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. 20, 2012 National HR 4310 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 Conference Report Adopted - House (315 - 107)
Dec. 20, 2012 National HR 6684 Spending Reduction Act of 2012 Bill Passed - House (215 - 209)
Dec. 20, 2012 National HR 6684 Spending Reduction Act of 2012 Bill Passed - House (215 - 209)
Dec. 20, 2012 National HR 6684 Spending Reduction Act of 2012 Bill Passed - House (215 - 209)
Nov. 30, 2012 National HR 6429 STEM Jobs Act of 2012 Bill Passed - House (245 - 139)
Sept. 20, 2012 National HR 6429 STEM Jobs Act of 2012 Bill Failed - House (257 - 158)
Sept. 20, 2012 National H J Res 118 Congressional Disapproval of Department of Health and Human Services Rule to Waive Certain Requirements for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Program (TANF) Joint Resolution Passed - House (250 - 164)
Sept. 14, 2012 National HR 6213 No More Solyndras Act Bill Passed - House (245 - 161)
Sept. 14, 2012 National HR 6213 No More Solyndras Act Bill Passed - House (245 - 161)
July 31, 2012 National S 679 Presidential Appointment Efficiency and Streamlining Act of 2011 Bill Passed - House (261 - 116)
July 31, 2012 National S 679 Presidential Appointment Efficiency and Streamlining Act of 2011 Bill Passed - House (261 - 116)
July 31, 2012 National HR 828 Federal Employee Tax Accountability Act of 2012 Bill Passed - House (263 - 114)
July 31, 2012 National HR 828 Federal Employee Tax Accountability Act of 2012 Bill Passed - House (263 - 114)
July 26, 2012 National HR 4078 Red Tape Reduction and Small Business Job Creation Act Bill Passed - House (245 - 172)
July 26, 2012 National HR 4078 Red Tape Reduction and Small Business Job Creation Act Bill Passed - House (245 - 172)
July 19, 2012 National H Amdt 1416 Prohibits Use of Funds in Contravention of the Defense of Marriage Act Amendment Adopted - House (247 - 166)
July 19, 2012 National H Amdt 1416 Prohibits Use of Funds in Contravention of the Defense of Marriage Act Amendment Adopted - House (247 - 166)
June 19, 2012 National HR 2578 Conservation and Economic Growth Act Bill Passed - House (232 - 188)
May 31, 2012 National H Amdt 1160 Project Labor Agreements Amendment Adopted - House (218 - 198)
May 18, 2012 National HR 4310 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 Bill Passed - House (299 - 120)
May 17, 2012 National H Amdt 1103 Limits Funding for War in Afghanistan to the Withdrawal of U.S. Forces Amendment Rejected - House (113 - 303)
May 16, 2012 National HR 4970 Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2012 Bill Passed - House (222 - 205)
May 16, 2012 National HR 4970 Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2012 Bill Passed - House (222 - 205)
May 16, 2012 National HR 4970 Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2012 Bill Passed - House (222 - 205)
May 9, 2012 National H Amdt 1096 Prohibits Use of Funds in Contravention with the Defense of Marriage Act Amendment Adopted - House (245 - 171)
Feb. 17, 2012 National HR 3630 Extends Payroll Tax Cut Conference Report Adopted - House (293 - 132)
Feb. 9, 2012 National S 2038 Prohibits Insider Trading by Government Officials Bill Passed - House (417 - 2)
Feb. 9, 2012 National S 2038 Prohibits Insider Trading by Government Officials Bill Passed - House (417 - 2)
Feb. 9, 2012 National S 2038 Prohibits Insider Trading by Government Officials Bill Passed - House (417 - 2)
Feb. 8, 2012 National HR 3521 Authorizes the President to Line-Item Veto Certain Legislation Bill Passed - House (254 - 173)
Feb. 8, 2012 National HR 3521 Authorizes the President to Line-Item Veto Certain Legislation Bill Passed - House (254 - 173)
Feb. 3, 2012 National HR 658 Federal Aviation Administration Act of 2012 Conference Report Adopted - House (248 - 169)
Feb. 1, 2012 National HR 3835 Extends Pay Freeze for Congress and Non-Military Federal Workers Bill Passed - House (309 - 117)
Feb. 1, 2012 National HR 1173 Repeals the CLASS Act Bill Passed - House (267 - 159)
