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 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Feb. 20, 2009 | VT | Ainsworth Amdt | Legislative Pay Cut | Amendment Rejected - House (50 - 88) |
Jan. 27, 2009 | AR | HB 1050 | Freedom of Information Act Exemption Specifications | Bill Passed - House (57 - 31) |
Feb. 5, 2009 | ND | HB 1557 | Even-Numbered Year Budget Adjustment Legislative Sessions | Bill Failed - House (33 - 61) |
Oct. 9, 2009 | PA | HB 1614 | Fiscal Code Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (35 - 14) |
Oct. 9, 2009 | PA | HB 1614 | Fiscal Code Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (106 - 92) |
Feb. 10, 2009 | IN | HB 1656 | Shifting Federal Transportation Funding to Counties and Localities | Bill Passed - House (88 - 11) |
March 12, 2009 | KS | HB 2320 | State Spending Limitations and Savings Accounts | Bill Passed - House (89 - 33) |
Dec. 17, 2009 | OH | HB 318 | Tax Law Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (54 - 42) |
Dec. 17, 2009 | OH | HB 318 | Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 15) |
Oct. 21, 2009 | OH | HB 318 | Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (55 - 44) |
March 11, 2009 | UT | HB 345 | Regulating Former Lawmakers in Lobbying | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13) |
March 19, 2009 | NM | HB 393 | Opening Conference Committees to the Public | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 8) |
Sept. 16, 2009 | MO | HB 544 | Increasing Legislative Oversight of Federal Funds | Veto Override Failed - House (86 - 71) |
Jan. 26, 2009 | MO | HCR 5 | Rejecting Pay Increases for Elected Officials and Judges | Resolution Passed - House (129 - 31) |
March 4, 2009 | NH | HCR 6 | Resolution Regarding States' Rights | "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - House (216 - 150) |
Sept. 30, 2009 | National | HR 2918 | Continuing Appropriations Resolution and 2009-2010 Legislative Appropriations | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (62 - 38) |
Sept. 25, 2009 | National | HR 2918 | Continuing Appropriations Resolution and 2009-2010 Legislative Appropriations | Conference Report Adopted - House (217 - 190) |
Sept. 15, 2009 | National | H Res 744 | Resolution of Disapproval of Representative Joe Wilson's Conduct | Resolution Passed - House (240 - 179) |
Oct. 7, 2009 | National | H Res 805 | Removing Rep. Charles Rangel as Chairman of House Committee on Ways and Means | Motion Agreed - House (246 - 153) |
Feb. 26, 2009 | National | S 160 | Washington DC Voting Act | Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 37) |
Feb. 25, 2009 | NM | SB 141 | Allowing Increase of Penalties for Convicted Public Officials | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 12) |
Feb. 19, 2009 | NC | SB 15 | Limiting Per Diem Payments to Legislators | Motion Agreed - Senate (37 - 11) |
Feb. 6, 2009 | MT | SB 187 | Limitations on Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 23) |
April 1, 2009 | GA | SB 200 | Reorganization of the Department of Transportation | Bill Passed - House (90 - 84) |
March 5, 2009 | GA | SB 200 | Reorganization of State Transportation Authorities | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 25) |
Feb. 2, 2009 | MT | SJ 7 | Statement of Opposition to Expansion of EPA Jurisdiction (H.R. 2421) | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (32 - 18) |
Feb. 9, 2009 | SD | SJR 3 | Extending Senate Terms and Legislative Term-Limits | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
Sept. 23, 2009 | OH | SJR 5 | Redistricting Commission | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (21 - 12) |
Jan. 14, 2009 | TX | SR 14 | Majority Vote Requirement for Voter ID Bill Consideration | Resolution Passed - Senate (18 - 13) |
Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|
2/20 | Ainsworth Amdt | Legislative Pay Cut | Amendment Rejected - House (50 - 88) |
1/27 | HB 1050 | Freedom of Information Act Exemption Specifications | Bill Passed - House (57 - 31) |
2/05 | HB 1557 | Even-Numbered Year Budget Adjustment Legislative Sessions | Bill Failed - House (33 - 61) |
10/09 | HB 1614 | Fiscal Code Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (35 - 14) |
10/09 | HB 1614 | Fiscal Code Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (106 - 92) |
2/10 | HB 1656 | Shifting Federal Transportation Funding to Counties and Localities | Bill Passed - House (88 - 11) |
3/12 | HB 2320 | State Spending Limitations and Savings Accounts | Bill Passed - House (89 - 33) |
12/17 | HB 318 | Tax Law Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (54 - 42) |
12/17 | HB 318 | Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 15) |
10/21 | HB 318 | Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (55 - 44) |
3/11 | HB 345 | Regulating Former Lawmakers in Lobbying | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13) |
3/19 | HB 393 | Opening Conference Committees to the Public | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 8) |
9/16 | HB 544 | Increasing Legislative Oversight of Federal Funds | Veto Override Failed - House (86 - 71) |
1/26 | HCR 5 | Rejecting Pay Increases for Elected Officials and Judges | Resolution Passed - House (129 - 31) |
3/04 | HCR 6 | Resolution Regarding States' Rights | "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - House (216 - 150) |
9/30 | HR 2918 | Continuing Appropriations Resolution and 2009-2010 Legislative Appropriations | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (62 - 38) |
9/25 | HR 2918 | Continuing Appropriations Resolution and 2009-2010 Legislative Appropriations | Conference Report Adopted - House (217 - 190) |
9/15 | H Res 744 | Resolution of Disapproval of Representative Joe Wilson's Conduct | Resolution Passed - House (240 - 179) |
10/07 | H Res 805 | Removing Rep. Charles Rangel as Chairman of House Committee on Ways and Means | Motion Agreed - House (246 - 153) |
2/26 | S 160 | Washington DC Voting Act | Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 37) |
2/25 | SB 141 | Allowing Increase of Penalties for Convicted Public Officials | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 12) |
2/19 | SB 15 | Limiting Per Diem Payments to Legislators | Motion Agreed - Senate (37 - 11) |
2/06 | SB 187 | Limitations on Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 23) |
4/01 | SB 200 | Reorganization of the Department of Transportation | Bill Passed - House (90 - 84) |
3/05 | SB 200 | Reorganization of State Transportation Authorities | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 25) |
2/02 | SJ 7 | Statement of Opposition to Expansion of EPA Jurisdiction (H.R. 2421) | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (32 - 18) |
2/09 | SJR 3 | Extending Senate Terms and Legislative Term-Limits | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
9/23 | SJR 5 | Redistricting Commission | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (21 - 12) |
1/14 | SR 14 | Majority Vote Requirement for Voter ID Bill Consideration | Resolution Passed - Senate (18 - 13) |