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
Feb. 4, 2010 National H J Res 45 Reinstating PAYGO Budget Rule Motion Agreed - House (233 - 187)
Feb. 2, 2010 AZ SB 1003 Lottery Revenue Bond Authorization and State Building Lease-Purchase Agreements Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 9)
Jan. 28, 2010 National H J Res 45 Increasing the Public Debt Limit and Reinstating PAYGO Bill Passed - Senate (60 - 39)
Jan. 26, 2010 National S Amdt 3302 Establishing a Federal Budget Deficit Commission Amendment Rejected - Senate (53 - 46)
Jan. 21, 2010 National S Amdt 3301 Ending the Troubled Asset Relief Program Amendment Rejected - Senate (53 - 45)
Dec. 24, 2009 National HR 4314 Increasing the National Public Debt Limit Bill Passed - Senate (60 - 39)
Dec. 16, 2009 National HR 4314 Increasing the National Public Debt Limit Bill Passed - House (218 - 214)
Dec. 13, 2009 National HR 3288 2009-2010 Omnibus Appropriations Conference Report Adopted - Senate (57 - 35)
Dec. 10, 2009 National HR 3288 2009-2010 Omnibus Appropriations Conference Report Adopted - House (221 - 202)
Nov. 5, 2009 National HR 3548 Extending Federal Emergency Unemployment Benefits and Providing Business and Homebuyer Tax Credits Concurrence Vote Passed - House (403 - 12)
Oct. 29, 2009 National HR 2996 Continuing Appropriations Extension and 2009-2010 Department of Interior, Environmental Protection Agency, and Related Appropriations Conference Report Adopted - Senate (72 - 28)
Oct. 29, 2009 National HR 2996 Continuing Appropriations Extension and 2009-2010 Department of Interior, Environmental Protection Agency, and Related Appropriations Conference Report Adopted - House (247 - 178)
Oct. 27, 2009 National HR 3548 Extending Federal Emergency Unemployment Benefits Cloture Invoked - Senate (87 - 13)
Oct. 8, 2009 National HR 2997 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agency Appropriations Fiscal Year 2009-2010 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (76 - 22)
Oct. 7, 2009 National HR 2997 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agency Appropriations Fiscal Year 2009-2010 Conference Report Adopted - House (263 - 162)
Sept. 30, 2009 National HR 2918 Continuing Appropriations Resolution and 2009-2010 Legislative Appropriations Conference Report Adopted - Senate (62 - 38)
Sept. 25, 2009 National HR 2918 Continuing Appropriations Resolution and 2009-2010 Legislative Appropriations Conference Report Adopted - House (217 - 190)
Sept. 22, 2009 National HR 3548 Extending Federal Emergency Unemployment Benefits Bill Passed - House (331 - 83)
Aug. 6, 2009 National HR 3435 Supplemental Appropriations for the "Cash for Clunkers" Program Bill Passed - Senate (60 - 37)
July 31, 2009 National HR 3435 Supplemental Appropriations for the "Cash for Clunkers" Program Bill Passed - House (316 - 109)
June 16, 2009 National HR 2346 2008-2009 Supplemental Appropriations Conference Report Adopted - House (226 - 202)
April 29, 2009 National S Con Res 13 2010 Concurrent Budget Resolution Conference Report Adopted - House (233 - 193)
April 29, 2009 National S Con Res 13 2010 Concurrent Budget Resolution Conference Report Adopted - Senate (53 - 43)
March 31, 2009 National S Amdt 739 Public Debt Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (43 - 54)
March 19, 2009 National HR 1586 TARP Recipient Bonuses Tax Bill Passed - House (328 - 93)
Feb. 26, 2009 National HR 1105 2009 Budget Bill Bill Passed - House (245 - 178)
Feb. 13, 2009 National HR 1 Appropriations, Tax Law Amendments, and Unemployment Benefit Amendments ("Stimulus Bill") Conference Report Adopted - House (246 - 183)
Feb. 13, 2009 National HR 1 Appropriations, Tax Law Amendments, and Unemployment Benefit Amendments ("Stimulus Bill") Conference Report Adopted - Senate (60 - 38)
Feb. 10, 2009 National HR 1 Appropriations, Tax Law Amendments, and Unemployment Benefit Amendments ("Stimulus Bill") Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 37)
