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
May 12, 2015 National HR 1314 Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (52 - 46)
May 5, 2015 National S Con Res 11 An Original Concurrent Resolution Setting Forth the Congressional Budget for the United States Government for Fiscal Year 2016 and Setting Forth the Appropriate Budgetary Levels for Fiscal Years 2017 Through 2025 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (51 - 48)
April 22, 2015 TN SB 612 Exempts Certain Students from Out-of-State Tuition Bill Failed - House (49 - 47)
April 16, 2015 TN SB 612 Authorizes Certain Students to be Charged In-State Tuition Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12)
March 27, 2015 National S Con Res 11 An Original Concurrent Resolution Setting Forth the Congressional Budget for the United States Government for Fiscal Year 2016 and Setting Forth the Appropriate Budgetary Levels for Fiscal Years 2017 Through 2025 Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (52 - 46)
March 11, 2015 MO HB 187 Prohibits Undocumented Immigrants from Receiving Student Financial Aid Bill Passed - House (111 - 41)
March 10, 2015 AZ HB 2368 Prohibits Use of State Funds to Enforce Executive Orders not Authorized by Congress Bill Passed - House (36 - 24)
March 5, 2015 AZ SB 1222 Prohibits Plea Agreements for Individuals Deported During Trial Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 12)
Feb. 27, 2015 National S J Res 35 Making Further Continuing Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2015 Bill Failed - House (203 - 224)
Feb. 12, 2015 NM HB 32 Limits Driver's Licenses for Foreign Nationals Bill Passed - House (39 - 29)
Jan. 20, 2015 VA SB 722 Prohibits In-State Tuition for Students with Certain Temporary Visas Bill Failed - Senate (19 - 20)
Jan. 14, 2015 National HR 240 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act of 2015 Bill Passed - House (236 - 191)
Jan. 14, 2015 National HR 240 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act of 2015 Bill Passed - House (236 - 191)
Dec. 18, 2014 NJ S 1811 Requires Made in the United States Materials for Public Works Bill Passed - House (43 - 24)
Dec. 4, 2014 National HR 5759 Preventing Executive Overreach on Immigration Act of 2014 Bill Passed - House (219 - 197)
Nov. 18, 2014 National S 2685 USA FREEDOM Act of 2014 Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (58 - 42)
Sept. 18, 2014 National H J Res 124 Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2015 Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (78 - 22)
Sept. 18, 2014 National H J Res 124 Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2015 Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (78 - 22)
Sept. 17, 2014 National H Amdt 1141 Authorizes Aid to Syrian Opposition Amendment Adopted - House (273 - 156)
Sept. 17, 2014 National H J Res 124 Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2015 Joint Resolution Passed - House (319 - 108)
Sept. 17, 2014 National H J Res 124 Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2015 Joint Resolution Passed - House (319 - 108)
Sept. 9, 2014 National H Res 644 Condemning and Disapproving of the Failure of the Obama Administration to Comply with the Lawful Statutory Requirement to Notify Congress before Transferring Individuals Detained at United States Naval Station, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and Expressing Concern About the National Security Risks Over the Transfer of Five Taliban Leaders and the Repercussions of Negotiating with Terrorists Resolution Passed - House (249 - 163)
Aug. 29, 2014 CA SB 1159 Authorizes Undocumented Immigrants to Receive Professional Licenses Bill Passed - House (55 - 22)
Aug. 1, 2014 National HR 5272 To Prohibit Certain Actions with Respect to Deferred Action for Aliens Not Lawfully Present in the United States, and for Other Purposes Bill Passed - House (216 - 192)
Aug. 1, 2014 National HR 5230 Making Supplemental Appropriations for the Fiscal Year Ending September 30, 2014, and for Other Purposes Bill Passed - House (223 - 189)
Date No. Title Outcome
5/12 HR 1314 Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (52 - 46)
5/05 S Con Res 11 An Original Concurrent Resolution Setting Forth the Congressional Budget for the United States Government for Fiscal Year 2016 and Setting Forth the Appropriate Budgetary Levels for Fiscal Years 2017 Through 2025 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (51 - 48)
4/22 SB 612 Exempts Certain Students from Out-of-State Tuition Bill Failed - House (49 - 47)
4/16 SB 612 Authorizes Certain Students to be Charged In-State Tuition Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12)
3/27 S Con Res 11 An Original Concurrent Resolution Setting Forth the Congressional Budget for the United States Government for Fiscal Year 2016 and Setting Forth the Appropriate Budgetary Levels for Fiscal Years 2017 Through 2025 Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (52 - 46)
3/11 HB 187 Prohibits Undocumented Immigrants from Receiving Student Financial Aid Bill Passed - House (111 - 41)
3/10 HB 2368 Prohibits Use of State Funds to Enforce Executive Orders not Authorized by Congress Bill Passed - House (36 - 24)
3/05 SB 1222 Prohibits Plea Agreements for Individuals Deported During Trial Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 12)
2/27 S J Res 35 Making Further Continuing Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2015 Bill Failed - House (203 - 224)
2/12 HB 32 Limits Driver's Licenses for Foreign Nationals Bill Passed - House (39 - 29)
1/20 SB 722 Prohibits In-State Tuition for Students with Certain Temporary Visas Bill Failed - Senate (19 - 20)
1/14 HR 240 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act of 2015 Bill Passed - House (236 - 191)
1/14 HR 240 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act of 2015 Bill Passed - House (236 - 191)
12/18 S 1811 Requires Made in the United States Materials for Public Works Bill Passed - House (43 - 24)
12/04 HR 5759 Preventing Executive Overreach on Immigration Act of 2014 Bill Passed - House (219 - 197)
11/18 S 2685 USA FREEDOM Act of 2014 Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (58 - 42)
9/18 H J Res 124 Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2015 Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (78 - 22)
9/18 H J Res 124 Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2015 Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (78 - 22)
9/17 H Amdt 1141 Authorizes Aid to Syrian Opposition Amendment Adopted - House (273 - 156)
9/17 H J Res 124 Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2015 Joint Resolution Passed - House (319 - 108)
9/17 H J Res 124 Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2015 Joint Resolution Passed - House (319 - 108)
9/09 H Res 644 Condemning and Disapproving of the Failure of the Obama Administration to Comply with the Lawful Statutory Requirement to Notify Congress before Transferring Individuals Detained at United States Naval Station, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and Expressing Concern About the National Security Risks Over the Transfer of Five Taliban Leaders and the Repercussions of Negotiating with Terrorists Resolution Passed - House (249 - 163)
8/29 SB 1159 Authorizes Undocumented Immigrants to Receive Professional Licenses Bill Passed - House (55 - 22)
8/01 HR 5272 To Prohibit Certain Actions with Respect to Deferred Action for Aliens Not Lawfully Present in the United States, and for Other Purposes Bill Passed - House (216 - 192)
8/01 HR 5230 Making Supplemental Appropriations for the Fiscal Year Ending September 30, 2014, and for Other Purposes Bill Passed - House (223 - 189)

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