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 18, 2020 MD HB 1663 Establishes the "COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Protection Act of 2020" Concurrence Vote Passed - House (131 - 3)
March 18, 2020 MS HB 1647 Authorizes Local Governments and School Districts to Grant Administrative Leave with Pay In Case of Emergency Bill Passed - Senate (51 - 0)
March 18, 2020 National HR 6201 Families First Coronavirus Response Act Bill Passed - Senate (90 - 8)
March 18, 2020 NY S 8091 Establishes Paid Sick Leave for Employees Affected by the COVID-19 Coronavirus Disease Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 6)
March 17, 2020 KS SB 102 Expands Flexibility in Courts Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 7)
March 17, 2020 KS SB 142 Authorizes Waiver for School Hour Requirement Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 4)
March 17, 2020 MI HB 4729 Appropriates Funds for COVID-19 Coronavirus Response Concurrence Vote Passed - House (92 - 0)
March 17, 2020 SC H 4014 Appropriates Funds for the COVID-19 Public Health Response Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 0)
March 17, 2020 ID S 1428 Appropriates Funds for the State Advanced Paid/Sick Administrative Leave Program Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 0)
March 16, 2020 CA SB 89 Amends 2019-2020 State Budget to Appropriate Funds for the COVID-19 Emergency Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 0)
March 16, 2020 CA SB 117 Appropriates Funds to Public Schools Amid COVID-19 Emergency Shut-Down Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 0)
March 16, 2020 ID S 1398 Appropriates Funds for Fiscal Year 2021 to the Catastrophic Health Care Program Bill Passed - House (69 - 0)
March 16, 2020 NJ A 3859 Prohibits Evictions and Foreclosures During Emergency Circumstances Bill Passed - House (60 - 0)
March 16, 2020 IA SF 2408 Appropriates Funds, Expands Power of Governor, and Waives School Time Requirements in Response to Coronavirus Outbreak Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 0)
March 14, 2020 National HR 6201 Families First Coronavirus Response Act Bill Passed - House (363 - 40)
March 12, 2020 GA HB 792 Amends the 2020 Fiscal Year Budget to Appropriate Funds to Combat COVID-19 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (53 - 1)
March 12, 2020 AL HB 186 Appropriates Funds for COVID-19 Coronavirus Response Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 0)
March 12, 2020 WA HB 2965 Appropriates Funds for COVID-19 Coronavirus Response Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 0)
March 12, 2020 UT HB 494 Appropriates Funds In Response to the COVID-19 Emergency Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 0)
March 11, 2020 National HR 6172 USA FREEDOM Reauthorization Act of 2020 Bill Passed - House (278 - 136)
March 9, 2020 MN SF 3813 Appropriates Funding for the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Public Health Response Planning Bill Passed - Senate (56 - 0)
March 5, 2020 National HR 1140 Rights for Transportation Security Officers Act Bill Passed - House (230 - 171)
March 3, 2020 HI SB 75 Appropriates Funds to the Departments of Health, Transportation, and Defense to Help Combat the COVID-19 Pandemic Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 0)
March 2, 2020 NY S 7919 Appropriates Funds for COVID-19 Coronavirus Response Bill Passed - Senate (53 - 4)
March 2, 2020 NY S 7919 Appropriates Funds for COVID-19 Coronavirus Response Bill Passed - House (122 - 12)
Feb. 7, 2020 National HR 5687 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief and Puerto Rico Disaster Tax Relief Act, 2020 Bill Passed - House (237 - 161)
Feb. 6, 2020 AZ HB 2084 Authorizes Construction of Border Walls without Building Permits Bill Passed - House (31 - 29)
Feb. 3, 2020 VA HB 340 Establishes Housing Relief to Furloughed Government Employees Bill Passed - House (65 - 34)
Nov. 18, 2019 National HR 3702 Reforming Disaster Recovery Act of 2019 Bill Passed - House (290 - 118)
Nov. 13, 2019 National PN 410 Nomination of Chad Wolf to be Under Secretary for Strategy, Policy, and Plans for the Department of Homeland Security (54 - 41)
Nov. 13, 2019 OH HB 272 Prohibits State Officials From Changing the Time and Place of an Election Bill Passed - House (91 - 0)
Nov. 12, 2019 National PN 410 Nomination of Chad Wolf to be Under Secretary for Strategy, Policy, and Plans for the Department of Homeland Security Cloture Invoked - Senate (54 - 40)
Sept. 27, 2019 National SJ Res 54 Rescinds a National Emergency Declared by the President on February 15, 2019 Bill Passed - House (236 - 174)
Sept. 26, 2019 National SJ Res 54 Rescinds a National Emergency Declared by the President on February 15, 2019 Bill Passed - Senate (54 - 41)
