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, 2010 | National | Treaty Doc. 111-5 | Treaty with Russia to Reduce and Limit Offensive Arms | Treaty Ratification Passed - Senate (71 - 26) |
Dec. 21, 2010 | National | HR 3082 | Continuing Appropriations | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (79 - 16) |
Dec. 18, 2010 | National | HR 2965 | Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (65 - 31) |
Dec. 15, 2010 | National | HR 4853 | Temporary Extension of Tax Relief | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (81 - 19) |
Dec. 9, 2010 | National | HR 847 | 9/11 Health and Compensation Act | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (57 - 42) |
Dec. 8, 2010 | National | S 3985 | Emergency Senior Citizens Relief Act | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 45) |
Dec. 8, 2010 | National | S 3991 | Allowing Collective Bargaining for Public Safety Officers | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (55 - 43) |
Dec. 4, 2010 | National | S Amdt 4727 | Extension of Tax Cuts for Those Making Under $250,000 | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 36) |
Dec. 4, 2010 | National | S Amdt 4728 | Extension of Tax Cuts for Those Making Under $1 Million | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 37) |
Nov. 30, 2010 | National | S Amdt 4697 | Prohibiting Earmarks | Motion Rejected - Senate (39 - 56) |
Nov. 30, 2010 | National | S 510 | FDA Food Safety Modernization Act | Bill Passed - Senate (73 - 25) |
Nov. 17, 2010 | National | S 3772 | Paycheck Fairness Act | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (58 - 41) |
Sept. 29, 2010 | National | S J Res 39 | Disapproving Rule for "Grandfathered Health Plans" | Motion Rejected - Senate (40 - 59) |
Sept. 29, 2010 | National | HR 3081 | Continuing Appropriations | Bill Passed - Senate (69 - 30) |
Sept. 29, 2010 | National | S Amdt 4676 | Reducing "Continuing Appropriation" Amounts by 5 Percent | Amendment Rejected - Senate (48 - 51) |
Sept. 28, 2010 | National | S 3816 | Tax Law Amendments | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 45) |
Sept. 23, 2010 | National | S 3628 | Campaign Finance Disclosure Requirements | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (59 - 39) |
Sept. 21, 2010 | National | S 3454 | 2010-2011 Defense Authorizations | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (56 - 43) |
Sept. 16, 2010 | National | HR 5297 | Small Business Lending Fund and Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 38) |
Sept. 14, 2010 | National | S Amdt 4596 | Repealing Business Transaction Reporting Requirements | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (46 - 52) |
Sept. 14, 2010 | National | S Amdt 4595 | Business Transaction Reporting Requirement Amendments | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (56 - 42) |
Aug. 5, 2010 | National | HR 1586 | Aid To States for Medicaid, Teacher Employment, and Other Purposes | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (61 - 39) |
Aug. 5, 2010 | National | PN 1768 | Elena Kagan, Associate Justice | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (63 - 37) |
July 29, 2010 | National | S Amdt 4519 | Small Business Lending Fund and Tax Law Amendments | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (58 - 42) |
July 27, 2010 | National | S 3628 | Campaign Finance Disclosure Requirements | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (57 - 41) |
July 21, 2010 | National | HR 4213 | Unemployment Benefits Extension | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (59 - 39) |
July 20, 2010 | National | HR 4213 | Unemployment Benefits Extension | Cloture Invoked - Senate (60 - 40) |
July 15, 2010 | National | HR 4173 | Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (60 - 39) |
June 10, 2010 | National | S J Res 26 | Statement of Opposition to EPA Greenhouse Gas Rule | Motion Rejected - Senate (47 - 53) |
