Key Votes

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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:

  1. The vote should be helpful in portraying how a member stands on a particular issue
  2. The vote should be clear for any person to understand
  3. The vote has received media attention
  4. The vote was passed or defeated by a very close margin
  5. Occasionally, if a specific bill is consistently inquired about on the Voter's Research Hotline, the vote will be added

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.


results per page:
Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
Dec. 24, 2009 National HR 3590 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Bill Passed - Senate (60 - 39)
Dec. 24, 2009 National HR 4314 Increasing the National Public Debt Limit Bill Passed - Senate (60 - 39)
Dec. 23, 2009 National HR 3590 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Cloture Invoked - Senate (60 - 39)
Dec. 23, 2009 National S Amdt 2786 Health Care and Insurance Law Amendments Amendment Adopted - Senate (60 - 39)
Dec. 22, 2009 National S Amdt 2786 Health Care and Insurance Law Amendments Cloture Invoked - Senate (60 - 39)
Dec. 22, 2009 National S Amdt 3276 Senate Health Care Bill Amendments Amendment Adopted - Senate (60 - 39)
Dec. 15, 2009 National S Amdt 2793 Authorizing Importation of Prescription Drugs Amendment Rejected - Senate (51 - 48)
Dec. 13, 2009 National HR 3288 2009-2010 Omnibus Appropriations Conference Report Adopted - Senate (57 - 35)
Dec. 8, 2009 National S Amdt 2962 Prohibiting Federally Funded Abortion Services Amendment Tabled - Senate (54 - 45)
Dec. 3, 2009 National S Amdt 2791 Preventive Services Coverage Requirements Amendment Adopted - Senate (61 - 39)
Nov. 19, 2009 National PN 187 David F. Hamilton, Seventh Circuit Judge Nomination Confirmed - Senate (59 - 39)
Oct. 29, 2009 National HR 2996 Continuing Appropriations Extension and 2009-2010 Department of Interior, Environmental Protection Agency, and Related Appropriations Conference Report Adopted - Senate (72 - 28)
Oct. 27, 2009 National HR 3548 Extending Federal Emergency Unemployment Benefits Cloture Invoked - Senate (87 - 13)
Oct. 22, 2009 National HR 2647 2009-2010 Defense Appropriations Conference Report Adopted - Senate (68 - 29)
Oct. 21, 2009 National S 1776 Eliminating Adjustments to Medicare Rates of Payment Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (47 - 53)
Oct. 20, 2009 National HR 2892 2009-2010 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Authorizations Conference Report Adopted - Senate (79 - 19)
Oct. 8, 2009 National HR 2997 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agency Appropriations Fiscal Year 2009-2010 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (76 - 22)
Oct. 6, 2009 National S Amdt 2588 Prohibiting Federal Funding of Mandatory Arbitration Contracts Amendment Adopted - Senate (68 - 30)
Oct. 1, 2009 National S Amdt 2575 U.S. Military Commanders to Testify Before Congress Amendment Rejected - Senate (40 - 59)
Sept. 30, 2009 National HR 2918 Continuing Appropriations Resolution and 2009-2010 Legislative Appropriations Conference Report Adopted - Senate (62 - 38)
Sept. 14, 2009 National S Amdt 2355 Prohibiting Funding for ACORN Amendment Adopted - Senate (83 - 7)
Aug. 6, 2009 National PN 506 Sonia Sotomayor, Associate Justice Nomination Confirmed - Senate (68 - 31)
Aug. 6, 2009 National HR 3435 Supplemental Appropriations for the "Cash for Clunkers" Program Bill Passed - Senate (60 - 37)
July 22, 2009 National S Amdt 1618 Authorizing Concealed Firearms Across State Lines Amendment Rejected - Senate (58 - 39)
July 21, 2009 National S Amdt 1469 Repealing Funding for F-22 Aircraft Procurement Amendment Adopted - Senate (58 - 40)
July 8, 2009 National S Amdt 1399 Requiring Completion of Reinforced Border Fencing Amendment Adopted - Senate (54 - 44)
June 11, 2009 National HR 1256 FDA Oversight of Tobacco Products Bill Passed - Senate (79 - 17)
May 12, 2009 National S Amdt 1067 Allowing Loaded Guns in National Parks Amendment Adopted - Senate (67 - 29)
April 29, 2009 National S Con Res 13 2010 Concurrent Budget Resolution Conference Report Adopted - Senate (53 - 43)
April 28, 2009 National PN 188 Kathleen Sebelius, Secretary of Health and Human Services Nomination Confirmed - Senate (65 - 31)
March 31, 2009 National S Amdt 739 Public Debt Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (43 - 54)
March 26, 2009 National HR 1388 National Volunteer Program Expansion Bill Passed - Senate (79 - 19)
March 19, 2009 National HR 146 Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 Bill Passed - Senate (77 - 20)
Feb. 26, 2009 National S 160 Washington DC Voting Act Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 37)
Feb. 13, 2009 National HR 1 Appropriations, Tax Law Amendments, and Unemployment Benefit Amendments ("Stimulus Bill") Conference Report Adopted - Senate (60 - 38)
Feb. 10, 2009 National HR 1 Appropriations, Tax Law Amendments, and Unemployment Benefit Amendments ("Stimulus Bill") Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 37)
Feb. 6, 2009 National S Amdt 538 Tax Credit Substitute Amendment Motion Rejected - Senate (35 - 61)
Feb. 4, 2009 National S Amdt 279 Removing the Buy American Clause Amendment Rejected - Senate (31 - 65)
Feb. 3, 2009 National S Amdt 109 Hollywood Productions Tax Credit Amendment Adopted - Senate (52 - 45)