Sept. 25, 2019 National HR 2203 Homeland Security Improvement Act Bill Passed - House (230 - 194)
July 23, 2019 National HR 1327 Never Forget the Heroes: Permanent Authorization of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund Act Bill Passed - Senate (97 - 2)
July 12, 2019 National HR 1327 Never Forget the Heroes: Permanent Authorization of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund Act Bill Passed - House (402 - 12)
July 8, 2019 CA AB 1054 Establishes Wildfire Victim Compensation Fund Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 7)
June 27, 2019 NH HB 315 Repeals Participation in Interstate Voter Registration Crosscheck Program Conference Report Adopted - House (203 - 142)
June 27, 2019 NH HB 315 Repeals Participation in Interstate Voter Registration Crosscheck Program Conference Report Adopted - Senate (14 - 10)
June 27, 2019 National HR 3401 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations for Humanitarian Assistance and Security at the Southern Border Act, 2019 Concurrence Vote Passed - House (305 - 102)
June 27, 2019 National HR 2722 Securing America's Federal Elections (SAFE) Act Bill Passed - House (225 - 184)
June 26, 2019 National HR 3401 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations for Humanitarian Assistance and Security at the Southern Border Act, 2019 Bill Passed - Senate (84 - 8)
June 25, 2019 National HR 3401 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations for Humanitarian Assistance and Security at the Southern Border Act, 2019 Bill Passed - House (230 - 195)
June 3, 2019 National HR 2157 Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2019 Concurrence Vote Passed - House (354 - 58)
May 23, 2019 National HR 2157 Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2019 Bill Passed - Senate (85 - 8)
March 26, 2019 National H J Res 46 Relating to a national emergency declared by the President on February 15, 2019 Veto Override Failed - House (248 - 181)
March 14, 2019 National H J Res 46 Relating to a national emergency declared by the President on February 15, 2019 Bill Passed - Senate (59 - 41)
March 14, 2019 National H Con Res 24 Expressing the sense of Congress that the report of Special Counsel Mueller should be made available to the public and to Congress. Bill Passed - House (420 - 0)
Feb. 26, 2019 National H J Res 46 Relating to a national emergency declared by the President on February 15, 2019 Bill Passed - House (245 - 182)
Aug. 1, 2018 National HR 5515 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (87 - 10)
July 26, 2018 National HR 5515 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 Conference Report Adopted - House (359 - 54)
June 18, 2018 National HR 5515 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 Bill Passed - Senate (85 - 10)
May 24, 2018 National HR 5515 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 Bill Passed - House (351 - 66)
May 3, 2018 VT H 25 Amends State Domestic Terrorism Laws Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 0)
April 26, 2018 National PN 1761 Nomination of Mike Pompeo to Secretary of State (57 - 42)
April 26, 2018 National PN 1761 Nomination of Mike Pompeo to Secretary of State Cloture Invoked - Senate (57 - 42)
Jan. 18, 2018 National S 139 FISA Amendments Reauthorization Act of 2017 Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (65 - 34)
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)
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)
July 27, 2017 National HR 3364 Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act Bill Passed - Senate (98 - 2)
July 25, 2017 National HR 3364 Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act Bill Passed - House (419 - 3)
March 30, 2017 MO HB 151 Requires REAL ID Compliance Bill Passed - House (99 - 40)
Sept. 15, 2016 National HR 5351 To Prohibit the Transfer of Any Individual Detained at United States Naval Station, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba Bill Passed - House (244 - 174)
June 20, 2016 National S Amdt 4720 Prohibits the Transfer of Firearms to Suspected Terrorists Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (47 - 53)
June 20, 2016 National S Amdt 4749 Authorizes the Attorney General to Delay Transfer of Firearms to Suspected Terrorists Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 47)
Jan. 20, 2016 National HR 4038 American Security Against Foreign Enemies (SAFE) Act Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (55 - 43)
Dec. 3, 2015 National HR 8 North American Energy Security and Infrastructure Act Bill Passed - House (249 - 174)
Nov. 19, 2015 National HR 4038 American Security Against Foreign Enemies (SAFE) Act Bill Passed - House (289 - 137)