June 9, 2010 | National | S Amdt 4326 | Requiring Reports on Foreign Holdings of U.S. Debt | Amendment Adopted - Senate (58 - 41) |
June 9, 2010 | National | S Amdt 4302 | Requiring Reports on Foreign Holdings of U.S. Debt | Amendment Not Tabled - Senate (38 - 61) |
May 27, 2010 | National | S Amdt 4214 | National Guard Deployment on Southern U.S. Land Border | Motion Rejected - Senate (51 - 46) |
May 27, 2010 | National | S Amdt 4204 | Requiring Afghanistan Troop Redeployment Plan and Timetable | Amendment Rejected - Senate (18 - 80) |
May 27, 2010 | National | HR 4899 | Fiscal Year 2009-2010 Supplemental Appropriations | Bill Passed - Senate (67 - 28) |
May 20, 2010 | National | HR 4173 | Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act | Bill Passed - Senate (59 - 39) |
May 19, 2010 | National | S Amdt 3746 | Allowing States to Limit Credit Card Interest Rates | Amendment Rejected - Senate (35 - 60) |
May 18, 2010 | National | S Amdt 4114 | Credit Default Swap Regulations | Amendment Tabled - Senate (57 - 38) |
May 18, 2010 | National | S Amdt 4051 | Prohibiting Funding of State and Local Governments to Prevent Defaulting on Debt | Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 50) |
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 4072 | Inspector General Appointment Modification | Amendment Adopted - Senate (75 - 21) |
May 18, 2010 | National | S Amdt 4034 | Federal Preemption Over State Consumer Financial Laws | Amendment Rejected - Senate (43 - 55) |
May 13, 2010 | National | S Amdt 3991 | Credit Rating Agency Board | Amendment Adopted - Senate (64 - 35) |
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) |
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 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 3938 | Study on Ending the Conservatorships of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac | Amendment Adopted - Senate (63 - 36) |
May 11, 2010 | National | S Amdt 3760 | Federal Reserve Audit | Amendment Rejected - Senate (37 - 62) |
May 11, 2010 | National | S Amdt 3839 | Termination of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Conservatorships | Amendment Rejected - Senate (43 - 56) |
May 6, 2010 | National | S Amdt 3826 | Consumer Financial Protection Division Within The FDIC | Amendment Rejected - Senate (38 - 61) |
April 15, 2010 | National | HR 4851 | Unemployment Benefits Extension | Bill Passed - Senate (59 - 38) |
March 25, 2010 | National | HR 4872 | Health Care Reconciliation Act | Bill Passed - Senate (56 - 43) |
March 17, 2010 | National | HR 2847 | Employment, Infrastructure, and Transportation Appropriations and Tax Credits ("Senate Jobs Bill") | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (68 - 29) |
March 10, 2010 | National | HR 4213 | Extending Unemployment Benefits and Certain Tax Credits | Bill Passed - Senate (62 - 36) |
March 3, 2010 | National | S Amdt 3353 | Payment to Social Security Recipients | Motion Rejected - Senate (47 - 50) |
Feb. 24, 2010 | National | HR 2847 | Employment, Infrastructure, and Transportation Appropriations and Tax Credits ("Senate Jobs Bill") | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (70 - 28) |
Feb. 22, 2010 | National | HR 2847 | Employment, Infrastructure, and Transportation Appropriations and Tax Credits ("Senate Jobs Bill") | Cloture Invoked - Senate (62 - 30) |
Feb. 9, 2010 | National | PN 1351 | Craig Becker, Member of the National Labor Relations Board | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (52 - 33) |
Jan. 28, 2010 | National | PN 959 | Ben S. Bernanke, Federal Reserve Chairman | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (70 - 30) |
Jan. 28, 2010 | National | H J Res 45 | Increasing the Public Debt Limit and Reinstating PAYGO | Bill Passed - Senate (60 - 39) |
