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 |
---|---|---|---|---|
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. 14, 2011 | National | S J Res 10 | Proposing a Balanced Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution (Hatch Bill) | Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 53) |
Dec. 14, 2011 | National | S J Res 24 | Proposing a Balanced Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution (Udall Bill) | Amendment Rejected - Senate (21 - 79) |
Dec. 1, 2011 | National | S Amdt 1125 | Limits New Detention Rules to Prisoners Captured Outside the U.S. | Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 55) |
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) |
Nov. 30, 2011 | NH | CACR 14 | Constitutional Amendment Authorizing the Legislature to Set Standards for Public Education | Amendment Rejected - House (114 - 264) |
Nov. 29, 2011 | National | S Amdt 1107 | Removes Provisions Requiring Military Custody of al-Qaeda Suspects | Amendment Rejected - Senate (38 - 60) |
Nov. 18, 2011 | National | H J Res 2 | Proposing a Balanced Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution | Joint Resolution Failed - House (261 - 165) |
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. 13, 2011 | NC | SB 514 | Constitutional Amendment to Define Marriage | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 16) |
Sept. 12, 2011 | NC | SB 514 | Constitutional Amendment to Define Marriage | Bill Passed - House (75 - 42) |
Sept. 7, 2011 | NH | SB 129 | Requiring Photo Identification to Vote | Veto Override Failed - Senate (7 - 17) |
Aug. 2, 2011 | National | S 365 | Budget Control Act of 2011 | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (74 - 26) |
Aug. 1, 2011 | National | S 365 | Budget Control Act of 2011 | Bill Passed - House (269 - 161) |
July 31, 2011 | National | S 627 | Increasing the Debt Ceiling (Reid Bill) | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (50 - 49) |
July 29, 2011 | National | S 627 | Increasing the Debt Ceiling (Boehner Bill) | Bill Tabled - Senate (59 - 41) |
July 29, 2011 | National | S 627 | Increasing the Debt Ceiling (Boehner Bill) | Bill Passed - House (218 - 210) |
July 22, 2011 | National | HR 2560 | Cut, Cap and Balance Act of 2011 | Bill Tabled - Senate (51 - 46) |
July 19, 2011 | National | HR 2560 | Cut, Cap and Balance Act of 2011 | Bill Passed - House (234 - 190) |
June 30, 2011 | RI | S 400 | Voter Identification Requirements | Bill Passed - House (51 - 22) |
June 23, 2011 | PA | HB 934 | Amends Voter Identification Laws | Bill Passed - House (108 - 88) |
June 22, 2011 | OH | SJR 1 | Constitutional Amendment Concerning Health Care | Joint Resolution Passed - House (59 - 39) |
June 15, 2011 | OH | SJR 1 | Constitutional Amendment Concerning Health Care | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (24 - 9) |
June 10, 2011 | ME | LD 1376 | Repeal Same-Day Voter Registration | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 14) |
June 9, 2011 | ME | LD 1376 | Repeals Same-Day Voter Registration | Bill Passed - House (72 - 65) |
June 9, 2011 | AL | HB 60 | Prohibiting Mandatory Participation in any Health Care System | Amendment Adopted - Senate (24 - 9) |
June 8, 2011 | WI | SB 116 | Relating to Overseas Absentee Voting | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13) |
May 27, 2011 | NV | AB 552 | DNA Samples for Felony Charges | Bill Passed - House (31 - 11) |
May 26, 2011 | National | S 990 | PATRIOT Act Extension | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (250 - 153) |
May 26, 2011 | National | S 990 | PATRIOT Act Extension | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (72 - 23) |
May 25, 2011 | TX | HB 359 | Corporal Punishment in Public Schools | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (80 - 64) |
May 23, 2011 | TX | HB 359 | Corporal Punishment in Public Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 2) |
May 23, 2011 | National | S 1038 | PATRIOT Act Extension | Cloture Invoked - Senate (74 - 8) |
May 21, 2011 | MN | SF 1308 | Prohibiting Same-Sex Marriage | Amendment Adopted - House (70 - 62) |
May 20, 2011 | TN | SB 16 | Voter Identification Requirements | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (18 - 14) |
May 18, 2011 | TN | SJR 221 | Constitutional Amendment to Prohibit State Income Tax | Amendment Adopted - Senate (26 - 4) |
May 16, 2011 | TX | SB 14 | Voter Identification Requirements | Conference Report Adopted - House (98 - 46) |
May 13, 2011 | TX | HB 359 | Corporal Punishment in Public Schools | Bill Passed - House (84 - 55) |
May 12, 2011 | RI | S 400 | Voter Identification Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 6) |
May 11, 2011 | SC | H 3003 | Voter ID | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 16) |
May 11, 2011 | KS | SB 129 | Amends Voter Identification Requirements | Conference Report Rejected - Senate (15 - 23) |
May 11, 2011 | MN | SF 1308 | Prohibiting Same-Sex Marriage | Amendment Adopted - Senate (38 - 27) |
May 9, 2011 | TX | SB 14 | Voter Identification Requirements | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (19 - 12) |
May 4, 2011 | FL | HJR 1179 | Prohibits Public Funding of Abortions | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (79 - 34) |
May 4, 2011 | FL | SJR 2 | Authorizes Exemptions from the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act | Amendment Adopted - House (80 - 37) |
May 4, 2011 | FL | HJR 381 | Homestead and Property Assessment | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (25 - 12) |
