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. 20, 2011 | National | HR 3630 | Temporary Payroll Tax Cut Extension | Nonconcurrence Vote Passed - House (229 - 193) |
| Dec. 13, 2011 | National | HR 3630 | Reduces Payroll Taxes and Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - House (234 - 193) |
| Dec. 12, 2011 | IL | SB 400 | Amends State Income Tax | Bill Passed - House (67 - 49) |
| Dec. 12, 2011 | IL | SB 397 | Tax Code Amendments | Bill Passed - House (81 - 28) |
| Dec. 7, 2011 | National | HR 10 | Congressional Approval of Regulations | Bill Passed - House (241 - 184) |
| Nov. 30, 2011 | NH | CACR 14 | Constitutional Amendment Authorizing the Legislature to Set Standards for Public Education | Amendment Rejected - House (114 - 264) |
| Nov. 29, 2011 | IL | HB 1883 | Property Tax Amendments | Concurrence Vote Failed - House (8 - 99) |
| Nov. 29, 2011 | NC | HB 645 | Temporary Fuel Tax Cap | Bill Passed - House (94 - 23) |
| Nov. 18, 2011 | National | H J Res 2 | Proposing a Balanced Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution | Joint Resolution Failed - House (261 - 165) |
| Nov. 14, 2011 | PA | HB 1503 | Angel Investment Tax Credits | Bill Passed - House (151 - 44) |
| Oct. 27, 2011 | National | HR 2576 | Requires Inclusion of Social Security Benefits in Calculation of Modified Adjusted Gross Income | Bill Passed - House (262 - 157) |
| Oct. 26, 2011 | CT | SB 1401 | Establishes the Connecticut Bioscience Collaboration Program | Bill Passed - House (101 - 41) |
| Oct. 6, 2011 | MO | SB 8 | Tax Credit Amendments | Bill Passed - House (98 - 48) |
| Oct. 4, 2011 | National | HR 2608 | Continuing Appropriations Act of 2012 | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (352 - 66) |
| Sept. 23, 2011 | National | HR 2608 | Stopgap Spending and Disaster Relief | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (219 - 203) |
| Sept. 23, 2011 | MO | SB 7 | Incentives for Science-Based Businesses | Bill Passed - House (94 - 48) |
| Sept. 23, 2011 | MO | HA 1 to SB 7 | Prohibits Public Funding for Certain Life Science Research Projects | Amendment Rejected - House (68 - 74) |
| Sept. 23, 2011 | National | H Amdt 800 | Requires the EPA to Consider Costs and Feasibility of Air Quality Standards | Amendment Adopted - House (227 - 192) |
| Sept. 21, 2011 | National | HR 2608 | Stopgap Spending and Disaster Relief | Concurrence Vote Failed - House (195 - 230) |
| Sept. 14, 2011 | National | H J Res 77 | Disapproval of the President's Authority to Raise the Debt Limit | Joint Resolution Passed - House (232 - 186) |
| Sept. 9, 2011 | MO | HB 6 | Appropriations for Missouri Disaster Relief | Bill Passed - House (127 - 22) |
| Sept. 8, 2011 | CA | ABX1 40 | State Tax Code Restructuring | Bill Passed - House (54 - 15) |
| Aug. 24, 2011 | MI | SB 348 | 1 Percent Tax on Paid Health Insurance Claims | Bill Passed - House (65 - 42) |
| Aug. 1, 2011 | National | S 365 | Budget Control Act of 2011 | Bill Passed - House (269 - 161) |
| July 29, 2011 | National | S 627 | Increasing the Debt Ceiling (Boehner Bill) | Bill Passed - House (218 - 210) |
| July 22, 2011 | National | HR 2551 | 2011-2012 Congressional Budget | Bill Passed - House (252 - 159) |
| July 19, 2011 | MN | SF 2 | 2011-2013 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - House (76 - 50) |
| July 19, 2011 | MN | HF 26 | 2011-2013 Biennium Education Budget | Bill Passed - House (71 - 56) |
