Help:How to research congressional records and positions

General resources

 * Congress.org home page, including issues and action alerts].
 * Know the Candidates' scorecard roundup.
 * National Journal's 2007 Vote Ratings, and the votes from the House of Representatives and the Senate on which the ratings are based.
 * On the Issues' "Political Leaders on the Issues" page.
 * Progressive Punch's member and issue database.
 * Voteview, the University of California San Diego rankings page on the U.S. Congress and other candidates.
 * Voter Information Services' CongressionalReportCards.org section on advocacy groups.
 * Where I Stand's Senator and Representative positions.
 * OpenCongress.org, a project of the Sunlight Foundation and the Participatory Politics Foundation,  allows you to track bills, issues, and Congresspeople.

Economic policy
Votes:
 * Congresspedia's Portal:Economic Policy (U.S.) (see articles for votes).
 * Project Vote Smart: The "key votes" (for current members of Congress - select a state and then "U.S. Congress" to see individual voting records).

Issue group ratings and endorsements:
 * Project Vote Smart: Voting scorecards of interest groups working on budget, spending and taxes issues, trade issues, housing and property issues, gambling and gaming and business and consumers issues.

Positions:
 * Project Vote Smart: Positions on issues in their "Political Courage Test" (for all candidates).

Education policy
Votes:
 * Congresspedia's Portal:Education Policy (U.S.) (see articles for votes).
 * Project Vote Smart: The "key votes" (for current members of Congress - select a state and then "U.S. Congress" to see individual voting records).

Interest group ratings and endorsements:
 * Project Vote Smart: Voting scorecards of interest groups working on education.

Positions:
 * Project Vote Smart: Positions on issues in their "Political Courage Test" (for all candidates).

Elections and government policy
Votes:
 * Congresspedia's Portal:Elections and Government Policy (U.S.) (see articles for votes).
 * Project Vote Smart: The "key votes" (for current members of Congress - select a state and then "U.S. Congress" to see individual voting records).

Interest group ratings and endorsements:
 * Project Vote Smart: Voting scorecards of interest groups working on government reform, federal, state and local relations, congressional and legislative affairs, executive branch, campaign finance and election issues.

Positions:
 * Project Vote Smart: Positions on issues in their "Political Courage Test" (for all candidates).

Energy and environment policy
Votes:
 * Congresspedia's Portal:Energy and Environment Policy (U.S.) (see articles for votes).
 * Project Vote Smart: The "key votes" (for current members of Congress - select a state and then "U.S. Congress" to see individual voting records).
 * The League of Conservation Voters' scorecard for members of Congress.

Interest group ratings and endorsements:
 * Project Vote Smart: Voting scorecards of interest groups working on environmental, energy, animal rights and wildlife issues.
 * Sierra Club's positions and endorsements page for issues and candidates.

Positions:
 * Project Vote Smart: Positions on issues in their "Political Courage Test" (for all candidates).
 * The League of Conservation Voters' positions on the issues.

Food and agriculture policy
Votes:
 * Congresspedia's Portal:Food and Agriculture Policy (U.S.) (see articles for votes).
 * Project Vote Smart: The "key votes" (for current members of Congress - select a state and then "U.S. Congress" to see individual voting records).

Interest group ratings and endorsements:
 * Project Vote Smart: Voting scorecards of interest groups working on agriculture issues.

Positions:
 * Project Vote Smart: Positions on issues in their "Political Courage Test" (for all candidates).

Health policy
Votes:
 * Congresspedia's Portal:Health Policy (U.S.) (see articles for votes).
 * Project Vote Smart: The "key votes" (for current members of Congress - select a state and then "U.S. Congress" to see individual voting records).

Interest group ratings and endorsements:
 * Project Vote Smart: Voting scorecards of interest groups working on reproductive, health, abortion issues.
 * NARAL Pro-Choice America's Congressional Record on Choice (for current members of Congress - select a state to see individual ratings for congresspeople).

Positions:
 * Project Vote Smart: Positions on issues in their "Political Courage Test" (for all candidates).

Infrastructure and transportation policy
Votes:
 * Congresspedia's Portal:Infrastructure and Transportation Policy (U.S.) (see articles for votes).
 * Project Vote Smart: The "key votes" (for current members of Congress - select a state and then "U.S. Congress" to see individual voting records).

Interest group ratings and endorsements:
 * Project Vote Smart: Voting scorecards of interest groups working on transportation issues.

Positions:
 * Project Vote Smart: Positions on issues in their "Political Courage Test" (for all candidates).

Labor, immigration and retirement policy
Votes:
 * Congresspedia's Portal:Labor, Immigration and Retirement Policy (U.S.) (see articles for votes).
 * Project Vote Smart: The "key votes" (for current members of Congress - select a state and then "U.S. Congress" to see individual voting records).

Interest group ratings and endorsements:
 * Project Vote Smart: Voting scorecards of interest groups working on senior and social security, immigration, labor, employment and affirmative action, woman's issues, and sexual orientation and gender identity issues.

Positions:
 * Project Vote Smart: Positions on issues in their "Political Courage Test" (for all candidates).

National security and foreign policy
Votes:
 * Congresspedia's Portal:National Security and Foreign Policy (U.S.) (see articles for votes).
 * Project Vote Smart: The "key votes" (for current members of Congress - select a state and then "U.S. Congress" to see individual voting records).

Interest group ratings and endorsements:
 * Project Vote Smart: Voting scorecards of interest groups working on veterans, national security, foreign aid and policy, military, and defense issues.

Positions:
 * Project Vote Smart: Positions on issues in their "Political Courage Test" (for all candidates).

Rights, liberties and courts
Votes:
 * Congresspedia's Portal:Rights, Liberties and Courts Policy (U.S.) (see articles for votes).
 * Project Vote Smart: The "key votes" (for current members of Congress - select a state and then "U.S. Congress" to see individual voting records).

Interest group ratings and endorsements:
 * Project Vote Smart: Voting scorecards of interest groups working on legal, civil liberties and civil rights, gun, drug, death penalty, and crime issues.

Positions:
 * Project Vote Smart: Positions on issues in their "Political Courage Test" (for all candidates).

Communications, science and intellectual property policy
Votes:
 * Congresspedia's Portal:Communications, Science and Intellectual Property Policy (U.S.) (see articles for votes).
 * Project Vote Smart: The "key votes" (for current members of Congress - select a state and then "U.S. Congress" to see individual voting records).

Interest group ratings and endorsements:
 * Project Vote Smart: Voting scorecards of interest groups working on technology and communication, stem cell research, science and medical research, and arts and humanities issues.

Positions:
 * Project Vote Smart: Positions on issues in their "Political Courage Test" (for all candidates).

Social policy
Votes:
 * Congresspedia's Portal:Social Policy (U.S.) (see articles for votes).
 * Project Vote Smart: The "key votes" (for current members of Congress - select a state and then "U.S. Congress" to see individual voting records).

Interest group ratings and endorsements:
 * Project Vote Smart: Voting scorecards of interest groups working on welfare and poverty, indigenous peoples, family and children issues.

Positions:
 * Project Vote Smart: Positions on issues in their "Political Courage Test" (for all candidates).