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. 21, 2013 National S 1197 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014 Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (51 - 44)
Nov. 21, 2013 National S 1197 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014 Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (51 - 44)
Nov. 21, 2013 National S 1197 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014 Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (51 - 44)
Nov. 19, 2013 National S Amdt 2255 Prohibits the Use of Funds for the Transfer or Release of Guantanamo Detainees Amendment Rejected - Senate (43 - 55)
Nov. 19, 2013 National S Amdt 2175 Authorizes the Use of Funds for the Transfer or Release of Guantanamo Detainees to the United States Amendment Rejected - Senate (52 - 46)
Nov. 19, 2013 National S Amdt 2255 Prohibits the Use of Funds for the Transfer or Release of Guantanamo Detainees Amendment Rejected - Senate (43 - 55)
Sept. 12, 2013 CA AB 60 Authorizes Driver's License for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 8)
Sept. 9, 2013 CA AB 4 Prohibits Law Enforcement from Detaining Individuals Solely Based on Immigration Status Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11)
July 8, 2013 CA AB 817 Amends Poll Worker Eligibility Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10)
June 27, 2013 National S 744 Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act Bill Passed - Senate (68 - 32)
June 18, 2013 National S Amdt 1197 Requires the Completion of the Fence Along the United States-Mexico Border Amendment Rejected - Senate (39 - 54)
June 18, 2013 National S Amdt 1228 Requires US-VISIT System to be Established at Every Port of Entry Amendment Rejected - Senate (36 - 58)
June 18, 2013 National S Amdt 1197 Requires the Completion of the Fence Along the United States-Mexico Border Amendment Rejected - Senate (39 - 54)
June 11, 2013 National S 744 Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act Cloture Invoked - Senate (82 - 15)
May 29, 2013 CT HB 6495 Authorizes Driver's Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16)
May 7, 2013 CO SB 251 Authorizes Driver's Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 15)
May 1, 2013 MN SF 723 Authorizes In-State Tuition and Financial Aid for Undocumented College Students Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 23)
April 30, 2013 ME SP 550 Alleges Support For Comprehensive Immigration Reform Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (22 - 12)
April 23, 2013 MT HB 297 Prohibits the Employment of Undocumented Immigrants Conference Report Adopted - Senate (29 - 21)
April 23, 2013 OR SB 833 Authorizes Drivers Licenses for Individuals Without Legal Proof of US Residence Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 7)
April 22, 2013 IN SB 207 Authorizes Certain Undocumented Students to Receive In-State Tuition Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (34 - 15)
April 4, 2013 MO SB 265 Prohibits Compliance with United Nations Agenda 21 Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9)
March 26, 2013 OK HB 1999 Authorizes the Slaughter of Horses Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 14)
March 25, 2013 MD SB 715 Amends Driver's License Requirements for Undocumented Individuals Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 18)
March 23, 2013 National S Amdt 139 Prohibits the United States From Entering into the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty Amendment Adopted - Senate (53 - 46)
March 23, 2013 National S Amdt 139 Prohibits the United States From Entering into the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty Amendment Adopted - Senate (53 - 46)
March 21, 2013 OR HB 2787 Authorizes In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11)
March 20, 2013 National HR 933 Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2013 Bill Passed - Senate (73 - 26)
March 7, 2013 National PN 48 Nomination of John Brennan to be Director of the Central Intelligence Agency Nomination Confirmed - Senate (63 - 34)
March 7, 2013 National PN 48 Nomination of John Brennan to be Director of the Central Intelligence Agency Nomination Confirmed - Senate (63 - 34)
Feb. 26, 2013 National PN 34 Nomination of Charles Timothy Hagel to be Secretary of Defense Nomination Confirmed - Senate (58 - 41)
Feb. 26, 2013 National PN 34 Nomination of Charles Timothy Hagel to be Secretary of Defense Cloture Invoked - Senate (71 - 27)
Feb. 26, 2013 IN SB 207 Authorizes Certain Undocumented Students to Receive In-State Tuition Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 15)
Feb. 25, 2013 CO SB 33 Authorizes In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
