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 |
---|---|---|---|---|
April 10, 2006 | MD | HB 1674 | Restrictions on Campaign Fund-Raising Activities by Members of the Board of Regents | Veto Override Passed - Senate (29 - 18) |
May 4, 2006 | MA | H 4479 | Health Care Access & Affordability Bill Section 113 | Veto Override Passed - Senate (31 - 9) |
April 4, 2007 | VA | HB 2347 | Capital Murder of a Witness | Veto Override Passed - Senate (29 - 10) |
Feb. 25, 2008 | MN | HF 2800 | 2009-2010 Transportation Budget | Veto Override Passed - Senate (47 - 20) |
May 8, 2009 | HI | SB 1111 | Transient Accommodations Tax Increase | Veto Override Passed - Senate (19 - 6) |
May 14, 2009 | AL | HB 175 | Permitting Elections in Smaller Municipalities on Allowing Alcohol | Veto Override Passed - Senate (18 - 11) |
May 20, 2009 | SC | H 3560 | 2009-2010 Budget | Veto Override Passed - Senate (34 - 11) |
June 2, 2009 | VT | H 441 | 2009-2010 Budget | Veto Override Passed - Senate (23 - 5) |
April 4, 2007 | VA | Sub HB 2750 | Capital Murder of a Judge | Veto Override Passed - Senate (28 - 10) |
June 16, 2009 | SC | S 351 | State Ports Authority Amendments | Veto Override Passed - Senate (35 - 9) |
July 20, 2009 | CT | HB 6600 | SustiNet Health Insurance Plan | Veto Override Passed - Senate (24 - 12) |
Aug. 10, 2009 | AK | HB 199 | Federal Funds Appropriations | Veto Override Passed - Senate (15 - 5) |
June 14, 2006 | SC | H 4810 | 2006-2007 Budget | Veto Override Passed - Senate (37 - 7) |
June 14, 2006 | MD | SB 52 | Maryland Transportation Authority | Veto Override Passed - Senate (34 - 13) |
April 7, 2008 | NE | LB 959 | Gas Tax Veto Override | Veto Override Passed - Senate (34 - 15) |
April 10, 2006 | MD | HB 1368 | Election Changes | Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 17) |
July 13, 2006 | MA | H 126 | Unsigned Political Posters | Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 6) |
May 4, 2006 | MA | H 4479 | Health Care Access & Affordability Bill Section 113 | Veto Override Passed - Senate (37 - 2) |
June 23, 2006 | RI | H 6885 | International Trade Agreements | Veto Override Passed - Senate (26 - 4) |
June 23, 2006 | RI | H 6885 | International Trade Agreements | Veto Override Passed - Senate (26 - 4) |
April 30, 2008 | KS | SB 148 | Electricity Generation and Conservation | Veto Override Passed - Senate (32 - 7) |
May 24, 2006 | MA | H 4479 | MassHealth Immigrant Eligibility Veto Override | Veto Override Passed - Senate (34 - 5) |
June 13, 2006 | RI | H 6874 | Ballot Questions from Governor | Veto Override Passed - Senate (28 - 9) |
June 13, 2006 | RI | H 6874 | Ballot Questions from Governor | Veto Override Passed - Senate (28 - 9) |
June 19, 2007 | SC | S 99 | Presidential Primaries Conducted by the State Election Commission | Veto Override Passed - Senate (36 - 7) |
June 19, 2007 | SC | S 99 | Presidential Primaries Conducted by the State Election Commission | Veto Override Passed - Senate (36 - 7) |
March 20, 2007 | AL | HJR 29 | State Legislature Pay Increase | Veto Override Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
Feb. 25, 1998 | National | HR 2631 | Line Item Veto Cancellation bill | Veto Override Passed - Senate (78 - 20) |
Oct. 12, 2007 | IL | HB 664 | Homeowner Tax Exemption | Veto Override Passed - Senate (55 - 1) |
March 12, 2009 | SD | HB 1197 | Tax Changes Relating to Single Family Dwellings Under Construction | Veto Override Passed - Senate (26 - 8) |
Feb. 19, 2008 | CA | GN Borucki | Confirmation of Joan Borucki as State Lottery Director | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (32 - 3) |
Feb. 19, 2008 | CA | GN Borucki | Confirmation of Joan Borucki as State Lottery Director | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (32 - 3) |
Aug. 6, 2009 | National | PN 506 | Sonia Sotomayor, Associate Justice | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (68 - 31) |
Aug. 6, 2009 | National | PN 506 | Sonia Sotomayor, Associate Justice | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (68 - 31) |
Aug. 3, 1993 | National | PN 422 | Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Associate Justice | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (96 - 3) |
Feb. 3, 2005 | National | PN 12 | Alberto R. Gonzales, Attorney General | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (60 - 36) |
