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. 20, 2011 | National | HR 3630 | Temporary Payroll Tax Cut Extension | Nonconcurrence Vote Passed - House (229 - 193) |
Dec. 17, 2011 | National | HR 2055 | Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2012 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (67 - 32) |
Dec. 17, 2011 | National | S Amdt 1465 | Temporary Payroll Tax Cut Extension | Amendment Adopted - Senate (89 - 10) |
Dec. 16, 2011 | National | HR 2055 | Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2012 | Conference Report Adopted - House (296 - 121) |
Dec. 15, 2011 | National | HR 1540 | National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (86 - 13) |
Dec. 14, 2011 | National | HR 1540 | National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 | Conference Report Adopted - House (283 - 136) |
Dec. 14, 2011 | National | S J Res 10 | Proposing a Balanced Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution (Hatch Bill) | Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 53) |
Dec. 14, 2011 | National | S J Res 24 | Proposing a Balanced Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution (Udall Bill) | Amendment Rejected - Senate (21 - 79) |
Dec. 13, 2011 | National | HR 3630 | Reduces Payroll Taxes and Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - House (234 - 193) |
Dec. 8, 2011 | National | HR 1633 | Limits Regulation of Farm Dust | Bill Passed - House (268 - 150) |
Dec. 7, 2011 | National | HR 10 | Congressional Approval of Regulations | Bill Passed - House (241 - 184) |
Dec. 6, 2011 | National | PN 5 | Nomination of Caitlin Joan Halligan to the District of Columbia Circuit Court | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (54 - 45) |
Dec. 2, 2011 | National | HR 3010 | Establishes Additional Requirements for Regulatory Agencies | Bill Passed - House (253 - 167) |
Dec. 1, 2011 | National | S 1931 | Reduces Payroll Tax Rate | Motion Rejected - Senate (20 - 78) |
Dec. 1, 2011 | National | S Amdt 1274 | Authorizes Further Detention After Trial During Wartime | Amendment Rejected - Senate (41 - 59) |
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 1125 | Limits New Detention Rules to Prisoners Captured Outside the U.S. | Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 55) |
Dec. 1, 2011 | National | S 1917 | Extends Payroll Tax Cut and Establishes Tax on Income Over $1 Million | Motion Rejected - Senate (51 - 49) |
Dec. 1, 2011 | National | HR 527 | Increases Requirements for Agencies that Promulgate Regulations Affecting Small Businesses | Bill Passed - House (263 - 159) |
Dec. 1, 2011 | National | HR 3463 | Repeals Taxpayer Financing of Presidential Election Campaigns | Bill Passed - House (235 - 190) |
Nov. 30, 2011 | National | HR 3094 | Labor Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (235 - 188) |
Nov. 29, 2011 | National | S Amdt 1064 | Repeals Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq | Amendment Rejected - Senate (30 - 67) |
Nov. 29, 2011 | National | S Amdt 1107 | Removes Provisions Requiring Military Custody of al-Qaeda Suspects | Amendment Rejected - Senate (38 - 60) |
Nov. 29, 2011 | National | HR 3012 | Repeals Certain Green Cards Limitations | Bill Passed - House (389 - 15) |
Nov. 18, 2011 | National | H J Res 2 | Proposing a Balanced Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution | Joint Resolution Failed - House (261 - 165) |
Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|
12/20 | HR 3630 | Temporary Payroll Tax Cut Extension | Nonconcurrence Vote Passed - House (229 - 193) |
12/17 | HR 2055 | Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2012 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (67 - 32) |
12/17 | S Amdt 1465 | Temporary Payroll Tax Cut Extension | Amendment Adopted - Senate (89 - 10) |
12/16 | HR 2055 | Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2012 | Conference Report Adopted - House (296 - 121) |
12/15 | HR 1540 | National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (86 - 13) |
12/14 | HR 1540 | National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 | Conference Report Adopted - House (283 - 136) |
12/14 | S J Res 10 | Proposing a Balanced Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution (Hatch Bill) | Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 53) |
12/14 | S J Res 24 | Proposing a Balanced Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution (Udall Bill) | Amendment Rejected - Senate (21 - 79) |
12/13 | HR 3630 | Reduces Payroll Taxes and Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - House (234 - 193) |
12/08 | HR 1633 | Limits Regulation of Farm Dust | Bill Passed - House (268 - 150) |
12/07 | HR 10 | Congressional Approval of Regulations | Bill Passed - House (241 - 184) |
12/06 | PN 5 | Nomination of Caitlin Joan Halligan to the District of Columbia Circuit Court | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (54 - 45) |
12/02 | HR 3010 | Establishes Additional Requirements for Regulatory Agencies | Bill Passed - House (253 - 167) |
12/01 | S 1931 | Reduces Payroll Tax Rate | Motion Rejected - Senate (20 - 78) |
12/01 | S Amdt 1274 | Authorizes Further Detention After Trial During Wartime | Amendment Rejected - Senate (41 - 59) |
12/01 | S Amdt 1126 | Prohibits Detention of U.S. Citizens Without Trial | Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 55) |
12/01 | S Amdt 1125 | Limits New Detention Rules to Prisoners Captured Outside the U.S. | Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 55) |
12/01 | S 1917 | Extends Payroll Tax Cut and Establishes Tax on Income Over $1 Million | Motion Rejected - Senate (51 - 49) |
12/01 | HR 527 | Increases Requirements for Agencies that Promulgate Regulations Affecting Small Businesses | Bill Passed - House (263 - 159) |
12/01 | HR 3463 | Repeals Taxpayer Financing of Presidential Election Campaigns | Bill Passed - House (235 - 190) |
11/30 | HR 3094 | Labor Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (235 - 188) |
11/29 | S Amdt 1064 | Repeals Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq | Amendment Rejected - Senate (30 - 67) |
11/29 | S Amdt 1107 | Removes Provisions Requiring Military Custody of al-Qaeda Suspects | Amendment Rejected - Senate (38 - 60) |
11/29 | HR 3012 | Repeals Certain Green Cards Limitations | Bill Passed - House (389 - 15) |
11/18 | H J Res 2 | Proposing a Balanced Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution | Joint Resolution Failed - House (261 - 165) |