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. 22, 1995 | National | HR 1058 | Legal Reform bill | Veto Override Passed - Senate (68 - 30) |
May 22, 2008 | National | HR 2419 | Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) | Veto Override Passed - Senate (82 - 13) |
Jan. 28, 2010 | National | PN 959 | Ben S. Bernanke, Federal Reserve Chairman | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (70 - 30) |
Sept. 13, 2000 | National | S Amdt 4132 | China Nonproliferation Act | Amendment Tabled - Senate (65 - 32) |
Jan. 27, 1994 | National | S Amdt 1263 | Vietnam Trade Embargo | Amendment Adopted - Senate (62 - 38) |
Oct. 6, 2009 | National | S Amdt 2588 | Prohibiting Federal Funding of Mandatory Arbitration Contracts | Amendment Adopted - Senate (68 - 30) |
May 7, 2007 | National | S Amdt 1010 | FDA Drug Import Certification Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (49 - 40) |
May 11, 2010 | National | S Amdt 3938 | Study on Ending the Conservatorships of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac | Amendment Adopted - Senate (63 - 36) |
June 25, 2008 | National | S Amdt 4983 | Housing Foreclosure Assistance Programs | Amendment Adopted - Senate (79 - 16) |
Sept. 11, 2007 | National | S Amdt 2797 | Limiting Mexican Trucks to Commercial Zones Near the Border Between the U.S. and Mexico | Amendment Adopted - Senate (75 - 23) |
June 19, 2007 | National | S Amdt 1519 | Preventing Petroleum Export Organizations (NOPEC Act of 2007) | Amendment Adopted - Senate (70 - 23) |
July 10, 1995 | National | S Amdt 1491 | Small Business Impact Analyses | Amendment Adopted - Senate (60 - 36) |
May 12, 1994 | National | S Amdt 1695 | Bosnia Arms Embargo Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (50 - 49) |
July 11, 1995 | National | S Amdt 1497 | Small Business Impact Analysis | Amendment Adopted - Senate (53 - 45) |
March 14, 2008 | National | S Amdt 4299 | Expressing the Sense of the Senate on the Legalization of Importing Certain Prescription Drugs | Amendment Adopted - Senate (73 - 23) |
March 5, 1996 | National | HR 927 | Cuba Sanctions Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (74 - 22) |
Oct. 11, 2004 | National | HR 4520 | JOBS (Jumpstart Our Business Strength) | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (69 - 17) |
Oct. 11, 2004 | National | HR 4520 | JOBS (Jumpstart Our Business Strength) | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (69 - 17) |
May 15, 2008 | National | HR 2419 | Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (81 - 15) |
July 15, 2010 | National | HR 4173 | Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (60 - 39) |
July 15, 2010 | National | HR 4173 | Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (60 - 39) |
May 11, 2000 | National | HR 434 | Africa Free Trade bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (77 - 19) |
Aug. 1, 2002 | National | HR 3009 | Andean Trade Preference Act Extension | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (64 - 34) |
Nov. 20, 1993 | National | S 714 | Resolution Trust Corporation Completion Act | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (54 - 45) |
Aug. 2, 1996 | National | HR 3448 | Minimum Wage Increase bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (76 - 22) |
Dec. 5, 1995 | National | HR 1058 | Legal Reform bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (65 - 30) |
July 31, 2008 | National | HR 4040 | Consumer Product Safety Commission Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (89 - 3) |
March 21, 1996 | National | HR 956 | Product Liability bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (59 - 40) |
Feb. 24, 2010 | National | HR 2847 | Employment, Infrastructure, and Transportation Appropriations and Tax Credits ("Senate Jobs Bill") | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (70 - 28) |
May 10, 1995 | National | HR 956 | Product Liability bill | Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 37) |
Oct. 1, 2008 | National | HR 1424 | Financial Asset Purchase Authority and Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (74 - 25) |
Sept. 16, 2010 | National | HR 5297 | Small Business Lending Fund and Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 38) |
Sept. 16, 2010 | National | HR 5297 | Small Business Lending Fund and Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 38) |
May 13, 1998 | National | S 1260 | Securities Litigation | Bill Passed - Senate (79 - 21) |
May 20, 2010 | National | HR 4173 | Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act | Bill Passed - Senate (59 - 39) |
