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:
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.
| Date | State | Bill No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb. 24, 2022 | WI | SB 935 | Amends Various Election Fraud Laws | Bill Passed - House (56 - 38) |
| June 6, 2019 | OR | HB 2983 | Requires Disclosure of Organizations Giving Certain Monetary Donations to Campaigns | Bill Passed - House (39 - 17) |
| March 25, 2019 | ID | S 1113 | Amends Campaign Finance Regulations | Bill Passed - House (52 - 15) |
| Jan. 14, 2019 | NY | A 776 | Limits Campaign Contributions by Closing LLC Loophole | Bill Failed - House (133 - 13) |
| Feb. 18, 2016 | NC | HB 2 | Amends Congressional Primary Election Date | Bill Passed - House (71 - 32) |
| March 28, 2015 | MT | SB 289 | Requires Certain Political Groups to Disclose Expenditures | Bill Passed - House (51 - 48) |
| Aug. 11, 2014 | FL | SB 2-A | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (71 - 38) |
| May 6, 2014 | CT | SB 455 | Amends the Funding for the Public Campaign Finance Program | Bill Passed - House (102 - 40) |
| March 20, 2014 | WI | SB 655 | Amends Campaign Finance and Lobbying Laws | Bill Passed - House (54 - 37) |
| Dec. 11, 2013 | MI | SB 661 | Amends Campaign Finance Regulations | Bill Passed - House (56 - 52) |
| Dec. 11, 2013 | National | HR 2019 | Kids First Research Act of 2013 | Bill Passed - House (295 - 103) |
| April 24, 2013 | FL | HB 569 | Amends State Campaign Finance Laws | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (79 - 34) |
| March 19, 2013 | KS | HB 2022 | Prohibits Automatic Deductions by Public Labor Organizations for Political Fundraising | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (68 - 54) |
| Oct. 18, 2012 | NJ | AR 86 | Opposes the U.S. Supreme Court Decision in Citizens United Versus Federal Elections Commission | Resolution Passed - House (49 - 23) |
| Feb. 15, 2012 | AK | HB 311 | Amends Requirements for Electronic Campaign Finance Disclosure | Conference Report Adopted - House (26 - 5) |
| Feb. 15, 2012 | MI | HB 5085 | Prohibits public employers from deducting political contributions from employee paychecks | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (62 - 43) |
| Jan. 26, 2012 | UT | HB 50 | Repeals the Election Campaign Fund | Bill Passed - House (51 - 20) |
| May 21, 2011 | TN | SB 1915 | Increases Contribution Limits to Campaigns | Bill Passed - House (65 - 20) |
| March 2, 2011 | WV | HB 2732 | Increased Fees for Lawsuits | Bill Passed - House (65 - 35) |
| Feb. 24, 2011 | KS | HB 2130 | Prohibits Union Dues for Political Activities | Bill Passed - House (75 - 46) |
| Jan. 26, 2011 | National | HR 359 | Abolishing Federal Financing of Presidential Election Campaigns | Bill Passed - House (239 - 160) |
| June 24, 2010 | National | HR 5175 | Campaign Finance Disclosure Requirements | Bill Passed - House (219 - 206) |
| April 25, 2008 | VT | S 278 | Campaign Finance Limitations | Veto Override Failed - House (99 - 51) |
| April 5, 2006 | National | HR 513 | 527 Reform Act of 2005 | Bill Passed - House (218 - 209) |
| Feb. 14, 2002 | National | HR 2356 | Campaign Reform Act of 2001 | Bill Passed - House (240 - 189) |
| June 28, 2000 | National | HR 4762 | '527' Political Groups | Bill Passed - House (385 - 39) |
| Sept. 14, 1999 | National | HR 417 | Campaign Finance Reform bill | Bill Passed - House (252 - 177) |
| Aug. 6, 1998 | National | H Amdt 862 | Federal Campaign Finance Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (147 - 222) |
| Aug. 6, 1998 | National | HR 2183 | Campaign Finance Reform bill | Bill Passed - House (252 - 179) |
| Aug. 3, 1998 | National | H Amdt 690 | Shays Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (237 - 186) |
| July 20, 1998 | National | H Amdt 716 | Noncitizen Campaign Contribution Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (267 - 131) |
| June 17, 1998 | National | H Amdt 688 | Campaign Finance Reform Commission Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (156 - 201) |
| March 30, 1998 | National | HR 3581 | Campaign Finance Reform bill | Bill Failed - House (74 - 337) |