| July 19, 2011 | National | HR 2560 | Cut, Cap and Balance Act of 2011 | Bill Passed - House (234 - 190) |
| July 19, 2011 | MN | HF 25 | 2011-2013 Health and Human Services Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - House (71 - 57) |
| July 19, 2011 | MN | HF 4 | Higher Education Appropriations | Bill Passed - House (71 - 57) |
| July 19, 2011 | MN | HF 20 | 2011-2013 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - House (71 - 57) |
| June 30, 2011 | PA | SB 330 | Amending The Taxpayer Relief Act | Bill Passed - House (109 - 86) |
| June 29, 2011 | OH | HB 153 | 2011-2013 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (59 - 40) |
| June 29, 2011 | PA | HB 1485 | 2011-2012 Budget | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (109 - 92) |
| June 29, 2011 | NJ | S 4000 | 2011-2012 Budget | Bill Passed - House (46 - 32) |
| June 23, 2011 | LA | SB 259 | Establishes a Commission to Repeal Income Taxes | Motion Rejected - House (46 - 32) |
| June 23, 2011 | LA | SB 259 | Establishes a Commission to Repeal Income Taxes | Motion Rejected - House (46 - 32) |
| June 16, 2011 | LA | HB 591 | Permanent Cigarette Tax | Veto Override Failed - House (58 - 44) |
| June 15, 2011 | NC | HB 200 | 2011-2013 Budget | Veto Override Passed - House (73 - 46) |
| June 14, 2011 | WI | AB 40 | 2011-2013 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - House (60 - 38) |
| June 10, 2011 | TX | SB 1 | 2011-2013 Biennium Education Budget | Bill Passed - House (83 - 62) |
| June 8, 2011 | CT | SB 1152 | Funding for Construction at the University of Connecticut Health Center | Bill Passed - House (97 - 45) |
| June 8, 2011 | IA | HF 697 | State Budget for 2011-2012 | Bill Passed - House (54 - 38) |
| June 7, 2011 | OR | SB 99 | Establishes the Oregon Health Insurance Exchange | Bill Passed - House (48 - 12) |
| June 5, 2011 | NV | AB 580 | 2011-2013 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - House (36 - 6) |
| June 1, 2011 | CA | AB 131 | In-State College Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (50 - 27) |
| May 31, 2011 | National | HR 1954 | Increasing the Debt Limit | Motion Rejected - House (97 - 318) |
| May 31, 2011 | CA | AB 155 | Online Sale Taxes | Bill Passed - House (52 - 20) |
| May 29, 2011 | TX | SB 1811 | Reduces Funding for State Agencies | Conference Report Adopted - House (84 - 63) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12/20 | HR 3630 | Temporary Payroll Tax Cut Extension | Nonconcurrence Vote Passed - House (229 - 193) |
| 12/13 | HR 3630 | Reduces Payroll Taxes and Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - House (234 - 193) |
| 12/12 | SB 400 | Amends State Income Tax | Bill Passed - House (67 - 49) |
| 12/12 | SB 397 | Tax Code Amendments | Bill Passed - House (81 - 28) |
| 12/07 | HR 10 | Congressional Approval of Regulations | Bill Passed - House (241 - 184) |
| 11/30 | CACR 14 | Constitutional Amendment Authorizing the Legislature to Set Standards for Public Education | Amendment Rejected - House (114 - 264) |
| 11/29 | HB 1883 | Property Tax Amendments | Concurrence Vote Failed - House (8 - 99) |
| 11/29 | HB 645 | Temporary Fuel Tax Cap | Bill Passed - House (94 - 23) |
| 11/18 | H J Res 2 | Proposing a Balanced Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution | Joint Resolution Failed - House (261 - 165) |
| 11/14 | HB 1503 | Angel Investment Tax Credits | Bill Passed - House (151 - 44) |
