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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 3, 2018 | OR | HB 4007 | Establishes Tax Sheltered Home Buyer Savings Accounts and Increases Document-Recording Fees | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 9) |
| 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) |
| 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) |
| 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) |
| March 10, 2016 | IN | HB 1127 | Establishes Regulations on Lawsuit Funding Practices | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (40 - 10) |
| Jan. 12, 2016 | National | S 2232 | Federal Reserve Transparency Act of 2015 | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 44) |
| June 23, 2015 | NC | HB 148 | Requires Auto Insurance for Moped Operators | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 8) |
| April 30, 2015 | TX | SB 1628 | Amends Existing Law Relating to Insurance Claim Lawsuits | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 10) |
| April 27, 2015 | TX | SB 900 | Amends Texas Windstorm Insurance Association | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 7) |
| March 10, 2015 | WA | SB 5899 | Establishes Small Loans and Small Consumer Installment Loans | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 18) |
| Sept. 18, 2014 | National | H J Res 124 | Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2015 | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (78 - 22) |
| 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) |
| 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) |
| 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 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) |
| 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) |
| 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) |
| 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. 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) |
| June 8, 2011 | National | S Amdt 392 | Debit Card Transactions | Amendment Rejected - Senate (54 - 45) |
| 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) |
| Feb. 2, 2011 | National | S Amdt 28 | Repealing the IRS 1099 Provision from the Health Care Law | Amendment Rejected - Senate (44 - 54) |
| Sept. 16, 2010 | National | HR 5297 | Small Business Lending Fund and Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 38) |
| Aug. 26, 2010 | CA | AB 482 | Prohibiting Use of Credit Reports for Employment Purposes | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| 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 3, 2010 | CA | SB 933 | Prohibiting Debit Card Fees | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 9) |
| 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 4072 | Inspector General Appointment Modification | Amendment Adopted - Senate (75 - 21) |
| 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 13, 2010 | National | S Amdt 3987 | Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection Termination | Amendment Rejected - Senate (40 - 55) |
| 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 3989 | Debit Card Fee Regulations | Amendment Adopted - Senate (64 - 33) |
| May 13, 2010 | National | S Amdt 3991 | Credit Rating Agency Board | Amendment Adopted - Senate (64 - 35) |
| May 12, 2010 | National | S Amdt 3962 | Home Loan Regulation Modifications | Amendment Adopted - Senate (63 - 36) |
| May 12, 2010 | National | S Amdt 3816 | Derivatives Regulation Modifications | Amendment Rejected - Senate (39 - 59) |
| May 12, 2010 | National | S Amdt 3955 | Establishing New Mortgage Underwriting Requirements and Eliminating a Risk Retention Requirement | Amendment Rejected - Senate (42 - 57) |
| May 11, 2010 | National | S Amdt 3938 | Study on Ending the Conservatorships of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac | Amendment Adopted - Senate (63 - 36) |
| May 11, 2010 | National | S Amdt 3760 | Federal Reserve Audit | Amendment Rejected - Senate (37 - 62) |
| May 6, 2010 | National | S Amdt 3826 | Consumer Financial Protection Division Within The FDIC | Amendment Rejected - Senate (38 - 61) |
| Feb. 24, 2010 | National | HR 2847 | Employment, Infrastructure, and Transportation Appropriations and Tax Credits ("Senate Jobs Bill") | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (70 - 28) |
| Jan. 28, 2010 | National | PN 959 | Ben S. Bernanke, Federal Reserve Chairman | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (70 - 30) |
| Jan. 15, 2009 | National | S J Res 5 | Releasing Funds for Economic Stabilization Act | Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (42 - 52) |
| Oct. 1, 2008 | National | HR 1424 | Financial Asset Purchase Authority and Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (74 - 25) |