Jan. 26, 2010 | National | S Amdt 3302 | Establishing a Federal Budget Deficit Commission | Amendment Rejected - Senate (53 - 46) |
Jan. 21, 2010 | National | S Amdt 3301 | Ending the Troubled Asset Relief Program | Amendment Rejected - Senate (53 - 45) |
Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|
12/22 | Treaty Doc. 111-5 | Treaty with Russia to Reduce and Limit Offensive Arms | Treaty Ratification Passed - Senate (71 - 26) |
12/21 | HR 3082 | Continuing Appropriations | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (79 - 16) |
12/18 | HR 2965 | Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (65 - 31) |
12/15 | HR 4853 | Temporary Extension of Tax Relief | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (81 - 19) |
12/09 | HR 847 | 9/11 Health and Compensation Act | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (57 - 42) |
12/08 | S 3985 | Emergency Senior Citizens Relief Act | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 45) |
12/08 | S 3991 | Allowing Collective Bargaining for Public Safety Officers | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (55 - 43) |
12/04 | S Amdt 4727 | Extension of Tax Cuts for Those Making Under $250,000 | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 36) |
12/04 | S Amdt 4728 | Extension of Tax Cuts for Those Making Under $1 Million | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 37) |
11/30 | S Amdt 4697 | Prohibiting Earmarks | Motion Rejected - Senate (39 - 56) |
11/30 | S 510 | FDA Food Safety Modernization Act | Bill Passed - Senate (73 - 25) |
11/17 | S 3772 | Paycheck Fairness Act | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (58 - 41) |
9/29 | S J Res 39 | Disapproving Rule for "Grandfathered Health Plans" | Motion Rejected - Senate (40 - 59) |
9/29 | HR 3081 | Continuing Appropriations | Bill Passed - Senate (69 - 30) |
9/29 | S Amdt 4676 | Reducing "Continuing Appropriation" Amounts by 5 Percent | Amendment Rejected - Senate (48 - 51) |
9/28 | S 3816 | Tax Law Amendments | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 45) |
9/23 | S 3628 | Campaign Finance Disclosure Requirements | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (59 - 39) |
9/21 | S 3454 | 2010-2011 Defense Authorizations | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (56 - 43) |
9/16 | HR 5297 | Small Business Lending Fund and Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 38) |
9/14 | S Amdt 4596 | Repealing Business Transaction Reporting Requirements | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (46 - 52) |
9/14 | S Amdt 4595 | Business Transaction Reporting Requirement Amendments | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (56 - 42) |
8/05 | HR 1586 | Aid To States for Medicaid, Teacher Employment, and Other Purposes | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (61 - 39) |
8/05 | PN 1768 | Elena Kagan, Associate Justice | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (63 - 37) |
7/29 | S Amdt 4519 | Small Business Lending Fund and Tax Law Amendments | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (58 - 42) |
7/27 | S 3628 | Campaign Finance Disclosure Requirements | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (57 - 41) |
7/21 | HR 4213 | Unemployment Benefits Extension | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (59 - 39) |
7/20 | HR 4213 | Unemployment Benefits Extension | Cloture Invoked - Senate (60 - 40) |
7/15 | HR 4173 | Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (60 - 39) |
6/10 | S J Res 26 | Statement of Opposition to EPA Greenhouse Gas Rule | Motion Rejected - Senate (47 - 53) |
6/09 | S Amdt 4326 | Requiring Reports on Foreign Holdings of U.S. Debt | Amendment Adopted - Senate (58 - 41) |
6/09 | S Amdt 4302 | Requiring Reports on Foreign Holdings of U.S. Debt | Amendment Not Tabled - Senate (38 - 61) |
5/27 | S Amdt 4214 | National Guard Deployment on Southern U.S. Land Border | Motion Rejected - Senate (51 - 46) |
