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 |
---|---|---|---|---|
March 10, 2021 | National | PN 78-7 | Nomination of Merrick Garland as Attorney General | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (70 - 30) |
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) |
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 - Senate (97 - 1) |
Oct. 22, 2015 | National | S Amdt 2564 | Prohibits Liability Immunity for Corporations that Break User Agreements | Amendment Rejected - Senate (32 - 65) |
April 23, 2015 | National | PN 4 | Nomination of Loretta E. Lynch to be Attorney General | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (56 - 43) |
April 26, 2012 | National | S 1925 | Reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act | Bill Passed - Senate (68 - 31) |
Dec. 1, 2011 | National | S Amdt 1125 | Limits New Detention Rules to Prisoners Captured Outside the U.S. | Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 55) |
Dec. 1, 2011 | National | S Amdt 1126 | Prohibits Detention of U.S. Citizens Without Trial | Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 55) |
Dec. 1, 2011 | National | S Amdt 1274 | Authorizes Further Detention After Trial During Wartime | Amendment Rejected - Senate (41 - 59) |
Oct. 21, 2011 | National | S Amdt 753 | Prohibits the Use of Funds for Prosecution of Enemy Combatants in Civilian Courts | Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 52) |
Sept. 8, 2011 | National | HR 1249 | Patent Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (89 - 9) |
Nov. 17, 2010 | National | S 3772 | Paycheck Fairness Act | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (58 - 41) |
Oct. 6, 2009 | National | S Amdt 2588 | Prohibiting Federal Funding of Mandatory Arbitration Contracts | Amendment Adopted - Senate (68 - 30) |
Nov. 8, 2007 | National | PN 958 | Michael B. Mukasey, Attorney General | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (53 - 40) |
June 11, 2007 | National | S J Res 14 | Attorney General No Confidence Vote | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 38) |
March 20, 2007 | National | S 214 | United States Attorneys Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - Senate (94 - 2) |
Sept. 28, 2006 | National | S Amdt 5087 | Habeas Review Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (48 - 51) |
Sept. 28, 2006 | National | S 3930 | Military Commissions Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - Senate (65 - 34) |
Dec. 21, 2005 | National | HR 2863 | Defense Department FY2006 Appropriations Bill | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (56 - 44) |
Dec. 21, 2005 | National | HR 2863 | Defense Department FY2006 Appropriations Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (93 - 0) |
Nov. 15, 2005 | National | S Amdt 2523 | Judicial Review of Detainees Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (44 - 54) |
Nov. 15, 2005 | National | S Amdt 2524 | Guantanamo Bay Detainees Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (84 - 14) |
Nov. 10, 2005 | National | S Amdt 2516 | Detainees at Guantanamo Bay Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (49 - 42) |
Nov. 3, 2005 | National | S Amdt 2409 | Targeted Case Management Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 52) |
Nov. 3, 2005 | National | S Amdt 2400 | Alaska Judicial Review of Oil Revenue Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (48 - 51) |
Oct. 7, 2005 | National | HR 2863 | Defense Department FY2006 Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (97 - 0) |
March 8, 2005 | National | S Amdt 47 | Violent Protestor Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 53) |
April 22, 2004 | National | S 2329 | Victims' Rights Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 1) |
March 2, 2004 | National | S 1805 | Firearms Manufacturers Protection Bill | Bill Failed - Senate (8 - 90) |
Dec. 7, 2001 | National | S Amdt 2336 | International Courts Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (78 - 21) |
July 15, 1999 | National | S Amdt 1250 | Patient Lawsuit Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (53 - 47) |
Sept. 18, 1998 | National | HR 1122 | Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion bill | Veto Override Failed - Senate (64 - 36) |
May 13, 1998 | National | S 1260 | Securities Litigation | Bill Passed - Senate (79 - 21) |
March 31, 1998 | National | S Amdt 2168 | Tobacco Immunity Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (79 - 19) |
May 20, 1997 | National | HR 1122 | Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion bill | Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 36) |
March 21, 1996 | National | HR 956 | Product Liability bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (59 - 40) |
Dec. 22, 1995 | National | HR 1058 | Legal Reform bill | Veto Override Passed - Senate (68 - 30) |
Dec. 5, 1995 | National | HR 1058 | Legal Reform bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (65 - 30) |
June 28, 1995 | National | HR 1058 | Legal Reform bill | Bill Passed - Senate (69 - 30) |
