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.


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Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
Dec. 21, 2012 National HR 4310 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (81 - 14)
Feb. 17, 2012 National HR 3630 Extends Payroll Tax Cut Conference Report Adopted - House (293 - 132)
Feb. 6, 2012 National HR 658 Federal Aviation Administration Act of 2012 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (75 - 20)
Dec. 20, 2012 National HR 4310 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 Conference Report Adopted - House (315 - 107)
Feb. 17, 2012 National HR 3630 Extends Payroll Tax Cut Conference Report Adopted - Senate (60 - 36)
Feb. 3, 2012 National HR 658 Federal Aviation Administration Act of 2012 Conference Report Adopted - House (248 - 169)
Feb. 9, 2012 National S 2038 Prohibits Insider Trading by Government Officials Bill Passed - House (417 - 2)
Dec. 28, 2012 National HR 5949 FISA Amendments Act Reauthorization Act of 2012 Bill Passed - Senate (73 - 23)
Nov. 30, 2012 National HR 6429 STEM Jobs Act of 2012 Bill Passed - House (245 - 139)
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. 2, 2012 National S Amdt 1491 Requires Disclosure of Financial Transactions by Executive Branch Employees Amendment Adopted - Senate (58 - 41)
July 12, 2012 National HR 4402 National Strategic and Critical Minerals Production Act of 2012 Bill Passed - House (256 - 160)
Feb. 2, 2012 National S 2038 Prohibits Insider Trading by Government Officials Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 3)
Nov. 29, 2012 National S Amdt 3245 Prohibits the Use of Funds for the Transfer or Release of Individuals Detained at Guantanamo Bay Amendment Adopted - Senate (54 - 41)
Feb. 3, 2012 National HR 3578 Amends Budget Baseline Bill Passed - House (235 - 177)
Nov. 28, 2012 National S Amdt 2985 Repeals the Limit on the Use of Funds to Procure Alternative Fuel Amendment Adopted - Senate (62 - 37)
Nov. 28, 2012 National S Amdt 3095 Repeals the Prohibition on Biofuel Refinery Construction Amendment Adopted - Senate (54 - 41)
Nov. 16, 2012 National HR 6156 Russia and Moldova Jackson-Vanik Repeal and Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act of 2012 Bill Passed - House (365 - 43)
Sept. 22, 2012 National H J Res 117 Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2013 Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (62 - 30)
Sept. 21, 2012 National HR 3409 Stop the War on Coal Act of 2012 Bill Passed - House (233 - 175)
Sept. 14, 2012 National HR 6213 No More Solyndras Act Bill Passed - House (245 - 161)
June 7, 2012 National HR 436 Repeals Excise Tax on Medical Devices Bill Passed - House (270 - 146)
Sept. 12, 2012 National HR 5949 FISA Amendments Act Reauthorization Act of 2012 Bill Passed - House (301 - 118)
Aug. 1, 2012 National HR 8 Job Protection and Recession Prevention Act of 2012 Bill Passed - House (256 - 171)
July 31, 2012 National S 679 Presidential Appointment Efficiency and Streamlining Act of 2011 Bill Passed - House (261 - 116)
Date No. Title Outcome
12/21 HR 4310 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (81 - 14)
2/17 HR 3630 Extends Payroll Tax Cut Conference Report Adopted - House (293 - 132)
2/06 HR 658 Federal Aviation Administration Act of 2012 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (75 - 20)
12/20 HR 4310 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 Conference Report Adopted - House (315 - 107)
2/17 HR 3630 Extends Payroll Tax Cut Conference Report Adopted - Senate (60 - 36)
2/03 HR 658 Federal Aviation Administration Act of 2012 Conference Report Adopted - House (248 - 169)
2/09 S 2038 Prohibits Insider Trading by Government Officials Bill Passed - House (417 - 2)
12/28 HR 5949 FISA Amendments Act Reauthorization Act of 2012 Bill Passed - Senate (73 - 23)
11/30 HR 6429 STEM Jobs Act of 2012 Bill Passed - House (245 - 139)
5/09 H Amdt 1096 Prohibits Use of Funds in Contravention with the Defense of Marriage Act Amendment Adopted - House (245 - 171)
2/02 S Amdt 1491 Requires Disclosure of Financial Transactions by Executive Branch Employees Amendment Adopted - Senate (58 - 41)
7/12 HR 4402 National Strategic and Critical Minerals Production Act of 2012 Bill Passed - House (256 - 160)
2/02 S 2038 Prohibits Insider Trading by Government Officials Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 3)
11/29 S Amdt 3245 Prohibits the Use of Funds for the Transfer or Release of Individuals Detained at Guantanamo Bay Amendment Adopted - Senate (54 - 41)
2/03 HR 3578 Amends Budget Baseline Bill Passed - House (235 - 177)
11/28 S Amdt 2985 Repeals the Limit on the Use of Funds to Procure Alternative Fuel Amendment Adopted - Senate (62 - 37)
11/28 S Amdt 3095 Repeals the Prohibition on Biofuel Refinery Construction Amendment Adopted - Senate (54 - 41)
11/16 HR 6156 Russia and Moldova Jackson-Vanik Repeal and Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act of 2012 Bill Passed - House (365 - 43)
9/22 H J Res 117 Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2013 Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (62 - 30)
9/21 HR 3409 Stop the War on Coal Act of 2012 Bill Passed - House (233 - 175)
9/14 HR 6213 No More Solyndras Act Bill Passed - House (245 - 161)
6/07 HR 436 Repeals Excise Tax on Medical Devices Bill Passed - House (270 - 146)
9/12 HR 5949 FISA Amendments Act Reauthorization Act of 2012 Bill Passed - House (301 - 118)
8/01 HR 8 Job Protection and Recession Prevention Act of 2012 Bill Passed - House (256 - 171)
7/31 S 679 Presidential Appointment Efficiency and Streamlining Act of 2011 Bill Passed - House (261 - 116)

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