5/27 | S Amdt 4204 | Requiring Afghanistan Troop Redeployment Plan and Timetable | Amendment Rejected - Senate (18 - 80) |
5/27 | HR 4899 | Fiscal Year 2009-2010 Supplemental Appropriations | Bill Passed - Senate (67 - 28) |
5/20 | HR 4173 | Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act | Bill Passed - Senate (59 - 39) |
5/19 | S Amdt 3746 | Allowing States to Limit Credit Card Interest Rates | Amendment Rejected - Senate (35 - 60) |
5/18 | S Amdt 4114 | Credit Default Swap Regulations | Amendment Tabled - Senate (57 - 38) |
5/18 | S Amdt 4051 | Prohibiting Funding of State and Local Governments to Prevent Defaulting on Debt | Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 50) |
5/18 | S Amdt 4071 | Amending State Authority to Enforce Consumer Financial Regulations | Amendment Adopted - Senate (80 - 18) |
5/18 | S Amdt 4072 | Inspector General Appointment Modification | Amendment Adopted - Senate (75 - 21) |
5/18 | S Amdt 4034 | Federal Preemption Over State Consumer Financial Laws | Amendment Rejected - Senate (43 - 55) |
5/13 | S Amdt 3991 | Credit Rating Agency Board | Amendment Adopted - Senate (64 - 35) |
5/13 | S Amdt 3989 | Debit Card Fee Regulations | Amendment Adopted - Senate (64 - 33) |
5/13 | S Amdt 3832 | Establishing Bankruptcy Process for Non-bank Financial Institutions | Amendment Rejected - Senate (42 - 58) |
5/13 | S Amdt 3987 | Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection Termination | Amendment Rejected - Senate (40 - 55) |
5/12 | S Amdt 3962 | Home Loan Regulation Modifications | Amendment Adopted - Senate (63 - 36) |
5/12 | S Amdt 3816 | Derivatives Regulation Modifications | Amendment Rejected - Senate (39 - 59) |
5/12 | S Amdt 3955 | Establishing New Mortgage Underwriting Requirements and Eliminating a Risk Retention Requirement | Amendment Rejected - Senate (42 - 57) |
5/11 | S Amdt 3938 | Study on Ending the Conservatorships of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac | Amendment Adopted - Senate (63 - 36) |
5/11 | S Amdt 3760 | Federal Reserve Audit | Amendment Rejected - Senate (37 - 62) |
5/11 | S Amdt 3839 | Termination of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Conservatorships | Amendment Rejected - Senate (43 - 56) |
5/06 | S Amdt 3826 | Consumer Financial Protection Division Within The FDIC | Amendment Rejected - Senate (38 - 61) |
4/15 | HR 4851 | Unemployment Benefits Extension | Bill Passed - Senate (59 - 38) |
3/25 | HR 4872 | Health Care Reconciliation Act | Bill Passed - Senate (56 - 43) |
3/17 | HR 2847 | Employment, Infrastructure, and Transportation Appropriations and Tax Credits ("Senate Jobs Bill") | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (68 - 29) |
3/10 | HR 4213 | Extending Unemployment Benefits and Certain Tax Credits | Bill Passed - Senate (62 - 36) |
3/03 | S Amdt 3353 | Payment to Social Security Recipients | Motion Rejected - Senate (47 - 50) |
2/24 | HR 2847 | Employment, Infrastructure, and Transportation Appropriations and Tax Credits ("Senate Jobs Bill") | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (70 - 28) |
2/22 | HR 2847 | Employment, Infrastructure, and Transportation Appropriations and Tax Credits ("Senate Jobs Bill") | Cloture Invoked - Senate (62 - 30) |
2/09 | PN 1351 | Craig Becker, Member of the National Labor Relations Board | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (52 - 33) |
1/28 | PN 959 | Ben S. Bernanke, Federal Reserve Chairman | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (70 - 30) |
1/28 | H J Res 45 | Increasing the Public Debt Limit and Reinstating PAYGO | Bill Passed - Senate (60 - 39) |
1/26 | S Amdt 3302 | Establishing a Federal Budget Deficit Commission | Amendment Rejected - Senate (53 - 46) |
1/21 | S Amdt 3301 | Ending the Troubled Asset Relief Program | Amendment Rejected - Senate (53 - 45) |