June 28, 1995 | National | HR 1058 | Legal Reform bill | Bill Passed - Senate (69 - 30) |
March 16, 1994 | National | HR 820 | National Competitiveness Act of 1993 | Bill Passed - Senate (59 - 40) |
Nov. 3, 1999 | National | HR 434 | Africa Free Trade bill | Bill Passed - Senate (76 - 19) |
May 20, 2010 | National | HR 4173 | Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act | Bill Passed - Senate (59 - 39) |
Feb. 2, 2000 | National | HR 833 | Bankruptcy Reform bill | Bill Passed - Senate (83 - 14) |
March 6, 2008 | National | HR 4040 | Consumer Product Safety Commission Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (79 - 13) |
July 9, 1996 | National | HR 3448 | Minimum Wage Increase bill | Bill Passed - Senate (74 - 24) |
May 13, 1993 | National | S 714 | Resolution Trust Corporation Completion Act | Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 35) |
Oct. 19, 1995 | National | HR 927 | Cuba Sanctions Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (74 - 24) |
July 31, 2003 | National | HR 2738 | U.S.-Chile Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act | Bill Passed - Senate (65 - 32) |
Nov. 20, 1993 | National | HR 3450 | North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) Implementation Act | Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 38) |
May 11, 2004 | National | S 1637 | Jumpstart Our Business Strength (JOBS) Act | Bill Passed - Senate (92 - 5) |
May 11, 2004 | National | S 1637 | Jumpstart Our Business Strength (JOBS) Act | Bill Passed - Senate (92 - 5) |
June 29, 2006 | National | S 3569 | U.S. -Oman Free Trade Agreement | Bill Passed - Senate (60 - 34) |
March 10, 2005 | National | S 256 | Bankruptcy Reform Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (74 - 25) |
June 30, 2005 | National | S 1307 | CAFTA Implementation Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (54 - 45) |
June 30, 1993 | National | HR 1876 | GATT Uruguay Round Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (76 - 16) |
July 31, 2003 | National | HR 2739 | U.S.-Singapore Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act | Bill Passed - Senate (66 - 32) |
July 28, 2005 | National | HR 3045 | CAFTA Implementation Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (55 - 45) |
Dec. 1, 1994 | National | HR 5110 | Uruguay Round Agreements Act | Bill Passed - Senate (76 - 24) |
Dec. 4, 2007 | National | HR 3688 | United States-Peru Trade Agreement | Bill Passed - Senate (77 - 18) |
Sept. 8, 2011 | National | HR 1249 | Patent Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (89 - 9) |
June 18, 2002 | National | S 2600 | Terrorism Insurance Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (84 - 14) |
July 15, 2002 | National | S 2673 | Accounting Industry Reform bill | Bill Passed - Senate (97 - 0) |
Sept. 19, 2000 | National | HR 4444 | U.S.-China Relations Act of 2000 | Bill Passed - Senate (83 - 15) |
Sept. 19, 2006 | National | HR 5684 | U.S.-Oman Free Trade Agreement Implementation | Bill Passed - Senate (62 - 32) |
July 31, 2002 | National | S 812 | Greater Access to Affordable Pharmaceuticals Act | Bill Passed - Senate (78 - 21) |
July 7, 2016 | National | S 764 | Establishes Labeling Standards for Genetically Modified Foods | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (63 - 30) |
May 11, 2017 | National | PN 42 | Nomination of Robert Lighthizer to be a United States Trade Representative | (82 - 14) |
Dec. 11, 2018 | National | PN 1803 | Nomination of Justin George Muzinich to be Deputy Director of the Department of the Treasury | (55 - 44) |
March 2, 2021 | National | PN 78-15 | Nomination of Gina Raimondo as Secretary of Commerce | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (84 - 15) |
Dec. 6, 2018 | National | PN 2170 | Nomination of Kathleen Laura Kraninger to be the Director of the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection | (50 - 49) |
May 2, 2017 | National | PN 47 | Nomination of Jay Clayton to be a Member of the Securities and Exchange Commission | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (61 - 37) |
Aug. 10, 2021 | National | HR 3684 | Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act | Bill Passed - Senate (69 - 30) |
July 24, 2013 | National | HR 1911 | Bipartisan Student Loan Certainty Act of 2013 | Bill Passed - Senate (81 - 18) |
March 21, 2018 | National | HR 1865 | Allow States and Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act of 2017 | Bill Passed - Senate (97 - 2) |
