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 |
---|---|---|---|---|
April 21, 2021 | National | HR 1573 | Access to Counsel Act of 2021 | Bill Passed - House (217 - 207) |
March 10, 2021 | National | PN 78-7 | Nomination of Merrick Garland as Attorney General | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (70 - 30) |
Sept. 16, 2020 | National | HR 2574 | Equity and Inclusion Enforcement Act of 2019 | Bill Passed - House (232 - 188) |
June 29, 2017 | National | HR 3003 | No Sanctuary for Criminals Act | Bill Passed - House (228 - 195) |
June 28, 2017 | National | HR 1215 | Protecting Access to Care Act of 2017 | Bill Passed - House (218 - 210) |
April 7, 2017 | National | PN 55 | Nomination of Neil M. Gorsuch to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States | (54 - 45) |
April 6, 2017 | National | PN 55 | Nomination of Neil M. Gorsuch to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States | Cloture Invoked - Senate (55 - 45) |
March 10, 2017 | National | HR 720 | Lawsuit Abuse Reduction Act of 2017 | Bill Passed - House (230 - 188) |
March 9, 2017 | National | HR 985 | Fairness in Class Action Litigation and Furthering Asbestos Claim Transparency Act of 2017 | Bill Passed - House (220 - 201) |
Feb. 8, 2017 | National | PN 30 | Nomination of Jeff Sessions to be Attorney General | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (52 - 47) |
Feb. 7, 2017 | National | PN 30 | Nomination of Jeff Sessions to be Attorney General | Cloture Invoked - Senate (52 - 47) |
Sept. 28, 2016 | National | S 2040 | Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act | Veto Override Passed - House (348 - 77) |
Sept. 28, 2016 | National | S 2040 | Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act | Veto Override Passed - Senate (97 - 1) |
March 17, 2016 | National | H Res 639 | Authorizing the Speaker to Appear as Amicus Curiae on Behalf of the House of Representatives in the Matter of United States, et al. v. Texas, et al., No. 15-674 | Resolution Passed - House (234 - 186) |
Jan. 8, 2016 | National | HR 1927 | Fairness in Class Action Litigation and Furthering Asbestos Claim Transparency Act of 2016 | Bill Passed - House (211 - 188) |
Oct. 22, 2015 | National | S Amdt 2564 | Prohibits Liability Immunity for Corporations that Break User Agreements | Amendment Rejected - Senate (32 - 65) |
Oct. 1, 2015 | National | HR 3457 | Justice for Victims of Iranian Terrorism Act | Bill Passed - House (251 - 173) |
April 23, 2015 | National | PN 4 | Nomination of Loretta E. Lynch to be Attorney General | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (56 - 43) |
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) |
Dec. 5, 2013 | National | H Amdt 524 | Limits Covered Customers to Businesses With Less Than $25 Million in Revenue | Amendment Rejected - House (144 - 266) |
Dec. 5, 2013 | National | H Amdt 521 | Authorizes Judicial Discretion in Awarding Legal Fees in Patent Lawsuits | Amendment Rejected - House (199 - 213) |
Dec. 5, 2013 | National | HR 3309 | Innovation Act | Bill Passed - House (325 - 91) |
Nov. 14, 2013 | National | HR 2655 | Lawsuit Abuse Reduction Act of 2013 | Bill Passed - House (228 - 195) |
Nov. 13, 2013 | National | HR 982 | Furthering Asbestos Claim Transparency (FACT) Act of 2013 | Bill Passed - House (221 - 199) |
Sept. 18, 2013 | National | H Amdt 463 | Amends the Definition of "Strategic and Critical Minerals" | Amendment Rejected - House (187 - 241) |