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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 2, 2011 | CT | SB 1239 | 2011-2013 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 17) |
| April 28, 2011 | MT | HB 2 | 2011-2013 Biennium Budget | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 23) |
| April 25, 2011 | OR | SB 99 | Establishes the Oregon Health Insurance Exchange | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 5) |
| April 20, 2011 | IA | SF 525 | Revises the Iowa Mental Health System | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 23) |
| April 19, 2011 | IN | HB 1210 | Repealing Medicaid Funding for Planned Parenthood | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 13) |
| April 14, 2011 | NC | HB 383 | Relating to Unemployment Insurance Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 17) |
| April 14, 2011 | National | HR 1473 | 2011 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (81 - 19) |
| April 12, 2011 | MT | HB 2 | 2011-2013 Biennium Budget | Conference Report Rejected - Senate (25 - 25) |
| April 11, 2011 | MT | HB 439 | Authorizing New Bonds | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 14) |
| April 7, 2011 | AL | SB 133 | 2011-2012 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 4) |
| April 4, 2011 | ID | S 1202 | Appropriations to Secretary of State | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10) |
| April 1, 2011 | AZ | SB 1618 | 2011-2012 Budget Reconciliation for Higher Education | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 8) |
| April 1, 2011 | AZ | SB 1619 | Provisions to Health and Health Care for 2011-2012 Budget | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 8) |
| April 1, 2011 | AZ | SB 1617 | K-12 Education Budget for 2011-2012 | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 8) |
| March 30, 2011 | NY | S 2808 | Implementing the Education, Labor, and Family Assistance Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (49 - 13) |
| March 28, 2011 | ID | H 260 | Medicaid Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 8) |
| March 27, 2011 | MS | SB 3100 | Issuance of State Bonds for Improvements in Higher Learning Institutions | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (36 - 10) |
| March 24, 2011 | ID | S 1182 | 2012-2013 State Liquor Division Appropriations | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 8) |
| March 23, 2011 | MI | HB 4408 | Employment Compensation Fund | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13) |
| March 22, 2011 | AL | SB 72 | Repealing the Deferred Retirement Option Plan | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (21 - 13) |
| March 17, 2011 | National | H J Res 48 | Additional Continuing Appropriations | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (87 - 13) |
| March 16, 2011 | NM | HB 2 | General Appropriation Act of 2011 | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 14) |
| March 16, 2011 | AZ | SB 1613 | Budget Proposal | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
| March 10, 2011 | AZ | SCR 1019 | State Appropriations | Resolution Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
| March 9, 2011 | MI | SB 158 | Collective Bargaining Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12) |
| March 9, 2011 | NC | SB 13 | 2010-2011 Budget Amendments | Veto Override Passed - Senate (31 - 19) |
| March 9, 2011 | National | HR 1 | Continuing Appropriations | Bill Failed - Senate (44 - 56) |
| March 9, 2011 | National | S Amdt 149 | Department of Defense funding and Continuing Appropriations | Amendment Rejected - Senate (42 - 58) |
| March 3, 2011 | NJ | S 1216 | Loans for Women and Minority-Owned Businesses | Veto Override Failed - Senate (23 - 16) |
| March 2, 2011 | National | H J Res 44 | Continuing Appropriations Amendments | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (91 - 9) |
| March 2, 2011 | National | S Amdt 115 | Calling for a Balanced Budget Constitutional Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (58 - 40) |
| March 2, 2011 | AZ | SB 1231 | State Spending Cap | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
| March 1, 2011 | National | S Amdt 112 | Prioritizing Payment of Public Debt | Amendment Tabled - Senate (52 - 47) |
| March 1, 2011 | SC | S 434 | Prohibiting DHHS From Reducing Provider Rates | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (24 - 8) |
| Feb. 24, 2011 | ID | S 1108 | Education Provisions and Teacher Entitlements | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| Feb. 23, 2011 | TX | SJR 1 | Urging Congress to Propose a Balanced Budget Amendment | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (24 - 7) |
| Feb. 21, 2011 | VA | SB 1446 | Transportation Budget | Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (1 - 38) |
| Feb. 17, 2011 | VA | HB 2527 | Virginia Transportation Infrastructure Fund and Bank | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 7) |
| Feb. 15, 2011 | KS | HB 2014 | 2011-2012 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17) |
| Feb. 7, 2011 | NC | SB 13 | 2010-2011 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 16) |
| Feb. 3, 2011 | MN | HF 130 | 2010-2013 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 27) |
