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 23, 2019 ME LD 944 Prohibits Native American Mascots Bill Passed - House (88 - 49)
March 19, 2019 ME LD 179 Amends Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples Day Bill Passed - House (88 - 51)
Aug. 6, 2018 CA SB 892 Authorizes the Official Recognition of the Lunar New Year Bill Passed - House (75 - 0)
Nov. 17, 2015 National HR 511 Tribal Labor Sovereignty Act of 2015 Bill Passed - House (249 - 177)
Oct. 8, 2015 National HR 538 Native American Energy Act Bill Passed - House (254 - 173)
April 15, 2015 CO HB 1165 Requires Approval to Use Native American School Mascots Bill Passed - House (33 - 32)
April 1, 2015 AZ SB 1332 Expands Empowerment Scholarship to Include Native Americans Bill Passed - House (31 - 28)
Jan. 30, 2014 SD HJR 1001 Authorizes Additional Types of Games in Deadwood City Casinos Amendment Adopted - House (37 - 30)
Nov. 20, 2013 National H Amdt 503 Requires a Report on the Effect of Flooding on Oil and Gas Facilities Amendment Rejected - House (202 - 221)
Nov. 20, 2013 National H Amdt 498 Specifies That Certain Fees Do Not Limit the Right to Petition Amendment Rejected - House (199 - 222)
Nov. 20, 2013 National H Amdt 499 Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to Require Certain Findings for Categorical Exclusions Amendment Rejected - House (194 - 228)
Nov. 20, 2013 National H Amdt 504 Appropriates $10 Million to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission Amendment Rejected - House (195 - 226)
Nov. 20, 2013 National HR 1965 Federal Lands Jobs and Energy Security Act Bill Passed - House (228 - 192)
Oct. 15, 2013 WI AB 297 Amends Laws Concerning the Use of Race-Based Nicknames, Logos, Mascots, and Team Names Bill Passed - House (52 - 41)
June 28, 2013 OR SB 215 Authorizes Schools to Use Native American Mascots by Agreement Bill Passed - House (41 - 19)
May 2, 2013 CA AB 277 Authorizes Gaming on Traditional Tribal Territory Bill Passed - House (41 - 12)
Feb. 28, 2013 National S 47 Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 Bill Passed - House (286 - 138)
June 19, 2012 National HR 2578 Conservation and Economic Growth Act Bill Passed - House (232 - 188)
June 5, 2012 NC SB 582 Expands Casino Gambling Bill Passed - House (68 - 49)
May 16, 2012 National HR 4970 Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2012 Bill Passed - House (222 - 205)
March 1, 2012 FL HB 1209 Prohibits Courts from Basing Decisions on Foreign Laws Bill Passed - House (92 - 24)
Nov. 9, 2011 ND SB 2370 Authorizes Changing the Nickname and Logo of the University of North Dakota Bill Passed - House (63 - 31)
Oct. 26, 2011 National HR 1904 Southeast Arizona Land Exchange and Conservation Act of 2011 Bill Passed - House (235 - 186)
Feb. 21, 2011 ND HB 1263 Athletic Nickname and Logo of the University of North Dakota Bill Passed - House (65 - 28)
Feb. 17, 2011 ID H 111 Increased Authority for Tribal Peace Officers Bill Failed - House (34 - 35)
July 21, 2010 National HR 725 Tribal Law Enforcement Amendments Concurrence Vote Passed - House (326 - 92)
March 1, 2010 SD SB 63 Pilot Charter School Bill Passed - House (49 - 20)
Feb. 25, 2010 WI AB 35 Complaint Process for Race-Based Names, Logos and Mascots of Schools Bill Passed - House (51 - 42)
Feb. 9, 2010 NM HB 162 Severance Bonds For Tribal Infrastructure Bill Passed - House (42 - 24)
March 11, 2009 OK HJR 1042 English as Official State Language Joint Resolution Passed - House (66 - 32)
