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
June 3, 2011 National H Con Res 51 Removing Armed Forces from Libya Joint Resolution Failed - House (148 - 265)
June 3, 2011 National H Con Res 51 Removing Armed Forces from Libya Joint Resolution Failed - House (148 - 265)
June 3, 2011 National H Res 292 Ground Forces in Libya Resolution Passed - House (268 - 145)
June 2, 2011 AL HB 56 Immigration Enforcement Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 7)
June 2, 2011 AL HB 56 Immigration Enforcement Conference Report Adopted - House (67 - 29)
June 2, 2011 National H Amdt 406 Transportation Security Administration Appropriations Amendment Adopted - House (219 - 204)
June 2, 2011 National H Amdt 385 Prohibiting Funds From Being Used in Contradiction to the War Powers Resolution Amendment Rejected - House (208 - 213)
June 2, 2011 National H Amdt 398 Prohibiting the Use of Funds for Transportation Security Administration Collective Bargaining Amendment Adopted - House (218 - 205)
June 2, 2011 National H Amdt 385 Prohibiting Funds From Being Used in Contradiction to the War Powers Resolution Amendment Rejected - House (208 - 213)
June 2, 2011 National HR 2017 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act Bill Passed - House (231 - 188)
June 2, 2011 National HR 2017 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act Bill Passed - House (231 - 188)
June 1, 2011 CA AB 131 In-State College Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - House (50 - 27)
May 30, 2011 IL SB 2185 Establishes the DREAM Fund Commission Bill Passed - House (61 - 53)
May 28, 2011 TX HB 1 2011-2013 Budget Conference Report Adopted - House (97 - 53)
May 28, 2011 TX HB 1 2011-2013 Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (20 - 11)
May 26, 2011 National S 990 PATRIOT Act Extension Concurrence Vote Passed - House (250 - 153)
May 26, 2011 National S 990 PATRIOT Act Extension Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (72 - 23)
May 25, 2011 SC S 20 Immigration Enforcement Bill Passed - House (65 - 39)
May 24, 2011 CT HB 6390 Access to Postsecondary Education Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14)
May 23, 2011 National S 1038 PATRIOT Act Extension Cloture Invoked - Senate (74 - 8)
May 19, 2011 CA AB 1236 Prohibits Requirement of Electronic Employment Verification Bill Passed - House (55 - 22)
May 17, 2011 TX SB 420 Eligibility for Indigent Health Care Bill Passed - House (102 - 40)
May 12, 2011 CT HB 6390 Access to Postsecondary Education Bill Passed - House (77 - 63)
May 10, 2011 TX HB 12 Enforcement Of State And Federal Laws Governing Immigration Bill Passed - House (100 - 47)
May 5, 2011 CA AB 130 Authorizes Student Financial Aid for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - House (51 - 22)
Date No. Title Outcome
6/03 H Con Res 51 Removing Armed Forces from Libya Joint Resolution Failed - House (148 - 265)
6/03 H Con Res 51 Removing Armed Forces from Libya Joint Resolution Failed - House (148 - 265)
6/03 H Res 292 Ground Forces in Libya Resolution Passed - House (268 - 145)
6/02 HB 56 Immigration Enforcement Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 7)
6/02 HB 56 Immigration Enforcement Conference Report Adopted - House (67 - 29)
6/02 H Amdt 406 Transportation Security Administration Appropriations Amendment Adopted - House (219 - 204)
6/02 H Amdt 385 Prohibiting Funds From Being Used in Contradiction to the War Powers Resolution Amendment Rejected - House (208 - 213)
6/02 H Amdt 398 Prohibiting the Use of Funds for Transportation Security Administration Collective Bargaining Amendment Adopted - House (218 - 205)
6/02 H Amdt 385 Prohibiting Funds From Being Used in Contradiction to the War Powers Resolution Amendment Rejected - House (208 - 213)
6/02 HR 2017 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act Bill Passed - House (231 - 188)
6/02 HR 2017 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act Bill Passed - House (231 - 188)
6/01 AB 131 In-State College Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - House (50 - 27)
5/30 SB 2185 Establishes the DREAM Fund Commission Bill Passed - House (61 - 53)
5/28 HB 1 2011-2013 Budget Conference Report Adopted - House (97 - 53)
5/28 HB 1 2011-2013 Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (20 - 11)
5/26 S 990 PATRIOT Act Extension Concurrence Vote Passed - House (250 - 153)
5/26 S 990 PATRIOT Act Extension Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (72 - 23)
5/25 S 20 Immigration Enforcement Bill Passed - House (65 - 39)
5/24 HB 6390 Access to Postsecondary Education Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14)
5/23 S 1038 PATRIOT Act Extension Cloture Invoked - Senate (74 - 8)
5/19 AB 1236 Prohibits Requirement of Electronic Employment Verification Bill Passed - House (55 - 22)
5/17 SB 420 Eligibility for Indigent Health Care Bill Passed - House (102 - 40)
5/12 HB 6390 Access to Postsecondary Education Bill Passed - House (77 - 63)
5/10 HB 12 Enforcement Of State And Federal Laws Governing Immigration Bill Passed - House (100 - 47)
5/05 AB 130 Authorizes Student Financial Aid for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - House (51 - 22)

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