June 8, 2005 | National | PN 201 | Janice R Brown, Circuit Judge for the District of Columbia | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (56 - 43) |
June 9, 2005 | National | PN 200 | William H. Pryor, Jr., Circuit Judge for the District of Columbia | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (53 - 45) |
Aug. 5, 1999 | National | PN 100 | Richard Holbrooke, Representative to the United Nations | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (81 - 16) |
Sept. 29, 2005 | National | PN 801 | Judge John G. Roberts, Jr., Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court | (78 - 22) |
Feb. 1, 2001 | National | PN 107 | John Ashcroft, Attorney General | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (58 - 42) |
Jan. 30, 2001 | National | PN 96 | Gale Ann Norton, Secretary of the Interior | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (75 - 24) |
May 25, 2005 | National | PN 194 | Priscilla R. Owen, Fifth Circuit Judge | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (55 - 43) |
Jan. 26, 2005 | National | PN 8 | Condoleezza Rice, Secretary of State | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (85 - 13) |
April 30, 1997 | National | PN 82 | Alexis M. Herman, Secretary of Labor | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (85 - 13) |
July 29, 1994 | National | PN 1399 | Stephen G. Breyer, Associate Justice | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (87 - 9) |
Jan. 24, 2008 | CO | GN Baker | Matt Baker to the Public Utilities Commission | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (21 - 13) |
June 14, 2005 | National | PN 202 | Thomas B. Griffith, Circuit Judge for the District of Columbia | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (73 - 24) |
Jan. 31, 2006 | National | PN 1059 | Samuel Alito, Associate Justice | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (58 - 42) |
Feb. 10, 1998 | National | PN 623 | David Satcher, Surgeon General of the Public Health Service | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (63 - 35) |
Feb. 21, 2008 | SD | HB 1250 | Legislative Pay Raise | Bill Tabled - Senate (29 - 4) |
Feb. 21, 2008 | SD | HB 1250 | Legislative Pay Raise | Bill Tabled - Senate (29 - 4) |
Dec. 23, 2009 | National | HR 3590 | Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act | Cloture Invoked - Senate (60 - 39) |
April 26, 2007 | TN | SA 3 | PAC-to-PAC Contribution Limits | Bill Tabled - Senate (16 - 13) |
May 6, 2008 | SC | S Amdt P-1 | Cigarette Tax Increase for Medicaid | Amendment Tabled - Senate (31 - 13) |
May 9, 2007 | SC | Amendment No. 2c | Restructuring the Department of Transportation | Amendment Tabled - Senate (20 - 19) |
April 24, 2007 | SC | Amendment No. 45 | Competitive Grants Program | Amendment Tabled - Senate (31 - 9) |
June 24, 1998 | National | S Amdt 2912 | Bosnia and Herzegovina Withdrawal Amendment | Amendment Tabled - Senate (65 - 31) |
April 1, 1998 | National | S Amdt 2175 | School Modernization Amendment | Amendment Tabled - Senate (54 - 46) |
Jan. 5, 1995 | National | S Amdt 1 | Filibuster Amendment | Amendment Tabled - Senate (76 - 19) |
July 26, 2007 | National | S Amdt 2405 | REAL ID Funding | Amendment Tabled - Senate (50 - 44) |
May 24, 2005 | National | PN 194 | Priscilla R. Owen, Fifth Circuit Judge | Cloture Invoked - Senate (81 - 18) |
Oct. 23, 2003 | National | S Amdt 1904 | Congressional Pay Raise Amendment | Amendment Tabled - Senate (60 - 34) |
June 25, 1998 | National | S Amdt 2981 | Military Closure Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (48 - 45) |
Feb. 14, 2008 | NE | AM 1736 | Eliminating Opt-Out Provision of Smoking Ban | Amendment Adopted - Senate (33 - 13) |
May 1, 2009 | FL | HB 903 | Capping Attorney Fees in Workers' Compensation Lawsuits | Motion Agreed - Senate (22 - 16) |
June 20, 2000 | National | S Amdt 3473 | Hate Crimes Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (57 - 42) |
June 25, 1998 | National | S Amdt 2981 | Military Closure Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (48 - 45) |
March 19, 2003 | National | S Amdt 272 | ANWR Oil Drilling Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (52 - 48) |
Feb. 19, 2008 | KY | SFA 1 | Presidential Primaries | Amendment Adopted - Senate (24 - 12) |
