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
Nov. 10, 2011 National S Amdt 928 American Jobs and Economic Growth Amendment Rejected - Senate (40 - 56)
Nov. 10, 2011 National S J Res 27 Disapproval of EPA Cross-Border Pollution Rule Motion Rejected - Senate (41 - 56)
Sept. 9, 2011 CA SB 292 Authorizes Governor to Expedite Environmental Review Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 7)
Sept. 7, 2011 NH SB 154 Withdrawing from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative Veto Override Failed - Senate (15 - 9)
June 28, 2011 OH HB 231 Withdrawal Permit for Water Usage at Lake Erie Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8)
June 27, 2011 AK SB 45 Extending the Coastal Management Program Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 7)
June 2, 2011 CA SB 568 Recycling Polystyrene Food Containers Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 15)
March 29, 2011 WA SB 5251 Electric Vehicle Registration Fees Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 16)
March 5, 2011 WA SB 5769 Coal-Fired Power Plants Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 13)
March 1, 2011 AZ SB 1394 Regulation of Greenhouse Substances and Freedom to Breathe Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 8)
Feb. 24, 2011 MN HF 1 Environmental Review Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (49 - 16)
Feb. 2, 2011 WI SB 10 Wetland Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 11)
Feb. 2, 2011 MN SF 4 Repealing the Ban on Construction of New Nuclear Power Plants Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 14)
Jan. 24, 2011 MN SF 86 Repeals Carbon Dioxide Emissions Prohibition
Date No. Title Outcome
11/10 S Amdt 928 American Jobs and Economic Growth Amendment Rejected - Senate (40 - 56)
11/10 S J Res 27 Disapproval of EPA Cross-Border Pollution Rule Motion Rejected - Senate (41 - 56)
9/09 SB 292 Authorizes Governor to Expedite Environmental Review Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 7)
9/07 SB 154 Withdrawing from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative Veto Override Failed - Senate (15 - 9)
6/28 HB 231 Withdrawal Permit for Water Usage at Lake Erie Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8)
6/27 SB 45 Extending the Coastal Management Program Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 7)
6/02 SB 568 Recycling Polystyrene Food Containers Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 15)
3/29 SB 5251 Electric Vehicle Registration Fees Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 16)
3/05 SB 5769 Coal-Fired Power Plants Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 13)
3/01 SB 1394 Regulation of Greenhouse Substances and Freedom to Breathe Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 8)
2/24 HF 1 Environmental Review Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (49 - 16)
2/02 SB 10 Wetland Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 11)
2/02 SF 4 Repealing the Ban on Construction of New Nuclear Power Plants Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 14)
1/24 SF 86 Repeals Carbon Dioxide Emissions Prohibition

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