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.


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Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
Dec. 21, 2012 National HR 4310 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (81 - 14)
Dec. 20, 2012 National HR 4310 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 Conference Report Adopted - House (315 - 107)
Dec. 20, 2012 National HR 6684 Spending Reduction Act of 2012 Bill Passed - House (215 - 209)
Dec. 20, 2012 National HR 6684 Spending Reduction Act of 2012 Bill Passed - House (215 - 209)
Dec. 20, 2012 National HR 6684 Spending Reduction Act of 2012 Bill Passed - House (215 - 209)
Dec. 6, 2012 MI HB 4003 Limits Labor Organization Activities: Public Entities Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 4)
Dec. 6, 2012 MI SB 116 Prohibits Employees from Being Required to Join a Labor Union Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 16)
Dec. 4, 2012 IL SB 957 Authorizes Temporary Driver's Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 14)
Dec. 3, 2012 NJ S 2157 Establishes Residential Foreclosure Bill Passed - House (43 - 32)
Dec. 3, 2012 NJ A 2166 Requires Legislative Approval of Port Authority Minutes Bill Passed - House (44 - 31)
Nov. 30, 2012 National HR 6429 STEM Jobs Act of 2012 Bill Passed - House (245 - 139)
Nov. 30, 2012 National S Amdt 3025 Requires Sufficient Sizing of Civilian and Contract Services Workforces Amendment Rejected - Senate (41 - 53)
Nov. 29, 2012 National S Amdt 3058 Expands TRICARE Coverage of Autism Amendment Adopted - Senate (66 - 29)
Nov. 29, 2012 NJ S 2241 Prohibits Unauthorized Medical Provider Reimbursement Reductions Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 5)
Oct. 25, 2012 NJ S 2157 Establishes Residential Foreclosure Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 17)
Oct. 25, 2012 NJ S 2202 Requires the HMFA to Expand Participation in the New Jersey HomeKeeper Program Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 9)
Sept. 22, 2012 National H J Res 117 Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2013 Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (62 - 30)
Sept. 20, 2012 National HR 6429 STEM Jobs Act of 2012 Bill Failed - House (257 - 158)
Sept. 20, 2012 National H J Res 118 Congressional Disapproval of Department of Health and Human Services Rule to Waive Certain Requirements for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Program (TANF) Joint Resolution Passed - House (250 - 164)
Sept. 14, 2012 National HR 6213 No More Solyndras Act Bill Passed - House (245 - 161)
Sept. 14, 2012 National HR 6213 No More Solyndras Act Bill Passed - House (245 - 161)
Aug. 31, 2012 CA AB 1313 Requires Overtime Wages for Agricultural Workers Concurrence Vote Failed - House (35 - 33)
Aug. 31, 2012 CA SB 1234 Establishes Retirement Program for Private Sector Employees Bill Passed - House (48 - 29)
Aug. 31, 2012 CA SB 1234 Establishes Retirement Program for Private Sector Employees Bill Passed - House (48 - 29)
Aug. 30, 2012 CA SB 1172 Prohibits Sexual Orientation Conversion Therapy Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 13)
Date No. Title Outcome
12/21 HR 4310 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (81 - 14)
12/20 HR 4310 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 Conference Report Adopted - House (315 - 107)
12/20 HR 6684 Spending Reduction Act of 2012 Bill Passed - House (215 - 209)
12/20 HR 6684 Spending Reduction Act of 2012 Bill Passed - House (215 - 209)
12/20 HR 6684 Spending Reduction Act of 2012 Bill Passed - House (215 - 209)
12/06 HB 4003 Limits Labor Organization Activities: Public Entities Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 4)
12/06 SB 116 Prohibits Employees from Being Required to Join a Labor Union Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 16)
12/04 SB 957 Authorizes Temporary Driver's Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 14)
12/03 S 2157 Establishes Residential Foreclosure Bill Passed - House (43 - 32)
12/03 A 2166 Requires Legislative Approval of Port Authority Minutes Bill Passed - House (44 - 31)
11/30 HR 6429 STEM Jobs Act of 2012 Bill Passed - House (245 - 139)
11/30 S Amdt 3025 Requires Sufficient Sizing of Civilian and Contract Services Workforces Amendment Rejected - Senate (41 - 53)
11/29 S Amdt 3058 Expands TRICARE Coverage of Autism Amendment Adopted - Senate (66 - 29)
11/29 S 2241 Prohibits Unauthorized Medical Provider Reimbursement Reductions Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 5)
10/25 S 2157 Establishes Residential Foreclosure Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 17)
10/25 S 2202 Requires the HMFA to Expand Participation in the New Jersey HomeKeeper Program Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 9)
9/22 H J Res 117 Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2013 Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (62 - 30)
9/20 HR 6429 STEM Jobs Act of 2012 Bill Failed - House (257 - 158)
9/20 H J Res 118 Congressional Disapproval of Department of Health and Human Services Rule to Waive Certain Requirements for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Program (TANF) Joint Resolution Passed - House (250 - 164)
9/14 HR 6213 No More Solyndras Act Bill Passed - House (245 - 161)
9/14 HR 6213 No More Solyndras Act Bill Passed - House (245 - 161)
8/31 AB 1313 Requires Overtime Wages for Agricultural Workers Concurrence Vote Failed - House (35 - 33)
8/31 SB 1234 Establishes Retirement Program for Private Sector Employees Bill Passed - House (48 - 29)
8/31 SB 1234 Establishes Retirement Program for Private Sector Employees Bill Passed - House (48 - 29)
8/30 SB 1172 Prohibits Sexual Orientation Conversion Therapy Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 13)

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