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
Dec. 18, 2013 National H J Res 59 Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (64 - 36)
Dec. 3, 2013 IL SB 1 Amends State Employee Pension Plans Conference Report Adopted - Senate (30 - 24)
Oct. 29, 2013 National S J Res 26 A Joint Resolution Relating to the Disapproval of the President's Exercise of Authority to Suspend the Debt Limit, as Submitted Under Section 1002(b) of the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2014 on October 17, 2013 Motion Rejected - Senate (45 - 54)
Oct. 16, 2013 National HR 2775 Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 Bill Passed - Senate (81 - 18)
Oct. 12, 2013 National S 1569 Default Prevention Act of 2013 Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 45)
Sept. 30, 2013 National H J Res 59 Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 Motion Agreed - Senate (54 - 46)
Sept. 30, 2013 National H J Res 59 Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 Motion Agreed - Senate (54 - 46)
Sept. 27, 2013 National H J Res 59 Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 Bill Passed - Senate (54 - 44)
July 23, 2013 NC HB 937 Amends Firearm Laws Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 14)
May 16, 2013 AZ SB 1492 Expands Medicaid Eligibility Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11)
May 8, 2013 CO HB 1317 Establishes Regulations for the Retail Marijuana Industry Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 6)
April 30, 2013 OK SB 1062 Amends State Worker's Compensation Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (35 - 12)
April 9, 2013 WI AB 15 Authorizes Work-Share Programs Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15)
March 14, 2013 KS HB 2059 Reduces Income Tax Rates Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 14)
March 14, 2013 National S Amdt 66 Temporarily Prohibits the Hiring of Nonessential Federal Employees Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 54)
Feb. 27, 2013 OK SB 1062 Amends State Worker's Compensation Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 12)
Feb. 26, 2013 IN SB 213 Prohibits Localities From Requiring Certain Employment Benefits Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 12)
Feb. 14, 2013 MN HF 9 Expands Medicaid Eligibility Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 22)
Feb. 14, 2013 IA SF 162 Establishes the School Budget Growth for Fiscal Year 2014-2015 Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 22)
Jan. 30, 2013 IA SF 52 Establishes the School Budget Growth for Fiscal Year 2013-2014 Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23)
Date No. Title Outcome
12/18 H J Res 59 Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (64 - 36)
12/03 SB 1 Amends State Employee Pension Plans Conference Report Adopted - Senate (30 - 24)
10/29 S J Res 26 A Joint Resolution Relating to the Disapproval of the President's Exercise of Authority to Suspend the Debt Limit, as Submitted Under Section 1002(b) of the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2014 on October 17, 2013 Motion Rejected - Senate (45 - 54)
10/16 HR 2775 Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 Bill Passed - Senate (81 - 18)
10/12 S 1569 Default Prevention Act of 2013 Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 45)
9/30 H J Res 59 Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 Motion Agreed - Senate (54 - 46)
9/30 H J Res 59 Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 Motion Agreed - Senate (54 - 46)
9/27 H J Res 59 Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 Bill Passed - Senate (54 - 44)
7/23 HB 937 Amends Firearm Laws Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 14)
5/16 SB 1492 Expands Medicaid Eligibility Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11)
5/08 HB 1317 Establishes Regulations for the Retail Marijuana Industry Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 6)
4/30 SB 1062 Amends State Worker's Compensation Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (35 - 12)
4/09 AB 15 Authorizes Work-Share Programs Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15)
3/14 HB 2059 Reduces Income Tax Rates Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 14)
3/14 S Amdt 66 Temporarily Prohibits the Hiring of Nonessential Federal Employees Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 54)
2/27 SB 1062 Amends State Worker's Compensation Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 12)
2/26 SB 213 Prohibits Localities From Requiring Certain Employment Benefits Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 12)
2/14 HF 9 Expands Medicaid Eligibility Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 22)
2/14 SF 162 Establishes the School Budget Growth for Fiscal Year 2014-2015 Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 22)
1/30 SF 52 Establishes the School Budget Growth for Fiscal Year 2013-2014 Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23)

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