| June 25, 2008 | National | S Amdt 4983 | Housing Foreclosure Assistance Programs | Amendment Adopted - Senate (79 - 16) |
| March 14, 2006 | National | S Amdt 3013 | Reinstate Pay-As-You-Go through 2011 Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (50 - 50) |
| March 10, 2005 | National | S 256 | Bankruptcy Reform Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (74 - 25) |
| July 15, 2002 | National | S 2673 | Accounting Industry Reform bill | Bill Passed - Senate (97 - 0) |
| Feb. 2, 2000 | National | HR 833 | Bankruptcy Reform bill | Bill Passed - Senate (83 - 14) |
| May 13, 1998 | National | S 1260 | Securities Litigation | Bill Passed - Senate (79 - 21) |
| Dec. 22, 1995 | National | HR 1058 | Legal Reform bill | Veto Override Passed - Senate (68 - 30) |
| Dec. 5, 1995 | National | HR 1058 | Legal Reform bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (65 - 30) |
| June 28, 1995 | National | HR 1058 | Legal Reform bill | Bill Passed - Senate (69 - 30) |
| Nov. 20, 1993 | National | S 714 | Resolution Trust Corporation Completion Act | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (54 - 45) |
| May 13, 1993 | National | S 714 | Resolution Trust Corporation Completion Act | Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 35) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/03 | HB 4007 | Establishes Tax Sheltered Home Buyer Savings Accounts and Increases Document-Recording Fees | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 9) |
| 10/24 | 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) |
| 5/10 | SB 1351 | Establishes Laws Governing Student Loan Servicers | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 15) |
| 5/02 | PN 47 | Nomination of Jay Clayton to be a Member of the Securities and Exchange Commission | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (61 - 37) |
| 5/01 | PN 47 | Nomination of Jay Clayton to be a Member of the Securities and Exchange Commission | Cloture Invoked - Senate (60 - 36) |
| 6/29 | S 2328 | Puerto Rico Oversight, Management, and Economic Stability Act (PROMESA) | Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (68 - 30) |
| 5/24 | 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) |
| 3/10 | HB 1127 | Establishes Regulations on Lawsuit Funding Practices | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (40 - 10) |
| 1/12 | S 2232 | Federal Reserve Transparency Act of 2015 | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 44) |
| 6/23 | HB 148 | Requires Auto Insurance for Moped Operators | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 8) |
| 4/30 | SB 1628 | Amends Existing Law Relating to Insurance Claim Lawsuits | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 10) |
| 4/27 | SB 900 | Amends Texas Windstorm Insurance Association | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 7) |
| 3/10 | SB 5899 | Establishes Small Loans and Small Consumer Installment Loans | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 18) |
| 9/18 | H J Res 124 | Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2015 | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (78 - 22) |
| 6/11 | S 2432 | Bank on Students Emergency Loan Refinancing Act | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (56 - 38) |
| 5/16 | HF 2293 | Amends Regulations for Payday Lenders | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 25) |
| 3/10 | S 1314 | Amends the Provisions of Payday Loans | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| 2/20 | SB 694 | Amends Payday Loan Terms and Interest Rates | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13) |
| 7/24 | HR 1911 | Bipartisan Student Loan Certainty Act of 2013 | Bill Passed - Senate (81 - 18) |
| 7/24 | S Amdt 1778 | Limits Interest Rates for Certain Federal Student Loans | Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 53) |
| 5/06 | SB 489 | Amends the Consumer Finance Act | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 10) |
| 4/22 | SB 1247 | Limits Payday Loan Interest Rates | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 6) |
| 7/02 | SB 900 | Establishes Regulations for Home Loans | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 13) |
| 7/02 | AB 278 | Establishes Regulations for Foreclosure Procedures on Home Loans | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 13) |
| 5/16 | HB 322 | Repeals Limits on Credit Card Interest Rates for Certain Banks | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14) |
| 5/15 | HR 2072 | Export-Import Bank Reauthorization Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - Senate (78 - 20) |
| 4/24 | HF 2460 | Limits Tax Increment Financing | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 22) |