May 10, 1995 | National | HR 956 | Product Liability bill | Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 37) |
June 29, 1994 | National | S 687 | Product Liability Bill | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (57 - 41) |
Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|
3/10 | PN 78-7 | Nomination of Merrick Garland as Attorney General | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (70 - 30) |
4/07 | PN 55 | Nomination of Neil M. Gorsuch to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States | (54 - 45) |
4/06 | 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) |
2/08 | PN 30 | Nomination of Jeff Sessions to be Attorney General | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (52 - 47) |
2/07 | PN 30 | Nomination of Jeff Sessions to be Attorney General | Cloture Invoked - Senate (52 - 47) |
9/28 | S 2040 | Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act | Veto Override Passed - Senate (97 - 1) |
10/22 | S Amdt 2564 | Prohibits Liability Immunity for Corporations that Break User Agreements | Amendment Rejected - Senate (32 - 65) |
4/23 | PN 4 | Nomination of Loretta E. Lynch to be Attorney General | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (56 - 43) |
4/26 | S 1925 | Reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act | Bill Passed - Senate (68 - 31) |
12/01 | S Amdt 1125 | Limits New Detention Rules to Prisoners Captured Outside the U.S. | Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 55) |
12/01 | S Amdt 1126 | Prohibits Detention of U.S. Citizens Without Trial | Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 55) |
12/01 | S Amdt 1274 | Authorizes Further Detention After Trial During Wartime | Amendment Rejected - Senate (41 - 59) |
10/21 | S Amdt 753 | Prohibits the Use of Funds for Prosecution of Enemy Combatants in Civilian Courts | Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 52) |
9/08 | HR 1249 | Patent Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (89 - 9) |
11/17 | S 3772 | Paycheck Fairness Act | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (58 - 41) |
10/06 | S Amdt 2588 | Prohibiting Federal Funding of Mandatory Arbitration Contracts | Amendment Adopted - Senate (68 - 30) |
11/08 | PN 958 | Michael B. Mukasey, Attorney General | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (53 - 40) |
6/11 | S J Res 14 | Attorney General No Confidence Vote | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 38) |
3/20 | S 214 | United States Attorneys Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - Senate (94 - 2) |
9/28 | S Amdt 5087 | Habeas Review Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (48 - 51) |
9/28 | S 3930 | Military Commissions Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - Senate (65 - 34) |
12/21 | HR 2863 | Defense Department FY2006 Appropriations Bill | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (56 - 44) |
12/21 | HR 2863 | Defense Department FY2006 Appropriations Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (93 - 0) |
11/15 | S Amdt 2523 | Judicial Review of Detainees Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (44 - 54) |
11/15 | S Amdt 2524 | Guantanamo Bay Detainees Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (84 - 14) |
11/10 | S Amdt 2516 | Detainees at Guantanamo Bay Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (49 - 42) |
11/03 | S Amdt 2409 | Targeted Case Management Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 52) |
11/03 | S Amdt 2400 | Alaska Judicial Review of Oil Revenue Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (48 - 51) |
10/07 | HR 2863 | Defense Department FY2006 Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (97 - 0) |
3/08 | S Amdt 47 | Violent Protestor Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 53) |
4/22 | S 2329 | Victims' Rights Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 1) |
3/02 | S 1805 | Firearms Manufacturers Protection Bill | Bill Failed - Senate (8 - 90) |
12/07 | S Amdt 2336 | International Courts Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (78 - 21) |
7/15 | S Amdt 1250 | Patient Lawsuit Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (53 - 47) |
9/18 | HR 1122 | Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion bill | Veto Override Failed - Senate (64 - 36) |
5/13 | S 1260 | Securities Litigation | Bill Passed - Senate (79 - 21) |
3/31 | S Amdt 2168 | Tobacco Immunity Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (79 - 19) |
5/20 | HR 1122 | Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion bill | Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 36) |
3/21 | HR 956 | Product Liability bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (59 - 40) |
12/22 | HR 1058 | Legal Reform bill | Veto Override Passed - Senate (68 - 30) |
12/05 | HR 1058 | Legal Reform bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (65 - 30) |
6/28 | HR 1058 | Legal Reform bill | Bill Passed - Senate (69 - 30) |
5/10 | HR 956 | Product Liability bill | Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 37) |
6/29 | S 687 | Product Liability Bill | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (57 - 41) |