Jan. 18, 2012 National H J Res 98 Disapproval of President's Authority to Raise the Debt Limit Joint Resolution Passed - House (239 - 176)
Jan. 18, 2012 National H J Res 98 Disapproval of President's Authority to Raise the Debt Limit Joint Resolution Passed - House (239 - 176)
Date No. Title Outcome
12/20 HR 4310 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 Conference Report Adopted - House (315 - 107)
12/20 HR 6684 Spending Reduction Act of 2012 Bill Passed - House (215 - 209)
12/20 HR 6684 Spending Reduction Act of 2012 Bill Passed - House (215 - 209)
12/20 HR 6684 Spending Reduction Act of 2012 Bill Passed - House (215 - 209)
11/30 HR 6429 STEM Jobs Act of 2012 Bill Passed - House (245 - 139)
9/20 HR 6429 STEM Jobs Act of 2012 Bill Failed - House (257 - 158)
9/20 H J Res 118 Congressional Disapproval of Department of Health and Human Services Rule to Waive Certain Requirements for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Program (TANF) Joint Resolution Passed - House (250 - 164)
9/14 HR 6213 No More Solyndras Act Bill Passed - House (245 - 161)
9/14 HR 6213 No More Solyndras Act Bill Passed - House (245 - 161)
7/31 S 679 Presidential Appointment Efficiency and Streamlining Act of 2011 Bill Passed - House (261 - 116)
7/31 S 679 Presidential Appointment Efficiency and Streamlining Act of 2011 Bill Passed - House (261 - 116)
7/31 HR 828 Federal Employee Tax Accountability Act of 2012 Bill Passed - House (263 - 114)
7/31 HR 828 Federal Employee Tax Accountability Act of 2012 Bill Passed - House (263 - 114)
7/26 HR 4078 Red Tape Reduction and Small Business Job Creation Act Bill Passed - House (245 - 172)
7/26 HR 4078 Red Tape Reduction and Small Business Job Creation Act Bill Passed - House (245 - 172)
7/19 H Amdt 1416 Prohibits Use of Funds in Contravention of the Defense of Marriage Act Amendment Adopted - House (247 - 166)
7/19 H Amdt 1416 Prohibits Use of Funds in Contravention of the Defense of Marriage Act Amendment Adopted - House (247 - 166)
6/19 HR 2578 Conservation and Economic Growth Act Bill Passed - House (232 - 188)
5/31 H Amdt 1160 Project Labor Agreements Amendment Adopted - House (218 - 198)
5/18 HR 4310 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 Bill Passed - House (299 - 120)
5/17 H Amdt 1103 Limits Funding for War in Afghanistan to the Withdrawal of U.S. Forces Amendment Rejected - House (113 - 303)
5/16 HR 4970 Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2012 Bill Passed - House (222 - 205)
5/16 HR 4970 Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2012 Bill Passed - House (222 - 205)
5/16 HR 4970 Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2012 Bill Passed - House (222 - 205)
5/09 H Amdt 1096 Prohibits Use of Funds in Contravention with the Defense of Marriage Act Amendment Adopted - House (245 - 171)
2/17 HR 3630 Extends Payroll Tax Cut Conference Report Adopted - House (293 - 132)
2/09 S 2038 Prohibits Insider Trading by Government Officials Bill Passed - House (417 - 2)
2/09 S 2038 Prohibits Insider Trading by Government Officials Bill Passed - House (417 - 2)
2/09 S 2038 Prohibits Insider Trading by Government Officials Bill Passed - House (417 - 2)
2/08 HR 3521 Authorizes the President to Line-Item Veto Certain Legislation Bill Passed - House (254 - 173)
2/08 HR 3521 Authorizes the President to Line-Item Veto Certain Legislation Bill Passed - House (254 - 173)
2/03 HR 658 Federal Aviation Administration Act of 2012 Conference Report Adopted - House (248 - 169)
2/01 HR 3835 Extends Pay Freeze for Congress and Non-Military Federal Workers Bill Passed - House (309 - 117)
2/01 HR 1173 Repeals the CLASS Act Bill Passed - House (267 - 159)
1/18 H J Res 98 Disapproval of President's Authority to Raise the Debt Limit Joint Resolution Passed - House (239 - 176)
1/18 H J Res 98 Disapproval of President's Authority to Raise the Debt Limit Joint Resolution Passed - House (239 - 176)

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