March 5, 2009 UT HB 179 Authorizing Land Swap for Development of UTA Rail Station Bill Passed - House (52 - 21)
June 25, 2008 National HR 2176 Bay Mills Indian Community Land Claim Bill Bill Failed - House (121 - 298)
June 24, 2008 NY A 11258 Mandatory Cigarette Taxation Bill Passed - House (141 - 3)
May 8, 2008 MN SF 3001 Modifying State Education Policies Conference Report Adopted - House (82 - 49)
April 15, 2008 ME LD 701 Slot Machine Authorization Veto Override Failed - House (94 - 49)
April 4, 2008 ME LD 701 Slot Machine Authorization Bill Passed - House (98 - 32)
March 31, 2008 ME LD 2289 2008-2009 Budget Concurrence Vote Passed - House (84 - 55)
March 10, 2008 WA HB 2476 Tribal Police Jurisdiction Concurrence Vote Passed - House (62 - 32)
Feb. 18, 2008 WA HB 2476 Tribal Police Jurisdiction Bill Passed - House (58 - 37)
Oct. 24, 2007 National HR 505 Native Hawaiian Reorganization Act of 2007 Bill Passed - House (261 - 153)
June 15, 2007 ME LD 701 Slot Machine Authorization Bill Passed - House (101 - 38)
Sept. 13, 2006 National HR 4893 Restricting Indian Gaming to Homelands of Tribes Act Bill Failed - House (247 - 171)
Dec. 8, 2005 National HR 4297 Tax Relief Extension Reconciliation Act of 2005 Bill Passed - House (234 - 197)
July 28, 2005 National HR 2361 Interior Department FY 2006 Appropriations Bill Conference Report Adopted - House (410 - 10)
May 19, 2005 National HR 2361 Interior Department FY 2006 Appropriations Bill Bill Passed - House (329 - 89)
June 17, 2004 National HR 4568 Interior Department FY2005 Appropriations Bill Bill Passed - House (334 - 86)
Sept. 23, 2003 National HR 1409 Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Land Exchange Act '02 Bill Passed - House (288 - 127)
July 17, 2002 National HR 5093 Department of the Interior Appropriations Act, Fiscal Year 2003 Bill Passed - House (377 - 46)
Oct. 17, 2001 National HR 2217 Interior Department Appropriations for FY 2002 Conference Report Adopted - House (380 - 28)
Oct. 5, 1998 National HR 1154 Indian Federal Recognition Administrative Procedures Bill Failed - House (190 - 208)
Date No. Title Outcome
4/23 LD 944 Prohibits Native American Mascots Bill Passed - House (88 - 49)
3/19 LD 179 Amends Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples Day Bill Passed - House (88 - 51)
8/06 SB 892 Authorizes the Official Recognition of the Lunar New Year Bill Passed - House (75 - 0)
11/17 HR 511 Tribal Labor Sovereignty Act of 2015 Bill Passed - House (249 - 177)
10/08 HR 538 Native American Energy Act Bill Passed - House (254 - 173)
4/15 HB 1165 Requires Approval to Use Native American School Mascots Bill Passed - House (33 - 32)
4/01 SB 1332 Expands Empowerment Scholarship to Include Native Americans Bill Passed - House (31 - 28)
1/30 HJR 1001 Authorizes Additional Types of Games in Deadwood City Casinos Amendment Adopted - House (37 - 30)
11/20 H Amdt 503 Requires a Report on the Effect of Flooding on Oil and Gas Facilities Amendment Rejected - House (202 - 221)
11/20 H Amdt 498 Specifies That Certain Fees Do Not Limit the Right to Petition Amendment Rejected - House (199 - 222)
11/20 H Amdt 499 Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to Require Certain Findings for Categorical Exclusions Amendment Rejected - House (194 - 228)
11/20 H Amdt 504 Appropriates $10 Million to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission Amendment Rejected - House (195 - 226)
11/20 HR 1965 Federal Lands Jobs and Energy Security Act Bill Passed - House (228 - 192)
