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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct. 24, 2017 | National | H J Res 111 | Providing for Congressional Disapproval of the rule submitted by Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection relating to "Arbitration Agreements" | Bill Passed - Senate (51 - 50) |
| July 25, 2017 | National | H J Res 111 | Providing for Congressional Disapproval of the rule submitted by Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection relating to "Arbitration Agreements" | Bill Passed - House (231 - 190) |
| June 8, 2017 | National | HR 10 | Financial CHOICE Act of 2017 | Bill Passed - House (233 - 186) |
| May 31, 2017 | IL | SB 1351 | Establishes Laws Governing Student Loan Servicers | Bill Passed - House (63 - 48) |
| May 10, 2017 | IL | SB 1351 | Establishes Laws Governing Student Loan Servicers | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 15) |
| May 2, 2017 | National | PN 47 | Nomination of Jay Clayton to be a Member of the Securities and Exchange Commission | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (61 - 37) |
| May 1, 2017 | National | PN 47 | Nomination of Jay Clayton to be a Member of the Securities and Exchange Commission | Cloture Invoked - Senate (60 - 36) |
| June 29, 2016 | National | S 2328 | Puerto Rico Oversight, Management, and Economic Stability Act (PROMESA) | Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (68 - 30) |
| June 9, 2016 | National | HR 5278 | Puerto Rico Oversight, Management, and Economic Stability Act (PROMESA) | Bill Passed - House (297 - 127) |
| May 24, 2016 | National | H J Res 88 | Disapproving the Rule Submitted by the Department of Labor Relating to the Definition of the Term "Fiduciary" | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (56 - 41) |
| April 28, 2016 | National | H J Res 88 | Disapproving the Rule Submitted by the Department of Labor Relating to the Definition of the Term "Fiduciary" | Joint Resolution Passed - House (234 - 183) |
| April 14, 2016 | National | HR 3340 | Financial Stability Oversight Council Reform Act | Bill Passed - House (239 - 179) |
| March 10, 2016 | IN | HB 1127 | Establishes Regulations on Lawsuit Funding Practices | Conference Report Adopted - House (63 - 32) |
| March 10, 2016 | IN | HB 1127 | Establishes Regulations on Lawsuit Funding Practices | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (40 - 10) |
| Feb. 4, 2016 | National | HR 766 | Financial Institution Customer Protection Act of 2016 | Bill Passed - House (250 - 169) |
| Jan. 12, 2016 | National | S 2232 | Federal Reserve Transparency Act of 2015 | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 44) |
| Oct. 27, 2015 | National | HR 597 | Export-Import Bank Reform and Reauthorization Act of 2015 | Bill Passed - House (313 - 118) |
| June 23, 2015 | NC | HB 148 | Requires Auto Insurance for Moped Operators | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 8) |
| May 25, 2015 | TX | SB 900 | Amends Texas Windstorm Insurance Association | Bill Passed - House (97 - 44) |
| April 30, 2015 | TX | SB 1628 | Amends Existing Law Relating to Insurance Claim Lawsuits | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 10) |
| April 29, 2015 | NC | HB 148 | Requires Auto Insurance for Moped Operators | Bill Passed - House (81 - 32) |
| April 27, 2015 | TX | SB 900 | Amends Texas Windstorm Insurance Association | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 7) |
| April 14, 2015 | National | HR 650 | Preserving Access to Manufactured Housing Act of 2015 | Bill Passed - House (263 - 162) |
| March 10, 2015 | WA | SB 5899 | Establishes Small Loans and Small Consumer Installment Loans | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 18) |
| March 4, 2015 | AZ | HB 2611 | Authorizes "Flex Loans" | Bill Passed - House (31 - 29) |
| Jan. 14, 2015 | National | HR 37 | Promoting Job Creation and Reducing Small Business Burdens Act | Bill Passed - House (271 - 154) |
| Sept. 18, 2014 | National | H J Res 124 | Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2015 | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (78 - 22) |
| Sept. 17, 2014 | National | H J Res 124 | Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2015 | Joint Resolution Passed - House (319 - 108) |
| July 16, 2014 | National | H Amdt 1086 | Prohibits States from Penalizing a Bank for Providing Financial Services to Marijuana Businesses | Amendment Adopted - House (231 - 192) |
| July 16, 2014 | National | H Amdt 1098 | Prohibits District of Columbia from Implementing Certain Firearm Laws | Amendment Adopted - House (241 - 181) |