Jan. 29, 2009 National HR 2 Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization and Expansion Bill Passed - Senate (66 - 32)
Jan. 26, 2009 National PN 64-6 Timothy Geithner, Secretary of the Treasury Nomination Confirmed - Senate (60 - 34)
Jan. 22, 2009 National S 181 Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009 Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 36)
Jan. 15, 2009 National S 22 Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 Bill Passed - Senate (73 - 21)
Jan. 15, 2009 National S J Res 5 Releasing Funds for Economic Stabilization Act Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (42 - 52)
Date No. Title Outcome
12/24 HR 3590 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Bill Passed - Senate (60 - 39)
12/24 HR 4314 Increasing the National Public Debt Limit Bill Passed - Senate (60 - 39)
12/23 HR 3590 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Cloture Invoked - Senate (60 - 39)
12/23 S Amdt 2786 Health Care and Insurance Law Amendments Amendment Adopted - Senate (60 - 39)
12/22 S Amdt 2786 Health Care and Insurance Law Amendments Cloture Invoked - Senate (60 - 39)
12/22 S Amdt 3276 Senate Health Care Bill Amendments Amendment Adopted - Senate (60 - 39)
12/15 S Amdt 2793 Authorizing Importation of Prescription Drugs Amendment Rejected - Senate (51 - 48)
12/13 HR 3288 2009-2010 Omnibus Appropriations Conference Report Adopted - Senate (57 - 35)
12/08 S Amdt 2962 Prohibiting Federally Funded Abortion Services Amendment Tabled - Senate (54 - 45)
12/03 S Amdt 2791 Preventive Services Coverage Requirements Amendment Adopted - Senate (61 - 39)
11/19 PN 187 David F. Hamilton, Seventh Circuit Judge Nomination Confirmed - Senate (59 - 39)
10/29 HR 2996 Continuing Appropriations Extension and 2009-2010 Department of Interior, Environmental Protection Agency, and Related Appropriations Conference Report Adopted - Senate (72 - 28)
10/27 HR 3548 Extending Federal Emergency Unemployment Benefits Cloture Invoked - Senate (87 - 13)
10/22 HR 2647 2009-2010 Defense Appropriations Conference Report Adopted - Senate (68 - 29)
10/21 S 1776 Eliminating Adjustments to Medicare Rates of Payment Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (47 - 53)
10/20 HR 2892 2009-2010 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Authorizations Conference Report Adopted - Senate (79 - 19)
10/08 HR 2997 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agency Appropriations Fiscal Year 2009-2010 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (76 - 22)
10/06 S Amdt 2588 Prohibiting Federal Funding of Mandatory Arbitration Contracts Amendment Adopted - Senate (68 - 30)
10/01 S Amdt 2575 U.S. Military Commanders to Testify Before Congress Amendment Rejected - Senate (40 - 59)
9/30 HR 2918 Continuing Appropriations Resolution and 2009-2010 Legislative Appropriations Conference Report Adopted - Senate (62 - 38)
9/14 S Amdt 2355 Prohibiting Funding for ACORN Amendment Adopted - Senate (83 - 7)
8/06 PN 506 Sonia Sotomayor, Associate Justice Nomination Confirmed - Senate (68 - 31)
8/06 HR 3435 Supplemental Appropriations for the "Cash for Clunkers" Program Bill Passed - Senate (60 - 37)
7/22 S Amdt 1618 Authorizing Concealed Firearms Across State Lines Amendment Rejected - Senate (58 - 39)
7/21 S Amdt 1469 Repealing Funding for F-22 Aircraft Procurement Amendment Adopted - Senate (58 - 40)
7/08 S Amdt 1399 Requiring Completion of Reinforced Border Fencing Amendment Adopted - Senate (54 - 44)
6/11 HR 1256 FDA Oversight of Tobacco Products Bill Passed - Senate (79 - 17)
5/12 S Amdt 1067 Allowing Loaded Guns in National Parks Amendment Adopted - Senate (67 - 29)
4/29 S Con Res 13 2010 Concurrent Budget Resolution Conference Report Adopted - Senate (53 - 43)
4/28 PN 188 Kathleen Sebelius, Secretary of Health and Human Services Nomination Confirmed - Senate (65 - 31)
3/31 S Amdt 739 Public Debt Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (43 - 54)
3/26 HR 1388 National Volunteer Program Expansion Bill Passed - Senate (79 - 19)
3/19 HR 146 Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 Bill Passed - Senate (77 - 20)
2/26 S 160 Washington DC Voting Act Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 37)
2/13 HR 1 Appropriations, Tax Law Amendments, and Unemployment Benefit Amendments ("Stimulus Bill") Conference Report Adopted - Senate (60 - 38)
2/10 HR 1 Appropriations, Tax Law Amendments, and Unemployment Benefit Amendments ("Stimulus Bill") Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 37)
2/06 S Amdt 538 Tax Credit Substitute Amendment Motion Rejected - Senate (35 - 61)
2/04 S Amdt 279 Removing the Buy American Clause Amendment Rejected - Senate (31 - 65)
2/03 S Amdt 109 Hollywood Productions Tax Credit Amendment Adopted - Senate (52 - 45)
1/29 HR 2 Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization and Expansion Bill Passed - Senate (66 - 32)
1/26 PN 64-6 Timothy Geithner, Secretary of the Treasury Nomination Confirmed - Senate (60 - 34)
1/22 S 181 Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009 Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 36)
1/15 S 22 Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 Bill Passed - Senate (73 - 21)
1/15 S J Res 5 Releasing Funds for Economic Stabilization Act Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (42 - 52)

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