March 1, 2023 | National | H J Res 30 | Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Labor relating to "Prudence and Loyalty in Selecting Plan Investments and Exercising Shareholder Rights" | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (50 - 46) |
March 1, 2023 | National | H J Res 30 | Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Labor relating to "Prudence and Loyalty in Selecting Plan Investments and Exercising Shareholder Rights" | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (50 - 46) |
June 1, 2023 | National | H J Res 45 | Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Education relating to "Waivers and Modifications of Federal Student Loans". | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (52 - 46) |
March 11, 2020 | National | H J Res 76 | Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Education relating to "Borrower Defense Institutional Accountability" | Bill Passed - Senate (53 - 42) |
Jan. 16, 2020 | National | HR 5430 | United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement Implementation Act | Bill Passed - Senate (89 - 10) |
Oct. 24, 2017 | National | H J Res 111 | Providing for Congressional Disapproval of the rule submitted by Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection relating to "Arbitration Agreements" | Bill Passed - Senate (51 - 50) |
May 24, 2016 | National | H J Res 88 | Disapproving the Rule Submitted by the Department of Labor Relating to the Definition of the Term "Fiduciary" | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (56 - 41) |
Sept. 18, 2014 | National | H J Res 124 | Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2015 | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (78 - 22) |
Nov. 7, 2013 | National | S 815 | Employment Non-Discrimination Act of 2013 | Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 32) |
May 6, 2013 | National | S 743 | Marketplace Fairness Act of 2013 | Bill Passed - Senate (69 - 27) |
Dec. 10, 2018 | National | PN 1803 | Nomination of Justin George Muzinich to be Deputy Director of the Department of the Treasury | Cloture Invoked - Senate (55 - 43) |
April 25, 2013 | National | S 743 | Marketplace Fairness Act of 2013 | Cloture Invoked - Senate (63 - 30) |
May 18, 2010 | National | S Amdt 4114 | Credit Default Swap Regulations | Amendment Tabled - Senate (57 - 38) |
May 11, 2017 | National | PN 42 | Nomination of Robert Lighthizer to be a United States Trade Representative | Cloture Invoked - Senate (81 - 15) |
May 1, 2017 | National | PN 47 | Nomination of Jay Clayton to be a Member of the Securities and Exchange Commission | Cloture Invoked - Senate (60 - 36) |
Nov. 29, 2018 | National | PN 2170 | Nomination of Kathleen Laura Kraninger to be the Director of the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection | Cloture Invoked - Senate (50 - 49) |
Nov. 4, 2013 | National | S 815 | Employment Non-Discrimination Act of 2013 | Cloture Invoked - Senate (61 - 30) |
May 12, 2010 | National | S Amdt 3962 | Home Loan Regulation Modifications | Amendment Adopted - Senate (63 - 36) |
May 18, 2010 | National | S Amdt 4071 | Amending State Authority to Enforce Consumer Financial Regulations | Amendment Adopted - Senate (80 - 18) |
May 18, 2010 | National | S Amdt 4071 | Amending State Authority to Enforce Consumer Financial Regulations | Amendment Adopted - Senate (80 - 18) |
May 13, 2010 | National | S Amdt 3989 | Debit Card Fee Regulations | Amendment Adopted - Senate (64 - 33) |
May 13, 2010 | National | S Amdt 3989 | Debit Card Fee Regulations | Amendment Adopted - Senate (64 - 33) |
March 23, 2013 | National | S Amdt 139 | Prohibits the United States From Entering into the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty | Amendment Adopted - Senate (53 - 46) |
March 26, 2015 | National | S Amdt 798 | Deficit-Neutral Reserve Fund for Legislation to Allow Americans to Earn Paid Sick Time | Amendment Adopted - Senate (61 - 39) |
May 13, 2010 | National | S Amdt 3991 | Credit Rating Agency Board | Amendment Adopted - Senate (64 - 35) |
May 18, 2010 | National | S Amdt 4072 | Inspector General Appointment Modification | Amendment Adopted - Senate (75 - 21) |
Oct. 12, 2011 | National | HR 3079 | Trade Promotion Agreement with Panama | Bill Passed - Senate (77 - 22) |
Feb. 2, 2012 | National | S 2038 | Prohibits Insider Trading by Government Officials | Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 3) |
May 15, 2012 | National | HR 2072 | Export-Import Bank Reauthorization Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - Senate (78 - 20) |