| July 16, 2014 | National | H Amdt 1093 | Prohibits Federal Communications Commission (FCC) from Preventing States from Implementing Broadband Internet Access Service Laws | Amendment Adopted - House (223 - 200) |
| July 16, 2014 | National | H Amdt 1079 | Prohibits the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) from Providing Bonuses to Employees | Amendment Adopted - House (282 - 138) |
| July 16, 2014 | National | H Amdt 1083 | Prohibits Federal Agencies from Paying Federal Employees Certain Pay Rates | Amendment Rejected - House (193 - 230) |
| July 16, 2014 | National | HR 5016 | Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act, 2015 | Bill Passed - House (228 - 195) |
| June 11, 2014 | National | S 2432 | Bank on Students Emergency Loan Refinancing Act | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (56 - 38) |
| May 16, 2014 | MN | HF 2293 | Amends Regulations for Payday Lenders | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 25) |
| April 29, 2014 | MO | SB 694 | Amends Payday Loan Terms and Interest Rates | Bill Passed - House (112 - 39) |
| April 24, 2014 | MN | HF 2293 | Establishes Regulations for Consumer Short-term Lenders. | Bill Passed - House (73 - 58) |
| March 17, 2014 | ID | S 1314 | Amends the Provisions of Payday Loans | Bill Passed - House (35 - 34) |
| March 10, 2014 | ID | S 1314 | Amends the Provisions of Payday Loans | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| Feb. 20, 2014 | MO | SB 694 | Amends Payday Loan Terms and Interest Rates | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13) |
| Jan. 29, 2014 | IN | HB 1205 | Establishes Civil Proceeding Advance Payment Transactions | Bill Passed - House (57 - 39) |
| Oct. 30, 2013 | National | HR 992 | Swaps Regulatory Improvement Act | Bill Passed - House (292 - 122) |
| Oct. 29, 2013 | National | HR 2374 | Retail Investor Protection Act | Bill Passed - House (254 - 166) |
| July 24, 2013 | National | HR 1911 | Bipartisan Student Loan Certainty Act of 2013 | Bill Passed - Senate (81 - 18) |
| July 24, 2013 | National | S Amdt 1778 | Limits Interest Rates for Certain Federal Student Loans | Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 53) |
| May 23, 2013 | National | HR 1911 | Smarter Solutions for Students Act | Bill Passed - House (221 - 198) |
| May 17, 2013 | National | HR 1062 | SEC Regulatory Accountability Act | Bill Passed - House (235 - 161) |
| May 6, 2013 | NC | SB 489 | Amends the Consumer Finance Act | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 10) |
| April 22, 2013 | TX | SB 1247 | Limits Payday Loan Interest Rates | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 6) |
| Feb. 7, 2013 | IN | HB 1005 | Changes Eligibility for College Financial Aid | Bill Passed - House (86 - 13) |
| July 25, 2012 | National | HR 459 | Federal Reserve Transparency Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - House (327 - 98) |
| July 2, 2012 | CA | SB 900 | Establishes Regulations for Home Loans | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 13) |
| July 2, 2012 | CA | AB 278 | Establishes Regulations for Foreclosure Procedures on Home Loans | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 13) |
| June 6, 2012 | PA | HB 2191 | Authorizes Payday Loans | Bill Passed - House (102 - 90) |
| May 22, 2012 | OH | HB 322 | Repeals Limits on Credit Card Interest Rates for Certain Banks | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (68 - 30) |
| May 16, 2012 | OH | HB 322 | Repeals Limits on Credit Card Interest Rates for Certain Banks | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14) |
| May 15, 2012 | National | HR 2072 | Export-Import Bank Reauthorization Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - Senate (78 - 20) |
| May 9, 2012 | National | HR 2072 | Export-Import Bank Reauthorization Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - House (330 - 93) |
| May 1, 2012 | DE | HB 289 | Limits Payday Loans | Bill Passed - House (26 - 7) |
| April 24, 2012 | IA | HF 2460 | Limits Tax Increment Financing | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 22) |
| March 20, 2012 | National | S Amdt 1836 | Reauthorizing the Export-Import Bank of the United States | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (55 - 44) |
| Feb. 29, 2012 | FL | HB 213 | Amends Mortgage Foreclosure Process | Bill Passed - House (94 - 17) |
| Feb. 9, 2012 | National | S 2038 | Prohibits Insider Trading by Government Officials | Bill Passed - House (417 - 2) |
| Feb. 2, 2012 | National | S 2038 | Prohibits Insider Trading by Government Officials | Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 3) |
