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 |
---|---|---|---|---|
May 16, 2023 | National | H J Res 42 | Disapproving the action of the District of Columbia Council in approving the Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Amendment Act of 2022. | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (56 - 43) |
March 29, 2023 | National | H J Res 27 | Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers, Department of Defense and the Environmental Protection Agency relating to "Revised Definition of 'Waters of the United States' " | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (53 - 43) |
March 8, 2023 | National | H J Res 26 | Disapproving the action of the District of Columbia Council in approving the Revised Criminal Code Act | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (81 - 14) |
March 23, 2018 | National | HR 1625 | Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 | Bill Passed - Senate (65 - 32) |
Jan. 18, 2018 | National | S 139 | FISA Amendments Reauthorization Act of 2017 | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (65 - 34) |
Jan. 21, 2016 | National | S J Res 22 | A Joint Resolution Providing for Congressional Disapproval Under Chapter 8 of Title 5, United States Code, of the Rule Submitted by the Corps of Engineers and the Environmental Protection Agency Relating to the Definition of "Waters of the United States" Under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (52 - 40) |
July 29, 2014 | National | S Amdt 3584 | Transportation Empowerment Act | Amendment Rejected - Senate (28 - 69) |
Oct. 16, 2013 | National | HR 2775 | Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 | Bill Passed - Senate (81 - 18) |
May 6, 2013 | National | S 743 | Marketplace Fairness Act of 2013 | Bill Passed - Senate (69 - 27) |
April 25, 2013 | National | S 743 | Marketplace Fairness Act of 2013 | Cloture Invoked - Senate (63 - 30) |
April 17, 2013 | National | S Amdt 719 | Authorizes Reciprocity for the Carrying of Certain Concealed Firearms | Amendment Rejected - Senate (57 - 43) |
March 8, 2012 | National | S Amdt 1537 | Approving the Keystone XL Pipeline Project | Amendment Rejected - Senate (56 - 42) |
Nov. 10, 2011 | National | S J Res 27 | Disapproval of EPA Cross-Border Pollution Rule | Motion Rejected - Senate (41 - 56) |
May 18, 2010 | National | S Amdt 4034 | Federal Preemption Over State Consumer Financial Laws | Amendment Rejected - Senate (43 - 55) |
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 4051 | Prohibiting Funding of State and Local Governments to Prevent Defaulting on Debt | Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 50) |
Dec. 24, 2009 | National | HR 3590 | Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act | Bill Passed - Senate (60 - 39) |
Dec. 23, 2009 | National | HR 3590 | Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act | Cloture Invoked - Senate (60 - 39) |
July 22, 2009 | National | S Amdt 1618 | Authorizing Concealed Firearms Across State Lines | Amendment Rejected - Senate (58 - 39) |
Feb. 26, 2009 | National | S 160 | Washington DC Voting Act | Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 37) |
July 26, 2007 | National | S Amdt 2405 | REAL ID Funding | Amendment Tabled - Senate (50 - 44) |
July 14, 2004 | National | S J Res 40 | Federal Marriage Amendment | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (48 - 50) |
Oct. 16, 2002 | National | HR 3295 | Help America Vote Act of 2002 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (92 - 2) |
June 11, 2002 | National | S 625 | Hate Crimes Bill | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (54 - 43) |
April 11, 2002 | National | S 565 | Equal Protection of Voting Rights Act of 2001 | Bill Passed - Senate (99 - 1) |
June 20, 2000 | National | S Amdt 3473 | Hate Crimes Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (57 - 42) |
Nov. 2, 1999 | National | HR 3064 | DC/Labor/HHS/Education FY 2000 Appropriations bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (49 - 48) |
Oct. 8, 1998 | National | S 442 | Internet Tax Freedom bill | Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 2) |
May 22, 1998 | National | HR 2400 | Transportation Reauthorization bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (88 - 5) |
May 5, 1998 | National | HR 1385 | Training Programs bill | Bill Passed - Senate (91 - 7) |
April 1, 1998 | National | S Amdt 2175 | School Modernization Amendment | Amendment Tabled - Senate (54 - 46) |
March 4, 1998 | National | S Amdt 1682 | Blood Alcohol Content Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (62 - 32) |
May 23, 1997 | National | S Amdt 357 | Violent Crime Victims Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (51 - 49) |
Sept. 10, 1996 | National | HR 3396 | Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) | Bill Passed - Senate (85 - 14) |
Aug. 2, 1996 | National | S 1316 | Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments of 1995 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (98 - 0) |
Dec. 22, 1995 | National | HR 4 | Welfare Reform Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (52 - 47) |
Sept. 19, 1995 | National | HR 4 | Welfare Reform Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (87 - 12) |
June 21, 1995 | National | S Amdt 1446 | Drinking and Driving Minors Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (64 - 36) |
Sept. 21, 1994 | National | HR 4649 | District of Columbia FY95 Appropriations Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (71 - 27) |
July 27, 1994 | National | S Amdt 2416 | Voluntary Prayer Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 53) |
July 21, 1994 | National | HR 4649 | District of Columbia FY95 Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (68 - 32) |
July 27, 1993 | National | HR 2492 | District of Columbia Fiscal Year 1994 Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (70 - 29) |