Feb. 20, 2013 OK SB 375 Authorizes the International Sale of Horse Meat for Human Consumption Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 6)
Feb. 14, 2013 National PN 34 Nomination of Charles Timothy Hagel to be Secretary of Defense Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (58 - 40)
Date No. Title Outcome
11/21 S 1197 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014 Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (51 - 44)
11/21 S 1197 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014 Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (51 - 44)
11/21 S 1197 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014 Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (51 - 44)
11/19 S Amdt 2255 Prohibits the Use of Funds for the Transfer or Release of Guantanamo Detainees Amendment Rejected - Senate (43 - 55)
11/19 S Amdt 2175 Authorizes the Use of Funds for the Transfer or Release of Guantanamo Detainees to the United States Amendment Rejected - Senate (52 - 46)
11/19 S Amdt 2255 Prohibits the Use of Funds for the Transfer or Release of Guantanamo Detainees Amendment Rejected - Senate (43 - 55)
9/12 AB 60 Authorizes Driver's License for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 8)
9/09 AB 4 Prohibits Law Enforcement from Detaining Individuals Solely Based on Immigration Status Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11)
7/08 AB 817 Amends Poll Worker Eligibility Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10)
6/27 S 744 Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act Bill Passed - Senate (68 - 32)
6/18 S Amdt 1197 Requires the Completion of the Fence Along the United States-Mexico Border Amendment Rejected - Senate (39 - 54)
6/18 S Amdt 1228 Requires US-VISIT System to be Established at Every Port of Entry Amendment Rejected - Senate (36 - 58)
6/18 S Amdt 1197 Requires the Completion of the Fence Along the United States-Mexico Border Amendment Rejected - Senate (39 - 54)
6/11 S 744 Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act Cloture Invoked - Senate (82 - 15)
5/29 HB 6495 Authorizes Driver's Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16)
5/07 SB 251 Authorizes Driver's Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 15)
5/01 SF 723 Authorizes In-State Tuition and Financial Aid for Undocumented College Students Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 23)
4/30 SP 550 Alleges Support For Comprehensive Immigration Reform Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (22 - 12)
4/23 HB 297 Prohibits the Employment of Undocumented Immigrants Conference Report Adopted - Senate (29 - 21)
4/23 SB 833 Authorizes Drivers Licenses for Individuals Without Legal Proof of US Residence Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 7)
4/22 SB 207 Authorizes Certain Undocumented Students to Receive In-State Tuition Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (34 - 15)
4/04 SB 265 Prohibits Compliance with United Nations Agenda 21 Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9)
3/26 HB 1999 Authorizes the Slaughter of Horses Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 14)
3/25 SB 715 Amends Driver's License Requirements for Undocumented Individuals Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 18)
3/23 S Amdt 139 Prohibits the United States From Entering into the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty Amendment Adopted - Senate (53 - 46)
3/23 S Amdt 139 Prohibits the United States From Entering into the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty Amendment Adopted - Senate (53 - 46)
3/21 HB 2787 Authorizes In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11)
3/20 HR 933 Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2013 Bill Passed - Senate (73 - 26)
3/07 PN 48 Nomination of John Brennan to be Director of the Central Intelligence Agency Nomination Confirmed - Senate (63 - 34)
3/07 PN 48 Nomination of John Brennan to be Director of the Central Intelligence Agency Nomination Confirmed - Senate (63 - 34)
2/26 PN 34 Nomination of Charles Timothy Hagel to be Secretary of Defense Nomination Confirmed - Senate (58 - 41)
2/26 PN 34 Nomination of Charles Timothy Hagel to be Secretary of Defense Cloture Invoked - Senate (71 - 27)
2/26 SB 207 Authorizes Certain Undocumented Students to Receive In-State Tuition Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 15)
2/25 SB 33 Authorizes In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
2/20 SB 375 Authorizes the International Sale of Horse Meat for Human Consumption Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 6)
2/14 PN 34 Nomination of Charles Timothy Hagel to be Secretary of Defense Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (58 - 40)

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