Jan. 28, 2009 National HR 1 Appropriations, Tax Law Amendments, and Unemployment Benefit Amendments ("Stimulus Bill") Bill Passed - House (244 - 188)
Jan. 26, 2009 National PN 64-6 Timothy Geithner, Secretary of the Treasury Nomination Confirmed - Senate (60 - 34)
Jan. 22, 2009 National H J Res 3 Releasing Funds for Economic Stabilization Act Joint Resolution Passed - House (270 - 155)
Jan. 15, 2009 National S J Res 5 Releasing Funds for Economic Stabilization Act Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (42 - 52)
Oct. 3, 2008 National HR 6867 Emergency Extended Unemployment Compensation Bill Passed - House (368 - 28)
Oct. 3, 2008 National HR 1424 Financial Asset Purchase Authority and Tax Law Amendments Concurrence Vote Passed - House (263 - 171)
Oct. 1, 2008 National HR 1424 Financial Asset Purchase Authority and Tax Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (74 - 25)
Sept. 29, 2008 National HR 3997 Financial Asset Purchase Authority Concurrence Vote Failed - House (205 - 228)
July 26, 2008 National S 3186 Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Funding Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (50 - 35)
July 24, 2008 National HR 5501 Funding to Combat AIDS, Malaria, and Tuberculosis Concurrence Vote Passed - House (303 - 115)
July 16, 2008 National S Amdt 5077 Funding Amendment to AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Bill Amendment Rejected - Senate (31 - 64)
July 16, 2008 National HR 5501 Funding to Combat AIDS, Malaria, and Tuberculosis Bill Passed - Senate (80 - 16)
July 15, 2008 National HR 6331 Medicare Bill Veto Override Passed - Senate (70 - 26)
July 15, 2008 National HR 6331 Medicare Bill Veto Override Passed - House (383 - 41)
July 9, 2008 National HR 6331 Medicare Bill Cloture Invoked - Senate (69 - 30)
June 24, 2008 National HR 6331 Medicare Bill Bill Passed - House (355 - 59)
June 23, 2008 NJ A 2800 2008-2009 Budget Bill Passed - House (45 - 34)
June 23, 2008 NJ A 2800 2008-2009 Budget Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 16)
June 18, 2008 National HR 6124 Second Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) Veto Override Passed - House (317 - 109)
June 18, 2008 National HR 6124 Second Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) Veto Override Passed - Senate (80 - 14)
June 12, 2008 National HR 5749 Emergency Extended Unemployment Compensation Act of 2008 Bill Passed - House (274 - 137)
Date No. Title Outcome
2/04 H J Res 45 Reinstating PAYGO Budget Rule Motion Agreed - House (233 - 187)
2/02 SB 1003 Lottery Revenue Bond Authorization and State Building Lease-Purchase Agreements Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 9)
1/28 H J Res 45 Increasing the Public Debt Limit and Reinstating PAYGO Bill Passed - Senate (60 - 39)
1/26 S Amdt 3302 Establishing a Federal Budget Deficit Commission Amendment Rejected - Senate (53 - 46)
1/21 S Amdt 3301 Ending the Troubled Asset Relief Program Amendment Rejected - Senate (53 - 45)
12/24 HR 4314 Increasing the National Public Debt Limit Bill Passed - Senate (60 - 39)
12/16 HR 4314 Increasing the National Public Debt Limit Bill Passed - House (218 - 214)
12/13 HR 3288 2009-2010 Omnibus Appropriations Conference Report Adopted - Senate (57 - 35)
12/10 HR 3288 2009-2010 Omnibus Appropriations Conference Report Adopted - House (221 - 202)
11/05 HR 3548 Extending Federal Emergency Unemployment Benefits and Providing Business and Homebuyer Tax Credits Concurrence Vote Passed - House (403 - 12)
10/29 HR 2996 Continuing Appropriations Extension and 2009-2010 Department of Interior, Environmental Protection Agency, and Related Appropriations Conference Report Adopted - Senate (72 - 28)
10/29 HR 2996 Continuing Appropriations Extension and 2009-2010 Department of Interior, Environmental Protection Agency, and Related Appropriations Conference Report Adopted - House (247 - 178)
10/27 HR 3548 Extending Federal Emergency Unemployment Benefits Cloture Invoked - Senate (87 - 13)
