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:
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.
Date | State | Bill No. | Title | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|---|
Oct. 18, 2005 | National | S Amdt 2062 | Congressional Pay Raise Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (92 - 6) |
July 29, 2005 | National | HR 2985 | Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2006 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (96 - 4) |
July 1, 1994 | National | HR 4454 | Legislative Branch FY95 Appropriations bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (73 - 27) |
July 21, 1998 | National | HR 4112 | Legislative Branch FY99 Appropriations bill | Bill Passed - Senate (90 - 9) |
Feb. 6, 2007 | SD | SJR 7 | Extension of Term Limits | Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (17 - 18) |
April 23, 1996 | National | S J Res 21 | Term Limits bill | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (58 - 42) |
April 5, 2007 | SC | S 355 | Restructuring the Department of Transportation | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 18) |
Aug. 2, 2007 | National | S 1 | Lobbying and Donation Regulations | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (83 - 14) |
Sept. 18, 2007 | National | S 1257 | District of Columbia House Voting Rights Act of 2007 | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (57 - 42) |
Oct. 31, 2007 | MI | SB 229 | 2007-2008 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (29 - 8) |
Jan. 24, 2008 | CO | GN Baker | Matt Baker to the Public Utilities Commission | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (21 - 13) |
Feb. 21, 2008 | SD | HB 1250 | Legislative Pay Raise | Bill Tabled - Senate (29 - 4) |
March 24, 2008 | MS | HB 859 | Salary Adjustments for State Officials | Bill Passed - Senate (49 - 3) |
March 12, 2008 | KY | HB 600 | State Retirement System | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 3) |
March 13, 2008 | National | S Amdt 4347 | Earmark Moratorium | Motion Rejected - Senate (29 - 71) |
March 18, 2008 | CO | HB 1297 | Supplemental Department of Public Safety Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 9) |
April 23, 2008 | AZ | HB 2017 | Legislative Approval for Regulating Greenhouse Gas Emissions | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 7) |
May 29, 2008 | LA | S Amdt 3870 | Legislator Financial Disclosures | Amendment Rejected - Senate (5 - 29) |
June 10, 2008 | LA | SB 672 | Legislative Pay Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 16) |
June 23, 2008 | NJ | S 1962 | State Worker Retirement and Health Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 8) |
Sept. 14, 2005 | National | S Amdt 1670 | Special Committee on Contracts in Afghanistan and Iraq | Motion Rejected - Senate (44 - 53) |
Jan. 5, 1995 | National | S Amdt 1 | Filibuster Amendment | Amendment Tabled - Senate (76 - 19) |
July 25, 2002 | National | HR 5121 | Legislative Branch Appropriation, FY2003 | Bill Passed - Senate (85 - 14) |
July 11, 2003 | National | HR 2657 | Emergency Supplemental Appropriation, FY 2003 bill | Bill Passed - Senate (85 - 7) |
June 16, 1999 | National | HR 1905 | Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2000 | Bill Passed - Senate (95 - 4) |
June 25, 1998 | National | S Amdt 2981 | Military Closure Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (48 - 45) |
Sept. 15, 2005 | National | S Amdt 1678 | Hurricane Katrina Relief Amendment | Motion Rejected - Senate (43 - 52) |
Sept. 21, 2004 | National | HR 4755 | Legislative Branch FY2005 Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (94 - 2) |
Oct. 23, 2003 | National | S Amdt 1904 | Congressional Pay Raise Amendment | Amendment Tabled - Senate (60 - 34) |
July 23, 1993 | National | HR 2348 | Legislative Branch FY94 Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (85 - 7) |
Jan. 14, 2009 | TX | SR 14 | Majority Vote Requirement for Voter ID Bill Consideration | Resolution Passed - Senate (18 - 13) |
Feb. 2, 2009 | MT | SJ 7 | Statement of Opposition to Expansion of EPA Jurisdiction (H.R. 2421) | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (32 - 18) |
Feb. 6, 2009 | MT | SB 187 | Limitations on Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 23) |
Feb. 9, 2009 | SD | SJR 3 | Extending Senate Terms and Legislative Term-Limits | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
Feb. 26, 2009 | National | S 160 | Washington DC Voting Act | Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 37) |
Feb. 19, 2009 | NC | SB 15 | Limiting Per Diem Payments to Legislators | Motion Agreed - Senate (37 - 11) |
March 5, 2009 | GA | SB 200 | Reorganization of State Transportation Authorities | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 25) |
March 19, 2009 | NM | HB 393 | Opening Conference Committees to the Public | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 8) |
Feb. 25, 2009 | NM | SB 141 | Allowing Increase of Penalties for Convicted Public Officials | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 12) |
March 11, 2009 | UT | HB 345 | Regulating Former Lawmakers in Lobbying | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13) |
Sept. 23, 2009 | OH | SJR 5 | Redistricting Commission | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (21 - 12) |
Sept. 30, 2009 | National | HR 2918 | Continuing Appropriations Resolution and 2009-2010 Legislative Appropriations | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (62 - 38) |
Oct. 9, 2009 | PA | HB 1614 | Fiscal Code Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (35 - 14) |
Dec. 17, 2009 | OH | HB 318 | Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 15) |
Feb. 8, 2010 | NM | SB 531 | Legislative Finance Committee Review of Confidential Information | Veto Override Passed - Senate (34 - 8) |
Jan. 13, 2010 | KY | SB 51 | Legislator Pension Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17) |
