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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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) |