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 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Jan. 28, 2010 | National | PN 959 | Ben S. Bernanke, Federal Reserve Chairman | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (70 - 30) |
Sept. 28, 2010 | National | S 3816 | Tax Law Amendments | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 45) |
Feb. 22, 2010 | National | HR 2847 | Employment, Infrastructure, and Transportation Appropriations and Tax Credits ("Senate Jobs Bill") | Cloture Invoked - Senate (62 - 30) |
July 29, 2010 | National | S Amdt 4519 | Small Business Lending Fund and Tax Law Amendments | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (58 - 42) |
May 6, 2010 | National | S Amdt 3826 | Consumer Financial Protection Division Within The FDIC | Amendment Rejected - Senate (38 - 61) |
Nov. 30, 2010 | National | S Amdt 4697 | Prohibiting Earmarks | Motion Rejected - Senate (39 - 56) |
June 9, 2010 | National | S Amdt 4326 | Requiring Reports on Foreign Holdings of U.S. Debt | Amendment Adopted - Senate (58 - 41) |
March 17, 2010 | National | HR 2847 | Employment, Infrastructure, and Transportation Appropriations and Tax Credits ("Senate Jobs Bill") | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (68 - 29) |
July 27, 2010 | National | HR 4899 | Fiscal Year 2009-2010 Supplemental Appropriations | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (308 - 114) |
Sept. 23, 2010 | National | HR 5297 | Small Business Lending Fund and Tax Law Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (237 - 187) |
March 21, 2010 | National | HR 3590 | Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (219 - 212) |
March 25, 2010 | National | HR 4872 | Health Care Reconciliation Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (220 - 207) |
Dec. 2, 2010 | National | HR 4853 | Temporary Extension of Tax Relief | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (234 - 188) |
March 4, 2010 | National | HR 2847 | Employment, Infrastructure, and Transportation Appropriations and Tax Credits ("Senate Jobs Bill") | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (217 - 201) |
May 27, 2010 | National | HR 4899 | Fiscal Year 2009-2010 Supplemental Appropriations | Bill Passed - Senate (67 - 28) |
March 25, 2010 | National | HR 4872 | Health Care Reconciliation Act | Bill Passed - Senate (56 - 43) |
Sept. 16, 2010 | National | HR 5297 | Small Business Lending Fund and Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 38) |
Sept. 29, 2010 | National | HR 3081 | Continuing Appropriations | Bill Passed - Senate (69 - 30) |
March 21, 2010 | National | HR 4872 | Health Care Reconciliation Act | Bill Passed - House (220 - 211) |
July 30, 2010 | National | HR 5982 | Tax Law Amendments | Bill Failed - House (241 - 154) |
June 17, 2010 | National | HR 5297 | Small Business Lending Fund and Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (241 - 182) |
July 22, 2010 | National | HR 4213 | Unemployment Benefits Extension | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (272 - 152) |
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) |
Dec. 21, 2010 | National | HR 3082 | Continuing Appropriations | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (193 - 165) |
Dec. 17, 2010 | National | HR 4853 | Temporary Extension of Tax Relief | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (277 - 148) |
Dec. 15, 2010 | National | HR 4853 | Temporary Extension of Tax Relief | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (81 - 19) |
Dec. 21, 2010 | National | HR 3082 | Continuing Appropriations | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (79 - 16) |
Feb. 4, 2010 | National | H J Res 45 | Reinstating PAYGO Budget Rule | Motion Agreed - House (233 - 187) |
May 28, 2010 | National | HR 4213 | Unemployment Benefits Extension and Tax Law Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (215 - 204) |
May 18, 2010 | National | S Amdt 4051 | Prohibiting Funding of State and Local Governments to Prevent Defaulting on Debt | Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 50) |
Sept. 29, 2010 | National | S Amdt 4676 | Reducing "Continuing Appropriation" Amounts by 5 Percent | Amendment Rejected - Senate (48 - 51) |
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) |
Jan. 28, 2010 | National | H J Res 45 | Increasing the Public Debt Limit and Reinstating PAYGO | Bill Passed - Senate (60 - 39) |
June 9, 2010 | National | S Amdt 4302 | Requiring Reports on Foreign Holdings of U.S. Debt | Amendment Not Tabled - Senate (38 - 61) |
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) |
Dec. 16, 2010 | National | H Amdt 786 | Amending the Estate Tax | Amendment Rejected - House (194 - 233) |
