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. 17, 2011 National HR 2055 Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2012 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (67 - 32)
Dec. 16, 2011 National HR 2055 Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2012 Conference Report Adopted - House (296 - 121)
Dec. 15, 2011 National HR 1540 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (86 - 13)
Dec. 14, 2011 National HR 1540 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 Conference Report Adopted - House (283 - 136)
Dec. 1, 2011 National S Amdt 1274 Authorizes Further Detention After Trial During Wartime Amendment Rejected - Senate (41 - 59)
Dec. 1, 2011 National S Amdt 1126 Prohibits Detention of U.S. Citizens Without Trial Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 55)
Dec. 1, 2011 National S Amdt 1125 Limits New Detention Rules to Prisoners Captured Outside the U.S. Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 55)
Nov. 29, 2011 National S Amdt 1107 Removes Provisions Requiring Military Custody of al-Qaeda Suspects Amendment Rejected - Senate (38 - 60)
Nov. 29, 2011 National S Amdt 1064 Repeals Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Amendment Rejected - Senate (30 - 67)
Oct. 21, 2011 National S Amdt 753 Prohibits the Use of Funds for Prosecution of Enemy Combatants in Civilian Courts Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 52)
Sept. 23, 2011 National HR 2608 Stopgap Spending and Disaster Relief Concurrence Vote Passed - House (219 - 203)
Sept. 22, 2011 National S Amdt 634 Sale of F-16 Aircraft to Taiwan Amendment Rejected - Senate (48 - 48)
June 24, 2011 National HR 2278 Limits the Use of Funds in Support of NATO Operations in Libya Bill Failed - House (180 - 238)
June 24, 2011 National H J Res 68 Authorizes Limited Use of US Armed Forces in Libya Joint Resolution Failed - House (123 - 295)
June 13, 2011 National H Amdt 414 Prohibits Use of Funds in Contravention of the War Powers Resolution Amendment Adopted - House (248 - 163)
June 3, 2011 National H Res 292 Ground Forces in Libya Resolution Passed - House (268 - 145)
June 3, 2011 National H Con Res 51 Removing Armed Forces from Libya Joint Resolution Failed - House (148 - 265)
June 2, 2011 National H Amdt 385 Prohibiting Funds From Being Used in Contradiction to the War Powers Resolution Amendment Rejected - House (208 - 213)
June 2, 2011 National HR 2017 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act Bill Passed - House (231 - 188)
April 18, 2011 AZ SB 1495 Establishment of an Arizona State Guard Bill Passed - House (39 - 20)
April 9, 2011 National HR 1363 2011 Department of Defense Budget and Additional Continuing Appropriations Concurrence Vote Passed - House (348 - 70)
April 7, 2011 National HR 1363 2011 Department of Defense Budget and Additional Continuing Appropriations Bill Passed - House (247 - 181)
March 17, 2011 National H Con Res 28 Removing Troops from Afghanistan Joint Resolution Failed - House (93 - 321)
March 9, 2011 National S Amdt 149 Department of Defense funding and Continuing Appropriations Amendment Rejected - Senate (42 - 58)
March 8, 2011 AZ SB 1495 Establishment of an Arizona State Guard Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 9)
Feb. 18, 2011 National H Amdt 92 Prohibiting the Use of Federal Funds for NASCAR Sponsorships Amendment Rejected - House (148 - 281)
Feb. 17, 2011 National H Amdt 69 Reducing Federal Funding of the US Institute of Peace Amendment Adopted - House (268 - 163)
Feb. 16, 2011 National H Amdt 16 Reducing Navy and Air Force Appropriations Amendment Adopted - House (233 - 198)
Feb. 15, 2011 National H Amdt 13 Reducing Navy and Air Force Aircraft Procurement Amendment Rejected - House (105 - 326)
Date No. Title Outcome
12/17 HR 2055 Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2012 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (67 - 32)
12/16 HR 2055 Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2012 Conference Report Adopted - House (296 - 121)
12/15 HR 1540 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (86 - 13)
12/14 HR 1540 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 Conference Report Adopted - House (283 - 136)
12/01 S Amdt 1274 Authorizes Further Detention After Trial During Wartime Amendment Rejected - Senate (41 - 59)
12/01 S Amdt 1126 Prohibits Detention of U.S. Citizens Without Trial Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 55)
12/01 S Amdt 1125 Limits New Detention Rules to Prisoners Captured Outside the U.S. Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 55)
11/29 S Amdt 1107 Removes Provisions Requiring Military Custody of al-Qaeda Suspects Amendment Rejected - Senate (38 - 60)
11/29 S Amdt 1064 Repeals Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Amendment Rejected - Senate (30 - 67)
10/21 S Amdt 753 Prohibits the Use of Funds for Prosecution of Enemy Combatants in Civilian Courts Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 52)
9/23 HR 2608 Stopgap Spending and Disaster Relief Concurrence Vote Passed - House (219 - 203)
9/22 S Amdt 634 Sale of F-16 Aircraft to Taiwan Amendment Rejected - Senate (48 - 48)
6/24 HR 2278 Limits the Use of Funds in Support of NATO Operations in Libya Bill Failed - House (180 - 238)
6/24 H J Res 68 Authorizes Limited Use of US Armed Forces in Libya Joint Resolution Failed - House (123 - 295)
6/13 H Amdt 414 Prohibits Use of Funds in Contravention of the War Powers Resolution Amendment Adopted - House (248 - 163)
6/03 H Res 292 Ground Forces in Libya Resolution Passed - House (268 - 145)
6/03 H Con Res 51 Removing Armed Forces from Libya Joint Resolution Failed - House (148 - 265)
6/02 H Amdt 385 Prohibiting Funds From Being Used in Contradiction to the War Powers Resolution Amendment Rejected - House (208 - 213)
6/02 HR 2017 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act Bill Passed - House (231 - 188)
4/18 SB 1495 Establishment of an Arizona State Guard Bill Passed - House (39 - 20)
4/09 HR 1363 2011 Department of Defense Budget and Additional Continuing Appropriations Concurrence Vote Passed - House (348 - 70)
4/07 HR 1363 2011 Department of Defense Budget and Additional Continuing Appropriations Bill Passed - House (247 - 181)
3/17 H Con Res 28 Removing Troops from Afghanistan Joint Resolution Failed - House (93 - 321)
3/09 S Amdt 149 Department of Defense funding and Continuing Appropriations Amendment Rejected - Senate (42 - 58)
3/08 SB 1495 Establishment of an Arizona State Guard Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 9)
2/18 H Amdt 92 Prohibiting the Use of Federal Funds for NASCAR Sponsorships Amendment Rejected - House (148 - 281)
2/17 H Amdt 69 Reducing Federal Funding of the US Institute of Peace Amendment Adopted - House (268 - 163)
2/16 H Amdt 16 Reducing Navy and Air Force Appropriations Amendment Adopted - House (233 - 198)
2/15 H Amdt 13 Reducing Navy and Air Force Aircraft Procurement Amendment Rejected - House (105 - 326)

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