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
Feb. 8, 2012 WA SB 6239 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - House (55 - 43)
Feb. 8, 2012 National HR 3521 Authorizes the President to Line-Item Veto Certain Legislation Bill Passed - House (254 - 173)
Feb. 8, 2012 NM HB 103 Increasing Regulation of Driver's Licenses Issued to Foreign Nationals Bill Passed - House (45 - 25)
Feb. 8, 2012 National HR 3521 Authorizes the President to Line-Item Veto Certain Legislation Bill Passed - House (254 - 173)
Feb. 7, 2012 UT SB 128 Prohibits Minors from Using Cell Phones while Driving Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 9)
Feb. 6, 2012 National HR 658 Federal Aviation Administration Act of 2012 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (75 - 20)
Feb. 6, 2012 UT SB 32 Breast Cancer Screening Bill Passed - House (66 - 6)
Feb. 3, 2012 National HR 658 Federal Aviation Administration Act of 2012 Conference Report Adopted - House (248 - 169)
Feb. 3, 2012 FL SB 1174 Congressional Redistricting Bill Passed - House (80 - 37)
Feb. 3, 2012 VA HB 189 Authorizes Adoption Agencies to Refuse Adoptions for Religious Reasons Bill Passed - House (71 - 28)
Feb. 3, 2012 GA HB 829 State House Redistricting Bill Passed - House (101 - 53)
Feb. 3, 2012 VA HB 189 Authorizes Adoption Agencies to Refuse Adoptions for Religious Reasons Bill Passed - House (71 - 28)
Feb. 2, 2012 National S Amdt 1472 Prohibits Consideration of Bills Containing Earmarks Amendment Rejected - Senate (40 - 59)
Feb. 2, 2012 National S Amdt 1491 Requires Disclosure of Financial Transactions by Executive Branch Employees Amendment Adopted - Senate (58 - 41)
Feb. 2, 2012 National S 2038 Prohibits Insider Trading by Government Officials Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 3)
Feb. 2, 2012 National S 2038 Prohibits Insider Trading by Government Officials Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 3)
Feb. 2, 2012 National S 2038 Prohibits Insider Trading by Government Officials Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 3)
Feb. 1, 2012 WA EHCR 4409 Congressional and State Legislative Redistricting Bill Passed - Senate (44 - 4)
Feb. 1, 2012 IN HB 1001 Prohibits Employers from Requiring Employees to Join a Labor Organization Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 22)
Feb. 1, 2012 National HR 3835 Extends Pay Freeze for Congress and Non-Military Federal Workers Bill Passed - House (309 - 117)
Feb. 1, 2012 RI S 2178 State Senate, State House, and Congressional Redistricting Bill Passed - House (56 - 12)
Feb. 1, 2012 WA SB 6239 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 21)
Feb. 1, 2012 VA SB 484 Requires an Ultrasound Prior to an Abortion Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18)
Feb. 1, 2012 RI S 2178 State Senate, State House, and Congressional Redistricting Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 2)
Feb. 1, 2012 NH HB 1383 Prohibits In-State Tuition for Non-US Residents Bill Passed - House (250 - 88)
Date No. Title Outcome
2/08 SB 6239 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - House (55 - 43)
2/08 HR 3521 Authorizes the President to Line-Item Veto Certain Legislation Bill Passed - House (254 - 173)
2/08 HB 103 Increasing Regulation of Driver's Licenses Issued to Foreign Nationals Bill Passed - House (45 - 25)
2/08 HR 3521 Authorizes the President to Line-Item Veto Certain Legislation Bill Passed - House (254 - 173)
2/07 SB 128 Prohibits Minors from Using Cell Phones while Driving Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 9)
2/06 HR 658 Federal Aviation Administration Act of 2012 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (75 - 20)
2/06 SB 32 Breast Cancer Screening Bill Passed - House (66 - 6)
2/03 HR 658 Federal Aviation Administration Act of 2012 Conference Report Adopted - House (248 - 169)
2/03 SB 1174 Congressional Redistricting Bill Passed - House (80 - 37)
2/03 HB 189 Authorizes Adoption Agencies to Refuse Adoptions for Religious Reasons Bill Passed - House (71 - 28)
2/03 HB 829 State House Redistricting Bill Passed - House (101 - 53)
2/03 HB 189 Authorizes Adoption Agencies to Refuse Adoptions for Religious Reasons Bill Passed - House (71 - 28)
2/02 S Amdt 1472 Prohibits Consideration of Bills Containing Earmarks Amendment Rejected - Senate (40 - 59)
2/02 S Amdt 1491 Requires Disclosure of Financial Transactions by Executive Branch Employees Amendment Adopted - Senate (58 - 41)
2/02 S 2038 Prohibits Insider Trading by Government Officials Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 3)
2/02 S 2038 Prohibits Insider Trading by Government Officials Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 3)
2/02 S 2038 Prohibits Insider Trading by Government Officials Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 3)
2/01 EHCR 4409 Congressional and State Legislative Redistricting Bill Passed - Senate (44 - 4)
2/01 HB 1001 Prohibits Employers from Requiring Employees to Join a Labor Organization Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 22)
2/01 HR 3835 Extends Pay Freeze for Congress and Non-Military Federal Workers Bill Passed - House (309 - 117)
2/01 S 2178 State Senate, State House, and Congressional Redistricting Bill Passed - House (56 - 12)
2/01 SB 6239 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 21)
2/01 SB 484 Requires an Ultrasound Prior to an Abortion Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18)
2/01 S 2178 State Senate, State House, and Congressional Redistricting Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 2)
2/01 HB 1383 Prohibits In-State Tuition for Non-US Residents Bill Passed - House (250 - 88)

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