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
Sept. 25, 2019 National HR 2203 Homeland Security Improvement Act Bill Passed - House (230 - 194)
Sept. 9, 2019 CA AB 1282 Prohibits Prisons from Working with ICE Contractors Concurrence Vote Passed - House (61 - 16)
Sept. 5, 2019 CA AB 1282 Prohibits Prisons from Working with ICE Contractors Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 10)
July 29, 2019 National S J Res 36 A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval of the proposed transfer to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Kingdom of Spain, and the Italian Republic of certain defense articles and services Veto Override Failed - Senate (45 - 40)
July 29, 2019 National S J Res 38 A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval of the proposed export to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland of certain defense articles and services Veto Override Passed - Senate (46 - 41)
July 29, 2019 National S J Res 38 A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval of the proposed export to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland of certain defense articles and services Veto Override Passed - Senate (46 - 41)
July 29, 2019 National S J Res 37 A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval of the proposed export to the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the Republic of France of certain defense articles and services Veto Override Failed - Senate (45 - 39)
July 29, 2019 National S J Res 37 A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval of the proposed export to the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the Republic of France of certain defense articles and services Veto Override Failed - Senate (45 - 39)
July 29, 2019 National S J Res 36 A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval of the proposed transfer to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Kingdom of Spain, and the Italian Republic of certain defense articles and services Veto Override Failed - Senate (45 - 40)
July 25, 2019 National HR 549 Venezuela TPS Act of 2019 Bill Passed - House (272 - 158)
July 24, 2019 National HR 3239 Humanitarian Standards for Individuals in Customs and Border Protection Custody Act Bill Passed - House (233 - 195)
July 23, 2019 National PN 934 Nomination of Mark Esper as the Secretary of Defense (90 - 8)
July 23, 2019 National HR 1327 Never Forget the Heroes: Permanent Authorization of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund Act Bill Passed - Senate (97 - 2)
July 23, 2019 National H Res 246 Opposing Efforts to Delegitimize the State of Israel and The Global Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions Movement Targeting Israel Bill Passed - House (398 - 17)
July 22, 2019 National PN 934 Nomination of Mark Esper as the Secretary of Defense Cloture Invoked - Senate (85 - 6)
July 17, 2019 OH HB 80 Amends Specific Sections of Ohio's Worker's Compensation Law Conference Report Adopted - Senate (22 - 9)
July 17, 2019 National S J Res 38 A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval of the proposed export to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland of certain defense articles and services Bill Passed - House (237 - 190)
July 17, 2019 National S J Res 36 A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval of the proposed transfer to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Kingdom of Spain, and the Italian Republic of certain defense articles and services Bill Passed - House (238 - 190)
July 17, 2019 National S J Res 36 A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval of the proposed transfer to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Kingdom of Spain, and the Italian Republic of certain defense articles and services Bill Passed - House (238 - 190)
July 17, 2019 National S J Res 38 A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval of the proposed export to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland of certain defense articles and services Bill Passed - House (237 - 190)
July 17, 2019 National S J Res 37 A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval of the proposed export to the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the Republic of France of certain defense articles and services Bill Passed - House (238 - 190)
July 17, 2019 National S J Res 37 A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval of the proposed export to the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the Republic of France of certain defense articles and services Bill Passed - House (238 - 190)
July 16, 2019 National H Res 489 Condemning President Trump's Racist Comments Directed at Members of Congress Bill Passed - House (240 - 187)
July 12, 2019 National HR 2500 National Defense Authorization Act Bill Passed - House (220 - 197)
July 12, 2019 National HR 1327 Never Forget the Heroes: Permanent Authorization of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund Act Bill Passed - House (402 - 12)
Date No. Title Outcome
9/25 HR 2203 Homeland Security Improvement Act Bill Passed - House (230 - 194)
9/09 AB 1282 Prohibits Prisons from Working with ICE Contractors Concurrence Vote Passed - House (61 - 16)
9/05 AB 1282 Prohibits Prisons from Working with ICE Contractors Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 10)
7/29 S J Res 36 A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval of the proposed transfer to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Kingdom of Spain, and the Italian Republic of certain defense articles and services Veto Override Failed - Senate (45 - 40)
7/29 S J Res 38 A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval of the proposed export to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland of certain defense articles and services Veto Override Passed - Senate (46 - 41)
7/29 S J Res 38 A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval of the proposed export to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland of certain defense articles and services Veto Override Passed - Senate (46 - 41)
7/29 S J Res 37 A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval of the proposed export to the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the Republic of France of certain defense articles and services Veto Override Failed - Senate (45 - 39)
7/29 S J Res 37 A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval of the proposed export to the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the Republic of France of certain defense articles and services Veto Override Failed - Senate (45 - 39)
7/29 S J Res 36 A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval of the proposed transfer to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Kingdom of Spain, and the Italian Republic of certain defense articles and services Veto Override Failed - Senate (45 - 40)
7/25 HR 549 Venezuela TPS Act of 2019 Bill Passed - House (272 - 158)
7/24 HR 3239 Humanitarian Standards for Individuals in Customs and Border Protection Custody Act Bill Passed - House (233 - 195)
7/23 PN 934 Nomination of Mark Esper as the Secretary of Defense (90 - 8)
7/23 HR 1327 Never Forget the Heroes: Permanent Authorization of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund Act Bill Passed - Senate (97 - 2)
7/23 H Res 246 Opposing Efforts to Delegitimize the State of Israel and The Global Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions Movement Targeting Israel Bill Passed - House (398 - 17)
7/22 PN 934 Nomination of Mark Esper as the Secretary of Defense Cloture Invoked - Senate (85 - 6)
7/17 HB 80 Amends Specific Sections of Ohio's Worker's Compensation Law Conference Report Adopted - Senate (22 - 9)
7/17 S J Res 38 A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval of the proposed export to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland of certain defense articles and services Bill Passed - House (237 - 190)
7/17 S J Res 36 A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval of the proposed transfer to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Kingdom of Spain, and the Italian Republic of certain defense articles and services Bill Passed - House (238 - 190)
7/17 S J Res 36 A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval of the proposed transfer to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Kingdom of Spain, and the Italian Republic of certain defense articles and services Bill Passed - House (238 - 190)
7/17 S J Res 38 A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval of the proposed export to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland of certain defense articles and services Bill Passed - House (237 - 190)
7/17 S J Res 37 A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval of the proposed export to the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the Republic of France of certain defense articles and services Bill Passed - House (238 - 190)
7/17 S J Res 37 A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval of the proposed export to the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the Republic of France of certain defense articles and services Bill Passed - House (238 - 190)
7/16 H Res 489 Condemning President Trump's Racist Comments Directed at Members of Congress Bill Passed - House (240 - 187)
7/12 HR 2500 National Defense Authorization Act Bill Passed - House (220 - 197)
7/12 HR 1327 Never Forget the Heroes: Permanent Authorization of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund Act Bill Passed - House (402 - 12)

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