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. 13, 2017 National PN 26 Nomination of Steven T. Mnuchin to be Secretary of the Treasury Nomination Confirmed - Senate (53 - 47)
Feb. 10, 2017 National PN 33 Nomination of Thomas Price to be Secretary of Health and Human Services Nomination Confirmed - Senate (52 - 47)
Feb. 10, 2017 National PN 26 Nomination of Steven T. Mnuchin to be Secretary of the Treasury Cloture Invoked - Senate (53 - 46)
Feb. 10, 2017 MD SJ 5 Authorizes State Attorney General to Sue Federal Government Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (29 - 17)
Feb. 8, 2017 National PN 30 Nomination of Jeff Sessions to be Attorney General Nomination Confirmed - Senate (52 - 47)
Feb. 8, 2017 National PN 33 Nomination of Thomas Price to be Secretary of Health and Human Services Cloture Invoked - Senate (51 - 48)
Feb. 8, 2017 WI SB 3 Prohibits Localities from Requiring Project Labor Agreements Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 13)
Feb. 7, 2017 National PN 37 Nomination of Elisabeth Prince DeVos to be Secretary of Education Nomination Confirmed - Senate (51 - 50)
Feb. 7, 2017 National PN 30 Nomination of Jeff Sessions to be Attorney General Cloture Invoked - Senate (52 - 47)
Feb. 3, 2017 National PN 37 Nomination of Elisabeth Prince DeVos to be Secretary of Education Cloture Invoked - Senate (52 - 48)
Feb. 2, 2017 National H J Res 38 Disapproving the Rule Submitted by the Department of the Interior Known as the Stream Protection Rule Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (54 - 45)
Feb. 1, 2017 National PN 25 Nomination of Rex W. Tillerson to be Secretary of State Nomination Confirmed - Senate (56 - 43)
Jan. 30, 2017 National PN 25 Nomination of Rex W. Tillerson to be Secretary of State Cloture Invoked - Senate (56 - 43)
Sept. 28, 2016 OH SB 329 Requires the Legislature to Review State Agencies Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 8)
Sept. 14, 2016 MO HB 1870 Reauthorizes Small Business Tax Deductions Veto Override Failed - Senate (18 - 12)
Sept. 14, 2016 MO HB 1631 Requires Individuals to Present Certain Identification to Vote Veto Override Passed - Senate (24 - 7)
Aug. 31, 2016 CA AB 2002 Requires Coastal Commission Members to Disclose Private Meetings Bill Failed - Senate (22 - 13)
Aug. 30, 2016 CA AB 385 Repeals Daylight Savings Time Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 19)
Aug. 23, 2016 CA AB 385 Repeals Daylight Savings Time Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 17)
Aug. 22, 2016 CA AB 197 Establishes the Joint Legislative Committee on Climate Change Policies Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13)
Aug. 17, 2016 CA AB 1887 Prohibits State-Funded Travel to Certain States Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12)
Aug. 16, 2016 CA AB 2466 Expands Voting Rights for Certain Convicted Felons Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13)
June 27, 2016 NC SB 897 Establishes Electoral Districts for City of Asheville Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 16)
June 13, 2016 NC HB 169 Repeals Recycling Program Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 15)
June 6, 2016 AK SB 128 Amends Alaska Permanent Fund Dividend Policy Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 5)
Date No. Title Outcome
2/13 PN 26 Nomination of Steven T. Mnuchin to be Secretary of the Treasury Nomination Confirmed - Senate (53 - 47)
2/10 PN 33 Nomination of Thomas Price to be Secretary of Health and Human Services Nomination Confirmed - Senate (52 - 47)
2/10 PN 26 Nomination of Steven T. Mnuchin to be Secretary of the Treasury Cloture Invoked - Senate (53 - 46)
2/10 SJ 5 Authorizes State Attorney General to Sue Federal Government Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (29 - 17)
2/08 PN 30 Nomination of Jeff Sessions to be Attorney General Nomination Confirmed - Senate (52 - 47)
2/08 PN 33 Nomination of Thomas Price to be Secretary of Health and Human Services Cloture Invoked - Senate (51 - 48)
2/08 SB 3 Prohibits Localities from Requiring Project Labor Agreements Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 13)
2/07 PN 37 Nomination of Elisabeth Prince DeVos to be Secretary of Education Nomination Confirmed - Senate (51 - 50)
2/07 PN 30 Nomination of Jeff Sessions to be Attorney General Cloture Invoked - Senate (52 - 47)
2/03 PN 37 Nomination of Elisabeth Prince DeVos to be Secretary of Education Cloture Invoked - Senate (52 - 48)
2/02 H J Res 38 Disapproving the Rule Submitted by the Department of the Interior Known as the Stream Protection Rule Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (54 - 45)
2/01 PN 25 Nomination of Rex W. Tillerson to be Secretary of State Nomination Confirmed - Senate (56 - 43)
1/30 PN 25 Nomination of Rex W. Tillerson to be Secretary of State Cloture Invoked - Senate (56 - 43)
9/28 SB 329 Requires the Legislature to Review State Agencies Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 8)
9/14 HB 1870 Reauthorizes Small Business Tax Deductions Veto Override Failed - Senate (18 - 12)
9/14 HB 1631 Requires Individuals to Present Certain Identification to Vote Veto Override Passed - Senate (24 - 7)
8/31 AB 2002 Requires Coastal Commission Members to Disclose Private Meetings Bill Failed - Senate (22 - 13)
8/30 AB 385 Repeals Daylight Savings Time Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 19)
8/23 AB 385 Repeals Daylight Savings Time Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 17)
8/22 AB 197 Establishes the Joint Legislative Committee on Climate Change Policies Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13)
8/17 AB 1887 Prohibits State-Funded Travel to Certain States Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12)
8/16 AB 2466 Expands Voting Rights for Certain Convicted Felons Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13)
6/27 SB 897 Establishes Electoral Districts for City of Asheville Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 16)
6/13 HB 169 Repeals Recycling Program Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 15)
6/06 SB 128 Amends Alaska Permanent Fund Dividend Policy Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 5)

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