Feb. 25, 2008 | VA | HB 11 | Property Tax Exemptions | Motion Agreed - Senate (21 - 19) |
April 6, 2006 | AL | SA 85045-1 to HB 135 | Food Sales and Use Tax Reduction Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (16 - 11) |
Sept. 14, 2009 | National | S Amdt 2355 | Prohibiting Funding for ACORN | Amendment Adopted - Senate (83 - 7) |
Oct. 6, 2009 | National | S Amdt 2588 | Prohibiting Federal Funding of Mandatory Arbitration Contracts | Amendment Adopted - Senate (68 - 30) |
March 26, 2008 | KS | Brownlee Amnd. | Prohibits Union from collecting dues from Undocumented Workers | Amendment Adopted - Senate (19 - 18) |
Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|
4/10 | HB 1674 | Restrictions on Campaign Fund-Raising Activities by Members of the Board of Regents | Veto Override Passed - Senate (29 - 18) |
5/04 | H 4479 | Health Care Access & Affordability Bill Section 113 | Veto Override Passed - Senate (31 - 9) |
4/04 | HB 2347 | Capital Murder of a Witness | Veto Override Passed - Senate (29 - 10) |
2/25 | HF 2800 | 2009-2010 Transportation Budget | Veto Override Passed - Senate (47 - 20) |
5/08 | SB 1111 | Transient Accommodations Tax Increase | Veto Override Passed - Senate (19 - 6) |
5/14 | HB 175 | Permitting Elections in Smaller Municipalities on Allowing Alcohol | Veto Override Passed - Senate (18 - 11) |
5/20 | H 3560 | 2009-2010 Budget | Veto Override Passed - Senate (34 - 11) |
6/02 | H 441 | 2009-2010 Budget | Veto Override Passed - Senate (23 - 5) |
4/04 | Sub HB 2750 | Capital Murder of a Judge | Veto Override Passed - Senate (28 - 10) |
6/16 | S 351 | State Ports Authority Amendments | Veto Override Passed - Senate (35 - 9) |
7/20 | HB 6600 | SustiNet Health Insurance Plan | Veto Override Passed - Senate (24 - 12) |
8/10 | HB 199 | Federal Funds Appropriations | Veto Override Passed - Senate (15 - 5) |
6/14 | H 4810 | 2006-2007 Budget | Veto Override Passed - Senate (37 - 7) |
6/14 | SB 52 | Maryland Transportation Authority | Veto Override Passed - Senate (34 - 13) |
4/07 | LB 959 | Gas Tax Veto Override | Veto Override Passed - Senate (34 - 15) |
4/10 | HB 1368 | Election Changes | Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 17) |
7/13 | H 126 | Unsigned Political Posters | Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 6) |
5/04 | H 4479 | Health Care Access & Affordability Bill Section 113 | Veto Override Passed - Senate (37 - 2) |
6/23 | H 6885 | International Trade Agreements | Veto Override Passed - Senate (26 - 4) |
6/23 | H 6885 | International Trade Agreements | Veto Override Passed - Senate (26 - 4) |
4/30 | SB 148 | Electricity Generation and Conservation | Veto Override Passed - Senate (32 - 7) |
5/24 | H 4479 | MassHealth Immigrant Eligibility Veto Override | Veto Override Passed - Senate (34 - 5) |
6/13 | H 6874 | Ballot Questions from Governor | Veto Override Passed - Senate (28 - 9) |
6/13 | H 6874 | Ballot Questions from Governor | Veto Override Passed - Senate (28 - 9) |
6/19 | S 99 | Presidential Primaries Conducted by the State Election Commission | Veto Override Passed - Senate (36 - 7) |
6/19 | S 99 | Presidential Primaries Conducted by the State Election Commission | Veto Override Passed - Senate (36 - 7) |
3/20 | HJR 29 | State Legislature Pay Increase | Veto Override Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
2/25 | HR 2631 | Line Item Veto Cancellation bill | Veto Override Passed - Senate (78 - 20) |
10/12 | HB 664 | Homeowner Tax Exemption | Veto Override Passed - Senate (55 - 1) |
3/12 | HB 1197 | Tax Changes Relating to Single Family Dwellings Under Construction | Veto Override Passed - Senate (26 - 8) |
2/19 | GN Borucki | Confirmation of Joan Borucki as State Lottery Director | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (32 - 3) |
2/19 | GN Borucki | Confirmation of Joan Borucki as State Lottery Director | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (32 - 3) |
8/06 | PN 506 | Sonia Sotomayor, Associate Justice | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (68 - 31) |
8/06 | PN 506 | Sonia Sotomayor, Associate Justice | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (68 - 31) |
8/03 | PN 422 | Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Associate Justice | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (96 - 3) |