Jan. 11, 2010 | NJ | A 4378 | Exception to the Ban on Former State Employees Working for the Casino Industry | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13) |
Jan. 26, 2010 | National | S Amdt 3302 | Establishing a Federal Budget Deficit Commission | Amendment Rejected - Senate (53 - 46) |
Feb. 15, 2010 | WA | SB 6562 | Expanding State University Tuition Authority | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 19) |
Feb. 9, 2010 | NY | R 3904 | Expelling Senator Hiram Monserrate from the Senate | Resolution Passed - Senate (53 - 8) |
Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|
10/18 | S Amdt 2062 | Congressional Pay Raise Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (92 - 6) |
7/29 | HR 2985 | Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2006 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (96 - 4) |
7/01 | HR 4454 | Legislative Branch FY95 Appropriations bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (73 - 27) |
7/21 | HR 4112 | Legislative Branch FY99 Appropriations bill | Bill Passed - Senate (90 - 9) |
2/06 | SJR 7 | Extension of Term Limits | Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (17 - 18) |
4/23 | S J Res 21 | Term Limits bill | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (58 - 42) |
4/05 | S 355 | Restructuring the Department of Transportation | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 18) |
8/02 | S 1 | Lobbying and Donation Regulations | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (83 - 14) |
9/18 | S 1257 | District of Columbia House Voting Rights Act of 2007 | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (57 - 42) |
10/31 | SB 229 | 2007-2008 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (29 - 8) |
1/24 | GN Baker | Matt Baker to the Public Utilities Commission | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (21 - 13) |
2/21 | HB 1250 | Legislative Pay Raise | Bill Tabled - Senate (29 - 4) |
3/24 | HB 859 | Salary Adjustments for State Officials | Bill Passed - Senate (49 - 3) |
3/12 | HB 600 | State Retirement System | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 3) |
3/13 | S Amdt 4347 | Earmark Moratorium | Motion Rejected - Senate (29 - 71) |
3/18 | HB 1297 | Supplemental Department of Public Safety Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 9) |
4/23 | HB 2017 | Legislative Approval for Regulating Greenhouse Gas Emissions | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 7) |
5/29 | S Amdt 3870 | Legislator Financial Disclosures | Amendment Rejected - Senate (5 - 29) |
6/10 | SB 672 | Legislative Pay Increase | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 16) |
6/23 | S 1962 | State Worker Retirement and Health Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 8) |
9/14 | S Amdt 1670 | Special Committee on Contracts in Afghanistan and Iraq | Motion Rejected - Senate (44 - 53) |
1/05 | S Amdt 1 | Filibuster Amendment | Amendment Tabled - Senate (76 - 19) |
7/25 | HR 5121 | Legislative Branch Appropriation, FY2003 | Bill Passed - Senate (85 - 14) |
7/11 | HR 2657 | Emergency Supplemental Appropriation, FY 2003 bill | Bill Passed - Senate (85 - 7) |
6/16 | HR 1905 | Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2000 | Bill Passed - Senate (95 - 4) |
6/25 | S Amdt 2981 | Military Closure Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (48 - 45) |
9/15 | S Amdt 1678 | Hurricane Katrina Relief Amendment | Motion Rejected - Senate (43 - 52) |
9/21 | HR 4755 | Legislative Branch FY2005 Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (94 - 2) |
10/23 | S Amdt 1904 | Congressional Pay Raise Amendment | Amendment Tabled - Senate (60 - 34) |
7/23 | HR 2348 | Legislative Branch FY94 Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (85 - 7) |
1/14 | SR 14 | Majority Vote Requirement for Voter ID Bill Consideration | Resolution Passed - Senate (18 - 13) |
2/02 | SJ 7 | Statement of Opposition to Expansion of EPA Jurisdiction (H.R. 2421) | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (32 - 18) |
2/06 | SB 187 | Limitations on Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 23) |
2/09 | SJR 3 | Extending Senate Terms and Legislative Term-Limits | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
2/26 | S 160 | Washington DC Voting Act | Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 37) |
2/19 | SB 15 | Limiting Per Diem Payments to Legislators | Motion Agreed - Senate (37 - 11) |
3/05 | SB 200 | Reorganization of State Transportation Authorities | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 25) |
3/19 | HB 393 | Opening Conference Committees to the Public | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 8) |
2/25 | SB 141 | Allowing Increase of Penalties for Convicted Public Officials | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 12) |
3/11 | HB 345 | Regulating Former Lawmakers in Lobbying | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13) |
9/23 | SJR 5 | Redistricting Commission | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (21 - 12) |
9/30 | HR 2918 | Continuing Appropriations Resolution and 2009-2010 Legislative Appropriations | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (62 - 38) |
10/09 | HB 1614 | Fiscal Code Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (35 - 14) |
12/17 | HB 318 | Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 15) |
2/08 | SB 531 | Legislative Finance Committee Review of Confidential Information | Veto Override Passed - Senate (34 - 8) |
1/13 | SB 51 | Legislator Pension Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17) |
1/11 | A 4378 | Exception to the Ban on Former State Employees Working for the Casino Industry | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13) |
1/26 | S Amdt 3302 | Establishing a Federal Budget Deficit Commission | Amendment Rejected - Senate (53 - 46) |
2/15 | SB 6562 | Expanding State University Tuition Authority | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 19) |
2/09 | R 3904 | Expelling Senator Hiram Monserrate from the Senate | Resolution Passed - Senate (53 - 8) |