| 3/20 | S Amdt 1836 | Reauthorizing the Export-Import Bank of the United States | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (55 - 44) |
| 2/02 | S 2038 | Prohibits Insider Trading by Government Officials | Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 3) |
| 11/10 | S Amdt 928 | American Jobs and Economic Growth | Amendment Rejected - Senate (40 - 56) |
| 6/08 | S Amdt 392 | Debit Card Transactions | Amendment Rejected - Senate (54 - 45) |
| 5/18 | SB 75 | Investment in Private Equity Firms | Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 8) |
| 4/28 | SB 408 | Property and Casualty Insurance Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12) |
| 2/02 | S Amdt 28 | Repealing the IRS 1099 Provision from the Health Care Law | Amendment Rejected - Senate (44 - 54) |
| 9/16 | HR 5297 | Small Business Lending Fund and Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 38) |
| 8/26 | AB 482 | Prohibiting Use of Credit Reports for Employment Purposes | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
| 7/29 | S Amdt 4519 | Small Business Lending Fund and Tax Law Amendments | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (58 - 42) |
| 7/15 | HR 4173 | Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (60 - 39) |
| 6/03 | SB 933 | Prohibiting Debit Card Fees | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 9) |
| 5/20 | HR 4173 | Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act | Bill Passed - Senate (59 - 39) |
| 5/19 | S Amdt 3746 | Allowing States to Limit Credit Card Interest Rates | Amendment Rejected - Senate (35 - 60) |
| 5/18 | S Amdt 4114 | Credit Default Swap Regulations | Amendment Tabled - Senate (57 - 38) |
| 5/18 | S Amdt 4072 | Inspector General Appointment Modification | Amendment Adopted - Senate (75 - 21) |
| 5/18 | S Amdt 4071 | Amending State Authority to Enforce Consumer Financial Regulations | Amendment Adopted - Senate (80 - 18) |
| 5/18 | S Amdt 4034 | Federal Preemption Over State Consumer Financial Laws | Amendment Rejected - Senate (43 - 55) |
| 5/13 | S Amdt 3987 | Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection Termination | Amendment Rejected - Senate (40 - 55) |
| 5/13 | S Amdt 3832 | Establishing Bankruptcy Process for Non-bank Financial Institutions | Amendment Rejected - Senate (42 - 58) |
| 5/13 | S Amdt 3989 | Debit Card Fee Regulations | Amendment Adopted - Senate (64 - 33) |
| 5/13 | S Amdt 3991 | Credit Rating Agency Board | Amendment Adopted - Senate (64 - 35) |
| 5/12 | S Amdt 3962 | Home Loan Regulation Modifications | Amendment Adopted - Senate (63 - 36) |
| 5/12 | S Amdt 3816 | Derivatives Regulation Modifications | Amendment Rejected - Senate (39 - 59) |
| 5/12 | S Amdt 3955 | Establishing New Mortgage Underwriting Requirements and Eliminating a Risk Retention Requirement | Amendment Rejected - Senate (42 - 57) |
| 5/11 | S Amdt 3938 | Study on Ending the Conservatorships of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac | Amendment Adopted - Senate (63 - 36) |
| 5/11 | S Amdt 3760 | Federal Reserve Audit | Amendment Rejected - Senate (37 - 62) |
| 5/06 | S Amdt 3826 | Consumer Financial Protection Division Within The FDIC | Amendment Rejected - Senate (38 - 61) |
| 2/24 | HR 2847 | Employment, Infrastructure, and Transportation Appropriations and Tax Credits ("Senate Jobs Bill") | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (70 - 28) |
| 1/28 | PN 959 | Ben S. Bernanke, Federal Reserve Chairman | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (70 - 30) |
| 1/15 | S J Res 5 | Releasing Funds for Economic Stabilization Act | Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (42 - 52) |
| 10/01 | HR 1424 | Financial Asset Purchase Authority and Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (74 - 25) |
| 6/25 | S Amdt 4983 | Housing Foreclosure Assistance Programs | Amendment Adopted - Senate (79 - 16) |
| 3/14 | S Amdt 3013 | Reinstate Pay-As-You-Go through 2011 Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (50 - 50) |
| 3/10 | S 256 | Bankruptcy Reform Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (74 - 25) |
| 7/15 | S 2673 | Accounting Industry Reform bill | Bill Passed - Senate (97 - 0) |
| 2/02 | HR 833 | Bankruptcy Reform bill | Bill Passed - Senate (83 - 14) |
| 5/13 | S 1260 | Securities Litigation | Bill Passed - Senate (79 - 21) |
| 12/22 | HR 1058 | Legal Reform bill | Veto Override Passed - Senate (68 - 30) |
| 12/05 | HR 1058 | Legal Reform bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (65 - 30) |
| 6/28 | HR 1058 | Legal Reform bill | Bill Passed - Senate (69 - 30) |
| 11/20 | S 714 | Resolution Trust Corporation Completion Act | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (54 - 45) |
| 5/13 | S 714 | Resolution Trust Corporation Completion Act | Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 35) |