| Jan. 31, 2011 | NY | S 2707 | Funding State Mandated Programs | Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 20) |
| Jan. 28, 2011 | WY | HB 244 | Unemployment Insurance Amendments | |
| Jan. 19, 2011 | NY | S 1892 | Limiting State Spending | Amendment Adopted - Senate (41 - 19) |
| Dec. 21, 2010 | National | HR 3082 | Continuing Appropriations | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (79 - 16) |
| Dec. 8, 2010 | National | S 3985 | Emergency Senior Citizens Relief Act | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 45) |
| Nov. 30, 2010 | National | S Amdt 4697 | Prohibiting Earmarks | Motion Rejected - Senate (39 - 56) |
| Sept. 29, 2010 | National | HR 3081 | Continuing Appropriations | Bill Passed - Senate (69 - 30) |
| Sept. 29, 2010 | National | S Amdt 4676 | Reducing "Continuing Appropriation" Amounts by 5 Percent | Amendment Rejected - Senate (48 - 51) |
| July 21, 2010 | National | HR 4213 | Unemployment Benefits Extension | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (59 - 39) |
| July 20, 2010 | National | HR 4213 | Unemployment Benefits Extension | Cloture Invoked - Senate (60 - 40) |
| June 9, 2010 | National | S Amdt 4326 | Requiring Reports on Foreign Holdings of U.S. Debt | Amendment Adopted - Senate (58 - 41) |
| June 9, 2010 | National | S Amdt 4302 | Requiring Reports on Foreign Holdings of U.S. Debt | Amendment Not Tabled - Senate (38 - 61) |
| May 27, 2010 | National | HR 4899 | Fiscal Year 2009-2010 Supplemental Appropriations | Bill Passed - Senate (67 - 28) |
| May 18, 2010 | National | S Amdt 4051 | Prohibiting Funding of State and Local Governments to Prevent Defaulting on Debt | Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 50) |
| May 11, 2010 | National | S Amdt 3839 | Termination of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Conservatorships | Amendment Rejected - Senate (43 - 56) |
| April 15, 2010 | National | HR 4851 | Unemployment Benefits Extension | Bill Passed - Senate (59 - 38) |
| April 1, 2010 | AZ | SCR 1060 | State Debt Limit Amendments | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (18 - 8) |
| March 10, 2010 | National | HR 4213 | Extending Unemployment Benefits and Certain Tax Credits | Bill Passed - Senate (62 - 36) |
| March 3, 2010 | National | S Amdt 3353 | Payment to Social Security Recipients | Motion Rejected - Senate (47 - 50) |
| 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. 13, 2009 | National | HR 3288 | 2009-2010 Omnibus Appropriations | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (57 - 35) |
| 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. 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) |
| Sept. 30, 2009 | National | HR 2918 | Continuing Appropriations Resolution and 2009-2010 Legislative Appropriations | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (62 - 38) |
| Aug. 6, 2009 | National | HR 3435 | Supplemental Appropriations for the "Cash for Clunkers" Program | Bill Passed - Senate (60 - 37) |
| 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) |
| 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) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5/02 | SB 1239 | 2011-2013 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 17) |
| 4/28 | HB 2 | 2011-2013 Biennium Budget | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 23) |
| 4/25 | SB 99 | Establishes the Oregon Health Insurance Exchange | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 5) |
| 4/20 | SF 525 | Revises the Iowa Mental Health System | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 23) |
| 4/19 | HB 1210 | Repealing Medicaid Funding for Planned Parenthood | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 13) |
| 4/14 | HB 383 | Relating to Unemployment Insurance Benefits | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 17) |
| 4/14 | HR 1473 | 2011 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (81 - 19) |
| 4/12 | HB 2 | 2011-2013 Biennium Budget | Conference Report Rejected - Senate (25 - 25) |
| 4/11 | HB 439 | Authorizing New Bonds | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 14) |
| 4/07 | SB 133 | 2011-2012 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 4) |
| 4/04 | S 1202 | Appropriations to Secretary of State | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10) |
| 4/01 | SB 1618 | 2011-2012 Budget Reconciliation for Higher Education | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 8) |
| 4/01 | SB 1619 | Provisions to Health and Health Care for 2011-2012 Budget | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 8) |
| 4/01 | SB 1617 | K-12 Education Budget for 2011-2012 | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 8) |
| 3/30 | S 2808 | Implementing the Education, Labor, and Family Assistance Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (49 - 13) |
| 3/28 | H 260 | Medicaid Funding | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 8) |
| 3/27 | SB 3100 | Issuance of State Bonds for Improvements in Higher Learning Institutions | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (36 - 10) |
| 3/24 | S 1182 | 2012-2013 State Liquor Division Appropriations | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 8) |
