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
July 11, 2013 National HR 2642 Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 2013 Bill Passed - House (216 - 208)
July 8, 2013 OR HB 2639 Prohibits Discrimination in Selling, Renting, or Leasing Property Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13)
July 3, 2013 PA HB 1075 Amends Public Welfare Code Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 22)
July 3, 2013 OR HB 2639 Prohibits Discrimination in Selling, Renting, or Leasing Property Bill Passed - House (38 - 20)
July 1, 2013 PA HB 1075 Amends Public Welfare Code Concurrence Vote Passed - House (108 - 94)
June 20, 2013 National H Amdt 231 Authorizes States to Require Federal Welfare Work Requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Amendment Adopted - House (227 - 198)
June 20, 2013 National HR 1947 Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 2013 Bill Failed - House (195 - 234)
June 19, 2013 National H Amdt 176 Restores $20.5 Billion in Appropriations for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Amendment Rejected - House (188 - 234)
June 13, 2013 MI HB 4714 Expands Medicaid Eligibility Bill Passed - House (76 - 31)
June 10, 2013 National S 954 Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act of 2013 Bill Passed - Senate (66 - 27)
May 22, 2013 TX SB 21 Requires Drug Testing for Unemployment Benefits Bill Passed - House (104 - 42)
May 16, 2013 AZ SB 1492 Expands Medicaid Eligibility Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11)
May 1, 2013 MI HB 4388 Establishes School Attendence Requirements for Family Independence Assistance Bill Passed - House (78 - 32)
May 1, 2013 MI HB 4118 Requires Drug Testing For Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - House (77 - 33)
April 25, 2013 AL SB 340 Amends the Medicaid Program Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 3)
April 24, 2013 AL SB 191 Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10)
April 18, 2013 AR SB 1020 Authorizes Private Purchase of Health Insurance with Federal Funds Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 5)
April 17, 2013 AR SB 1020 Authorizes Private Purchase of Health Insurance with Federal Funds Bill Passed - House (70 - 23)
April 16, 2013 IA SF 439 Establishes a Tax Credit for Farmers Who Donate to Food Banks Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 15)
April 16, 2013 WI AB 82 Prohibits the Unauthorized Transfer of Food Stamps Bill Passed - House (73 - 24)
April 10, 2013 IN HB 1483 Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 12)
April 8, 2013 AR SB 38 Requires Drug Testing for Unemployment Benefits Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 5)
April 8, 2013 AR SB 875 Reduces Maximum Weekly Unemployment Benefit Amounts Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 12)
March 27, 2013 MD SB 274 Expands Medicaid Coverage Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 11)
March 25, 2013 IA SF 296 Expands Medicaid Eligibility Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23)
Date No. Title Outcome
7/11 HR 2642 Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 2013 Bill Passed - House (216 - 208)
7/08 HB 2639 Prohibits Discrimination in Selling, Renting, or Leasing Property Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13)
7/03 HB 1075 Amends Public Welfare Code Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 22)
7/03 HB 2639 Prohibits Discrimination in Selling, Renting, or Leasing Property Bill Passed - House (38 - 20)
7/01 HB 1075 Amends Public Welfare Code Concurrence Vote Passed - House (108 - 94)
6/20 H Amdt 231 Authorizes States to Require Federal Welfare Work Requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Amendment Adopted - House (227 - 198)
6/20 HR 1947 Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 2013 Bill Failed - House (195 - 234)
6/19 H Amdt 176 Restores $20.5 Billion in Appropriations for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Amendment Rejected - House (188 - 234)
6/13 HB 4714 Expands Medicaid Eligibility Bill Passed - House (76 - 31)
6/10 S 954 Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act of 2013 Bill Passed - Senate (66 - 27)
5/22 SB 21 Requires Drug Testing for Unemployment Benefits Bill Passed - House (104 - 42)
5/16 SB 1492 Expands Medicaid Eligibility Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11)
5/01 HB 4388 Establishes School Attendence Requirements for Family Independence Assistance Bill Passed - House (78 - 32)
5/01 HB 4118 Requires Drug Testing For Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - House (77 - 33)
4/25 SB 340 Amends the Medicaid Program Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 3)
4/24 SB 191 Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10)
4/18 SB 1020 Authorizes Private Purchase of Health Insurance with Federal Funds Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 5)
4/17 SB 1020 Authorizes Private Purchase of Health Insurance with Federal Funds Bill Passed - House (70 - 23)
4/16 SF 439 Establishes a Tax Credit for Farmers Who Donate to Food Banks Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 15)
4/16 AB 82 Prohibits the Unauthorized Transfer of Food Stamps Bill Passed - House (73 - 24)
4/10 HB 1483 Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 12)
4/08 SB 38 Requires Drug Testing for Unemployment Benefits Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 5)
4/08 SB 875 Reduces Maximum Weekly Unemployment Benefit Amounts Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 12)
3/27 SB 274 Expands Medicaid Coverage Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 11)
3/25 SF 296 Expands Medicaid Eligibility Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23)

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