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
March 14, 2012 ID H 464 Prohibits Local Ordinances from Limiting Oil and Gas Extraction Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 10)
March 8, 2012 National S Amdt 1537 Approving the Keystone XL Pipeline Project Amendment Rejected - Senate (56 - 42)
March 8, 2012 FL HB 4001 Repeals Provisions for Cap and Trade Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 5)
March 1, 2012 SD HB 1228 Tax Credits for Alternative Energy Projects Concurrence Vote Passed - House (52 - 16)
March 1, 2012 FL HB 4001 Repeals Provisions for Cap and Trade Regulations Bill Passed - House (82 - 34)
Feb. 28, 2012 SD HB 1228 Tax Credits for Alternative Energy Projects Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15)
Feb. 17, 2012 National HR 3630 Extends Payroll Tax Cut Conference Report Adopted - House (293 - 132)
Feb. 17, 2012 National HR 3630 Extends Payroll Tax Cut Conference Report Adopted - Senate (60 - 36)
Feb. 17, 2012 ID H 464 Prohibits Local Ordinances from Limiting Oil and Gas Extraction Bill Passed - House (54 - 13)
Feb. 16, 2012 National HR 3408 Authorizes Development of Oil Shale Resources Bill Passed - House (237 - 187)
Feb. 15, 2012 FL HB 7087 Increases Certain Business Tax Credits and Sales Tax Exemptions Bill Passed - House (92 - 22)
Feb. 8, 2012 PA HB 1950 Amends Statutes Concerning Oil and Gas Resources Conference Report Adopted - House (101 - 90)
Feb. 7, 2012 PA HB 1950 Amends Statutes Concerning Oil and Gas Resources Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 19)
Feb. 6, 2012 UT HB 210 Restricts the Use of Severance Tax Revenue Bill Failed - House (36 - 39)
Jan. 30, 2012 MN Anderson Nomination Confirmation of Ellen Anderson as Public Utilities Commissioner Motion Rejected - Senate (29 - 37)
Jan. 25, 2012 NH Amdt 367s Restricting Eminent Domain Petitions Amendment Adopted - Senate (16 - 8)
Dec. 20, 2011 National HR 3630 Temporary Payroll Tax Cut Extension Nonconcurrence Vote Passed - House (229 - 193)
Dec. 17, 2011 National S Amdt 1465 Temporary Payroll Tax Cut Extension Amendment Adopted - Senate (89 - 10)
Dec. 13, 2011 National HR 3630 Reduces Payroll Taxes and Unemployment Benefits Bill Passed - House (234 - 193)
Nov. 17, 2011 PA HB 1950 Amends Statutes Concerning Oil and Gas Resources Bill Passed - House (107 - 76)
Nov. 15, 2011 PA SB 1100 Regulation of Oil and Natural Gas Resources Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 20)
Oct. 14, 2011 National HR 2273 Coal Residuals Reuse and Management Act Bill Passed - House (267 - 144)
Oct. 13, 2011 MI HB 4815 Exempts Incandescent Light Bulbs Made in Michigan from Congressional Authority Bill Passed - House (62 - 46)
Sept. 7, 2011 NH SB 154 Withdrawing from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative Veto Override Failed - Senate (15 - 9)
July 12, 2011 National HR 2417 Repeals Energy Efficiency Standards for Incandescent Light Bulbs Motion Rejected - House (233 - 193)
Date No. Title Outcome
3/14 H 464 Prohibits Local Ordinances from Limiting Oil and Gas Extraction Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 10)
3/08 S Amdt 1537 Approving the Keystone XL Pipeline Project Amendment Rejected - Senate (56 - 42)
3/08 HB 4001 Repeals Provisions for Cap and Trade Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 5)
3/01 HB 1228 Tax Credits for Alternative Energy Projects Concurrence Vote Passed - House (52 - 16)
3/01 HB 4001 Repeals Provisions for Cap and Trade Regulations Bill Passed - House (82 - 34)
2/28 HB 1228 Tax Credits for Alternative Energy Projects Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15)
2/17 HR 3630 Extends Payroll Tax Cut Conference Report Adopted - House (293 - 132)
2/17 HR 3630 Extends Payroll Tax Cut Conference Report Adopted - Senate (60 - 36)
2/17 H 464 Prohibits Local Ordinances from Limiting Oil and Gas Extraction Bill Passed - House (54 - 13)
2/16 HR 3408 Authorizes Development of Oil Shale Resources Bill Passed - House (237 - 187)
2/15 HB 7087 Increases Certain Business Tax Credits and Sales Tax Exemptions Bill Passed - House (92 - 22)
2/08 HB 1950 Amends Statutes Concerning Oil and Gas Resources Conference Report Adopted - House (101 - 90)
2/07 HB 1950 Amends Statutes Concerning Oil and Gas Resources Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 19)
2/06 HB 210 Restricts the Use of Severance Tax Revenue Bill Failed - House (36 - 39)
1/30 Anderson Nomination Confirmation of Ellen Anderson as Public Utilities Commissioner Motion Rejected - Senate (29 - 37)
1/25 Amdt 367s Restricting Eminent Domain Petitions Amendment Adopted - Senate (16 - 8)
12/20 HR 3630 Temporary Payroll Tax Cut Extension Nonconcurrence Vote Passed - House (229 - 193)
12/17 S Amdt 1465 Temporary Payroll Tax Cut Extension Amendment Adopted - Senate (89 - 10)
12/13 HR 3630 Reduces Payroll Taxes and Unemployment Benefits Bill Passed - House (234 - 193)
11/17 HB 1950 Amends Statutes Concerning Oil and Gas Resources Bill Passed - House (107 - 76)
11/15 SB 1100 Regulation of Oil and Natural Gas Resources Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 20)
10/14 HR 2273 Coal Residuals Reuse and Management Act Bill Passed - House (267 - 144)
10/13 HB 4815 Exempts Incandescent Light Bulbs Made in Michigan from Congressional Authority Bill Passed - House (62 - 46)
9/07 SB 154 Withdrawing from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative Veto Override Failed - Senate (15 - 9)
7/12 HR 2417 Repeals Energy Efficiency Standards for Incandescent Light Bulbs Motion Rejected - House (233 - 193)

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