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 |
---|---|---|---|---|
May 19, 2013 | MN | HF 1823 | Establishes Council to Review Legislative Pay Changes | Amendment Adopted - Senate (43 - 23) |
April 28, 2022 | MN | SF 4476 | Amends Legislative District Boundaries | Bill Passed - Senate (63 - 1) |
April 16, 2013 | MN | SF 1589 | Increases Legislator Salaries | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 32) |
March 15, 2021 | MN | SF 4 | Requires the Governor to Seek Approval Before Extending an Emergency Declaration | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 29) |
June 12, 2020 | MN | SC 1 | Repeals the Governor's Peacetime Emergency Declaration | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 29) |
May 17, 2011 | MN | HF 1426 | Congressional Redistricting Plan | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 28) |
May 4, 2011 | MO | HB 193 | Congressional Redistricting Plan | Veto Override Passed - Senate (28 - 6) |
March 23, 2022 | MO | HB 2117 | Establishes New Congressional Districts | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10) |
May 16, 2014 | MO | HJR 72 | Authorizes the Legislature to Override Certain Gubernatorial Spending Reductions | Amendment Adopted - Senate (25 - 4) |
April 13, 2011 | MO | HB 193 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 11) |
April 11, 2018 | MO | SJR 27 | Prohibits Lobbyist Gifts to Government Officials | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 12) |
March 24, 2008 | MS | HB 859 | Salary Adjustments for State Officials | Bill Passed - Senate (49 - 3) |
May 2, 2012 | MS | JR 1 | State House Redistricting | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (38 - 14) |
May 2, 2012 | MS | JR 201 | State Senate Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (46 - 5) |
Feb. 6, 2009 | MT | SB 187 | Limitations on Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 23) |
Feb. 2, 2009 | MT | SJ 7 | Statement of Opposition to Expansion of EPA Jurisdiction (H.R. 2421) | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (32 - 18) |
Oct. 23, 2003 | National | S Amdt 1904 | Congressional Pay Raise Amendment | Amendment Tabled - Senate (60 - 34) |
Sept. 18, 2007 | National | S 1257 | District of Columbia House Voting Rights Act of 2007 | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (57 - 42) |
April 23, 1996 | National | S J Res 21 | Term Limits bill | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (58 - 42) |
Jan. 5, 1995 | National | S Amdt 1 | Filibuster Amendment | Amendment Tabled - Senate (76 - 19) |
Sept. 14, 2005 | National | S Amdt 1670 | Special Committee on Contracts in Afghanistan and Iraq | Motion Rejected - Senate (44 - 53) |
Oct. 18, 2005 | National | S Amdt 2062 | Congressional Pay Raise Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (92 - 6) |
June 25, 1998 | National | S Amdt 2981 | Military Closure Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (48 - 45) |
March 13, 2008 | National | S Amdt 4347 | Earmark Moratorium | Motion Rejected - Senate (29 - 71) |
Nov. 30, 2010 | National | S Amdt 4697 | Prohibiting Earmarks | Motion Rejected - Senate (39 - 56) |
Sept. 15, 2005 | National | S Amdt 1678 | Hurricane Katrina Relief Amendment | Motion Rejected - Senate (43 - 52) |
July 1, 1994 | National | HR 4454 | Legislative Branch FY95 Appropriations bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (73 - 27) |
July 29, 2005 | National | HR 2985 | Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2006 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (96 - 4) |
Aug. 2, 2007 | National | S 1 | Lobbying and Donation Regulations | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (83 - 14) |
June 16, 1999 | National | HR 1905 | Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2000 | Bill Passed - Senate (95 - 4) |
July 25, 2002 | National | HR 5121 | Legislative Branch Appropriation, FY2003 | Bill Passed - Senate (85 - 14) |
July 11, 2003 | National | HR 2657 | Emergency Supplemental Appropriation, FY 2003 bill | Bill Passed - Senate (85 - 7) |
July 23, 1993 | National | HR 2348 | Legislative Branch FY94 Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (85 - 7) |
Sept. 21, 2004 | National | HR 4755 | Legislative Branch FY2005 Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (94 - 2) |
July 21, 1998 | National | HR 4112 | Legislative Branch FY99 Appropriations bill | Bill Passed - Senate (90 - 9) |
Feb. 26, 2009 | National | S 160 | Washington DC Voting Act | Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 37) |
Sept. 30, 2013 | National | H J Res 59 | Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 | Motion Agreed - Senate (54 - 46) |
Feb. 5, 2020 | National | H Res 755 | Impeaching Donald John Trump, President of the United States, for high crimes and misdemeanors | Bill Failed - Senate (47 - 53) |
Sept. 30, 2009 | National | HR 2918 | Continuing Appropriations Resolution and 2009-2010 Legislative Appropriations | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (62 - 38) |
Feb. 5, 2020 | National | H Res 755 | Impeaching Donald John Trump, President of the United States, for high crimes and misdemeanors | Bill Failed - Senate (48 - 52) |
July 27, 2022 | National | HR 4346 | Supreme Court Security Funding Act of 2022 (CHIPS and Science Act of 2022) | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (64 - 33) |
