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
June 5, 2013 National H Amdt 121 Delays National Flood Insurance Premiums Increases Amendment Adopted - House (281 - 146)
June 6, 2013 National H Amdt 136 Prohibits the Enforcement of the Immigration Executive Order Amendment Adopted - House (224 - 201)
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 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 19, 2013 National H Amdt 176 Restores $20.5 Billion in Appropriations for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Amendment Rejected - House (188 - 234)
June 20, 2013 National H Amdt 227 Amends the Federal Sugar Program Amendment Rejected - House (206 - 221)
Feb. 28, 2013 National H Amdt 23 Reauthorizes the Violence Against Women Act Amendment Rejected - House (166 - 257)
June 20, 2013 National H Amdt 231 Authorizes States to Require Federal Welfare Work Requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Amendment Adopted - House (227 - 198)
July 23, 2013 National H Amdt 375 Prohibits the Use of Funds to Appoint Chaplains Without an Endorsing Agency Amendment Adopted - House (253 - 173)
Jan. 15, 2013 National H Amdt 4 Offsets Cost of Disaster Relief Appropriations Through Discretionary Budget Cuts Amendment Rejected - House (162 - 258)
July 24, 2013 National H Amdt 413 Prohibits the National Security Agency from Collecting Records Under the PATRIOT Act Amendment Rejected - House (205 - 217)
Aug. 2, 2013 National H Amdt 448 Requires Congressional Approval Prior to Establishing a Tax on Carbon Emissions Amendment Adopted - House (237 - 176)
Aug. 2, 2013 National H Amdt 450 Requires Congressional Approval for Any Rules Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Amendment Adopted - House (227 - 185)
Sept. 18, 2013 National H Amdt 463 Amends the Definition of "Strategic and Critical Minerals" Amendment Rejected - House (187 - 241)
Sept. 18, 2013 National H Amdt 466 Requires Mine Operators to Include the Cost of Cleanup in Financial Insurance Amendment Rejected - House (191 - 235)
Nov. 20, 2013 National H Amdt 498 Specifies That Certain Fees Do Not Limit the Right to Petition Amendment Rejected - House (199 - 222)
Nov. 20, 2013 National H Amdt 499 Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to Require Certain Findings for Categorical Exclusions Amendment Rejected - House (194 - 228)
Nov. 20, 2013 National H Amdt 503 Requires a Report on the Effect of Flooding on Oil and Gas Facilities Amendment Rejected - House (202 - 221)
Nov. 20, 2013 National H Amdt 504 Appropriates $10 Million to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission Amendment Rejected - House (195 - 226)
Nov. 20, 2013 National H Amdt 507 Specifies the Authority of the Secretary of Interior on the Regulation of Methane Emissions Amendment Rejected - House (190 - 230)
Nov. 21, 2013 National H Amdt 512 Requires Natural Gas Pipeline Applications to Include Certain Information Amendment Rejected - House (183 - 233)
Nov. 21, 2013 National H Amdt 513 Removes the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Permit Issuance Requirement Amendment Rejected - House (184 - 233)
Nov. 21, 2013 National H Amdt 515 Prohibits the Natural Gas Pipeline Permitting Reform Act from Taking Effect During the Sequester Amendment Rejected - House (175 - 243)
Dec. 5, 2013 National H Amdt 521 Authorizes Judicial Discretion in Awarding Legal Fees in Patent Lawsuits Amendment Rejected - House (199 - 213)
Dec. 5, 2013 National H Amdt 524 Limits Covered Customers to Businesses With Less Than $25 Million in Revenue Amendment Rejected - House (144 - 266)
Date No. Title Outcome
6/05 H Amdt 121 Delays National Flood Insurance Premiums Increases Amendment Adopted - House (281 - 146)
6/06 H Amdt 136 Prohibits the Enforcement of the Immigration Executive Order Amendment Adopted - House (224 - 201)
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 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)
6/19 H Amdt 176 Restores $20.5 Billion in Appropriations for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Amendment Rejected - House (188 - 234)
6/20 H Amdt 227 Amends the Federal Sugar Program Amendment Rejected - House (206 - 221)
2/28 H Amdt 23 Reauthorizes the Violence Against Women Act Amendment Rejected - House (166 - 257)
6/20 H Amdt 231 Authorizes States to Require Federal Welfare Work Requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Amendment Adopted - House (227 - 198)
7/23 H Amdt 375 Prohibits the Use of Funds to Appoint Chaplains Without an Endorsing Agency Amendment Adopted - House (253 - 173)
1/15 H Amdt 4 Offsets Cost of Disaster Relief Appropriations Through Discretionary Budget Cuts Amendment Rejected - House (162 - 258)
7/24 H Amdt 413 Prohibits the National Security Agency from Collecting Records Under the PATRIOT Act Amendment Rejected - House (205 - 217)
8/02 H Amdt 448 Requires Congressional Approval Prior to Establishing a Tax on Carbon Emissions Amendment Adopted - House (237 - 176)
8/02 H Amdt 450 Requires Congressional Approval for Any Rules Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Amendment Adopted - House (227 - 185)
9/18 H Amdt 463 Amends the Definition of "Strategic and Critical Minerals" Amendment Rejected - House (187 - 241)
9/18 H Amdt 466 Requires Mine Operators to Include the Cost of Cleanup in Financial Insurance Amendment Rejected - House (191 - 235)
11/20 H Amdt 498 Specifies That Certain Fees Do Not Limit the Right to Petition Amendment Rejected - House (199 - 222)
11/20 H Amdt 499 Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to Require Certain Findings for Categorical Exclusions Amendment Rejected - House (194 - 228)
11/20 H Amdt 503 Requires a Report on the Effect of Flooding on Oil and Gas Facilities Amendment Rejected - House (202 - 221)
11/20 H Amdt 504 Appropriates $10 Million to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission Amendment Rejected - House (195 - 226)
11/20 H Amdt 507 Specifies the Authority of the Secretary of Interior on the Regulation of Methane Emissions Amendment Rejected - House (190 - 230)
11/21 H Amdt 512 Requires Natural Gas Pipeline Applications to Include Certain Information Amendment Rejected - House (183 - 233)
11/21 H Amdt 513 Removes the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Permit Issuance Requirement Amendment Rejected - House (184 - 233)
11/21 H Amdt 515 Prohibits the Natural Gas Pipeline Permitting Reform Act from Taking Effect During the Sequester Amendment Rejected - House (175 - 243)
12/05 H Amdt 521 Authorizes Judicial Discretion in Awarding Legal Fees in Patent Lawsuits Amendment Rejected - House (199 - 213)
12/05 H Amdt 524 Limits Covered Customers to Businesses With Less Than $25 Million in Revenue Amendment Rejected - House (144 - 266)

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