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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct. 3, 2013 | National | HR 3230 | Pay Our Guard and Reserve Act | Bill Passed - House (265 - 160) |
| Oct. 1, 2013 | National | H J Res 72 | Veterans Benefits Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 | Joint Resolution Failed - House (264 - 164) |
| Oct. 1, 2013 | National | H J Res 71 | District of Columbia Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 | Joint Resolution Failed - House (265 - 163) |
| Oct. 1, 2013 | National | H J Res 70 | National Park Service Operations, Smithsonian Institution, National Gallery of Art, and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 | Joint Resolution Failed - House (252 - 176) |
| Sept. 30, 2013 | National | H J Res 59 | Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 | Motion Agreed - Senate (54 - 46) |
| Sept. 30, 2013 | National | H J Res 59 | Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (228 - 201) |
| Sept. 30, 2013 | National | H J Res 59 | Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 | Motion Agreed - Senate (54 - 46) |
| Sept. 30, 2013 | National | H J Res 59 | Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 | Motion Agreed - Senate (54 - 46) |
| Sept. 29, 2013 | National | H J Res 59 | Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (248 - 174) |
| Sept. 29, 2013 | National | H J Res 59 | Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (248 - 174) |
| Sept. 27, 2013 | National | H J Res 59 | Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 | Bill Passed - Senate (54 - 44) |
| Sept. 20, 2013 | National | H J Res 59 | Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 | Joint Resolution Passed - House (230 - 189) |
| Sept. 20, 2013 | National | HR 1526 | Restoring Healthy Forests for Healthy Communities Act | Bill Passed - House (244 - 173) |
| Sept. 12, 2013 | CA | SB 359 | Appropriates Funds for Hybrid and Zero Emission Vehicle Use | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 10) |
| Sept. 12, 2013 | CA | SB 359 | Appropriates Funds for Hybrid and Zero Emission Vehicle Use | Bill Passed - House (53 - 20) |
| Sept. 12, 2013 | National | HR 2775 | No Subsidies Without Verification Act | Bill Passed - House (235 - 191) |
| Sept. 11, 2013 | MO | HB 253 | Authorizes Income Tax Cuts | Veto Override Failed - House (94 - 67) |
| Aug. 2, 2013 | National | H Amdt 448 | Requires Congressional Approval Prior to Establishing a Tax on Carbon Emissions | Amendment Adopted - House (237 - 176) |
| July 24, 2013 | NC | SB 402 | 2013-2015 Supplemental Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (65 - 53) |
| July 24, 2013 | NC | SB 402 | 2013-2015 Supplemental Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 17) |
| July 24, 2013 | National | S Amdt 1778 | Limits Interest Rates for Certain Federal Student Loans | Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 53) |
| July 24, 2013 | National | HR 2397 | Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2014 | Bill Passed - House (315 - 109) |
| July 2, 2013 | OR | HB 2456 | Appropriates Increased Tax Funds to Schools and Health Services | Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 15) |
| July 2, 2013 | OR | HB 2456 | Appropriates Increased Tax Funds to Schools and Health Services | Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 15) |
| June 28, 2013 | National | HR 2231 | Offshore Energy and Jobs Act | Bill Passed - House (235 - 186) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10/03 | HR 3230 | Pay Our Guard and Reserve Act | Bill Passed - House (265 - 160) |
| 10/01 | H J Res 72 | Veterans Benefits Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 | Joint Resolution Failed - House (264 - 164) |
| 10/01 | H J Res 71 | District of Columbia Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 | Joint Resolution Failed - House (265 - 163) |
| 10/01 | H J Res 70 | National Park Service Operations, Smithsonian Institution, National Gallery of Art, and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 | Joint Resolution Failed - House (252 - 176) |
| 9/30 | H J Res 59 | Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 | Motion Agreed - Senate (54 - 46) |
| 9/30 | H J Res 59 | Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (228 - 201) |
| 9/30 | H J Res 59 | Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 | Motion Agreed - Senate (54 - 46) |
| 9/30 | H J Res 59 | Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 | Motion Agreed - Senate (54 - 46) |
| 9/29 | H J Res 59 | Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (248 - 174) |
| 9/29 | H J Res 59 | Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (248 - 174) |
| 9/27 | H J Res 59 | Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 | Bill Passed - Senate (54 - 44) |
| 9/20 | H J Res 59 | Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 | Joint Resolution Passed - House (230 - 189) |
| 9/20 | HR 1526 | Restoring Healthy Forests for Healthy Communities Act | Bill Passed - House (244 - 173) |
| 9/12 | SB 359 | Appropriates Funds for Hybrid and Zero Emission Vehicle Use | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 10) |
| 9/12 | SB 359 | Appropriates Funds for Hybrid and Zero Emission Vehicle Use | Bill Passed - House (53 - 20) |
| 9/12 | HR 2775 | No Subsidies Without Verification Act | Bill Passed - House (235 - 191) |
| 9/11 | HB 253 | Authorizes Income Tax Cuts | Veto Override Failed - House (94 - 67) |
| 8/02 | H Amdt 448 | Requires Congressional Approval Prior to Establishing a Tax on Carbon Emissions | Amendment Adopted - House (237 - 176) |
| 7/24 | SB 402 | 2013-2015 Supplemental Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (65 - 53) |
| 7/24 | SB 402 | 2013-2015 Supplemental Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 17) |
| 7/24 | S Amdt 1778 | Limits Interest Rates for Certain Federal Student Loans | Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 53) |
| 7/24 | HR 2397 | Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2014 | Bill Passed - House (315 - 109) |
| 7/02 | HB 2456 | Appropriates Increased Tax Funds to Schools and Health Services | Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 15) |
| 7/02 | HB 2456 | Appropriates Increased Tax Funds to Schools and Health Services | Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 15) |
| 6/28 | HR 2231 | Offshore Energy and Jobs Act | Bill Passed - House (235 - 186) |