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) |
Sept. 30, 2010 | National | HR 3081 | Continuing Appropriations | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (228 - 194) |
July 1, 2010 | National | HR 4899 | Limiting Afghanistan Military Funding to Withdrawal and Other Specified Purposes | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (239 - 182) |
Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|
1/28 | PN 959 | Ben S. Bernanke, Federal Reserve Chairman | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (70 - 30) |
9/28 | S 3816 | Tax Law Amendments | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 45) |
2/22 | HR 2847 | Employment, Infrastructure, and Transportation Appropriations and Tax Credits ("Senate Jobs Bill") | Cloture Invoked - Senate (62 - 30) |
7/29 | S Amdt 4519 | Small Business Lending Fund and Tax Law Amendments | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (58 - 42) |
5/06 | S Amdt 3826 | Consumer Financial Protection Division Within The FDIC | Amendment Rejected - Senate (38 - 61) |
11/30 | S Amdt 4697 | Prohibiting Earmarks | Motion Rejected - Senate (39 - 56) |
6/09 | S Amdt 4326 | Requiring Reports on Foreign Holdings of U.S. Debt | Amendment Adopted - Senate (58 - 41) |
3/17 | HR 2847 | Employment, Infrastructure, and Transportation Appropriations and Tax Credits ("Senate Jobs Bill") | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (68 - 29) |
7/27 | HR 4899 | Fiscal Year 2009-2010 Supplemental Appropriations | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (308 - 114) |
9/23 | HR 5297 | Small Business Lending Fund and Tax Law Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (237 - 187) |
3/21 | HR 3590 | Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (219 - 212) |
3/25 | HR 4872 | Health Care Reconciliation Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (220 - 207) |
12/02 | HR 4853 | Temporary Extension of Tax Relief | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (234 - 188) |
3/04 | HR 2847 | Employment, Infrastructure, and Transportation Appropriations and Tax Credits ("Senate Jobs Bill") | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (217 - 201) |
5/27 | HR 4899 | Fiscal Year 2009-2010 Supplemental Appropriations | Bill Passed - Senate (67 - 28) |
3/25 | HR 4872 | Health Care Reconciliation Act | Bill Passed - Senate (56 - 43) |
9/16 | HR 5297 | Small Business Lending Fund and Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 38) |
9/29 | HR 3081 | Continuing Appropriations | Bill Passed - Senate (69 - 30) |
3/21 | HR 4872 | Health Care Reconciliation Act | Bill Passed - House (220 - 211) |
7/30 | HR 5982 | Tax Law Amendments | Bill Failed - House (241 - 154) |
6/17 | HR 5297 | Small Business Lending Fund and Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (241 - 182) |
7/22 | HR 4213 | Unemployment Benefits Extension | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (272 - 152) |
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) |
12/21 | HR 3082 | Continuing Appropriations | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (193 - 165) |
12/17 | HR 4853 | Temporary Extension of Tax Relief | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (277 - 148) |
12/15 | HR 4853 | Temporary Extension of Tax Relief | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (81 - 19) |
12/21 | HR 3082 | Continuing Appropriations | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (79 - 16) |
2/04 | H J Res 45 | Reinstating PAYGO Budget Rule | Motion Agreed - House (233 - 187) |
5/28 | HR 4213 | Unemployment Benefits Extension and Tax Law Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (215 - 204) |
5/18 | S Amdt 4051 | Prohibiting Funding of State and Local Governments to Prevent Defaulting on Debt | Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 50) |
9/29 | S Amdt 4676 | Reducing "Continuing Appropriation" Amounts by 5 Percent | Amendment Rejected - Senate (48 - 51) |
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) |
1/28 | H J Res 45 | Increasing the Public Debt Limit and Reinstating PAYGO | Bill Passed - Senate (60 - 39) |
6/09 | S Amdt 4302 | Requiring Reports on Foreign Holdings of U.S. Debt | Amendment Not Tabled - Senate (38 - 61) |
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) |
12/16 | H Amdt 786 | Amending the Estate Tax | Amendment Rejected - House (194 - 233) |
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) |
9/30 | HR 3081 | Continuing Appropriations | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (228 - 194) |
7/01 | HR 4899 | Limiting Afghanistan Military Funding to Withdrawal and Other Specified Purposes | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (239 - 182) |