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. 28, 2012 National S Amdt 3095 Repeals the Prohibition on Biofuel Refinery Construction Amendment Adopted - Senate (54 - 41)
July 2, 2012 NC SB 820 Authorizes Hydraulic Fracturing Veto Override Passed - Senate (29 - 13)
June 6, 2012 NC SB 820 Authorizes Hydraulic Fracturing Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 19)
May 30, 2012 CA SB 1054 Requires Notifying Property Owners Prior to Hydraulic Fracturing Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 18)
May 15, 2012 OH SB 315 Regulates Practice of Hydraulic Fracturing Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 6)
April 11, 2012 NE LB 1161 Authorizes Land Study in Nebraska for Keystone XL Pipeline Route Bill Passed - Senate (44 - 5)
March 29, 2012 National S 2204 Amends Energy-Related Tax Credits Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (51 - 47)
March 14, 2012 ID H 464 Prohibits Local Ordinances from Limiting Oil and Gas Extraction Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 10)
March 8, 2012 National S Amdt 1537 Approving the Keystone XL Pipeline Project Amendment Rejected - Senate (56 - 42)
March 8, 2012 FL HB 4001 Repeals Provisions for Cap and Trade Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 5)
Feb. 17, 2012 National HR 3630 Extends Payroll Tax Cut Conference Report Adopted - Senate (60 - 36)
Feb. 7, 2012 PA HB 1950 Amends Statutes Concerning Oil and Gas Resources Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 19)
Date No. Title Outcome
11/28 S Amdt 3095 Repeals the Prohibition on Biofuel Refinery Construction Amendment Adopted - Senate (54 - 41)
7/02 SB 820 Authorizes Hydraulic Fracturing Veto Override Passed - Senate (29 - 13)
6/06 SB 820 Authorizes Hydraulic Fracturing Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 19)
5/30 SB 1054 Requires Notifying Property Owners Prior to Hydraulic Fracturing Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 18)
5/15 SB 315 Regulates Practice of Hydraulic Fracturing Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 6)
4/11 LB 1161 Authorizes Land Study in Nebraska for Keystone XL Pipeline Route Bill Passed - Senate (44 - 5)
3/29 S 2204 Amends Energy-Related Tax Credits Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (51 - 47)
3/14 H 464 Prohibits Local Ordinances from Limiting Oil and Gas Extraction Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 10)
3/08 S Amdt 1537 Approving the Keystone XL Pipeline Project Amendment Rejected - Senate (56 - 42)
3/08 HB 4001 Repeals Provisions for Cap and Trade Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 5)
2/17 HR 3630 Extends Payroll Tax Cut Conference Report Adopted - Senate (60 - 36)
2/07 HB 1950 Amends Statutes Concerning Oil and Gas Resources Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 19)

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