10/08 HR 2997 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agency Appropriations Fiscal Year 2009-2010 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (76 - 22)
10/07 HR 2997 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agency Appropriations Fiscal Year 2009-2010 Conference Report Adopted - House (263 - 162)
9/30 HR 2918 Continuing Appropriations Resolution and 2009-2010 Legislative Appropriations Conference Report Adopted - Senate (62 - 38)
9/25 HR 2918 Continuing Appropriations Resolution and 2009-2010 Legislative Appropriations Conference Report Adopted - House (217 - 190)
9/22 HR 3548 Extending Federal Emergency Unemployment Benefits Bill Passed - House (331 - 83)
8/06 HR 3435 Supplemental Appropriations for the "Cash for Clunkers" Program Bill Passed - Senate (60 - 37)
7/31 HR 3435 Supplemental Appropriations for the "Cash for Clunkers" Program Bill Passed - House (316 - 109)
6/16 HR 2346 2008-2009 Supplemental Appropriations Conference Report Adopted - House (226 - 202)
4/29 S Con Res 13 2010 Concurrent Budget Resolution Conference Report Adopted - House (233 - 193)
4/29 S Con Res 13 2010 Concurrent Budget Resolution Conference Report Adopted - Senate (53 - 43)
3/31 S Amdt 739 Public Debt Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (43 - 54)
3/19 HR 1586 TARP Recipient Bonuses Tax Bill Passed - House (328 - 93)
2/26 HR 1105 2009 Budget Bill Bill Passed - House (245 - 178)
2/13 HR 1 Appropriations, Tax Law Amendments, and Unemployment Benefit Amendments ("Stimulus Bill") Conference Report Adopted - House (246 - 183)
2/13 HR 1 Appropriations, Tax Law Amendments, and Unemployment Benefit Amendments ("Stimulus Bill") Conference Report Adopted - Senate (60 - 38)
2/10 HR 1 Appropriations, Tax Law Amendments, and Unemployment Benefit Amendments ("Stimulus Bill") Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 37)
1/28 HR 1 Appropriations, Tax Law Amendments, and Unemployment Benefit Amendments ("Stimulus Bill") Bill Passed - House (244 - 188)
1/26 PN 64-6 Timothy Geithner, Secretary of the Treasury Nomination Confirmed - Senate (60 - 34)
1/22 H J Res 3 Releasing Funds for Economic Stabilization Act Joint Resolution Passed - House (270 - 155)
1/15 S J Res 5 Releasing Funds for Economic Stabilization Act Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (42 - 52)
10/03 HR 6867 Emergency Extended Unemployment Compensation Bill Passed - House (368 - 28)
10/03 HR 1424 Financial Asset Purchase Authority and Tax Law Amendments Concurrence Vote Passed - House (263 - 171)
10/01 HR 1424 Financial Asset Purchase Authority and Tax Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (74 - 25)
9/29 HR 3997 Financial Asset Purchase Authority Concurrence Vote Failed - House (205 - 228)
7/26 S 3186 Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Funding Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (50 - 35)
7/24 HR 5501 Funding to Combat AIDS, Malaria, and Tuberculosis Concurrence Vote Passed - House (303 - 115)
7/16 S Amdt 5077 Funding Amendment to AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Bill Amendment Rejected - Senate (31 - 64)
7/16 HR 5501 Funding to Combat AIDS, Malaria, and Tuberculosis Bill Passed - Senate (80 - 16)
7/15 HR 6331 Medicare Bill Veto Override Passed - Senate (70 - 26)
7/15 HR 6331 Medicare Bill Veto Override Passed - House (383 - 41)
7/09 HR 6331 Medicare Bill Cloture Invoked - Senate (69 - 30)
6/24 HR 6331 Medicare Bill Bill Passed - House (355 - 59)
6/23 A 2800 2008-2009 Budget Bill Passed - House (45 - 34)
6/23 A 2800 2008-2009 Budget Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 16)
6/18 HR 6124 Second Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) Veto Override Passed - House (317 - 109)
6/18 HR 6124 Second Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) Veto Override Passed - Senate (80 - 14)
6/12 HR 5749 Emergency Extended Unemployment Compensation Act of 2008 Bill Passed - House (274 - 137)

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