Sept. 27, 2013 | National | H J Res 59 | Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 | Bill Passed - Senate (54 - 44) |
Jan. 31, 2013 | National | HR 325 | No Budget, No Pay Act of 2013 | Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 34) |
Feb. 13, 2021 | National | H Res 24 | Impeaching Donald John Trump, President of the United States, for high crimes and misdemeanors | Resolution Failed - Senate (57 - 43) |
May 19, 2021 | National | S J Res 13 | A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission relating to "Update of Commission's Conciliation Procedures". | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (50 - 48) |
April 21, 2021 | National | PN 79-4 | Nomination of Vanita Gupta to be Associate Attorney General | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (51 - 49) |
March 14, 2016 | National | PN 1152 | Nomination of John B. King to be Secretary of Education | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (49 - 40) |
Jan. 31, 2020 | National | S Amdt 1298 | Requires the US Chief Justice to rule on motions to subpoena witnesses and documents and issues of privilege | Amendment Tabled - Senate (53 - 47) |
Jan. 26, 2012 | National | H J Res 98 | Disapproval of President's Authority to Raise the Debt Limit | Motion Rejected - Senate (44 - 54) |
Feb. 2, 2012 | National | S Amdt 1472 | Prohibits Consideration of Bills Containing Earmarks | Amendment Rejected - Senate (40 - 59) |
July 19, 2018 | National | S Res 584 | A resolution expressing the sense of the Senate against the making available of current and former diplomats, officials, and members of the Armed Forces of the United States for questioning by the government of Vladimir Putin. | Bill Passed - Senate (98 - 0) |
Aug. 11, 2021 | National | S Con Res 14 | A concurrent resolution setting forth the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2022 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2023 through 2031 | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (50 - 49) |
Feb. 5, 2021 | National | S Con Res 5 | A concurrent resolution setting forth the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2021 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2022 through 2030 | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (51 - 50) |
Feb. 2, 2012 | National | S 2038 | Prohibits Insider Trading by Government Officials | Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 3) |
Sept. 26, 2019 | National | SJ Res 54 | Rescinds a National Emergency Declared by the President on February 15, 2019 | Bill Passed - Senate (54 - 41) |
Sept. 22, 2012 | National | H J Res 117 | Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2013 | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (62 - 30) |
Jan. 31, 2020 | National | S Res 488 | A resolution to provide for related procedures concerning the articles of impeachment against Donald John Trump, President of the United States | Bill Passed - Senate (51 - 49) |
Jan. 22, 2020 | National | S Res 483 | A resolution to provide for related procedures concerning the articles of impeachment against Donald John Trump, President of the United States | Bill Passed - Senate (53 - 47) |
June 23, 2011 | National | S Amdt 499 | Prohibits the Appointment of Presidential "Czars" Without Senate Approval | Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 51) |
Jan. 26, 2010 | National | S Amdt 3302 | Establishing a Federal Budget Deficit Commission | Amendment Rejected - Senate (53 - 46) |
Feb. 19, 2009 | NC | SB 15 | Limiting Per Diem Payments to Legislators | Motion Agreed - Senate (37 - 11) |
Aug. 16, 2023 | NC | SB 512 | Repeals Governor Appointment Powers Over Various State Governing Boards | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 18) |
June 14, 2021 | NC | SB 722 | Amends the Date of Local Elections Due to Delay of Release of Redistricting Data | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 14) |
July 27, 2011 | NC | SB 453 | Congressional Redistricting | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (28 - 17) |
June 27, 2018 | NC | HB 913 | Establishes a Bipartisan Board of Ethics and Election Enforcement | Amendment Adopted - Senate (32 - 14) |
July 27, 2011 | NC | HB 937 | State House Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 19) |
Nov. 7, 2011 | NC | HB 777 | State House Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 10) |
Nov. 2, 2021 | NC | SB 740 | Amends Congressional Districts | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 22) |
April 27, 2021 | NC | SB 360 | Prohibits Any State Agency from Settling Certain Lawsuits Without the Approval of the General Assembly | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 21) |
July 25, 2011 | NC | SB 455 | State Senate Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 18) |
Nov. 7, 2011 | NC | SB 283 | State Senate Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12) |
Nov. 7, 2011 | NC | SB 689 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12) |
April 20, 2021 | ND | SB 2271 | Establishes a Statement of Legislative Intent Regarding Presidential Elections | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (39 - 8) |
March 22, 2021 | ND | HB 1378 | Authorizes the State Assembly to Vote in December | Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 6) |
April 6, 2015 | ND | HB 1181 | Requires Special Election to Fill Vacant Senate Seat | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 20) |