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 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Sept. 21, 2022 | National | HR 8873 | Presidential Election Reform Act | Bill Passed - House (229 - 203) |
Sept. 11, 2014 | National | S J Res 19 | A Joint Resolution Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of the United States Relating to Contributions and Expenditures Intended to Affect Elections | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (54 - 42) |
Dec. 11, 2013 | National | HR 2019 | Kids First Research Act of 2013 | Bill Passed - House (295 - 103) |
July 17, 2012 | National | S 3369 | DISCLOSE Act | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 45) |
Jan. 26, 2011 | National | HR 359 | Abolishing Federal Financing of Presidential Election Campaigns | Bill Passed - House (239 - 160) |
Sept. 23, 2010 | National | S 3628 | Campaign Finance Disclosure Requirements | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (59 - 39) |
July 27, 2010 | National | S 3628 | Campaign Finance Disclosure Requirements | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (57 - 41) |
June 24, 2010 | National | HR 5175 | Campaign Finance Disclosure Requirements | Bill Passed - House (219 - 206) |
April 5, 2006 | National | HR 513 | 527 Reform Act of 2005 | Bill Passed - House (218 - 209) |
March 20, 2002 | National | HR 2356 | Campaign Reform Act of 2001 | Bill Passed - Senate (60 - 40) |
Feb. 14, 2002 | National | HR 2356 | Campaign Reform Act of 2001 | Bill Passed - House (240 - 189) |
April 2, 2001 | National | S 27 | Campaign Reform Act of 2001 | Bill Passed - Senate (59 - 41) |
March 26, 2001 | National | S Amdt 145 | Campaign Reform Act of 2001 Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (51 - 46) |
March 21, 2001 | National | S Amdt 134 | Campaign Reform Act - Union Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (69 - 31) |
March 20, 2001 | National | S Amdt 115 | Campaign Reform Act of 2001 Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (70 - 30) |
June 29, 2000 | National | HR 4762 | '527' Political Groups | Bill Passed - Senate (92 - 6) |
June 28, 2000 | National | HR 4762 | '527' Political Groups | Bill Passed - House (385 - 39) |
Sept. 14, 1999 | National | HR 417 | Campaign Finance Reform bill | Bill Passed - House (252 - 177) |
Aug. 6, 1998 | National | H Amdt 862 | Federal Campaign Finance Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (147 - 222) |
Aug. 6, 1998 | National | HR 2183 | Campaign Finance Reform bill | Bill Passed - House (252 - 179) |
Aug. 3, 1998 | National | H Amdt 690 | Shays Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (237 - 186) |
July 20, 1998 | National | H Amdt 716 | Noncitizen Campaign Contribution Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (267 - 131) |
June 17, 1998 | National | H Amdt 688 | Campaign Finance Reform Commission Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (156 - 201) |
March 30, 1998 | National | HR 3582 | Campaign Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1998 | Bill Passed - House (405 - 6) |
March 30, 1998 | National | HR 3581 | Campaign Finance Reform bill | Bill Failed - House (74 - 337) |
Feb. 26, 1998 | National | S Amdt 1646 | Campaign Finance Reform Amendment | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (51 - 48) |
July 25, 1996 | National | HR 3820 | Campaign Finance Reform | Bill Failed - House (162 - 259) |
June 25, 1996 | National | S 1219 | Campaign Finance Reform bill | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (54 - 46) |
Nov. 22, 1993 | National | HR 3 | Congressional Campaign Spending Limit and Election Reform Act of 1993 | Bill Passed - House (255 - 175) |
Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|
9/21 | HR 8873 | Presidential Election Reform Act | Bill Passed - House (229 - 203) |
9/11 | S J Res 19 | A Joint Resolution Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of the United States Relating to Contributions and Expenditures Intended to Affect Elections | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (54 - 42) |
12/11 | HR 2019 | Kids First Research Act of 2013 | Bill Passed - House (295 - 103) |
7/17 | S 3369 | DISCLOSE Act | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 45) |
1/26 | HR 359 | Abolishing Federal Financing of Presidential Election Campaigns | Bill Passed - House (239 - 160) |
9/23 | S 3628 | Campaign Finance Disclosure Requirements | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (59 - 39) |
7/27 | S 3628 | Campaign Finance Disclosure Requirements | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (57 - 41) |
6/24 | HR 5175 | Campaign Finance Disclosure Requirements | Bill Passed - House (219 - 206) |
4/05 | HR 513 | 527 Reform Act of 2005 | Bill Passed - House (218 - 209) |
3/20 | HR 2356 | Campaign Reform Act of 2001 | Bill Passed - Senate (60 - 40) |
2/14 | HR 2356 | Campaign Reform Act of 2001 | Bill Passed - House (240 - 189) |
4/02 | S 27 | Campaign Reform Act of 2001 | Bill Passed - Senate (59 - 41) |
3/26 | S Amdt 145 | Campaign Reform Act of 2001 Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (51 - 46) |
3/21 | S Amdt 134 | Campaign Reform Act - Union Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (69 - 31) |
3/20 | S Amdt 115 | Campaign Reform Act of 2001 Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (70 - 30) |
6/29 | HR 4762 | '527' Political Groups | Bill Passed - Senate (92 - 6) |
6/28 | HR 4762 | '527' Political Groups | Bill Passed - House (385 - 39) |
9/14 | HR 417 | Campaign Finance Reform bill | Bill Passed - House (252 - 177) |
8/06 | H Amdt 862 | Federal Campaign Finance Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (147 - 222) |
8/06 | HR 2183 | Campaign Finance Reform bill | Bill Passed - House (252 - 179) |
8/03 | H Amdt 690 | Shays Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (237 - 186) |
7/20 | H Amdt 716 | Noncitizen Campaign Contribution Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (267 - 131) |
6/17 | H Amdt 688 | Campaign Finance Reform Commission Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (156 - 201) |
3/30 | HR 3582 | Campaign Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1998 | Bill Passed - House (405 - 6) |
3/30 | HR 3581 | Campaign Finance Reform bill | Bill Failed - House (74 - 337) |
2/26 | S Amdt 1646 | Campaign Finance Reform Amendment | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (51 - 48) |
7/25 | HR 3820 | Campaign Finance Reform | Bill Failed - House (162 - 259) |
6/25 | S 1219 | Campaign Finance Reform bill | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (54 - 46) |
11/22 | HR 3 | Congressional Campaign Spending Limit and Election Reform Act of 1993 | Bill Passed - House (255 - 175) |