 152)
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)
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 8, 2008 National HR 3221 Housing-Related Tax Provision Amendments Amendment Adopted - House (322 - 94)
May 5, 2008 MN Severson Amendment: Income Tax Refund Amendment Adopted - House (75 - 54)
April 17, 2008 MO HJR 71 Sales Tax for Veterans' Services Joint Resolution Passed - House (106 - 39)
March 31, 2008 ME LD 2289 2008-2009 Budget Concurrence Vote Passed - House (84 - 55)
March 31, 2008 ME LD 2289 2008-2009 Budget Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17)
March 20, 2008 KS HB 2936 Capital Improvements Funding Bill Passed - House (87 - 35)
March 20, 2008 KS HB 2947 2008-2009 Budget Amendments Bill Passed - House (71 - 51)
March 10, 2008 IA HF 2359 Veterans Trust Fund Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 7)
March 5, 2008 IA HF 2359 Veterans Trust Fund Bill Passed - House (75 - 21)
Jan. 22, 2008 National HR 4986 Defense Authorizations Bill Bill Passed - Senate (91 - 3)
Jan. 16, 2008 National HR 4986 Defense Authorizations Bill Bill Passed - House (369 - 46)
Date No. Title Outcome
12/18 HB 649 Funding Veterans' Bonuses Using the Budget Stabilization Fund Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 8)
12/16 HB 649 Funding Veterans' Bonuses Using the Budget Stabilization Fund Bill Passed - House (54 - 42)
8/19 HB 4201 Property Tax Exemption for Disabled Veterans Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (27 - 11)
8/19 HB 5285 Extending Parental Health Insurance to Unmarried Dependents Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (35 - 17)
8/13 HB 4201 Property Tax Exemption for Disabled Veterans Concurrence Vote Passed - House (78 - 12)
8/13 HB 5285 Extending Parental Health Insurance to Unmarried Dependents Concurrence Vote Passed - House (70 - 21)
7/26 HR 3221 Housing Bill with Energy Tax Credit Extensions Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (72 - 13)
7/23 HR 3221 Housing Bill with Energy Tax Credit Extensions Concurrence Vote Passed - House (272 - 152)
6/19 HR 2642 GI Bill, Funding for Midwest Flood Cleanup, Extension of Unemployment Benefits, and Other Provisions Concurrence Vote Passed - House (416 - 12)
5/15 HR 2642 Iraq Related Provisions such as a Troop Withdrawal, a Permanent Base Ban, and Limiting Interrogation Techniques Concurrence Vote Passed - House (256 - 166)
5/08 HR 3221 Housing-Related Tax Provision Amendments Amendment Adopted - House (322 - 94)
5/05 Severson Amendment: Income Tax Refund Amendment Adopted - House (75 - 54)
4/17 HJR 71 Sales Tax for Veterans' Services Joint Resolution Passed - House (106 - 39)
3/31 LD 2289 2008-2009 Budget Concurrence Vote Passed - House (84 - 55)
3/31 LD 2289 2008-2009 Budget Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17)
3/20 HB 2936 Capital Improvements Funding Bill Passed - House (87 - 35)
3/20 HB 2947 2008-2009 Budget Amendments Bill Passed - House (71 - 51)
3/10 HF 2359 Veterans Trust Fund Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 7)
3/05 HF 2359 Veterans Trust Fund Bill Passed - House (75 - 21)
1/22 HR 4986 Defense Authorizations Bill Bill Passed - Senate (91 - 3)
1/16 HR 4986 Defense Authorizations Bill Bill Passed - House (369 - 46)

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