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
June 20, 2013 National HR 1947 Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 2013 Bill Failed - House (195 - 234)
June 19, 2013 National H Amdt 176 Restores $20.5 Billion in Appropriations for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Amendment Rejected - House (188 - 234)
June 18, 2013 National S Amdt 1197 Requires the Completion of the Fence Along the United States-Mexico Border Amendment Rejected - Senate (39 - 54)
June 18, 2013 National S Amdt 1228 Requires US-VISIT System to be Established at Every Port of Entry Amendment Rejected - Senate (36 - 58)
June 18, 2013 National HR 1797 Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act Bill Passed - House (228 - 196)
June 14, 2013 National HR 1960 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014 Bill Passed - House (315 - 108)
June 14, 2013 National H Amdt 167 Prohibits the Use of Funds for the Transfer or Release of Guantanamo Detainees to Yemen Amendment Adopted - House (236 - 188)
June 14, 2013 National HR 1960 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014 Motion Rejected - House (194 - 225)
June 14, 2013 National H Amdt 168 Establishes Framework for the Closing of the Detention Facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, by December 1, 2014 Amendment Rejected - House (174 - 249)
June 11, 2013 National S 744 Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act Cloture Invoked - Senate (82 - 15)
June 10, 2013 National S 954 Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act of 2013 Bill Passed - Senate (66 - 27)
June 6, 2013 National S 953 Student Loan Affordability Act Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (51 - 46)
June 6, 2013 National S 1003 Comprehensive Student Loan Protection Act Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (40 - 57)
June 6, 2013 National H Amdt 136 Prohibits the Enforcement of the Immigration Executive Order Amendment Adopted - House (224 - 201)
June 6, 2013 National HR 2217 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act of 2014 Bill Passed - House (245 - 182)
June 5, 2013 National H Amdt 121 Delays National Flood Insurance Premiums Increases Amendment Adopted - House (281 - 146)
June 4, 2013 National H Amdt 84 Authorizes Funds for the Construction of United States Prison for Prisoners from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba Amendment Rejected - House (170 - 254)
May 23, 2013 National S Amdt 953 Limits Subsidy Payments for Individuals with Incomes More Than $750,000 Amendment Adopted - Senate (59 - 33)
May 23, 2013 National S Amdt 923 Prohibits the Payment of the Premium for an Insurance Policy For Tobacco Amendment Rejected - Senate (44 - 52)
May 23, 2013 National HR 1911 Smarter Solutions for Students Act Bill Passed - House (221 - 198)
May 22, 2013 National H Amdt 67 Requires a Finding be Added Concerning Oil Sand Crudes Amendment Rejected - House (146 - 269)
May 22, 2013 National H Amdt 72 Increases Time to File a Claim Under the Northern Route Approval Act from 60 Days to 1 Year Amendment Rejected - House (182 - 234)
May 22, 2013 National H Amdt 75 Requires All Oil and Refined Fuels Transported Through the Keystone XL Pipeline to be Used Only in The United States Amendment Rejected - House (162 - 255)
May 22, 2013 National H Amdt 71 Repeals Requirement that Secretary of the Army Approve All Keystone XL Pipeline Permit Applications Amendment Rejected - House (182 - 234)
May 22, 2013 National H Amdt 69 Requires Threat Assessment of Pipeline Vulnerabilities to a Terrorist Attack Amendment Rejected - House (176 - 239)
Date No. Title Outcome
6/20 HR 1947 Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 2013 Bill Failed - House (195 - 234)
6/19 H Amdt 176 Restores $20.5 Billion in Appropriations for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Amendment Rejected - House (188 - 234)
6/18 S Amdt 1197 Requires the Completion of the Fence Along the United States-Mexico Border Amendment Rejected - Senate (39 - 54)
6/18 S Amdt 1228 Requires US-VISIT System to be Established at Every Port of Entry Amendment Rejected - Senate (36 - 58)
6/18 HR 1797 Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act Bill Passed - House (228 - 196)
6/14 HR 1960 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014 Bill Passed - House (315 - 108)
6/14 H Amdt 167 Prohibits the Use of Funds for the Transfer or Release of Guantanamo Detainees to Yemen Amendment Adopted - House (236 - 188)
6/14 HR 1960 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014 Motion Rejected - House (194 - 225)
6/14 H Amdt 168 Establishes Framework for the Closing of the Detention Facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, by December 1, 2014 Amendment Rejected - House (174 - 249)
6/11 S 744 Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act Cloture Invoked - Senate (82 - 15)
6/10 S 954 Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act of 2013 Bill Passed - Senate (66 - 27)
6/06 S 953 Student Loan Affordability Act Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (51 - 46)
6/06 S 1003 Comprehensive Student Loan Protection Act Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (40 - 57)
6/06 H Amdt 136 Prohibits the Enforcement of the Immigration Executive Order Amendment Adopted - House (224 - 201)
6/06 HR 2217 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act of 2014 Bill Passed - House (245 - 182)
6/05 H Amdt 121 Delays National Flood Insurance Premiums Increases Amendment Adopted - House (281 - 146)
6/04 H Amdt 84 Authorizes Funds for the Construction of United States Prison for Prisoners from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba Amendment Rejected - House (170 - 254)
5/23 S Amdt 953 Limits Subsidy Payments for Individuals with Incomes More Than $750,000 Amendment Adopted - Senate (59 - 33)
5/23 S Amdt 923 Prohibits the Payment of the Premium for an Insurance Policy For Tobacco Amendment Rejected - Senate (44 - 52)
5/23 HR 1911 Smarter Solutions for Students Act Bill Passed - House (221 - 198)
5/22 H Amdt 67 Requires a Finding be Added Concerning Oil Sand Crudes Amendment Rejected - House (146 - 269)
5/22 H Amdt 72 Increases Time to File a Claim Under the Northern Route Approval Act from 60 Days to 1 Year Amendment Rejected - House (182 - 234)
5/22 H Amdt 75 Requires All Oil and Refined Fuels Transported Through the Keystone XL Pipeline to be Used Only in The United States Amendment Rejected - House (162 - 255)
5/22 H Amdt 71 Repeals Requirement that Secretary of the Army Approve All Keystone XL Pipeline Permit Applications Amendment Rejected - House (182 - 234)
5/22 H Amdt 69 Requires Threat Assessment of Pipeline Vulnerabilities to a Terrorist Attack Amendment Rejected - House (176 - 239)

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