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 3, 2018 OR SB 1563 Authorizes Undocumented Students to Continue Receiving Financial Aid Bill Passed - House (36 - 22)
Feb. 22, 2018 MI HB 4053 Establishes English as Official Language Bill Passed - House (62 - 46)
Feb. 15, 2018 National S Amdt 1958 Immigration Security and Opportunity Act (Schumer Amendment) Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (54 - 45)
Feb. 15, 2018 National S Amdt 1955 Uniting and Securing America Act (Coons-McCain Amendment) Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (52 - 47)
Feb. 15, 2018 National S Amdt 1959 Secure and Succeed Act (Grassley Amendment) Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (39 - 60)
Feb. 15, 2018 National S Amdt 1948 Stop Dangerous Sanctuary Cities Act (Toomey Amendment) Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (54 - 45)
Feb. 13, 2018 VA HB 1257 Prohibits the Establishment of Sanctuary Cities Bill Passed - House (51 - 49)
Jan. 18, 2018 National S 139 FISA Amendments Reauthorization Act of 2017 Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (65 - 34)
Jan. 18, 2018 National S 139 FISA Amendments Reauthorization Act of 2017 Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (65 - 34)
Jan. 17, 2018 National HR 3326 World Bank Accountability Act of 2017 Bill Passed - House (237 - 184)
Jan. 12, 2018 FL HB 9 Prohibits Local Sanctuary Policies Bill Passed - House (71 - 35)
Jan. 11, 2018 National S 139 FISA Amendments Reauthorization Act of 2017 Bill Passed - House (256 - 164)
Jan. 11, 2018 National S 139 FISA Amendments Reauthorization Act of 2017 Bill Passed - House (256 - 164)
Dec. 14, 2017 National HR 4324 Strengthening Oversight of Iran's Access to Finance Act Bill Passed - House (252 - 167)
Dec. 13, 2017 National HR 1638 Iranian Leadership Asset Transparency Act Bill Passed - House (289 - 135)
Oct. 26, 2017 National HR 1698 Iran Ballistic Missiles and International Sanctions Enforcement Act Bill Passed - House (423 - 2)
Oct. 26, 2017 National HR 1698 Iran Ballistic Missiles and International Sanctions Enforcement Act Bill Passed - House (423 - 2)
Oct. 24, 2017 National HR 3898 Otto Warmbier North Korea Nuclear Sanctions Act Bill Passed - House (415 - 2)
Oct. 24, 2017 National HR 3898 Otto Warmbier North Korea Nuclear Sanctions Act Bill Passed - House (415 - 2)
Sept. 18, 2017 National HR 2810 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 Bill Passed - Senate (89 - 8)
Sept. 16, 2017 CA SB 54 Establishes a Statewide Sanctuary Policy Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 11)
Sept. 15, 2017 CA SB 54 Establishes a Statewide Sanctuary Policy Bill Passed - House (51 - 26)
Sept. 14, 2017 National HR 3697 Criminal Alien Gang Member Removal Act Bill Passed - House (233 - 175)
Sept. 14, 2017 National HR 3354 Making Appropriations for the Department of the Interior, Environment, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2018, and for other purposes. Bill Passed - House (211 - 198)
Sept. 13, 2017 National SA 871 Repeal of Authorization for Use of Military Force and Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002 Amendment Tabled - Senate (61 - 36)
Date No. Title Outcome
3/03 SB 1563 Authorizes Undocumented Students to Continue Receiving Financial Aid Bill Passed - House (36 - 22)
2/22 HB 4053 Establishes English as Official Language Bill Passed - House (62 - 46)
2/15 S Amdt 1958 Immigration Security and Opportunity Act (Schumer Amendment) Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (54 - 45)
2/15 S Amdt 1955 Uniting and Securing America Act (Coons-McCain Amendment) Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (52 - 47)
2/15 S Amdt 1959 Secure and Succeed Act (Grassley Amendment) Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (39 - 60)
2/15 S Amdt 1948 Stop Dangerous Sanctuary Cities Act (Toomey Amendment) Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (54 - 45)
2/13 HB 1257 Prohibits the Establishment of Sanctuary Cities Bill Passed - House (51 - 49)
1/18 S 139 FISA Amendments Reauthorization Act of 2017 Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (65 - 34)
1/18 S 139 FISA Amendments Reauthorization Act of 2017 Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (65 - 34)
1/17 HR 3326 World Bank Accountability Act of 2017 Bill Passed - House (237 - 184)
1/12 HB 9 Prohibits Local Sanctuary Policies Bill Passed - House (71 - 35)
1/11 S 139 FISA Amendments Reauthorization Act of 2017 Bill Passed - House (256 - 164)
1/11 S 139 FISA Amendments Reauthorization Act of 2017 Bill Passed - House (256 - 164)
12/14 HR 4324 Strengthening Oversight of Iran's Access to Finance Act Bill Passed - House (252 - 167)
12/13 HR 1638 Iranian Leadership Asset Transparency Act Bill Passed - House (289 - 135)
10/26 HR 1698 Iran Ballistic Missiles and International Sanctions Enforcement Act Bill Passed - House (423 - 2)
10/26 HR 1698 Iran Ballistic Missiles and International Sanctions Enforcement Act Bill Passed - House (423 - 2)
10/24 HR 3898 Otto Warmbier North Korea Nuclear Sanctions Act Bill Passed - House (415 - 2)
10/24 HR 3898 Otto Warmbier North Korea Nuclear Sanctions Act Bill Passed - House (415 - 2)
9/18 HR 2810 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 Bill Passed - Senate (89 - 8)
9/16 SB 54 Establishes a Statewide Sanctuary Policy Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 11)
9/15 SB 54 Establishes a Statewide Sanctuary Policy Bill Passed - House (51 - 26)
9/14 HR 3697 Criminal Alien Gang Member Removal Act Bill Passed - House (233 - 175)
9/14 HR 3354 Making Appropriations for the Department of the Interior, Environment, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2018, and for other purposes. Bill Passed - House (211 - 198)
9/13 SA 871 Repeal of Authorization for Use of Military Force and Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002 Amendment Tabled - Senate (61 - 36)

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