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 23, 2011 | National | S 1038 | PATRIOT Act Extension | Cloture Invoked - Senate (74 - 8) |
Jan. 19, 2011 | NY | S 1892 | Limiting State Spending | Amendment Adopted - Senate (41 - 19) |
Jan. 19, 2011 | NY | S 1919 | Amends Rules for Legislature | Amendment Adopted - Senate (41 - 19) |
March 14, 2011 | NY | S 3331 | Non-Partisan Redistricting Commission | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 24) |
Aug. 2, 2011 | National | S 365 | Budget Control Act of 2011 | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (74 - 26) |
Aug. 1, 2011 | National | S 365 | Budget Control Act of 2011 | Bill Passed - House (269 - 161) |
June 30, 2011 | RI | S 400 | Voter Identification Requirements | Bill Passed - House (51 - 22) |
May 12, 2011 | RI | S 400 | Voter Identification Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 6) |
July 31, 2011 | National | S 627 | Increasing the Debt Ceiling (Reid Bill) | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (50 - 49) |
July 29, 2011 | National | S 627 | Increasing the Debt Ceiling (Boehner Bill) | Bill Tabled - Senate (59 - 41) |
July 29, 2011 | National | S 627 | Increasing the Debt Ceiling (Boehner Bill) | Bill Passed - House (218 - 210) |
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) |
Nov. 29, 2011 | National | S Amdt 1107 | Removes Provisions Requiring Military Custody of al-Qaeda Suspects | Amendment Rejected - Senate (38 - 60) |
Dec. 1, 2011 | National | S Amdt 1125 | Limits New Detention Rules to Prisoners Captured Outside the U.S. | Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 55) |
Dec. 1, 2011 | National | S Amdt 1126 | Prohibits Detention of U.S. Citizens Without Trial | Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 55) |
March 2, 2011 | National | S Amdt 115 | Calling for a Balanced Budget Constitutional Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (58 - 40) |
Dec. 1, 2011 | National | S Amdt 1274 | Authorizes Further Detention After Trial During Wartime | Amendment Rejected - Senate (41 - 59) |
Oct. 21, 2011 | National | S Amdt 753 | Prohibits the Use of Funds for Prosecution of Enemy Combatants in Civilian Courts | Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 52) |
June 8, 2011 | WI | SB 116 | Relating to Overseas Absentee Voting | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13) |
Sept. 7, 2011 | NH | SB 129 | Requiring Photo Identification to Vote | Veto Override Failed - Senate (7 - 17) |
May 11, 2011 | KS | SB 129 | Amends Voter Identification Requirements | Conference Report Rejected - Senate (15 - 23) |
March 30, 2011 | NH | SB 129 | Requiring Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 6) |
May 16, 2011 | TX | SB 14 | Voter Identification Requirements | Conference Report Adopted - House (98 - 46) |
May 9, 2011 | TX | SB 14 | Voter Identification Requirements | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (19 - 12) |
March 24, 2011 | TX | SB 14 | Voter Identification Requirements | Bill Passed - House (101 - 48) |
Jan. 26, 2011 | TX | SB 14 | Voter Identification Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11) |
Feb. 15, 2011 | AR | SB 154 | Cell Phones in School Zones | Bill Passed - House (52 - 41) |
Feb. 2, 2011 | AR | SB 154 | Cell Phones in School Zones | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 12) |
May 20, 2011 | TN | SB 16 | Voter Identification Requirements | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (18 - 14) |
April 14, 2011 | TN | SB 16 | Voter Identification Requirements | Bill Passed - House (57 - 35) |
Feb. 17, 2011 | MO | SB 3 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7) |
Sept. 13, 2011 | NC | SB 514 | Constitutional Amendment to Define Marriage | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 16) |
Sept. 12, 2011 | NC | SB 514 | Constitutional Amendment to Define Marriage | Bill Passed - House (75 - 42) |
Jan. 24, 2011 | VA | SB 949 | Allowing Absentee Voting For Any Reason | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
May 21, 2011 | MN | SF 1308 | Prohibiting Same-Sex Marriage | Amendment Adopted - House (70 - 62) |
May 11, 2011 | MN | SF 1308 | Prohibiting Same-Sex Marriage | Amendment Adopted - Senate (38 - 27) |
Feb. 1, 2011 | WY | SJ 2 | Health Care Decisions for Citizens | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (23 - 7) |
June 22, 2011 | OH | SJR 1 | Constitutional Amendment Concerning Health Care | Joint Resolution Passed - House (59 - 39) |
Feb. 23, 2011 | TX | SJR 1 | Urging Congress to Propose a Balanced Budget Amendment | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (24 - 7) |
June 15, 2011 | OH | SJR 1 | Constitutional Amendment Concerning Health Care | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (24 - 9) |
March 9, 2011 | TN | SJR 18 | Constitutional Amendment Prohibiting an Income Tax | Amendment Adopted - Senate (28 - 5) |
May 4, 2011 | FL | SJR 2 | Authorizes Exemptions from the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act | Amendment Adopted - House (80 - 37) |
March 9, 2011 | FL | SJR 2 | Authorizes Exemptions from the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act | Amendment Adopted - Senate (29 - 10) |
Feb. 24, 2011 | MO | SJR 2 | Constitutional Amendment Requiring Voter Photo Identification | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7) |
Feb. 24, 2011 | MO | SJR 2 | Constitutional Amendment Requiring Voter Photo Identification | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7) |
May 18, 2011 | TN | SJR 221 | Constitutional Amendment to Prohibit State Income Tax | Amendment Adopted - Senate (26 - 4) |
April 21, 2011 | AL | SJR 82 | Establishing A Constitutional Revision Commission | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (17 - 9) |