| March 30, 1998 | National | HR 3582 | Campaign Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1998 | Bill Passed - House (405 - 6) |
| July 25, 1996 | National | HR 3820 | Campaign Finance Reform | Bill Failed - House (162 - 259) |
| Nov. 22, 1993 | National | HR 3 | Congressional Campaign Spending Limit and Election Reform Act of 1993 | Bill Passed - House (255 - 175) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2/24 | SB 935 | Amends Various Election Fraud Laws | Bill Passed - House (56 - 38) |
| 6/06 | HB 2983 | Requires Disclosure of Organizations Giving Certain Monetary Donations to Campaigns | Bill Passed - House (39 - 17) |
| 3/25 | S 1113 | Amends Campaign Finance Regulations | Bill Passed - House (52 - 15) |
| 1/14 | A 776 | Limits Campaign Contributions by Closing LLC Loophole | Bill Failed - House (133 - 13) |
| 2/18 | HB 2 | Amends Congressional Primary Election Date | Bill Passed - House (71 - 32) |
| 3/28 | SB 289 | Requires Certain Political Groups to Disclose Expenditures | Bill Passed - House (51 - 48) |
| 8/11 | SB 2-A | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (71 - 38) |
| 5/06 | SB 455 | Amends the Funding for the Public Campaign Finance Program | Bill Passed - House (102 - 40) |
| 3/20 | SB 655 | Amends Campaign Finance and Lobbying Laws | Bill Passed - House (54 - 37) |
| 12/11 | SB 661 | Amends Campaign Finance Regulations | Bill Passed - House (56 - 52) |
| 12/11 | HR 2019 | Kids First Research Act of 2013 | Bill Passed - House (295 - 103) |
| 4/24 | HB 569 | Amends State Campaign Finance Laws | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (79 - 34) |
| 3/19 | HB 2022 | Prohibits Automatic Deductions by Public Labor Organizations for Political Fundraising | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (68 - 54) |
| 10/18 | AR 86 | Opposes the U.S. Supreme Court Decision in Citizens United Versus Federal Elections Commission | Resolution Passed - House (49 - 23) |
| 2/15 | HB 311 | Amends Requirements for Electronic Campaign Finance Disclosure | Conference Report Adopted - House (26 - 5) |
| 2/15 | HB 5085 | Prohibits public employers from deducting political contributions from employee paychecks | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (62 - 43) |
| 1/26 | HB 50 | Repeals the Election Campaign Fund | Bill Passed - House (51 - 20) |
| 5/21 | SB 1915 | Increases Contribution Limits to Campaigns | Bill Passed - House (65 - 20) |
| 3/02 | HB 2732 | Increased Fees for Lawsuits | Bill Passed - House (65 - 35) |
| 2/24 | HB 2130 | Prohibits Union Dues for Political Activities | Bill Passed - House (75 - 46) |
| 1/26 | HR 359 | Abolishing Federal Financing of Presidential Election Campaigns | Bill Passed - House (239 - 160) |
| 6/24 | HR 5175 | Campaign Finance Disclosure Requirements | Bill Passed - House (219 - 206) |
| 4/25 | S 278 | Campaign Finance Limitations | Veto Override Failed - House (99 - 51) |
| 4/05 | HR 513 | 527 Reform Act of 2005 | Bill Passed - House (218 - 209) |
| 2/14 | HR 2356 | Campaign Reform Act of 2001 | Bill Passed - House (240 - 189) |
| 6/28 | HR 4762 | '527' Political Groups | Bill Passed - House (385 - 39) |
| 9/14 | HR 417 | Campaign Finance Reform bill | Bill Passed - House (252 - 177) |
| 8/06 | H Amdt 862 | Federal Campaign Finance Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (147 - 222) |
| 8/06 | HR 2183 | Campaign Finance Reform bill | Bill Passed - House (252 - 179) |
| 8/03 | H Amdt 690 | Shays Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (237 - 186) |
| 7/20 | H Amdt 716 | Noncitizen Campaign Contribution Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (267 - 131) |
| 6/17 | H Amdt 688 | Campaign Finance Reform Commission Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (156 - 201) |
| 3/30 | HR 3581 | Campaign Finance Reform bill | Bill Failed - House (74 - 337) |
| 3/30 | HR 3582 | Campaign Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1998 | Bill Passed - House (405 - 6) |
| 7/25 | HR 3820 | Campaign Finance Reform | Bill Failed - House (162 - 259) |
| 11/22 | HR 3 | Congressional Campaign Spending Limit and Election Reform Act of 1993 | Bill Passed - House (255 - 175) |