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 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Sept. 21, 2012 | National | HR 3409 | Stop the War on Coal Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - House (233 - 175) |
Nov. 28, 2012 | National | S Amdt 2985 | Repeals the Limit on the Use of Funds to Procure Alternative Fuel | Amendment Adopted - Senate (62 - 37) |
Sept. 14, 2012 | National | HR 6213 | No More Solyndras Act | Bill Passed - House (245 - 161) |
April 24, 2012 | TN | HJR 587 | Opposes the United Nations Agenda 21 | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (19 - 11) |
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) |
March 15, 2012 | ID | H 542 | Prohibits the State from Limiting the Use of Motorized Vehicles on Public Land | Bill Passed - House (48 - 21) |
March 8, 2012 | FL | HB 4001 | Repeals Provisions for Cap and Trade Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 5) |
March 15, 2012 | NJ | S 1322 | Requires Participation In the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 16) |
Aug. 30, 2012 | CA | ACR 161 | Establishes September as "Food Literacy Awareness Month" | Resolution Passed - Senate (22 - 13) |
March 15, 2012 | NJ | S 1322 | Requires Participation In the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 16) |
Sept. 21, 2012 | National | HR 3409 | Stop the War on Coal Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - House (233 - 175) |
June 13, 2012 | National | S Amdt 2393 | Repeals Sugar Subsidies | Amendment Tabled - Senate (50 - 46) |
Jan. 25, 2012 | NH | Amdt 367s | Restricting Eminent Domain Petitions | Amendment Adopted - Senate (16 - 8) |
Feb. 7, 2012 | OR | SB 1510 | Establishes Marine Reserves | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 5) |
March 26, 2012 | IL | HB 5789 | Establishes State Park Fees | Bill Passed - House (81 - 29) |
March 30, 2012 | MD | HB 441 | Maryland Offshore Wind Energy Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - House (88 - 47) |
April 9, 2012 | AK | SB 203 | Establishes an Energy Assistance Program | Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 4) |
April 11, 2012 | NE | LB 1161 | Authorizes Land Study in Nebraska for Keystone XL Pipeline Route | Bill Passed - Senate (44 - 5) |
March 15, 2012 | TN | HJR 587 | Opposes the United Nations Agenda 21 | Joint Resolution Passed - House (72 - 23) |
April 19, 2012 | MO | HB 1860 | Prohibits Undisclosed Recording of Livestock | Bill Passed - House (108 - 32) |
April 25, 2012 | OH | HB 473 | Limits Water Withdrawal from the Great Lakes | Bill Passed - House (59 - 38) |
April 26, 2012 | CA | AB 2405 | Authorizes Low-Emission Vehicles to Use HOV Lanes | Bill Passed - House (49 - 25) |
March 1, 2012 | AZ | SB 1507 | Prohibits Implementation of the United Nations Rio Declaration | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
March 1, 2012 | FL | HB 4001 | Repeals Provisions for Cap and Trade Regulations | Bill Passed - House (82 - 34) |
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) |
May 21, 2012 | CA | SB 1221 | Prohibits the Use of Dogs to Hunt Bears or Bobcats | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15) |
May 24, 2012 | NJ | ACR 37 | Overturns Department of Environmental Protection Waiver Rules | Resolution Passed - House (47 - 31) |
Jan. 26, 2012 | WI | AB 426 | Requirements for Mining Permits | Bill Passed - House (59 - 36) |
Feb. 24, 2012 | ID | S 1256 | Authorizes the Auction of Big-Game Tags | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 16) |
Feb. 17, 2012 | GA | SB 362 | Authorizes the Recovery and Sale of Deadhead Logs | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 12) |
June 21, 2012 | National | HR 4480 | Domestic Energy and Jobs Act | Bill Passed - House (248 - 163) |
June 21, 2012 | National | S 3240 | Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 35) |
June 21, 2012 | NJ | A 575 | Prohibits Treatment or Storage of Hydraulic Fracturing Waste in New Jersey | Bill Passed - House (56 - 19) |
Feb. 15, 2012 | WI | SB 368 | Amends Wetland Development Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 15) |
Aug. 2, 2012 | National | HR 6233 | Agricultural Disaster Assistance Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - House (223 - 197) |
Feb. 15, 2012 | FL | HB 7087 | Increases Certain Business Tax Credits and Sales Tax Exemptions | Bill Passed - House (92 - 22) |
Aug. 22, 2012 | CA | ACR 161 | Establishes September as "Food Literacy Awareness Month" | Resolution Passed - House (53 - 21) |
Feb. 9, 2012 | FL | HB 5001 | 2012-2013 Budget | Bill Passed - House (79 - 38) |
Feb. 7, 2012 | OR | SB 1510 | Establishes Marine Reserves | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 5) |
Oct. 18, 2012 | NJ | A 2641 | Stormwater Management | Bill Passed - House (48 - 31) |
March 19, 2012 | SD | HB 1228 | Tax Credits for Alternative Energy Projects | Veto Override Failed - House (44 - 23) |
Aug. 31, 2012 | CA | AB 1313 | Requires Overtime Wages for Agricultural Workers | Concurrence Vote Failed - House (35 - 33) |
May 31, 2012 | IL | SB 1566 | Increases License Plate Fees | Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (33 - 21) |
March 26, 2012 | ID | H 542 | Prohibits the State from Limiting the Use of Motorized Vehicles on Public Land | Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 20) |
March 8, 2012 | National | S Amdt 1537 | Approving the Keystone XL Pipeline Project | Amendment Rejected - Senate (56 - 42) |
March 28, 2012 | AZ | SB 1118 | Appropriates Funds for Forest Restoration | Bill Failed - House (18 - 40) |
March 27, 2012 | GA | SB 362 | Authorizes the Recovery and Sale of Deadhead Logs | Bill Failed - House (67 - 93) |
