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
April 7, 2016 AK HB 222 Limits Governor's Ability to Accept Federal Funds Bill Passed - House (26 - 13)
March 14, 2016 National PN 1152 Nomination of John B. King to be Secretary of Education Nomination Confirmed - Senate (49 - 40)
Sept. 10, 2015 National H Res 411 Finding that the President Has Not Complied with Section 2 of the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015 Bill Passed - House (245 - 186)
July 28, 2015 National HR 427 Regulations for the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act of 2015 Bill Passed - House (243 - 165)
April 27, 2015 ND HB 1033 Prohibits Legacy Fund Calculation in State Budget Drafts Veto Override Passed - House (67 - 23)
April 23, 2015 National PN 4 Nomination of Loretta E. Lynch to be Attorney General Nomination Confirmed - Senate (56 - 43)
April 6, 2015 ND HB 1181 Requires Special Election to Fill Vacant Senate Seat Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 20)
April 2, 2015 AR SJR 16 Authorizes Issuance of Bonds for Economic Development Projects Bill Passed - House (70 - 22)
Feb. 26, 2015 MN SF 174 Requires Legislative Approval for Certain Salary Increases Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 29)
Dec. 4, 2014 National HR 5759 Preventing Executive Overreach on Immigration Act of 2014 Bill Passed - House (219 - 197)
Oct. 23, 2014 NJ SCR 125 Specifies that Proposed Regulations Concerning Greenhouse Gas Cap and Trade Programs are Inconsistent with Legislative Intent Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (23 - 14)
July 30, 2014 National H Res 676 Providing for Authority to Initiate Litigation for Actions by the President or Other Executive Branch Officials Inconsistent with Their Duties Under the Constitution of the United States Resolution Passed - House (225 - 201)
May 16, 2014 MO HJR 72 Authorizes the Legislature to Override Certain Gubernatorial Spending Reductions Amendment Adopted - Senate (25 - 4)
April 30, 2014 FL SJR 1188 Authorizes Governor to Fill Prospective Judicial Vacancies Joint Resolution Passed - House (74 - 45)
April 3, 2014 FL SJR 1188 Authorizes Governor to Fill Prospective Judicial Vacancies Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (26 - 14)
March 26, 2014 National HR 1459 Ensuring Public Involvement in the Creation of National Monuments Act Bill Passed - House (222 - 201)
March 20, 2014 ID S 1395 Increases Salaries of Certain State Officials Bill Passed - House (44 - 25)
March 12, 2014 National HR 4138 Executive Needs to Faithfully Observe and Respect Congressional Enactments of (ENFORCE) the Law Act of 2014 Bill Passed - House (233 - 181)
Feb. 25, 2014 KY SB 82 Establishes Procedures for an Executive Cabinet Position Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
Feb. 24, 2014 WV HB 4490 Amends Attorney General Conflict of Interest Laws Bill Passed - House (52 - 44)
Feb. 20, 2014 MO HJR 72 Authorizes the Legislature to Override Certain Gubernatorial Spending Reductions Amendment Adopted - House (109 - 42)
Feb. 13, 2014 NM HB 11 Increases Compensation for Elected State Officers Bill Failed - House (29 - 32)
Feb. 6, 2014 KY SB 1 Authorizes Legislature to Review Administrative Regulations Amendment Adopted - Senate (24 - 14)
Feb. 5, 2014 IL SB 1227 Extends the Date for the Governor to Submit the State Budget Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (37 - 15)
Feb. 4, 2014 IL SB 1227 Extends the Date for the Governor to Submit the State Budget Bill Passed - House (62 - 48)
Date No. Title Outcome
4/07 HB 222 Limits Governor's Ability to Accept Federal Funds Bill Passed - House (26 - 13)
3/14 PN 1152 Nomination of John B. King to be Secretary of Education Nomination Confirmed - Senate (49 - 40)
9/10 H Res 411 Finding that the President Has Not Complied with Section 2 of the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015 Bill Passed - House (245 - 186)
7/28 HR 427 Regulations for the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act of 2015 Bill Passed - House (243 - 165)
4/27 HB 1033 Prohibits Legacy Fund Calculation in State Budget Drafts Veto Override Passed - House (67 - 23)
4/23 PN 4 Nomination of Loretta E. Lynch to be Attorney General Nomination Confirmed - Senate (56 - 43)
4/06 HB 1181 Requires Special Election to Fill Vacant Senate Seat Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 20)
4/02 SJR 16 Authorizes Issuance of Bonds for Economic Development Projects Bill Passed - House (70 - 22)
2/26 SF 174 Requires Legislative Approval for Certain Salary Increases Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 29)
12/04 HR 5759 Preventing Executive Overreach on Immigration Act of 2014 Bill Passed - House (219 - 197)
10/23 SCR 125 Specifies that Proposed Regulations Concerning Greenhouse Gas Cap and Trade Programs are Inconsistent with Legislative Intent Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (23 - 14)
7/30 H Res 676 Providing for Authority to Initiate Litigation for Actions by the President or Other Executive Branch Officials Inconsistent with Their Duties Under the Constitution of the United States Resolution Passed - House (225 - 201)
5/16 HJR 72 Authorizes the Legislature to Override Certain Gubernatorial Spending Reductions Amendment Adopted - Senate (25 - 4)
4/30 SJR 1188 Authorizes Governor to Fill Prospective Judicial Vacancies Joint Resolution Passed - House (74 - 45)
4/03 SJR 1188 Authorizes Governor to Fill Prospective Judicial Vacancies Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (26 - 14)
3/26 HR 1459 Ensuring Public Involvement in the Creation of National Monuments Act Bill Passed - House (222 - 201)
3/20 S 1395 Increases Salaries of Certain State Officials Bill Passed - House (44 - 25)
3/12 HR 4138 Executive Needs to Faithfully Observe and Respect Congressional Enactments of (ENFORCE) the Law Act of 2014 Bill Passed - House (233 - 181)
2/25 SB 82 Establishes Procedures for an Executive Cabinet Position Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
2/24 HB 4490 Amends Attorney General Conflict of Interest Laws Bill Passed - House (52 - 44)
2/20 HJR 72 Authorizes the Legislature to Override Certain Gubernatorial Spending Reductions Amendment Adopted - House (109 - 42)
2/13 HB 11 Increases Compensation for Elected State Officers Bill Failed - House (29 - 32)
2/06 SB 1 Authorizes Legislature to Review Administrative Regulations Amendment Adopted - Senate (24 - 14)
2/05 SB 1227 Extends the Date for the Governor to Submit the State Budget Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (37 - 15)
2/04 SB 1227 Extends the Date for the Governor to Submit the State Budget Bill Passed - House (62 - 48)

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