10/15 AB 297 Amends Laws Concerning the Use of Race-Based Nicknames, Logos, Mascots, and Team Names Bill Passed - House (52 - 41)
6/28 SB 215 Authorizes Schools to Use Native American Mascots by Agreement Bill Passed - House (41 - 19)
5/02 AB 277 Authorizes Gaming on Traditional Tribal Territory Bill Passed - House (41 - 12)
2/28 S 47 Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 Bill Passed - House (286 - 138)
6/19 HR 2578 Conservation and Economic Growth Act Bill Passed - House (232 - 188)
6/05 SB 582 Expands Casino Gambling Bill Passed - House (68 - 49)
5/16 HR 4970 Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2012 Bill Passed - House (222 - 205)
3/01 HB 1209 Prohibits Courts from Basing Decisions on Foreign Laws Bill Passed - House (92 - 24)
11/09 SB 2370 Authorizes Changing the Nickname and Logo of the University of North Dakota Bill Passed - House (63 - 31)
10/26 HR 1904 Southeast Arizona Land Exchange and Conservation Act of 2011 Bill Passed - House (235 - 186)
2/21 HB 1263 Athletic Nickname and Logo of the University of North Dakota Bill Passed - House (65 - 28)
2/17 H 111 Increased Authority for Tribal Peace Officers Bill Failed - House (34 - 35)
7/21 HR 725 Tribal Law Enforcement Amendments Concurrence Vote Passed - House (326 - 92)
3/01 SB 63 Pilot Charter School Bill Passed - House (49 - 20)
2/25 AB 35 Complaint Process for Race-Based Names, Logos and Mascots of Schools Bill Passed - House (51 - 42)
2/09 HB 162 Severance Bonds For Tribal Infrastructure Bill Passed - House (42 - 24)
3/11 HJR 1042 English as Official State Language Joint Resolution Passed - House (66 - 32)
3/05 HB 179 Authorizing Land Swap for Development of UTA Rail Station Bill Passed - House (52 - 21)
6/25 HR 2176 Bay Mills Indian Community Land Claim Bill Bill Failed - House (121 - 298)
6/24 A 11258 Mandatory Cigarette Taxation Bill Passed - House (141 - 3)
5/08 SF 3001 Modifying State Education Policies Conference Report Adopted - House (82 - 49)
4/15 LD 701 Slot Machine Authorization Veto Override Failed - House (94 - 49)
4/04 LD 701 Slot Machine Authorization Bill Passed - House (98 - 32)
3/31 LD 2289 2008-2009 Budget Concurrence Vote Passed - House (84 - 55)
3/10 HB 2476 Tribal Police Jurisdiction Concurrence Vote Passed - House (62 - 32)
2/18 HB 2476 Tribal Police Jurisdiction Bill Passed - House (58 - 37)
10/24 HR 505 Native Hawaiian Reorganization Act of 2007 Bill Passed - House (261 - 153)
6/15 LD 701 Slot Machine Authorization Bill Passed - House (101 - 38)
9/13 HR 4893 Restricting Indian Gaming to Homelands of Tribes Act Bill Failed - House (247 - 171)
12/08 HR 4297 Tax Relief Extension Reconciliation Act of 2005 Bill Passed - House (234 - 197)
7/28 HR 2361 Interior Department FY 2006 Appropriations Bill Conference Report Adopted - House (410 - 10)
5/19 HR 2361 Interior Department FY 2006 Appropriations Bill Bill Passed - House (329 - 89)
6/17 HR 4568 Interior Department FY2005 Appropriations Bill Bill Passed - House (334 - 86)
9/23 HR 1409 Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Land Exchange Act '02 Bill Passed - House (288 - 127)
7/17 HR 5093 Department of the Interior Appropriations Act, Fiscal Year 2003 Bill Passed - House (377 - 46)
10/17 HR 2217 Interior Department Appropriations for FY 2002 Conference Report Adopted - House (380 - 28)
10/05 HR 1154 Indian Federal Recognition Administrative Procedures Bill Failed - House (190 - 208)

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