March 29, 2012 | National | S 2204 | Amends Energy-Related Tax Credits | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (51 - 47) |
Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|
9/21 | HR 3409 | Stop the War on Coal Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - House (233 - 175) |
11/28 | S Amdt 2985 | Repeals the Limit on the Use of Funds to Procure Alternative Fuel | Amendment Adopted - Senate (62 - 37) |
9/14 | HR 6213 | No More Solyndras Act | Bill Passed - House (245 - 161) |
4/24 | HJR 587 | Opposes the United Nations Agenda 21 | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (19 - 11) |
7/12 | HR 4402 | National Strategic and Critical Minerals Production Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - House (256 - 160) |
7/12 | HR 4402 | National Strategic and Critical Minerals Production Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - House (256 - 160) |
3/15 | H 542 | Prohibits the State from Limiting the Use of Motorized Vehicles on Public Land | Bill Passed - House (48 - 21) |
3/08 | HB 4001 | Repeals Provisions for Cap and Trade Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 5) |
3/15 | S 1322 | Requires Participation In the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 16) |
8/30 | ACR 161 | Establishes September as "Food Literacy Awareness Month" | Resolution Passed - Senate (22 - 13) |
3/15 | S 1322 | Requires Participation In the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 16) |
9/21 | HR 3409 | Stop the War on Coal Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - House (233 - 175) |
6/13 | S Amdt 2393 | Repeals Sugar Subsidies | Amendment Tabled - Senate (50 - 46) |
1/25 | Amdt 367s | Restricting Eminent Domain Petitions | Amendment Adopted - Senate (16 - 8) |
2/07 | SB 1510 | Establishes Marine Reserves | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 5) |
3/26 | HB 5789 | Establishes State Park Fees | Bill Passed - House (81 - 29) |
3/30 | HB 441 | Maryland Offshore Wind Energy Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - House (88 - 47) |
4/09 | SB 203 | Establishes an Energy Assistance Program | Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 4) |
4/11 | LB 1161 | Authorizes Land Study in Nebraska for Keystone XL Pipeline Route | Bill Passed - Senate (44 - 5) |
3/15 | HJR 587 | Opposes the United Nations Agenda 21 | Joint Resolution Passed - House (72 - 23) |
4/19 | HB 1860 | Prohibits Undisclosed Recording of Livestock | Bill Passed - House (108 - 32) |
4/25 | HB 473 | Limits Water Withdrawal from the Great Lakes | Bill Passed - House (59 - 38) |
4/26 | AB 2405 | Authorizes Low-Emission Vehicles to Use HOV Lanes | Bill Passed - House (49 - 25) |
3/01 | SB 1507 | Prohibits Implementation of the United Nations Rio Declaration | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
3/01 | HB 4001 | Repeals Provisions for Cap and Trade Regulations | Bill Passed - House (82 - 34) |
2/29 | HR 1837 | Water Resources in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Valley | Bill Passed - House (246 - 175) |
2/29 | HR 1837 | Water Resources in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Valley | Bill Passed - House (246 - 175) |
5/21 | SB 1221 | Prohibits the Use of Dogs to Hunt Bears or Bobcats | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15) |
5/24 | ACR 37 | Overturns Department of Environmental Protection Waiver Rules | Resolution Passed - House (47 - 31) |
1/26 | AB 426 | Requirements for Mining Permits | Bill Passed - House (59 - 36) |
2/24 | S 1256 | Authorizes the Auction of Big-Game Tags | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 16) |
2/17 | SB 362 | Authorizes the Recovery and Sale of Deadhead Logs | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 12) |
6/21 | HR 4480 | Domestic Energy and Jobs Act | Bill Passed - House (248 - 163) |
6/21 | S 3240 | Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 35) |
6/21 | A 575 | Prohibits Treatment or Storage of Hydraulic Fracturing Waste in New Jersey | Bill Passed - House (56 - 19) |
2/15 | SB 368 | Amends Wetland Development Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 15) |
8/02 | HR 6233 | Agricultural Disaster Assistance Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - House (223 - 197) |
2/15 | HB 7087 | Increases Certain Business Tax Credits and Sales Tax Exemptions | Bill Passed - House (92 - 22) |
8/22 | ACR 161 | Establishes September as "Food Literacy Awareness Month" | Resolution Passed - House (53 - 21) |
2/09 | HB 5001 | 2012-2013 Budget | Bill Passed - House (79 - 38) |
2/07 | SB 1510 | Establishes Marine Reserves | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 5) |
10/18 | A 2641 | Stormwater Management | Bill Passed - House (48 - 31) |
3/19 | HB 1228 | Tax Credits for Alternative Energy Projects | Veto Override Failed - House (44 - 23) |
8/31 | AB 1313 | Requires Overtime Wages for Agricultural Workers | Concurrence Vote Failed - House (35 - 33) |
5/31 | SB 1566 | Increases License Plate Fees | Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (33 - 21) |
3/26 | H 542 | Prohibits the State from Limiting the Use of Motorized Vehicles on Public Land | Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 20) |
3/08 | S Amdt 1537 | Approving the Keystone XL Pipeline Project | Amendment Rejected - Senate (56 - 42) |
3/28 | SB 1118 | Appropriates Funds for Forest Restoration | Bill Failed - House (18 - 40) |
3/27 | SB 362 | Authorizes the Recovery and Sale of Deadhead Logs | Bill Failed - House (67 - 93) |
3/29 | S 2204 | Amends Energy-Related Tax Credits | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (51 - 47) |