April 28, 2011 | FL | HJR 1179 | Prohibits Public Funding of Abortions | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 12) |
April 27, 2011 | FL | HJR 1179 | Prohibits Public Funding of Abortions | Joint Resolution Passed - House (82 - 35) |
Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|
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) |
12/14 | S J Res 10 | Proposing a Balanced Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution (Hatch Bill) | Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 53) |
12/14 | S J Res 24 | Proposing a Balanced Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution (Udall Bill) | Amendment Rejected - Senate (21 - 79) |
12/01 | S Amdt 1125 | Limits New Detention Rules to Prisoners Captured Outside the U.S. | Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 55) |
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) |
11/30 | CACR 14 | Constitutional Amendment Authorizing the Legislature to Set Standards for Public Education | Amendment Rejected - House (114 - 264) |
11/29 | S Amdt 1107 | Removes Provisions Requiring Military Custody of al-Qaeda Suspects | Amendment Rejected - Senate (38 - 60) |
11/18 | H J Res 2 | Proposing a Balanced Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution | Joint Resolution Failed - House (261 - 165) |
10/21 | S Amdt 753 | Prohibits the Use of Funds for Prosecution of Enemy Combatants in Civilian Courts | Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 52) |
9/13 | SB 514 | Constitutional Amendment to Define Marriage | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 16) |
9/12 | SB 514 | Constitutional Amendment to Define Marriage | Bill Passed - House (75 - 42) |
9/07 | SB 129 | Requiring Photo Identification to Vote | Veto Override Failed - Senate (7 - 17) |
8/02 | S 365 | Budget Control Act of 2011 | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (74 - 26) |
8/01 | S 365 | Budget Control Act of 2011 | Bill Passed - House (269 - 161) |
7/31 | S 627 | Increasing the Debt Ceiling (Reid Bill) | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (50 - 49) |
7/29 | S 627 | Increasing the Debt Ceiling (Boehner Bill) | Bill Tabled - Senate (59 - 41) |
7/29 | S 627 | Increasing the Debt Ceiling (Boehner Bill) | Bill Passed - House (218 - 210) |
7/22 | HR 2560 | Cut, Cap and Balance Act of 2011 | Bill Tabled - Senate (51 - 46) |
7/19 | HR 2560 | Cut, Cap and Balance Act of 2011 | Bill Passed - House (234 - 190) |
6/30 | S 400 | Voter Identification Requirements | Bill Passed - House (51 - 22) |
6/23 | HB 934 | Amends Voter Identification Laws | Bill Passed - House (108 - 88) |
6/22 | SJR 1 | Constitutional Amendment Concerning Health Care | Joint Resolution Passed - House (59 - 39) |
6/15 | SJR 1 | Constitutional Amendment Concerning Health Care | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (24 - 9) |
6/10 | LD 1376 | Repeal Same-Day Voter Registration | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 14) |
6/09 | LD 1376 | Repeals Same-Day Voter Registration | Bill Passed - House (72 - 65) |
6/09 | HB 60 | Prohibiting Mandatory Participation in any Health Care System | Amendment Adopted - Senate (24 - 9) |
6/08 | SB 116 | Relating to Overseas Absentee Voting | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13) |
5/27 | AB 552 | DNA Samples for Felony Charges | Bill Passed - House (31 - 11) |
5/26 | S 990 | PATRIOT Act Extension | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (250 - 153) |
5/26 | S 990 | PATRIOT Act Extension | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (72 - 23) |
5/25 | HB 359 | Corporal Punishment in Public Schools | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (80 - 64) |
5/23 | HB 359 | Corporal Punishment in Public Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 2) |
5/23 | S 1038 | PATRIOT Act Extension | Cloture Invoked - Senate (74 - 8) |
5/21 | SF 1308 | Prohibiting Same-Sex Marriage | Amendment Adopted - House (70 - 62) |
5/20 | SB 16 | Voter Identification Requirements | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (18 - 14) |
5/18 | SJR 221 | Constitutional Amendment to Prohibit State Income Tax | Amendment Adopted - Senate (26 - 4) |
5/16 | SB 14 | Voter Identification Requirements | Conference Report Adopted - House (98 - 46) |
5/13 | HB 359 | Corporal Punishment in Public Schools | Bill Passed - House (84 - 55) |
5/12 | S 400 | Voter Identification Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 6) |
5/11 | H 3003 | Voter ID | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 16) |
5/11 | SB 129 | Amends Voter Identification Requirements | Conference Report Rejected - Senate (15 - 23) |
5/11 | SF 1308 | Prohibiting Same-Sex Marriage | Amendment Adopted - Senate (38 - 27) |
5/09 | SB 14 | Voter Identification Requirements | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (19 - 12) |
5/04 | HJR 1179 | Prohibits Public Funding of Abortions | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (79 - 34) |
5/04 | SJR 2 | Authorizes Exemptions from the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act | Amendment Adopted - House (80 - 37) |
5/04 | HJR 381 | Homestead and Property Assessment | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (25 - 12) |
4/28 | HJR 1179 | Prohibits Public Funding of Abortions | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 12) |
4/27 | HJR 1179 | Prohibits Public Funding of Abortions | Joint Resolution Passed - House (82 - 35) |