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) |
Dec. 20, 1995 | National | HR 1058 | Legal Reform bill | Veto Override Passed - House (319 - 100) |
Jan. 28, 2010 | National | PN 959 | Ben S. Bernanke, Federal Reserve Chairman | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (70 - 30) |
July 29, 2010 | National | S Amdt 4519 | Small Business Lending Fund and Tax Law Amendments | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (58 - 42) |
June 25, 2008 | National | S Amdt 4983 | Housing Foreclosure Assistance Programs | Amendment Adopted - Senate (79 - 16) |
May 13, 1998 | National | H Amdt 621 | Enhance Banking Flexibility Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (140 - 281) |
March 14, 2006 | National | S Amdt 3013 | Reinstate Pay-As-You-Go through 2011 Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (50 - 50) |
May 6, 2010 | National | S Amdt 3826 | Consumer Financial Protection Division Within The FDIC | Amendment Rejected - Senate (38 - 61) |
May 11, 2010 | National | S Amdt 3938 | Study on Ending the Conservatorships of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac | Amendment Adopted - Senate (63 - 36) |
May 19, 2010 | National | S Amdt 3746 | Allowing States to Limit Credit Card Interest Rates | Amendment Rejected - Senate (35 - 60) |
Dec. 6, 1995 | National | HR 1058 | Legal Reform bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (320 - 102) |
Nov. 20, 1993 | National | S 714 | Resolution Trust Corporation Completion Act | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (54 - 45) |
June 30, 2010 | National | HR 4173 | Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act | Conference Report Adopted - House (237 - 192) |
July 15, 2010 | National | HR 4173 | Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (60 - 39) |
Oct. 13, 1998 | National | S 1260 | Securities Litigation | Conference Report Adopted - House (319 - 82) |
Dec. 5, 1995 | National | HR 1058 | Legal Reform bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (65 - 30) |
Nov. 23, 1993 | National | S 714 | Resolution Trust Corporation Completion Act | Conference Report Adopted - House (235 - 191) |
Sept. 23, 2010 | National | HR 5297 | Small Business Lending Fund and Tax Law Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (237 - 187) |
Sept. 29, 2008 | National | HR 3997 | Financial Asset Purchase Authority | Concurrence Vote Failed - House (205 - 228) |
Feb. 24, 2010 | National | HR 2847 | Employment, Infrastructure, and Transportation Appropriations and Tax Credits ("Senate Jobs Bill") | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (70 - 28) |
Sept. 16, 2010 | National | HR 5297 | Small Business Lending Fund and Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 38) |
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) |
Feb. 2, 2000 | National | HR 833 | Bankruptcy Reform bill | Bill Passed - Senate (83 - 14) |
May 13, 1998 | National | S 1260 | Securities Litigation | Bill Passed - Senate (79 - 21) |
Oct. 1, 2008 | National | HR 1424 | Financial Asset Purchase Authority and Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (74 - 25) |
Jan. 22, 2009 | National | H J Res 3 | Releasing Funds for Economic Stabilization Act | Joint Resolution Passed - House (270 - 155) |
July 15, 2002 | National | S 2673 | Accounting Industry Reform bill | Bill Passed - Senate (97 - 0) |
May 13, 1998 | National | HR 10 | Financial Services Act of 1998 | Bill Passed - House (214 - 213) |
July 1, 1999 | National | HR 10 | Financial Modernization bill | Bill Passed - House (343 - 86) |
May 5, 1999 | National | HR 833 | Bankruptcy Reform bill | Bill Passed - House (313 - 108) |
March 8, 1995 | National | HR 1058 | Legal Reform bill | Bill Passed - House (325 - 99) |
May 13, 1993 | National | S 714 | Resolution Trust Corporation Completion Act | Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 35) |
Jan. 28, 2004 | National | S 1920 | Farmer Bankruptcy Bill | Bill Passed - House (265 - 99) |
Nov. 15, 2007 | National | HR 3915 | Mortgage Reform and Anti-Subprime Lending Act | Bill Passed - House (291 - 127) |
Jan. 15, 2009 | National | S J Res 5 | Releasing Funds for Economic Stabilization Act | Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (42 - 52) |
Sept. 23, 2008 | National | HR 5244 | Credit Card Regulations | Bill Passed - House (312 - 112) |
June 26, 2008 | National | HR 6377 | Energy Futures Trading | Bill Passed - House (402 - 19) |
March 5, 2009 | National | HR 1106 | Mortgage Restructuring In Bankruptcy | Bill Passed - House (234 - 191) |
Jan. 21, 2009 | National | HR 384 | Oversight of the Troubled Asset Relief Program | Bill Passed - House (260 - 166) |
March 18, 2004 | National | HR 1375 | Financial Services Regulatory Relief Act of 2004 | Bill Passed - House (392 - 25) |
June 17, 2010 | National | HR 5297 | Small Business Lending Fund and Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (241 - 182) |
Sept. 16, 2010 | National | HR 4785 | Authorizing Loans for Energy Efficiency Purposes | Bill Passed - House (240 - 172) |
March 10, 2005 | National | S 256 | Bankruptcy Reform Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (74 - 25) |
April 14, 2005 | National | S 256 | Bankruptcy Reform Bill | Bill Passed - House (302 - 126) |
Dec. 11, 2009 | National | HR 4173 | Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act | Bill Passed - House (223 - 202) |
July 12, 2006 | National | HR 2990 | Credit Rating Agency Duopoly Relief Act | Bill Passed - House (255 - 166) |
Jan. 10, 2024 | National | S J Res 32 | A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection relating to "Small Business Lending Under the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (Regulation B)". | Veto Override Failed - Senate (54 - 45) |
June 26, 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" | Veto Override Failed - House (238 - 173) |