| 3/23 | HB 4408 | Employment Compensation Fund | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13) |
| 3/22 | SB 72 | Repealing the Deferred Retirement Option Plan | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (21 - 13) |
| 3/17 | H J Res 48 | Additional Continuing Appropriations | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (87 - 13) |
| 3/16 | HB 2 | General Appropriation Act of 2011 | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 14) |
| 3/16 | SB 1613 | Budget Proposal | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
| 3/10 | SCR 1019 | State Appropriations | Resolution Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
| 3/09 | SB 158 | Collective Bargaining Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12) |
| 3/09 | SB 13 | 2010-2011 Budget Amendments | Veto Override Passed - Senate (31 - 19) |
| 3/09 | HR 1 | Continuing Appropriations | Bill Failed - Senate (44 - 56) |
| 3/09 | S Amdt 149 | Department of Defense funding and Continuing Appropriations | Amendment Rejected - Senate (42 - 58) |
| 3/03 | S 1216 | Loans for Women and Minority-Owned Businesses | Veto Override Failed - Senate (23 - 16) |
| 3/02 | H J Res 44 | Continuing Appropriations Amendments | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (91 - 9) |
| 3/02 | S Amdt 115 | Calling for a Balanced Budget Constitutional Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (58 - 40) |
| 3/02 | SB 1231 | State Spending Cap | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
| 3/01 | S Amdt 112 | Prioritizing Payment of Public Debt | Amendment Tabled - Senate (52 - 47) |
| 3/01 | S 434 | Prohibiting DHHS From Reducing Provider Rates | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (24 - 8) |
| 2/24 | S 1108 | Education Provisions and Teacher Entitlements | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| 2/23 | SJR 1 | Urging Congress to Propose a Balanced Budget Amendment | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (24 - 7) |
| 2/21 | SB 1446 | Transportation Budget | Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (1 - 38) |
| 2/17 | HB 2527 | Virginia Transportation Infrastructure Fund and Bank | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 7) |
| 2/15 | HB 2014 | 2011-2012 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 17) |
| 2/07 | SB 13 | 2010-2011 Budget Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 16) |
| 2/03 | HF 130 | 2010-2013 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 27) |
| 1/31 | S 2707 | Funding State Mandated Programs | Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 20) |
| 1/28 | HB 244 | Unemployment Insurance Amendments | |
| 1/19 | S 1892 | Limiting State Spending | Amendment Adopted - Senate (41 - 19) |
| 12/21 | HR 3082 | Continuing Appropriations | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (79 - 16) |
| 12/08 | S 3985 | Emergency Senior Citizens Relief Act | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 45) |
| 11/30 | S Amdt 4697 | Prohibiting Earmarks | Motion Rejected - Senate (39 - 56) |
| 9/29 | HR 3081 | Continuing Appropriations | Bill Passed - Senate (69 - 30) |
| 9/29 | S Amdt 4676 | Reducing "Continuing Appropriation" Amounts by 5 Percent | Amendment Rejected - Senate (48 - 51) |
| 7/21 | HR 4213 | Unemployment Benefits Extension | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (59 - 39) |
| 7/20 | HR 4213 | Unemployment Benefits Extension | Cloture Invoked - Senate (60 - 40) |
| 6/09 | S Amdt 4326 | Requiring Reports on Foreign Holdings of U.S. Debt | Amendment Adopted - Senate (58 - 41) |
| 6/09 | S Amdt 4302 | Requiring Reports on Foreign Holdings of U.S. Debt | Amendment Not Tabled - Senate (38 - 61) |
| 5/27 | HR 4899 | Fiscal Year 2009-2010 Supplemental Appropriations | Bill Passed - Senate (67 - 28) |
| 5/18 | S Amdt 4051 | Prohibiting Funding of State and Local Governments to Prevent Defaulting on Debt | Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 50) |
| 5/11 | S Amdt 3839 | Termination of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Conservatorships | Amendment Rejected - Senate (43 - 56) |
| 4/15 | HR 4851 | Unemployment Benefits Extension | Bill Passed - Senate (59 - 38) |
| 4/01 | SCR 1060 | State Debt Limit Amendments | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (18 - 8) |
| 3/10 | HR 4213 | Extending Unemployment Benefits and Certain Tax Credits | Bill Passed - Senate (62 - 36) |
| 3/03 | S Amdt 3353 | Payment to Social Security Recipients | Motion Rejected - Senate (47 - 50) |
| 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) |
| 12/13 | HR 3288 | 2009-2010 Omnibus Appropriations | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (57 - 35) |
| 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) |
| 10/27 | 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) |
| 9/30 | HR 2918 | Continuing Appropriations Resolution and 2009-2010 Legislative Appropriations | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (62 - 38) |
| 8/06 | HR 3435 | Supplemental Appropriations for the "Cash for Clunkers" Program | Bill Passed - Senate (60 - 37) |
| 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) |
| 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) |