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. 6, 2016 NM HB 2 2016-2017 Budget Bill Passed - House (38 - 31)
Feb. 6, 2016 NM HB 2 2016-2017 Budget Bill Passed - House (38 - 31)
Feb. 2, 2016 National HR 3762 Restoring Americans' Healthcare Freedom Reconciliation Act of 2015 Veto Override Failed - House (241 - 186)
Feb. 2, 2016 National HR 3762 Restoring Americans' Healthcare Freedom Reconciliation Act of 2015 Veto Override Failed - House (241 - 186)
Feb. 2, 2016 KY SB 7 Prohibits Appropriation of Local Funds for Certain Family Planning Facilities Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5)
Feb. 2, 2016 IN HB 1001 Increases Taxes and Appropriates Funds for Infrastructure Projects Bill Passed - House (61 - 36)
Jan. 29, 2016 UT SB 39 Authorizes Medicaid Coverage for Adult Dental Services Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 0)
Jan. 28, 2016 IL SB 2043 Appropriates Funds for Higher Education Bill Passed - House (67 - 42)
Jan. 27, 2016 OH HB 294 Prohibits the Use of Public Funds for Certain Abortion Services Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 8)
Jan. 25, 2016 WA HB 2366 Amends Education Funding System Bill Passed - House (64 - 34)
Jan. 20, 2016 WI AB 310 Prohibits a Public Entity from Distributing Certain Funds to Abortion Clinics Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14)
Jan. 20, 2016 National HR 4038 American Security Against Foreign Enemies (SAFE) Act Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (55 - 43)
Jan. 6, 2016 National HR 3762 Restoring Americans' Healthcare Freedom Reconciliation Act of 2015 Concurrence Vote Passed - House (240 - 181)
Jan. 6, 2016 National HR 3762 Restoring Americans' Healthcare Freedom Reconciliation Act of 2015 Concurrence Vote Passed - House (240 - 181)
Dec. 18, 2015 National HR 2029 Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016 Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (65 - 33)
Dec. 18, 2015 National HR 2029 Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016 Concurrence Vote Passed - House (316 - 113)
Dec. 17, 2015 National HR 2029 Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016 Concurrence Vote Passed - House (318 - 109)
Dec. 3, 2015 National HR 3762 Restoring Americans' Healthcare Freedom Reconciliation Act of 2015 Bill Passed - Senate (52 - 47)
Dec. 3, 2015 National HR 3762 Restoring Americans' Healthcare Freedom Reconciliation Act of 2015 Bill Passed - Senate (52 - 47)
Nov. 19, 2015 National HR 4038 American Security Against Foreign Enemies (SAFE) Act Bill Passed - House (289 - 137)
Nov. 17, 2015 OH HB 294 Prohibits the Use of Public Funds for Certain Abortion Services Bill Passed - House (62 - 33)
Nov. 10, 2015 IL HB 2482 Specifies Determination of Need Score to Qualify for Assistance Veto Override Failed - House (70 - 38)
Nov. 10, 2015 IL SB 570 Requires Child Care Benefits for Eligible Individuals Bill Failed - House (70 - 35)
Nov. 5, 2015 National HR 22 Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act Concurrence Vote Passed - House (363 - 64)
Nov. 5, 2015 National HR 2685 Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2016 Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (51 - 44)
Date No. Title Outcome
2/06 HB 2 2016-2017 Budget Bill Passed - House (38 - 31)
2/06 HB 2 2016-2017 Budget Bill Passed - House (38 - 31)
2/02 HR 3762 Restoring Americans' Healthcare Freedom Reconciliation Act of 2015 Veto Override Failed - House (241 - 186)
2/02 HR 3762 Restoring Americans' Healthcare Freedom Reconciliation Act of 2015 Veto Override Failed - House (241 - 186)
2/02 SB 7 Prohibits Appropriation of Local Funds for Certain Family Planning Facilities Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5)
2/02 HB 1001 Increases Taxes and Appropriates Funds for Infrastructure Projects Bill Passed - House (61 - 36)
1/29 SB 39 Authorizes Medicaid Coverage for Adult Dental Services Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 0)
1/28 SB 2043 Appropriates Funds for Higher Education Bill Passed - House (67 - 42)
1/27 HB 294 Prohibits the Use of Public Funds for Certain Abortion Services Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 8)
1/25 HB 2366 Amends Education Funding System Bill Passed - House (64 - 34)
1/20 AB 310 Prohibits a Public Entity from Distributing Certain Funds to Abortion Clinics Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14)
1/20 HR 4038 American Security Against Foreign Enemies (SAFE) Act Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (55 - 43)
1/06 HR 3762 Restoring Americans' Healthcare Freedom Reconciliation Act of 2015 Concurrence Vote Passed - House (240 - 181)
1/06 HR 3762 Restoring Americans' Healthcare Freedom Reconciliation Act of 2015 Concurrence Vote Passed - House (240 - 181)
12/18 HR 2029 Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016 Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (65 - 33)
12/18 HR 2029 Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016 Concurrence Vote Passed - House (316 - 113)
12/17 HR 2029 Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016 Concurrence Vote Passed - House (318 - 109)
12/03 HR 3762 Restoring Americans' Healthcare Freedom Reconciliation Act of 2015 Bill Passed - Senate (52 - 47)
12/03 HR 3762 Restoring Americans' Healthcare Freedom Reconciliation Act of 2015 Bill Passed - Senate (52 - 47)
11/19 HR 4038 American Security Against Foreign Enemies (SAFE) Act Bill Passed - House (289 - 137)
11/17 HB 294 Prohibits the Use of Public Funds for Certain Abortion Services Bill Passed - House (62 - 33)
11/10 HB 2482 Specifies Determination of Need Score to Qualify for Assistance Veto Override Failed - House (70 - 38)
11/10 SB 570 Requires Child Care Benefits for Eligible Individuals Bill Failed - House (70 - 35)
11/05 HR 22 Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act Concurrence Vote Passed - House (363 - 64)
11/05 HR 2685 Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2016 Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (51 - 44)

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