| Nov. 10, 2011 | National | S Amdt 928 | American Jobs and Economic Growth | Amendment Rejected - Senate (40 - 56) |
| Nov. 3, 2011 | National | H Amdt 849 | Requires Public Disclosure of Bonuses and Golden Parachute Arrangements | Amendment Rejected - House (190 - 234) |
| July 21, 2011 | National | HR 1315 | Oversight of Consumer Financial Protection Bureau | Bill Passed - House (241 - 173) |
| June 8, 2011 | National | S Amdt 392 | Debit Card Transactions | Amendment Rejected - Senate (54 - 45) |
| June 2, 2011 | NC | HB 810 | Consumer Finance Act Amendments | Bill Passed - House (61 - 54) |
| May 18, 2011 | NV | SB 75 | Investment in Private Equity Firms | Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 8) |
| April 28, 2011 | FL | SB 408 | Property and Casualty Insurance Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12) |
| March 11, 2011 | National | HR 836 | Terminating the Emergency Mortgage Relief Program | Bill Passed - House (242 - 177) |
| March 10, 2011 | National | HR 830 | Terminating the Federal Housing Administration Refinance Program | Bill Passed - House (256 - 171) |
| Feb. 21, 2011 | VA | SB 1367 | Motor Vehicle Title Loans for Non-Residents | Bill Passed - House (51 - 47) |
| Feb. 2, 2011 | National | S Amdt 28 | Repealing the IRS 1099 Provision from the Health Care Law | Amendment Rejected - Senate (44 - 54) |
| Jan. 18, 2011 | MS | HB 455 | Payday Lending Provisions | Bill Passed - House (79 - 37) |
| Sept. 23, 2010 | National | HR 5297 | Small Business Lending Fund and Tax Law Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (237 - 187) |
| Sept. 16, 2010 | National | HR 5297 | Small Business Lending Fund and Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 38) |
| Sept. 16, 2010 | National | HR 4785 | Authorizing Loans for Energy Efficiency Purposes | Bill Passed - House (240 - 172) |
| Aug. 31, 2010 | CA | AB 482 | Prohibiting Use of Credit Reports for Employment Purposes | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (45 - 30) |
| Aug. 26, 2010 | CA | AB 482 | Prohibiting Use of Credit Reports for Employment Purposes | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| Aug. 12, 2010 | CA | SB 933 | Prohibiting Debit Card Fees | Bill Passed - House (45 - 24) |
| July 29, 2010 | National | S Amdt 4519 | Small Business Lending Fund and Tax Law Amendments | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (58 - 42) |
| July 15, 2010 | National | HR 4173 | Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (60 - 39) |
| June 30, 2010 | National | HR 4173 | Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act | Conference Report Adopted - House (237 - 192) |
| June 17, 2010 | National | HR 5297 | Small Business Lending Fund and Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (241 - 182) |
| June 3, 2010 | CA | SB 933 | Prohibiting Debit Card Fees | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 9) |
| June 3, 2010 | CA | AB 2529 | Peer Review Requirements for Regulatory Economic Impact Analysis | Bill Passed - House (44 - 18) |
| May 20, 2010 | National | HR 4173 | Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act | Bill Passed - Senate (59 - 39) |
| May 19, 2010 | National | S Amdt 3746 | Allowing States to Limit Credit Card Interest Rates | Amendment Rejected - Senate (35 - 60) |
| May 18, 2010 | National | S Amdt 4114 | Credit Default Swap Regulations | Amendment Tabled - Senate (57 - 38) |
| May 18, 2010 | National | S Amdt 4071 | Amending State Authority to Enforce Consumer Financial Regulations | Amendment Adopted - Senate (80 - 18) |
| May 18, 2010 | National | S Amdt 4034 | Federal Preemption Over State Consumer Financial Laws | Amendment Rejected - Senate (43 - 55) |
| May 18, 2010 | National | S Amdt 4072 | Inspector General Appointment Modification | Amendment Adopted - Senate (75 - 21) |
| May 13, 2010 | National | S Amdt 3991 | Credit Rating Agency Board | Amendment Adopted - Senate (64 - 35) |
| May 13, 2010 | National | S Amdt 3989 | Debit Card Fee Regulations | Amendment Adopted - Senate (64 - 33) |
| May 13, 2010 | National | S Amdt 3832 | Establishing Bankruptcy Process for Non-bank Financial Institutions | Amendment Rejected - Senate (42 - 58) |
| May 13, 2010 | National | S Amdt 3987 | Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection Termination | Amendment Rejected - Senate (40 - 55) |
| May 12, 2010 | National | S Amdt 3955 | Establishing New Mortgage Underwriting Requirements and Eliminating a Risk Retention Requirement | Amendment Rejected - Senate (42 - 57) |