Oct. 27, 2015 National S 754 Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act (CISA) of 2015 Bill Passed - Senate (74 - 21)
June 16, 2015 National HR 2596 Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 Bill Passed - House (247 - 178)
June 2, 2015 National HR 2048 Uniting and Strengthening America by Fulfilling Rights and Ensuring Effective Discipline Over Monitoring (USA FREEDOM) Act of 2015 Bill Passed - Senate (67 - 32)
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)
Date No. Title Outcome
3/18 HB 1663 Establishes the "COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Protection Act of 2020" Concurrence Vote Passed - House (131 - 3)
3/18 HB 1647 Authorizes Local Governments and School Districts to Grant Administrative Leave with Pay In Case of Emergency Bill Passed - Senate (51 - 0)
3/18 HR 6201 Families First Coronavirus Response Act Bill Passed - Senate (90 - 8)
3/18 S 8091 Establishes Paid Sick Leave for Employees Affected by the COVID-19 Coronavirus Disease Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 6)
3/17 SB 102 Expands Flexibility in Courts Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 7)
3/17 SB 142 Authorizes Waiver for School Hour Requirement Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 4)
3/17 HB 4729 Appropriates Funds for COVID-19 Coronavirus Response Concurrence Vote Passed - House (92 - 0)
3/17 H 4014 Appropriates Funds for the COVID-19 Public Health Response Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 0)
3/17 S 1428 Appropriates Funds for the State Advanced Paid/Sick Administrative Leave Program Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 0)
3/16 SB 89 Amends 2019-2020 State Budget to Appropriate Funds for the COVID-19 Emergency Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 0)
3/16 SB 117 Appropriates Funds to Public Schools Amid COVID-19 Emergency Shut-Down Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 0)
3/16 S 1398 Appropriates Funds for Fiscal Year 2021 to the Catastrophic Health Care Program Bill Passed - House (69 - 0)
3/16 A 3859 Prohibits Evictions and Foreclosures During Emergency Circumstances Bill Passed - House (60 - 0)
3/16 SF 2408 Appropriates Funds, Expands Power of Governor, and Waives School Time Requirements in Response to Coronavirus Outbreak Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 0)
3/14 HR 6201 Families First Coronavirus Response Act Bill Passed - House (363 - 40)
3/12 HB 792 Amends the 2020 Fiscal Year Budget to Appropriate Funds to Combat COVID-19 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (53 - 1)
3/12 HB 186 Appropriates Funds for COVID-19 Coronavirus Response Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 0)
3/12 HB 2965 Appropriates Funds for COVID-19 Coronavirus Response Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 0)
3/12 HB 494 Appropriates Funds In Response to the COVID-19 Emergency Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 0)
3/11 HR 6172 USA FREEDOM Reauthorization Act of 2020 Bill Passed - House (278 - 136)
3/09 SF 3813 Appropriates Funding for the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Public Health Response Planning Bill Passed - Senate (56 - 0)
3/05 HR 1140 Rights for Transportation Security Officers Act Bill Passed - House (230 - 171)
3/03 SB 75 Appropriates Funds to the Departments of Health, Transportation, and Defense to Help Combat the COVID-19 Pandemic Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 0)
3/02 S 7919 Appropriates Funds for COVID-19 Coronavirus Response Bill Passed - Senate (53 - 4)
3/02 S 7919 Appropriates Funds for COVID-19 Coronavirus Response Bill Passed - House (122 - 12)
2/07 HR 5687 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief and Puerto Rico Disaster Tax Relief Act, 2020 Bill Passed - House (237 - 161)
2/06 HB 2084 Authorizes Construction of Border Walls without Building Permits Bill Passed - House (31 - 29)
2/03 HB 340 Establishes Housing Relief to Furloughed Government Employees Bill Passed - House (65 - 34)
11/18 HR 3702 Reforming Disaster Recovery Act of 2019 Bill Passed - House (290 - 118)
11/13 PN 410 Nomination of Chad Wolf to be Under Secretary for Strategy, Policy, and Plans for the Department of Homeland Security (54 - 41)
11/13 HB 272 Prohibits State Officials From Changing the Time and Place of an Election Bill Passed - House (91 - 0)
11/12 PN 410 Nomination of Chad Wolf to be Under Secretary for Strategy, Policy, and Plans for the Department of Homeland Security Cloture Invoked - Senate (54 - 40)
9/27 SJ Res 54 Rescinds a National Emergency Declared by the President on February 15, 2019 Bill Passed - House (236 - 174)