Feb. 23, 2011 | UT | SJR 9 | Supervision of Public Education | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (22 - 6) |
Dec. 14, 2011 | National | S J Res 10 | Proposing a Balanced Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution (Hatch Bill) | Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 53) |
Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|
5/23 | S 1038 | PATRIOT Act Extension | Cloture Invoked - Senate (74 - 8) |
1/19 | S 1892 | Limiting State Spending | Amendment Adopted - Senate (41 - 19) |
1/19 | S 1919 | Amends Rules for Legislature | Amendment Adopted - Senate (41 - 19) |
3/14 | S 3331 | Non-Partisan Redistricting Commission | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 24) |
8/02 | S 365 | Budget Control Act of 2011 | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (74 - 26) |
8/01 | S 365 | Budget Control Act of 2011 | Bill Passed - House (269 - 161) |
6/30 | S 400 | Voter Identification Requirements | Bill Passed - House (51 - 22) |
5/12 | S 400 | Voter Identification Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 6) |
7/31 | S 627 | Increasing the Debt Ceiling (Reid Bill) | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (50 - 49) |
7/29 | S 627 | Increasing the Debt Ceiling (Boehner Bill) | Bill Tabled - Senate (59 - 41) |
7/29 | S 627 | Increasing the Debt Ceiling (Boehner Bill) | Bill Passed - House (218 - 210) |
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) |
11/29 | S Amdt 1107 | Removes Provisions Requiring Military Custody of al-Qaeda Suspects | Amendment Rejected - Senate (38 - 60) |
12/01 | S Amdt 1125 | Limits New Detention Rules to Prisoners Captured Outside the U.S. | Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 55) |
12/01 | S Amdt 1126 | Prohibits Detention of U.S. Citizens Without Trial | Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 55) |
3/02 | S Amdt 115 | Calling for a Balanced Budget Constitutional Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (58 - 40) |
12/01 | S Amdt 1274 | Authorizes Further Detention After Trial During Wartime | Amendment Rejected - Senate (41 - 59) |
10/21 | S Amdt 753 | Prohibits the Use of Funds for Prosecution of Enemy Combatants in Civilian Courts | Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 52) |
6/08 | SB 116 | Relating to Overseas Absentee Voting | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13) |
9/07 | SB 129 | Requiring Photo Identification to Vote | Veto Override Failed - Senate (7 - 17) |
5/11 | SB 129 | Amends Voter Identification Requirements | Conference Report Rejected - Senate (15 - 23) |
3/30 | SB 129 | Requiring Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 6) |
5/16 | SB 14 | Voter Identification Requirements | Conference Report Adopted - House (98 - 46) |
5/09 | SB 14 | Voter Identification Requirements | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (19 - 12) |
3/24 | SB 14 | Voter Identification Requirements | Bill Passed - House (101 - 48) |
1/26 | SB 14 | Voter Identification Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11) |
2/15 | SB 154 | Cell Phones in School Zones | Bill Passed - House (52 - 41) |
2/02 | SB 154 | Cell Phones in School Zones | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 12) |
5/20 | SB 16 | Voter Identification Requirements | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (18 - 14) |
4/14 | SB 16 | Voter Identification Requirements | Bill Passed - House (57 - 35) |
2/17 | SB 3 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7) |
9/13 | SB 514 | Constitutional Amendment to Define Marriage | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 16) |
9/12 | SB 514 | Constitutional Amendment to Define Marriage | Bill Passed - House (75 - 42) |
1/24 | SB 949 | Allowing Absentee Voting For Any Reason | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14) |
5/21 | SF 1308 | Prohibiting Same-Sex Marriage | Amendment Adopted - House (70 - 62) |
5/11 | SF 1308 | Prohibiting Same-Sex Marriage | Amendment Adopted - Senate (38 - 27) |
2/01 | SJ 2 | Health Care Decisions for Citizens | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (23 - 7) |
6/22 | SJR 1 | Constitutional Amendment Concerning Health Care | Joint Resolution Passed - House (59 - 39) |
2/23 | SJR 1 | Urging Congress to Propose a Balanced Budget Amendment | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (24 - 7) |
6/15 | SJR 1 | Constitutional Amendment Concerning Health Care | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (24 - 9) |
3/09 | SJR 18 | Constitutional Amendment Prohibiting an Income Tax | Amendment Adopted - Senate (28 - 5) |
5/04 | SJR 2 | Authorizes Exemptions from the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act | Amendment Adopted - House (80 - 37) |
3/09 | SJR 2 | Authorizes Exemptions from the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act | Amendment Adopted - Senate (29 - 10) |
2/24 | SJR 2 | Constitutional Amendment Requiring Voter Photo Identification | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7) |
2/24 | SJR 2 | Constitutional Amendment Requiring Voter Photo Identification | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7) |
5/18 | SJR 221 | Constitutional Amendment to Prohibit State Income Tax | Amendment Adopted - Senate (26 - 4) |
4/21 | SJR 82 | Establishing A Constitutional Revision Commission | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (17 - 9) |
2/23 | SJR 9 | Supervision of Public Education | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (22 - 6) |
12/14 | S J Res 10 | Proposing a Balanced Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution (Hatch Bill) | Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 53) |