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.


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Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
Dec. 21, 2010 National HR 3082 Continuing Appropriations Concurrence Vote Passed - House (193 - 165)
Dec. 21, 2010 National HR 3082 Continuing Appropriations Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (79 - 16)
Dec. 17, 2010 National HR 4853 Temporary Extension of Tax Relief Concurrence Vote Passed - House (277 - 148)
Dec. 16, 2010 National H Amdt 786 Amending the Estate Tax Amendment Rejected - House (194 - 233)
Dec. 15, 2010 National HR 4853 Temporary Extension of Tax Relief Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (81 - 19)
Dec. 4, 2010 National S Amdt 4728 Extension of Tax Cuts for Those Making Under $1 Million Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 37)
Dec. 4, 2010 National S Amdt 4727 Extension of Tax Cuts for Those Making Under $250,000 Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 36)
Dec. 2, 2010 National HR 4853 Temporary Extension of Tax Relief Concurrence Vote Passed - House (234 - 188)
Nov. 30, 2010 National S Amdt 4697 Prohibiting Earmarks Motion Rejected - Senate (39 - 56)
Nov. 17, 2010 PA HB 101 Education Law Amendments Veto Override Passed - Senate (42 - 7)
Nov. 15, 2010 PA HB 101 Education Law Amendments Veto Override Passed - House (171 - 24)
Oct. 7, 2010 CA SB 870 2010-2011 Budget Bill Passed - House (57 - 13)
Sept. 30, 2010 NJ A 1678 Establishing a New Jersey Homebuyer Tax Credit Program Veto Override Failed - House (42 - 32)
Sept. 30, 2010 National HR 3081 Continuing Appropriations Concurrence Vote Passed - House (228 - 194)
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)
Sept. 29, 2010 PA SB 1155 Establishing a Natural Gas Severance Tax Bill Passed - House (104 - 94)
Sept. 28, 2010 National S 3816 Tax Law Amendments Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 45)
Sept. 23, 2010 National HR 5297 Small Business Lending Fund and Tax Law Amendments Concurrence Vote Passed - House (237 - 187)
Sept. 23, 2010 MI SB 1226 State Retirement Law Amendments Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 14)
Sept. 23, 2010 MI SB 1226 State Retirement Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (60 - 45)
Sept. 22, 2010 MI SB 884 Tax Amnesty Period Concurrence Vote Passed - House (57 - 48)
Sept. 22, 2010 MI SB 884 Tax Amnesty Period Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 4)
Sept. 21, 2010 MI SB 1152 2010-2011 Department of Community Health Budget Conference Report Adopted - House (68 - 39)
Sept. 21, 2010 MI SB 1152 2010-2011 Department of Community Health Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (28 - 10)
Sept. 20, 2010 NJ S 2139 2010-2011 Supplemental Health Services Budget Veto Override Failed - Senate (23 - 17)
Sept. 16, 2010 National HR 5297 Small Business Lending Fund and Tax Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 38)
Sept. 15, 2010 MI SB 1151 Community College Appropriations Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 5)
Sept. 15, 2010 MI SB 1151 Community College Appropriations Conference Report Adopted - House (56 - 49)
Sept. 8, 2010 MI HB 6086 2009-2010 Budget Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14)
Aug. 31, 2010 CA SB 1391 Business Tax Incentive Amendments Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (20 - 17)
Aug. 25, 2010 CA SB 1272 Tax Law Amendments Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 12)
Aug. 25, 2010 CA AB 2666 Establishing Public Database of Companies and Their Tax Credits in the State Concurrence Vote Passed - House (48 - 26)
Aug. 25, 2010 CA SB 1391 Business Tax Incentive Amendments Bill Passed - House (46 - 28)
Aug. 25, 2010 MI HB 6086 2009-2010 Budget Amendments Bill Passed - House (57 - 47)
Aug. 23, 2010 CA SB 1272 Tax Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (47 - 27)
Aug. 23, 2010 CA AB 2666 Establishing Public Database of Companies and Their Tax Credits in the State Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 14)
Aug. 3, 2010 NY A 9710D 2010-2011 Budget Financing Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 28)
July 30, 2010 National HR 5982 Tax Law Amendments Bill Failed - House (241 - 154)
July 29, 2010 National S Amdt 4519 Small Business Lending Fund and Tax Law Amendments Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (58 - 42)
July 27, 2010 National HR 4899 Fiscal Year 2009-2010 Supplemental Appropriations Concurrence Vote Passed - House (308 - 114)
July 22, 2010 National HR 4213 Unemployment Benefits Extension Concurrence Vote Passed - House (272 - 152)
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)
July 14, 2010 MO HB 2 Manufacturing Jobs Act Concurrence Vote Passed - House (101 - 40)
July 13, 2010 MO HB 2 Manufacturing Jobs Act Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 7)
July 12, 2010 NJ S 29 Reducing the property tax levy cap Concurrence Vote Passed - House (73 - 4)