2/03 | PN 12 | Alberto R. Gonzales, Attorney General | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (60 - 36) |
6/08 | PN 201 | Janice R Brown, Circuit Judge for the District of Columbia | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (56 - 43) |
6/09 | PN 200 | William H. Pryor, Jr., Circuit Judge for the District of Columbia | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (53 - 45) |
8/05 | PN 100 | Richard Holbrooke, Representative to the United Nations | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (81 - 16) |
9/29 | PN 801 | Judge John G. Roberts, Jr., Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court | (78 - 22) |
2/01 | PN 107 | John Ashcroft, Attorney General | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (58 - 42) |
1/30 | PN 96 | Gale Ann Norton, Secretary of the Interior | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (75 - 24) |
5/25 | PN 194 | Priscilla R. Owen, Fifth Circuit Judge | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (55 - 43) |
1/26 | PN 8 | Condoleezza Rice, Secretary of State | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (85 - 13) |
4/30 | PN 82 | Alexis M. Herman, Secretary of Labor | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (85 - 13) |
7/29 | PN 1399 | Stephen G. Breyer, Associate Justice | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (87 - 9) |
1/24 | GN Baker | Matt Baker to the Public Utilities Commission | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (21 - 13) |
6/14 | PN 202 | Thomas B. Griffith, Circuit Judge for the District of Columbia | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (73 - 24) |
1/31 | PN 1059 | Samuel Alito, Associate Justice | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (58 - 42) |
2/10 | PN 623 | David Satcher, Surgeon General of the Public Health Service | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (63 - 35) |
2/21 | HB 1250 | Legislative Pay Raise | Bill Tabled - Senate (29 - 4) |
2/21 | HB 1250 | Legislative Pay Raise | Bill Tabled - Senate (29 - 4) |
12/23 | HR 3590 | Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act | Cloture Invoked - Senate (60 - 39) |
4/26 | SA 3 | PAC-to-PAC Contribution Limits | Bill Tabled - Senate (16 - 13) |
5/06 | S Amdt P-1 | Cigarette Tax Increase for Medicaid | Amendment Tabled - Senate (31 - 13) |
5/09 | Amendment No. 2c | Restructuring the Department of Transportation | Amendment Tabled - Senate (20 - 19) |
4/24 | Amendment No. 45 | Competitive Grants Program | Amendment Tabled - Senate (31 - 9) |
6/24 | S Amdt 2912 | Bosnia and Herzegovina Withdrawal Amendment | Amendment Tabled - Senate (65 - 31) |
4/01 | S Amdt 2175 | School Modernization Amendment | Amendment Tabled - Senate (54 - 46) |
1/05 | S Amdt 1 | Filibuster Amendment | Amendment Tabled - Senate (76 - 19) |
7/26 | S Amdt 2405 | REAL ID Funding | Amendment Tabled - Senate (50 - 44) |
5/24 | PN 194 | Priscilla R. Owen, Fifth Circuit Judge | Cloture Invoked - Senate (81 - 18) |
10/23 | S Amdt 1904 | Congressional Pay Raise Amendment | Amendment Tabled - Senate (60 - 34) |
6/25 | S Amdt 2981 | Military Closure Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (48 - 45) |
2/14 | AM 1736 | Eliminating Opt-Out Provision of Smoking Ban | Amendment Adopted - Senate (33 - 13) |
5/01 | HB 903 | Capping Attorney Fees in Workers' Compensation Lawsuits | Motion Agreed - Senate (22 - 16) |
6/20 | S Amdt 3473 | Hate Crimes Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (57 - 42) |
6/25 | S Amdt 2981 | Military Closure Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (48 - 45) |
3/19 | S Amdt 272 | ANWR Oil Drilling Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (52 - 48) |
2/19 | SFA 1 | Presidential Primaries | Amendment Adopted - Senate (24 - 12) |
2/25 | HB 11 | Property Tax Exemptions | Motion Agreed - Senate (21 - 19) |
4/06 | SA 85045-1 to HB 135 | Food Sales and Use Tax Reduction Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (16 - 11) |
9/14 | S Amdt 2355 | Prohibiting Funding for ACORN | Amendment Adopted - Senate (83 - 7) |
10/06 | S Amdt 2588 | Prohibiting Federal Funding of Mandatory Arbitration Contracts | Amendment Adopted - Senate (68 - 30) |
3/26 | Brownlee Amnd. | Prohibits Union from collecting dues from Undocumented Workers | Amendment Adopted - Senate (19 - 18) |