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. 15, 2009 | IL | HJRCA 31 | Authorizing Governor Recall Elections | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (56 - 1) |
| Oct. 9, 2009 | PA | HB 1614 | Fiscal Code Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (35 - 14) |
| Oct. 9, 2009 | PA | HB 1614 | Fiscal Code Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (106 - 92) |
| Oct. 9, 2009 | PA | HB 1614 | Fiscal Code Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (106 - 92) |
| Oct. 8, 2009 | National | HR 2647 | 2009-2010 Defense Appropriations | Conference Report Adopted - House (281 - 146) |
| Oct. 8, 2009 | National | HR 2647 | 2009-2010 Defense Appropriations | Conference Report Adopted - House (281 - 146) |
| Oct. 8, 2009 | MA | SB 2028 | Pandemic and Disaster Preparedness Plan | Bill Passed - House (114 - 36) |
| Oct. 7, 2009 | National | H Res 805 | Removing Rep. Charles Rangel as Chairman of House Committee on Ways and Means | Motion Agreed - House (246 - 153) |
| Oct. 6, 2009 | National | S Amdt 2588 | Prohibiting Federal Funding of Mandatory Arbitration Contracts | Amendment Adopted - Senate (68 - 30) |
| Oct. 6, 2009 | MI | HB 5386 | Physician Services Tax | Bill Passed - House (56 - 52) |
| 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. 23, 2009 | OH | SJR 5 | Redistricting Commission | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (21 - 12) |
| Sept. 22, 2009 | MA | H 4246 | Authorizing Governor to Appoint Interim U.S. Senator | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16) |
| Sept. 22, 2009 | WI | AB 138 | Board Appointment of the Secretary of Natural Resources | Bill Passed - House (61 - 32) |
| Sept. 22, 2009 | National | HR 3548 | Extending Federal Emergency Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - House (331 - 83) |
| Sept. 17, 2009 | MA | H 4246 | Authorizing Governor to Appoint Interim U.S. Senator | Bill Passed - House (95 - 59) |
| Sept. 16, 2009 | MO | HB 544 | Increasing Legislative Oversight of Federal Funds | Veto Override Failed - House (86 - 71) |
| Sept. 16, 2009 | MO | HB 544 | Increasing Legislative Oversight of Federal Funds | Veto Override Failed - House (86 - 71) |
| Sept. 15, 2009 | National | H Res 744 | Resolution of Disapproval of Representative Joe Wilson's Conduct | Resolution Passed - House (240 - 179) |
| Sept. 15, 2009 | National | H Res 744 | Resolution of Disapproval of Representative Joe Wilson's Conduct | Resolution Passed - House (240 - 179) |
| Sept. 11, 2009 | PA | HB 1828 | Municipal Pension System Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (113 - 76) |
| Sept. 11, 2009 | CA | SBx3 18 | Correctional Law Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 16) |
| Sept. 10, 2009 | CA | AB 2 | Health Care Law Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (49 - 26) |
| Sept. 10, 2009 | CA | AB 98 | Required Maternity Services Coverage | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (51 - 27) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10/15 | HJRCA 31 | Authorizing Governor Recall Elections | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (56 - 1) |
| 10/09 | HB 1614 | Fiscal Code Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (35 - 14) |
| 10/09 | HB 1614 | Fiscal Code Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (106 - 92) |
| 10/09 | HB 1614 | Fiscal Code Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (106 - 92) |
| 10/08 | HR 2647 | 2009-2010 Defense Appropriations | Conference Report Adopted - House (281 - 146) |
| 10/08 | HR 2647 | 2009-2010 Defense Appropriations | Conference Report Adopted - House (281 - 146) |
| 10/08 | SB 2028 | Pandemic and Disaster Preparedness Plan | Bill Passed - House (114 - 36) |
| 10/07 | H Res 805 | Removing Rep. Charles Rangel as Chairman of House Committee on Ways and Means | Motion Agreed - House (246 - 153) |
| 10/06 | S Amdt 2588 | Prohibiting Federal Funding of Mandatory Arbitration Contracts | Amendment Adopted - Senate (68 - 30) |
| 10/06 | HB 5386 | Physician Services Tax | Bill Passed - House (56 - 52) |
| 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) |
| 9/23 | SJR 5 | Redistricting Commission | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (21 - 12) |
| 9/22 | H 4246 | Authorizing Governor to Appoint Interim U.S. Senator | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16) |
| 9/22 | AB 138 | Board Appointment of the Secretary of Natural Resources | Bill Passed - House (61 - 32) |
| 9/22 | HR 3548 | Extending Federal Emergency Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - House (331 - 83) |
| 9/17 | H 4246 | Authorizing Governor to Appoint Interim U.S. Senator | Bill Passed - House (95 - 59) |
| 9/16 | HB 544 | Increasing Legislative Oversight of Federal Funds | Veto Override Failed - House (86 - 71) |
| 9/16 | HB 544 | Increasing Legislative Oversight of Federal Funds | Veto Override Failed - House (86 - 71) |
| 9/15 | H Res 744 | Resolution of Disapproval of Representative Joe Wilson's Conduct | Resolution Passed - House (240 - 179) |
| 9/15 | H Res 744 | Resolution of Disapproval of Representative Joe Wilson's Conduct | Resolution Passed - House (240 - 179) |
| 9/11 | HB 1828 | Municipal Pension System Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (113 - 76) |
| 9/11 | SBx3 18 | Correctional Law Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 16) |
| 9/10 | AB 2 | Health Care Law Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (49 - 26) |
| 9/10 | AB 98 | Required Maternity Services Coverage | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (51 - 27) |