July 10, 2010 NC HB 1973 Keep North Carolina Competitive Act Conference Report Adopted - House (72 - 31)
July 9, 2010 NC HB 1973 Keep North Carolina Competitive Act Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 17)
July 8, 2010 NJ S 29 Reducing the property tax levy cap Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (36 - 3)
Date No. Title Outcome
12/21 HR 3082 Continuing Appropriations Concurrence Vote Passed - House (193 - 165)
12/21 HR 3082 Continuing Appropriations Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (79 - 16)
12/17 HR 4853 Temporary Extension of Tax Relief Concurrence Vote Passed - House (277 - 148)
12/16 H Amdt 786 Amending the Estate Tax Amendment Rejected - House (194 - 233)
12/15 HR 4853 Temporary Extension of Tax Relief Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (81 - 19)
12/04 S Amdt 4728 Extension of Tax Cuts for Those Making Under $1 Million Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 37)
12/04 S Amdt 4727 Extension of Tax Cuts for Those Making Under $250,000 Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 36)
12/02 HR 4853 Temporary Extension of Tax Relief Concurrence Vote Passed - House (234 - 188)
11/30 S Amdt 4697 Prohibiting Earmarks Motion Rejected - Senate (39 - 56)
11/17 HB 101 Education Law Amendments Veto Override Passed - Senate (42 - 7)
11/15 HB 101 Education Law Amendments Veto Override Passed - House (171 - 24)
10/07 SB 870 2010-2011 Budget Bill Passed - House (57 - 13)
9/30 A 1678 Establishing a New Jersey Homebuyer Tax Credit Program Veto Override Failed - House (42 - 32)
9/30 HR 3081 Continuing Appropriations Concurrence Vote Passed - House (228 - 194)
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)
9/29 SB 1155 Establishing a Natural Gas Severance Tax Bill Passed - House (104 - 94)
9/28 S 3816 Tax Law Amendments Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 45)
9/23 HR 5297 Small Business Lending Fund and Tax Law Amendments Concurrence Vote Passed - House (237 - 187)
9/23 SB 1226 State Retirement Law Amendments Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 14)
9/23 SB 1226 State Retirement Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (60 - 45)
9/22 SB 884 Tax Amnesty Period Concurrence Vote Passed - House (57 - 48)
9/22 SB 884 Tax Amnesty Period Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 4)
9/21 SB 1152 2010-2011 Department of Community Health Budget Conference Report Adopted - House (68 - 39)
9/21 SB 1152 2010-2011 Department of Community Health Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (28 - 10)
9/20 S 2139 2010-2011 Supplemental Health Services Budget Veto Override Failed - Senate (23 - 17)
9/16 HR 5297 Small Business Lending Fund and Tax Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 38)
9/15 SB 1151 Community College Appropriations Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 5)
9/15 SB 1151 Community College Appropriations Conference Report Adopted - House (56 - 49)
9/08 HB 6086 2009-2010 Budget Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14)
8/31 SB 1391 Business Tax Incentive Amendments Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (20 - 17)
8/25 SB 1272 Tax Law Amendments Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 12)
8/25 AB 2666 Establishing Public Database of Companies and Their Tax Credits in the State Concurrence Vote Passed - House (48 - 26)
8/25 SB 1391 Business Tax Incentive Amendments Bill Passed - House (46 - 28)
8/25 HB 6086 2009-2010 Budget Amendments Bill Passed - House (57 - 47)
8/23 SB 1272 Tax Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (47 - 27)
8/23 AB 2666 Establishing Public Database of Companies and Their Tax Credits in the State Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 14)
8/03 A 9710D 2010-2011 Budget Financing Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 28)
7/30 HR 5982 Tax Law Amendments Bill Failed - House (241 - 154)
7/29 S Amdt 4519 Small Business Lending Fund and Tax Law Amendments Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (58 - 42)
7/27 HR 4899 Fiscal Year 2009-2010 Supplemental Appropriations Concurrence Vote Passed - House (308 - 114)
7/22 HR 4213 Unemployment Benefits Extension Concurrence Vote Passed - House (272 - 152)
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)
7/14 HB 2 Manufacturing Jobs Act Concurrence Vote Passed - House (101 - 40)
7/13 HB 2 Manufacturing Jobs Act Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 7)
7/12 S 29 Reducing the property tax levy cap Concurrence Vote Passed - House (73 - 4)
7/10 HB 1973 Keep North Carolina Competitive Act Conference Report Adopted - House (72 - 31)
7/09 HB 1973 Keep North Carolina Competitive Act Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 17)
7/08 S 29 Reducing the property tax levy cap Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (36 - 3)

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