June 29, 2016 | National | S 2328 | Puerto Rico Oversight, Management, and Economic Stability Act (PROMESA) | Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (68 - 30) |
Dec. 11, 2018 | National | PN 1803 | Nomination of Justin George Muzinich to be Deputy Director of the Department of the Treasury | (55 - 44) |
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) |
Feb. 9, 2012 | National | S 2038 | Prohibits Insider Trading by Government Officials | Bill Passed - House (417 - 2) |
July 24, 2013 | National | HR 1911 | Bipartisan Student Loan Certainty Act of 2013 | Bill Passed - Senate (81 - 18) |
Jan. 14, 2015 | National | HR 37 | Promoting Job Creation and Reducing Small Business Burdens Act | Bill Passed - House (271 - 154) |
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) |
Sept. 18, 2014 | National | H J Res 124 | Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2015 | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (78 - 22) |
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) |
Dec. 1, 2023 | National | S J Res 32 | A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection relating to "Small Business Lending Under the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (Regulation B)". | Joint Resolution Passed - House (221 - 202) |
June 24, 2021 | National | S J Res 15 | A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Office of the Comptroller of Currency relating to "National Banks and Federal Savings Associations as Lenders". | Joint Resolution Passed - House (218 - 208) |
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 22, 2018 | National | S 2155 | Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act | Bill Passed - House (258 - 159) |
Sept. 21, 2022 | National | S 1098 | Joint Consolidation Loan Separation Act | Bill Passed - House (232 - 193) |
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) |
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) |
March 20, 2012 | National | S Amdt 1836 | Reauthorizing the Export-Import Bank of the United States | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (55 - 44) |
May 18, 2010 | National | S Amdt 4114 | Credit Default Swap Regulations | Amendment Tabled - Senate (57 - 38) |
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) |
June 11, 2014 | National | S 2432 | Bank on Students Emergency Loan Refinancing Act | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (56 - 38) |
Jan. 12, 2016 | National | S 2232 | Federal Reserve Transparency Act of 2015 | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 44) |
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) |
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) |
May 12, 2010 | National | S Amdt 3955 | Establishing New Mortgage Underwriting Requirements and Eliminating a Risk Retention Requirement | Amendment Rejected - Senate (42 - 57) |
May 11, 2010 | National | S Amdt 3760 | Federal Reserve Audit | Amendment Rejected - Senate (37 - 62) |
July 24, 2013 | National | S Amdt 1778 | Limits Interest Rates for Certain Federal Student Loans | Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 53) |
May 13, 2010 | National | S Amdt 3991 | Credit Rating Agency Board | Amendment Adopted - Senate (64 - 35) |
July 16, 2014 | National | H Amdt 1098 | Prohibits District of Columbia from Implementing Certain Firearm Laws | Amendment Adopted - House (241 - 181) |
July 16, 2014 | National | H Amdt 1093 | Prohibits Federal Communications Commission (FCC) from Preventing States from Implementing Broadband Internet Access Service Laws | Amendment Adopted - House (223 - 200) |
July 16, 2014 | National | H Amdt 1086 | Prohibits States from Penalizing a Bank for Providing Financial Services to Marijuana Businesses | Amendment Adopted - House (231 - 192) |
July 16, 2014 | National | H Amdt 1083 | Prohibits Federal Agencies from Paying Federal Employees Certain Pay Rates | Amendment Rejected - House (193 - 230) |
July 16, 2014 | National | H Amdt 1079 | Prohibits the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) from Providing Bonuses to Employees | Amendment Adopted - House (282 - 138) |
May 12, 2010 | National | S Amdt 3962 | Home Loan Regulation Modifications | Amendment Adopted - Senate (63 - 36) |
May 12, 2010 | National | S Amdt 3816 | Derivatives Regulation Modifications | Amendment Rejected - Senate (39 - 59) |
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 4034 | Federal Preemption Over State Consumer Financial Laws | Amendment Rejected - Senate (43 - 55) |
May 18, 2010 | National | S Amdt 4072 | Inspector General Appointment Modification | Amendment Adopted - Senate (75 - 21) |
May 13, 2010 | National | S Amdt 3989 | Debit Card Fee Regulations | Amendment Adopted - Senate (64 - 33) |
May 13, 2010 | National | S Amdt 3832 | Establishing Bankruptcy Process for Non-bank Financial Institutions | Amendment Rejected - Senate (42 - 58) |
May 13, 2010 | National | S Amdt 3987 | Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection Termination | Amendment Rejected - Senate (40 - 55) |
March 8, 2024 | National | HR 2799 | Expanding Access to Capital Act of 2023 | Bill Passed - House (212 - 205) |
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) |
May 17, 2013 | National | HR 1062 | SEC Regulatory Accountability Act | Bill Passed - House (235 - 161) |
July 16, 2014 | National | HR 5016 | Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act, 2015 | Bill Passed - House (228 - 195) |
Oct. 29, 2013 | National | HR 2374 | Retail Investor Protection Act | Bill Passed - House (254 - 166) |
Oct. 30, 2013 | National | HR 992 | Swaps Regulatory Improvement Act | Bill Passed - House (292 - 122) |
May 23, 2013 | National | HR 1911 | Smarter Solutions for Students Act | Bill Passed - House (221 - 198) |
Sept. 17, 2014 | National | H J Res 124 | Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2015 | Joint Resolution Passed - House (319 - 108) |
April 14, 2015 | National | HR 650 | Preserving Access to Manufactured Housing Act of 2015 | Bill Passed - House (263 - 162) |