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 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Jan. 4, 2017 | National | HR 21 | Midnight Rules Relief Act of 2017 | Bill Passed - House (238 - 184) |
March 14, 2016 | National | PN 1152 | Nomination of John B. King to be Secretary of Education | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (49 - 40) |
Sept. 10, 2015 | National | H Res 411 | Finding that the President Has Not Complied with Section 2 of the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015 | Bill Passed - House (245 - 186) |
July 28, 2015 | National | HR 427 | Regulations for the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act of 2015 | Bill Passed - House (243 - 165) |
April 23, 2015 | National | PN 4 | Nomination of Loretta E. Lynch to be Attorney General | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (56 - 43) |
Dec. 4, 2014 | National | HR 5759 | Preventing Executive Overreach on Immigration Act of 2014 | Bill Passed - House (219 - 197) |
July 30, 2014 | National | H Res 676 | Providing for Authority to Initiate Litigation for Actions by the President or Other Executive Branch Officials Inconsistent with Their Duties Under the Constitution of the United States | Resolution Passed - House (225 - 201) |
March 26, 2014 | National | HR 1459 | Ensuring Public Involvement in the Creation of National Monuments Act | Bill Passed - House (222 - 201) |
March 12, 2014 | National | HR 4138 | Executive Needs to Faithfully Observe and Respect Congressional Enactments of (ENFORCE) the Law Act of 2014 | Bill Passed - House (233 - 181) |
Oct. 30, 2013 | National | H J Res 99 | Disapproval of the President's Exercise of Authority to Suspend the Debt Limit | Joint Resolution Passed - House (222 - 191) |
Oct. 29, 2013 | National | S J Res 26 | A Joint Resolution Relating to the Disapproval of the President's Exercise of Authority to Suspend the Debt Limit, as Submitted Under Section 1002(b) of the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2014 on October 17, 2013 | Motion Rejected - Senate (45 - 54) |
Aug. 2, 2013 | National | H Amdt 448 | Requires Congressional Approval Prior to Establishing a Tax on Carbon Emissions | Amendment Adopted - House (237 - 176) |
Aug. 2, 2013 | National | H Amdt 450 | Requires Congressional Approval for Any Rules Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act | Amendment Adopted - House (227 - 185) |
Aug. 2, 2013 | National | HR 2009 | Keep the IRS Off Your Health Care Act of 2013 | Bill Passed - House (232 - 185) |
Aug. 2, 2013 | National | HR 367 | Regulations From the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act of 2013 | Bill Passed - House (232 - 183) |
June 6, 2013 | National | H Amdt 136 | Prohibits the Enforcement of the Immigration Executive Order | Amendment Adopted - House (224 - 201) |
May 22, 2013 | National | H Amdt 67 | Requires a Finding be Added Concerning Oil Sand Crudes | Amendment Rejected - House (146 - 269) |
Feb. 26, 2013 | National | PN 34 | Nomination of Charles Timothy Hagel to be Secretary of Defense | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (58 - 41) |
Feb. 26, 2013 | National | PN 34 | Nomination of Charles Timothy Hagel to be Secretary of Defense | Cloture Invoked - Senate (71 - 27) |
Feb. 15, 2013 | National | HR 273 | Eliminates the 2013 Statutory Pay Adjustment for Federal Employees | Bill Passed - House (261 - 154) |
Feb. 14, 2013 | National | PN 34 | Nomination of Charles Timothy Hagel to be Secretary of Defense | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (58 - 40) |
Jan. 1, 2013 | National | HR 6726 | Congressional Pay Freeze and Fiscal Responsibility Act | Bill Passed - House (287 - 129) |
Sept. 14, 2012 | National | HR 6213 | No More Solyndras Act | Bill Passed - House (245 - 161) |
July 31, 2012 | National | S 679 | Presidential Appointment Efficiency and Streamlining Act of 2011 | Bill Passed - House (261 - 116) |
July 31, 2012 | National | HR 828 | Federal Employee Tax Accountability Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - House (263 - 114) |
July 26, 2012 | National | HR 4078 | Red Tape Reduction and Small Business Job Creation Act | Bill Passed - House (245 - 172) |
Feb. 9, 2012 | National | S 2038 | Prohibits Insider Trading by Government Officials | Bill Passed - House (417 - 2) |
Feb. 8, 2012 | National | HR 3521 | Authorizes the President to Line-Item Veto Certain Legislation | Bill Passed - House (254 - 173) |
Feb. 2, 2012 | National | S Amdt 1491 | Requires Disclosure of Financial Transactions by Executive Branch Employees | Amendment Adopted - Senate (58 - 41) |
Feb. 2, 2012 | National | S 2038 | Prohibits Insider Trading by Government Officials | Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 3) |
Jan. 26, 2012 | National | H J Res 98 | Disapproval of President's Authority to Raise the Debt Limit | Motion Rejected - Senate (44 - 54) |
Jan. 18, 2012 | National | H J Res 98 | Disapproval of President's Authority to Raise the Debt Limit | Joint Resolution Passed - House (239 - 176) |
Dec. 2, 2011 | National | HR 3010 | Establishes Additional Requirements for Regulatory Agencies | Bill Passed - House (253 - 167) |
Sept. 14, 2011 | National | H J Res 77 | Disapproval of the President's Authority to Raise the Debt Limit | Joint Resolution Passed - House (232 - 186) |
June 23, 2011 | National | S Amdt 499 | Prohibits the Appointment of Presidential "Czars" Without Senate Approval | Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 51) |
June 3, 2011 | National | H Con Res 51 | Removing Armed Forces from Libya | Joint Resolution Failed - House (148 - 265) |
June 3, 2011 | National | H Res 292 | Ground Forces in Libya | Resolution Passed - House (268 - 145) |
April 1, 2011 | National | HR 1255 | Government Shutdown Prevention Act | Bill Passed - House (221 - 202) |
May 18, 2010 | National | S Amdt 4072 | Inspector General Appointment Modification | Amendment Adopted - Senate (75 - 21) |
Sept. 15, 2009 | National | H Res 744 | Resolution of Disapproval of Representative Joe Wilson's Conduct | Resolution Passed - House (240 - 179) |
Aug. 6, 2009 | National | PN 506 | Sonia Sotomayor, Associate Justice | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (68 - 31) |
July 9, 2008 | National | HR 5811 | Electronic Communications Preservation Act | Bill Passed - House (286 - 137) |
May 22, 2007 | National | S 214 | United States Attorneys Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - House (306 - 114) |
March 20, 2007 | National | S 214 | United States Attorneys Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - Senate (94 - 2) |
Sept. 28, 2006 | National | S Amdt 5104 | Military Commissions Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 52) |
June 22, 2006 | National | HR 4890 | Line Item Veto Bill | Bill Passed - House (247 - 172) |
Jan. 26, 2005 | National | PN 8 | Condoleezza Rice, Secretary of State | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (85 - 13) |
Nov. 19, 2002 | National | HR 5005 | Establishing the Department of Homeland Security | Bill Passed - Senate (90 - 9) |
July 26, 2002 | National | HR 5005 | Establishing the Department of Homeland Security | Bill Passed - House (295 - 132) |
Feb. 1, 2001 | National | PN 107 | John Ashcroft, Attorney General | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (58 - 42) |