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. 18, 2010 GA SR 1120 Temporary Legislative Adjournment Resolution Passed - Senate (35 - 17)
Feb. 15, 2010 WA SB 6562 Expanding State University Tuition Authority Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 19)
Feb. 9, 2010 NY R 3904 Expelling Senator Hiram Monserrate from the Senate Resolution Passed - Senate (53 - 8)
Feb. 8, 2010 NM SB 531 Legislative Finance Committee Review of Confidential Information Veto Override Passed - Senate (34 - 8)
Jan. 26, 2010 National S Amdt 3302 Establishing a Federal Budget Deficit Commission Amendment Rejected - Senate (53 - 46)
Jan. 19, 2010 MO HCR 18 Statement of Opposition to Federal Health Care Proposal Joint Resolution Passed - House (111 - 46)
Jan. 13, 2010 KY SB 51 Legislator Pension Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17)
Jan. 11, 2010 NJ A 4378 Exception to the Ban on Former State Employees Working for the Casino Industry Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13)
Jan. 11, 2010 NJ A 4378 Exception to the Ban on Former State Employees Working for the Casino Industry Bill Passed - House (42 - 31)
Dec. 17, 2009 OH HB 318 Tax Law Amendments Concurrence Vote Passed - House (54 - 42)
Dec. 17, 2009 OH HB 318 Tax Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 15)
Oct. 21, 2009 OH HB 318 Tax Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (55 - 44)
Oct. 9, 2009 PA HB 1614 Fiscal Code Amendments Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (35 - 14)
Oct. 9, 2009 PA HB 1614 Fiscal Code Amendments Concurrence Vote Passed - House (106 - 92)
Oct. 7, 2009 National H Res 805 Removing Rep. Charles Rangel as Chairman of House Committee on Ways and Means Motion Agreed - House (246 - 153)
Sept. 30, 2009 National HR 2918 Continuing Appropriations Resolution and 2009-2010 Legislative Appropriations Conference Report Adopted - Senate (62 - 38)
Sept. 25, 2009 National HR 2918 Continuing Appropriations Resolution and 2009-2010 Legislative Appropriations Conference Report Adopted - House (217 - 190)
Sept. 23, 2009 OH SJR 5 Redistricting Commission Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (21 - 12)
Sept. 16, 2009 MO HB 544 Increasing Legislative Oversight of Federal Funds Veto Override Failed - House (86 - 71)
Sept. 15, 2009 National H Res 744 Resolution of Disapproval of Representative Joe Wilson's Conduct Resolution Passed - House (240 - 179)
April 1, 2009 GA SB 200 Reorganization of the Department of Transportation Bill Passed - House (90 - 84)
March 19, 2009 NM HB 393 Opening Conference Committees to the Public Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 8)
March 12, 2009 KS HB 2320 State Spending Limitations and Savings Accounts Bill Passed - House (89 - 33)
March 11, 2009 UT HB 345 Regulating Former Lawmakers in Lobbying Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13)
March 5, 2009 GA SB 200 Reorganization of State Transportation Authorities Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 25)
Date No. Title Outcome
2/18 SR 1120 Temporary Legislative Adjournment Resolution Passed - Senate (35 - 17)
2/15 SB 6562 Expanding State University Tuition Authority Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 19)
2/09 R 3904 Expelling Senator Hiram Monserrate from the Senate Resolution Passed - Senate (53 - 8)
2/08 SB 531 Legislative Finance Committee Review of Confidential Information Veto Override Passed - Senate (34 - 8)
1/26 S Amdt 3302 Establishing a Federal Budget Deficit Commission Amendment Rejected - Senate (53 - 46)
1/19 HCR 18 Statement of Opposition to Federal Health Care Proposal Joint Resolution Passed - House (111 - 46)
1/13 SB 51 Legislator Pension Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17)
1/11 A 4378 Exception to the Ban on Former State Employees Working for the Casino Industry Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13)
1/11 A 4378 Exception to the Ban on Former State Employees Working for the Casino Industry Bill Passed - House (42 - 31)
12/17 HB 318 Tax Law Amendments Concurrence Vote Passed - House (54 - 42)
12/17 HB 318 Tax Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 15)
10/21 HB 318 Tax Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (55 - 44)
10/09 HB 1614 Fiscal Code Amendments Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (35 - 14)
10/09 HB 1614 Fiscal Code Amendments Concurrence Vote Passed - House (106 - 92)
10/07 H Res 805 Removing Rep. Charles Rangel as Chairman of House Committee on Ways and Means Motion Agreed - House (246 - 153)
9/30 HR 2918 Continuing Appropriations Resolution and 2009-2010 Legislative Appropriations Conference Report Adopted - Senate (62 - 38)
9/25 HR 2918 Continuing Appropriations Resolution and 2009-2010 Legislative Appropriations Conference Report Adopted - House (217 - 190)
9/23 SJR 5 Redistricting Commission Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (21 - 12)
9/16 HB 544 Increasing Legislative Oversight of Federal Funds Veto Override Failed - House (86 - 71)
9/15 H Res 744 Resolution of Disapproval of Representative Joe Wilson's Conduct Resolution Passed - House (240 - 179)
4/01 SB 200 Reorganization of the Department of Transportation Bill Passed - House (90 - 84)
3/19 HB 393 Opening Conference Committees to the Public Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 8)
3/12 HB 2320 State Spending Limitations and Savings Accounts Bill Passed - House (89 - 33)
3/11 HB 345 Regulating Former Lawmakers in Lobbying Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13)
3/05 SB 200 Reorganization of State Transportation Authorities Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 25)

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