9/26 SJ Res 54 Rescinds a National Emergency Declared by the President on February 15, 2019 Bill Passed - Senate (54 - 41)
9/25 HR 2203 Homeland Security Improvement Act Bill Passed - House (230 - 194)
7/23 HR 1327 Never Forget the Heroes: Permanent Authorization of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund Act Bill Passed - Senate (97 - 2)
7/12 HR 1327 Never Forget the Heroes: Permanent Authorization of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund Act Bill Passed - House (402 - 12)
7/08 AB 1054 Establishes Wildfire Victim Compensation Fund Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 7)
6/27 HB 315 Repeals Participation in Interstate Voter Registration Crosscheck Program Conference Report Adopted - House (203 - 142)
6/27 HB 315 Repeals Participation in Interstate Voter Registration Crosscheck Program Conference Report Adopted - Senate (14 - 10)
6/27 HR 3401 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations for Humanitarian Assistance and Security at the Southern Border Act, 2019 Concurrence Vote Passed - House (305 - 102)
6/27 HR 2722 Securing America's Federal Elections (SAFE) Act Bill Passed - House (225 - 184)
6/26 HR 3401 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations for Humanitarian Assistance and Security at the Southern Border Act, 2019 Bill Passed - Senate (84 - 8)
6/25 HR 3401 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations for Humanitarian Assistance and Security at the Southern Border Act, 2019 Bill Passed - House (230 - 195)
6/03 HR 2157 Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2019 Concurrence Vote Passed - House (354 - 58)
5/23 HR 2157 Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2019 Bill Passed - Senate (85 - 8)
3/26 H J Res 46 Relating to a national emergency declared by the President on February 15, 2019 Veto Override Failed - House (248 - 181)
3/14 H J Res 46 Relating to a national emergency declared by the President on February 15, 2019 Bill Passed - Senate (59 - 41)
3/14 H Con Res 24 Expressing the sense of Congress that the report of Special Counsel Mueller should be made available to the public and to Congress. Bill Passed - House (420 - 0)
2/26 H J Res 46 Relating to a national emergency declared by the President on February 15, 2019 Bill Passed - House (245 - 182)
8/01 HR 5515 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (87 - 10)
7/26 HR 5515 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 Conference Report Adopted - House (359 - 54)
6/18 HR 5515 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 Bill Passed - Senate (85 - 10)
5/24 HR 5515 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 Bill Passed - House (351 - 66)
5/03 H 25 Amends State Domestic Terrorism Laws Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 0)
4/26 PN 1761 Nomination of Mike Pompeo to Secretary of State (57 - 42)
4/26 PN 1761 Nomination of Mike Pompeo to Secretary of State Cloture Invoked - Senate (57 - 42)
1/18 S 139 FISA Amendments Reauthorization Act of 2017 Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (65 - 34)
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)
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)
7/27 HR 3364 Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act Bill Passed - Senate (98 - 2)
7/25 HR 3364 Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act Bill Passed - House (419 - 3)
3/30 HB 151 Requires REAL ID Compliance Bill Passed - House (99 - 40)
9/15 HR 5351 To Prohibit the Transfer of Any Individual Detained at United States Naval Station, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba Bill Passed - House (244 - 174)
6/20 S Amdt 4720 Prohibits the Transfer of Firearms to Suspected Terrorists Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (47 - 53)
6/20 S Amdt 4749 Authorizes the Attorney General to Delay Transfer of Firearms to Suspected Terrorists Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 47)
1/20 HR 4038 American Security Against Foreign Enemies (SAFE) Act Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (55 - 43)
12/03 HR 8 North American Energy Security and Infrastructure Act Bill Passed - House (249 - 174)
11/19 HR 4038 American Security Against Foreign Enemies (SAFE) Act Bill Passed - House (289 - 137)
10/27 S 754 Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act (CISA) of 2015 Bill Passed - Senate (74 - 21)
6/16 HR 2596 Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 Bill Passed - House (247 - 178)
6/02 HR 2048 Uniting and Strengthening America by Fulfilling Rights and Ensuring Effective Discipline Over Monitoring (USA FREEDOM) Act of 2015 Bill Passed - Senate (67 - 32)
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)

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