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 2, 2012 | AZ | HCR 2004 | Establishes State Sovereignty Over Certain Natural Resources | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (38 - 20) |
April 30, 2012 | AZ | HCR 2004 | Establishes State Sovereignty Over Certain Natural Resources | Resolution Passed - Senate (16 - 14) |
April 30, 2012 | AZ | HCR 2004 | Establishes State Sovereignty Over Certain Natural Resources | Resolution Passed - Senate (16 - 14) |
April 28, 2012 | MN | HF 2171 | Increases Hunting and Fishing Fees | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (34 - 28) |
April 28, 2012 | MN | HF 2171 | Increases Hunting and Fishing Fees | Conference Report Adopted - House (68 - 62) |
Feb. 28, 2012 | IA | HF 589 | Prohibits Obtaining Employment at Agriculture Facilities Under False Pretenses | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (69 - 28) |
Feb. 28, 2012 | IA | HF 589 | Prohibits Obtaining Employment at Agriculture Facilities Under False Pretenses | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 10) |
April 24, 2012 | TN | HJR 587 | Opposes the United Nations Agenda 21 | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (19 - 11) |
March 15, 2012 | TN | HJR 587 | Opposes the United Nations Agenda 21 | Joint Resolution Passed - House (72 - 23) |
Feb. 29, 2012 | National | HR 1837 | Water Resources in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Valley | Bill Passed - House (246 - 175) |
Feb. 29, 2012 | National | HR 1837 | Water Resources in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Valley | Bill Passed - House (246 - 175) |
Sept. 21, 2012 | National | HR 3409 | Stop the War on Coal Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - House (233 - 175) |
Sept. 21, 2012 | National | HR 3409 | Stop the War on Coal Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - House (233 - 175) |
July 12, 2012 | National | HR 4402 | National Strategic and Critical Minerals Production Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - House (256 - 160) |
July 12, 2012 | National | HR 4402 | National Strategic and Critical Minerals Production Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - House (256 - 160) |
June 21, 2012 | National | HR 4480 | Domestic Energy and Jobs Act | Bill Passed - House (248 - 163) |
Sept. 14, 2012 | National | HR 6213 | No More Solyndras Act | Bill Passed - House (245 - 161) |
Aug. 2, 2012 | National | HR 6233 | Agricultural Disaster Assistance Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - House (223 - 197) |
April 11, 2012 | NE | LB 1161 | Authorizes Land Study in Nebraska for Keystone XL Pipeline Route | Bill Passed - Senate (44 - 5) |
March 28, 2012 | ID | S 1256 | Authorizes the Auction of Big-Game Tags | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (19 - 16) |
March 22, 2012 | ID | S 1256 | Authorizes the Auction of Big-Game Tags | Bill Passed - House (38 - 29) |
Feb. 24, 2012 | ID | S 1256 | Authorizes the Auction of Big-Game Tags | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 16) |
May 24, 2012 | NJ | S 1322 | Requires Participation In the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative | Bill Passed - House (45 - 33) |
May 24, 2012 | NJ | S 1322 | Requires Participation In the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative | Bill Passed - House (45 - 33) |
March 15, 2012 | NJ | S 1322 | Requires Participation In the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 16) |
March 15, 2012 | NJ | S 1322 | Requires Participation In the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 16) |
Oct. 25, 2012 | NJ | S 1816 | Authorizes Delaware Port Authority to Inspect Hazardous Materials | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 10) |
Oct. 18, 2012 | NJ | S 1816 | Authorizes Delaware Port Authority to Inspect Hazardous Materials | Bill Passed - House (53 - 23) |
March 29, 2012 | National | S 2204 | Amends Energy-Related Tax Credits | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (51 - 47) |
June 27, 2012 | MA | S 2214 | Amends Renewable Energy Contract Requirements | Bill Passed - House (135 - 16) |
June 21, 2012 | National | S 3240 | Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 35) |
March 8, 2012 | National | S Amdt 1537 | Approving the Keystone XL Pipeline Project | Amendment Rejected - Senate (56 - 42) |
May 24, 2012 | National | S Amdt 2108 | Prohibits FDA Approval of Genetically Engineered Fish | Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 50) |
May 24, 2012 | National | S Amdt 2108 | Prohibits FDA Approval of Genetically Engineered Fish | Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 50) |
June 19, 2012 | National | S Amdt 2156 | Increases Funding for the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program | Amendment Rejected - Senate (33 - 66) |
June 19, 2012 | National | S Amdt 2181 | Limits Farm Subsidies to Farmers with Incomes Under $250,000 | Amendment Rejected - Senate (15 - 84) |
June 21, 2012 | National | S Amdt 2310 | Requires Labels on Foods with Genetically Modified Ingredients | Amendment Rejected - Senate (26 - 73) |
June 21, 2012 | National | S Amdt 2372 | Prohibits the EPA from Conducting Aerial Surveillance of Agricultural Operations | Amendment Rejected - Senate (56 - 43) |
June 13, 2012 | National | S Amdt 2393 | Repeals Sugar Subsidies | Amendment Tabled - Senate (50 - 46) |
Nov. 28, 2012 | National | S Amdt 2985 | Repeals the Limit on the Use of Funds to Procure Alternative Fuel | Amendment Adopted - Senate (62 - 37) |
March 28, 2012 | AZ | SB 1118 | Appropriates Funds for Forest Restoration | Bill Failed - House (18 - 40) |
July 18, 2012 | MI | SB 1130 | Amends Permit Requirements for Sand Dune Use | Bill Passed - House (63 - 40) |
July 18, 2012 | MI | SB 1130 | Amends Permit Requirements for Sand Dune Use | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13) |
Aug. 27, 2012 | CA | SB 1221 | Prohibits the Use of Dogs to Hunt Bears or Bobcats | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 13) |
Aug. 22, 2012 | CA | SB 1221 | Prohibits the Use of Dogs to Hunt Bears or Bobcats | Bill Passed - House (46 - 30) |
May 21, 2012 | CA | SB 1221 | Prohibits the Use of Dogs to Hunt Bears or Bobcats | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15) |
March 1, 2012 | AZ | SB 1507 | Prohibits Implementation of the United Nations Rio Declaration | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
Feb. 7, 2012 | OR | SB 1510 | Establishes Marine Reserves | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 5) |
Feb. 7, 2012 | OR | SB 1510 | Establishes Marine Reserves | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 5) |
May 31, 2012 | IL | SB 1566 | Increases License Plate Fees | Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (33 - 21) |