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. 10, 2025 National PN 11-16 Nomination of Tulsi Gabbard to be Director of National Intelligence Cloture Invoked - Senate (52 - 46)
Feb. 6, 2025 National PN 11-16 Nomination of Tulsi Gabbard to be Director of National Intelligence Motion Agreed - Senate (52 - 46)
Feb. 4, 2025 National PN 11-2 Nomination of Pamela Bondi to be Attorney General Nomination Confirmed - Senate (54 - 46)
Feb. 3, 2025 National PN 11-2 Nomination of Pamela Bondi to be Attorney General Cloture Invoked - Senate (52 - 46)
Feb. 3, 2025 IN SB 430 Appropriates Grants to Law Enforcement Agencies that Seek Training with ICE Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 9)
Jan. 30, 2025 NH SB 13 Prohibits the State from Recognizing Licenses Issued to Undocumented Immigrants in Other States "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - Senate (15 - 8)
Jan. 30, 2025 NH SB 62 Authorizes Law Enforcement Officials to Enter into Agreements with ICE "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - Senate (15 - 8)
Jan. 30, 2025 NH SB 71 Prohibits Sanctuary City Policies in the State "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - Senate (15 - 8)
Jan. 29, 2025 TN SB 6002 Establishes Class E Felony Criminal Penalties for Officials Who Adopt Sanctuary City Policies Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7)
Jan. 28, 2025 National HR 23 Illegitimate Court Counteraction Act Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (54 - 45)
Jan. 28, 2025 National HR 23 Illegitimate Court Counteraction Act Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (54 - 45)
Jan. 25, 2025 National PN 11-11 Nomination of Kristi Noem to be Secretary of Homeland Security Nomination Confirmed - Senate (59 - 34)
Jan. 24, 2025 National PN 11-7 Nomination of Peter Hegseth to be Secretary of Defense Nomination Confirmed - Senate (50 - 50)
Jan. 24, 2025 National PN 11-11 Nomination of Kristi Noem to be Secretary of Homeland Security Cloture Invoked - Senate (61 - 39)
Jan. 23, 2025 National PN 11-19 Nomination of John Ratcliffe to be Director of the Central Intelligence Agency Nomination Confirmed - Senate (74 - 25)
Jan. 23, 2025 National PN 11-19 Nomination of John Ratcliffe to be Director of the Central Intelligence Agency Cloture Invoked - Senate (72 - 26)
Jan. 23, 2025 National PN 11-7 Nomination of Peter Hegseth to be Secretary of Defense Cloture Invoked - Senate (51 - 49)
Jan. 23, 2025 CA SB 2 Appropriates $25 Million for the State Department of Justice to Pay for Legal Battles Involving the Federal Government Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 8)
Jan. 21, 2025 National PN 11-7 Nomination of Peter Hegseth to be Secretary of Defense Motion Agreed - Senate (53 - 47)
Jan. 21, 2025 National PN 11-19 Nomination of John Ratcliffe to be Director of the Central Intelligence Agency Motion Agreed - Senate (54 - 46)
Jan. 20, 2025 National S 5 Laken Riley Act Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 35)
Jan. 20, 2025 National PN 11-13 Nomination of Marco Rubio to be Secretary of State Nomination Confirmed - Senate (99 - 0)
Jan. 17, 2025 National S 5 Laken Riley Act Cloture Invoked - Senate (61 - 35)
Jan. 13, 2025 National S 5 Laken Riley Act Motion Agreed - Senate (82 - 10)
Jan. 8, 2025 National S 5 Laken Riley Act Cloture Invoked - Senate (84 - 9)
Date No. Title Outcome
2/10 PN 11-16 Nomination of Tulsi Gabbard to be Director of National Intelligence Cloture Invoked - Senate (52 - 46)
2/06 PN 11-16 Nomination of Tulsi Gabbard to be Director of National Intelligence Motion Agreed - Senate (52 - 46)
2/04 PN 11-2 Nomination of Pamela Bondi to be Attorney General Nomination Confirmed - Senate (54 - 46)
2/03 PN 11-2 Nomination of Pamela Bondi to be Attorney General Cloture Invoked - Senate (52 - 46)
2/03 SB 430 Appropriates Grants to Law Enforcement Agencies that Seek Training with ICE Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 9)
1/30 SB 13 Prohibits the State from Recognizing Licenses Issued to Undocumented Immigrants in Other States "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - Senate (15 - 8)
1/30 SB 62 Authorizes Law Enforcement Officials to Enter into Agreements with ICE "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - Senate (15 - 8)
1/30 SB 71 Prohibits Sanctuary City Policies in the State "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - Senate (15 - 8)
1/29 SB 6002 Establishes Class E Felony Criminal Penalties for Officials Who Adopt Sanctuary City Policies Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7)
1/28 HR 23 Illegitimate Court Counteraction Act Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (54 - 45)
1/28 HR 23 Illegitimate Court Counteraction Act Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (54 - 45)
1/25 PN 11-11 Nomination of Kristi Noem to be Secretary of Homeland Security Nomination Confirmed - Senate (59 - 34)
1/24 PN 11-7 Nomination of Peter Hegseth to be Secretary of Defense Nomination Confirmed - Senate (50 - 50)
1/24 PN 11-11 Nomination of Kristi Noem to be Secretary of Homeland Security Cloture Invoked - Senate (61 - 39)
1/23 PN 11-19 Nomination of John Ratcliffe to be Director of the Central Intelligence Agency Nomination Confirmed - Senate (74 - 25)
1/23 PN 11-19 Nomination of John Ratcliffe to be Director of the Central Intelligence Agency Cloture Invoked - Senate (72 - 26)
1/23 PN 11-7 Nomination of Peter Hegseth to be Secretary of Defense Cloture Invoked - Senate (51 - 49)
1/23 SB 2 Appropriates $25 Million for the State Department of Justice to Pay for Legal Battles Involving the Federal Government Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 8)
1/21 PN 11-7 Nomination of Peter Hegseth to be Secretary of Defense Motion Agreed - Senate (53 - 47)
1/21 PN 11-19 Nomination of John Ratcliffe to be Director of the Central Intelligence Agency Motion Agreed - Senate (54 - 46)
1/20 S 5 Laken Riley Act Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 35)
1/20 PN 11-13 Nomination of Marco Rubio to be Secretary of State Nomination Confirmed - Senate (99 - 0)
1/17 S 5 Laken Riley Act Cloture Invoked - Senate (61 - 35)
1/13 S 5 Laken Riley Act Motion Agreed - Senate (82 - 10)
1/08 S 5 Laken Riley Act Cloture Invoked - Senate (84 - 9)

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