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
March 20, 2012 National S Amdt 1836 Reauthorizing the Export-Import Bank of the United States Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (55 - 44)
March 23, 2013 National S Amdt 139 Prohibits the United States From Entering into the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty Amendment Adopted - Senate (53 - 46)
May 22, 2013 National H Amdt 75 Requires All Oil and Refined Fuels Transported Through the Keystone XL Pipeline to be Used Only in The United States Amendment Rejected - House (162 - 255)
Dec. 19, 2019 National HR 5430 United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement Implementation Act Bill Passed - House (385 - 41)
June 8, 2021 National S 1260 United States Innovation and Competition Act of 2021 Bill Passed - Senate (68 - 32)
July 15, 2022 National HR 8351 Formula Act Bill Passed - House (421 - 2)
Nov. 16, 2012 National HR 6156 Russia and Moldova Jackson-Vanik Repeal and Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act of 2012 Bill Passed - House (365 - 43)
May 15, 2012 National HR 2072 Export-Import Bank Reauthorization Act of 2012 Bill Passed - Senate (78 - 20)
Oct. 12, 2011 National HR 3078 Trade Promotion Agreement with Colombia Bill Passed - Senate (66 - 33)
Feb. 15, 2024 National HR 5375 Strengthening the Quad Act Bill Passed - House (379 - 39)
Oct. 12, 2011 National HR 3079 Trade Promotion Agreement with Panama Bill Passed - Senate (77 - 22)
Oct. 12, 2011 National HR 3080 Free Trade Agreement with Korea Bill Passed - Senate (83 - 15)
March 21, 2024 National S J Res 62 A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service relating to "Importation of Fresh Beef From Paraguay". Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (70 - 25)
March 21, 2024 National HR 1836 Ocean Shipping Reform Implementation Act of 2023 Bill Passed - House (393 - 24)
Sept. 11, 2015 National HR 3460 To Suspend Until January 21, 2017, the Authority of the President to Waive, Suspend, Reduce, Provide Relief from, or Otherwise Limit the Application of Sanctions Pursuant to an Agreement Related to the Nuclear Program of Iran Bill Passed - House (247 - 186)
Oct. 9, 2015 National HR 702 To Adapt to Changing Crude Oil Market Conditions Bill Passed - House (261 - 159)
Oct. 1, 2015 National HR 3457 Justice for Victims of Iranian Terrorism Act Bill Passed - House (251 - 173)
Dec. 3, 2015 National HR 8 North American Energy Security and Infrastructure Act Bill Passed - House (249 - 174)
Sept. 21, 2011 National S Amdt 625 Reducing and Extending Trade Adjustment Assistance Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 53)
Sept. 21, 2011 National S Amdt 645 Repeals the Trade Adjustment Assistance Program for Firms Amendment Rejected - Senate (43 - 54)
May 24, 2012 National S Amdt 2107 Authorizes Import of FDA-Approved Drugs from Canada Amendment Rejected - Senate (43 - 54)
Oct. 20, 2011 National S Amdt 769 Authorizes Individuals to Import FDA-Approved Drugs from Canada Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 55)
Oct. 18, 2011 National S Amdt 740 Repeals Funding for Trade Adjustment Assistance for Firms Amendment Rejected - Senate (44 - 55)
Sept. 21, 2011 National S Amdt 642 Modifies Eligibility Requirements for Trade Adjustment Assistance Amendment Rejected - Senate (40 - 57)
Sept. 21, 2011 National S Amdt 641 Requires Extension of Trade Adjustment Assistance to be Contingent Upon Ratification of Free Trade Agreements with Columbia, Korea and Panama Amendment Rejected - Senate (44 - 54)
Date No. Title Outcome
3/20 S Amdt 1836 Reauthorizing the Export-Import Bank of the United States Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (55 - 44)
3/23 S Amdt 139 Prohibits the United States From Entering into the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty Amendment Adopted - Senate (53 - 46)
5/22 H Amdt 75 Requires All Oil and Refined Fuels Transported Through the Keystone XL Pipeline to be Used Only in The United States Amendment Rejected - House (162 - 255)
12/19 HR 5430 United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement Implementation Act Bill Passed - House (385 - 41)
6/08 S 1260 United States Innovation and Competition Act of 2021 Bill Passed - Senate (68 - 32)
7/15 HR 8351 Formula Act Bill Passed - House (421 - 2)
11/16 HR 6156 Russia and Moldova Jackson-Vanik Repeal and Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act of 2012 Bill Passed - House (365 - 43)
5/15 HR 2072 Export-Import Bank Reauthorization Act of 2012 Bill Passed - Senate (78 - 20)
10/12 HR 3078 Trade Promotion Agreement with Colombia Bill Passed - Senate (66 - 33)
2/15 HR 5375 Strengthening the Quad Act Bill Passed - House (379 - 39)
10/12 HR 3079 Trade Promotion Agreement with Panama Bill Passed - Senate (77 - 22)
10/12 HR 3080 Free Trade Agreement with Korea Bill Passed - Senate (83 - 15)
3/21 S J Res 62 A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service relating to "Importation of Fresh Beef From Paraguay". Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (70 - 25)
3/21 HR 1836 Ocean Shipping Reform Implementation Act of 2023 Bill Passed - House (393 - 24)
9/11 HR 3460 To Suspend Until January 21, 2017, the Authority of the President to Waive, Suspend, Reduce, Provide Relief from, or Otherwise Limit the Application of Sanctions Pursuant to an Agreement Related to the Nuclear Program of Iran Bill Passed - House (247 - 186)
10/09 HR 702 To Adapt to Changing Crude Oil Market Conditions Bill Passed - House (261 - 159)
10/01 HR 3457 Justice for Victims of Iranian Terrorism Act Bill Passed - House (251 - 173)
12/03 HR 8 North American Energy Security and Infrastructure Act Bill Passed - House (249 - 174)
9/21 S Amdt 625 Reducing and Extending Trade Adjustment Assistance Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 53)
9/21 S Amdt 645 Repeals the Trade Adjustment Assistance Program for Firms Amendment Rejected - Senate (43 - 54)
5/24 S Amdt 2107 Authorizes Import of FDA-Approved Drugs from Canada Amendment Rejected - Senate (43 - 54)
10/20 S Amdt 769 Authorizes Individuals to Import FDA-Approved Drugs from Canada Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 55)
10/18 S Amdt 740 Repeals Funding for Trade Adjustment Assistance for Firms Amendment Rejected - Senate (44 - 55)
9/21 S Amdt 642 Modifies Eligibility Requirements for Trade Adjustment Assistance Amendment Rejected - Senate (40 - 57)
9/21 S Amdt 641 Requires Extension of Trade Adjustment Assistance to be Contingent Upon Ratification of Free Trade Agreements with Columbia, Korea and Panama Amendment Rejected - Senate (44 - 54)

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