| 10/27 | HR 2576 | Requires Inclusion of Social Security Benefits in Calculation of Modified Adjusted Gross Income | Bill Passed - House (262 - 157) |
| 10/26 | SB 1401 | Establishes the Connecticut Bioscience Collaboration Program | Bill Passed - House (101 - 41) |
| 10/06 | SB 8 | Tax Credit Amendments | Bill Passed - House (98 - 48) |
| 10/04 | HR 2608 | Continuing Appropriations Act of 2012 | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (352 - 66) |
| 9/23 | HR 2608 | Stopgap Spending and Disaster Relief | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (219 - 203) |
| 9/23 | SB 7 | Incentives for Science-Based Businesses | Bill Passed - House (94 - 48) |
| 9/23 | HA 1 to SB 7 | Prohibits Public Funding for Certain Life Science Research Projects | Amendment Rejected - House (68 - 74) |
| 9/23 | H Amdt 800 | Requires the EPA to Consider Costs and Feasibility of Air Quality Standards | Amendment Adopted - House (227 - 192) |
| 9/21 | HR 2608 | Stopgap Spending and Disaster Relief | Concurrence Vote Failed - House (195 - 230) |
| 9/14 | H J Res 77 | Disapproval of the President's Authority to Raise the Debt Limit | Joint Resolution Passed - House (232 - 186) |
| 9/09 | HB 6 | Appropriations for Missouri Disaster Relief | Bill Passed - House (127 - 22) |
| 9/08 | ABX1 40 | State Tax Code Restructuring | Bill Passed - House (54 - 15) |
| 8/24 | SB 348 | 1 Percent Tax on Paid Health Insurance Claims | Bill Passed - House (65 - 42) |
| 8/01 | S 365 | Budget Control Act of 2011 | Bill Passed - House (269 - 161) |
| 7/29 | S 627 | Increasing the Debt Ceiling (Boehner Bill) | Bill Passed - House (218 - 210) |
| 7/22 | HR 2551 | 2011-2012 Congressional Budget | Bill Passed - House (252 - 159) |
| 7/19 | SF 2 | 2011-2013 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - House (76 - 50) |
| 7/19 | HF 26 | 2011-2013 Biennium Education Budget | Bill Passed - House (71 - 56) |
| 7/19 | HR 2560 | Cut, Cap and Balance Act of 2011 | Bill Passed - House (234 - 190) |
| 7/19 | HF 25 | 2011-2013 Health and Human Services Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - House (71 - 57) |
| 7/19 | HF 4 | Higher Education Appropriations | Bill Passed - House (71 - 57) |
| 7/19 | HF 20 | 2011-2013 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - House (71 - 57) |
| 6/30 | SB 330 | Amending The Taxpayer Relief Act | Bill Passed - House (109 - 86) |
| 6/29 | HB 153 | 2011-2013 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (59 - 40) |
| 6/29 | HB 1485 | 2011-2012 Budget | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (109 - 92) |
| 6/29 | S 4000 | 2011-2012 Budget | Bill Passed - House (46 - 32) |
| 6/23 | SB 259 | Establishes a Commission to Repeal Income Taxes | Motion Rejected - House (46 - 32) |
| 6/23 | SB 259 | Establishes a Commission to Repeal Income Taxes | Motion Rejected - House (46 - 32) |
| 6/16 | HB 591 | Permanent Cigarette Tax | Veto Override Failed - House (58 - 44) |
| 6/15 | HB 200 | 2011-2013 Budget | Veto Override Passed - House (73 - 46) |
| 6/14 | AB 40 | 2011-2013 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - House (60 - 38) |
| 6/10 | SB 1 | 2011-2013 Biennium Education Budget | Bill Passed - House (83 - 62) |
| 6/08 | SB 1152 | Funding for Construction at the University of Connecticut Health Center | Bill Passed - House (97 - 45) |
| 6/08 | HF 697 | State Budget for 2011-2012 | Bill Passed - House (54 - 38) |
| 6/07 | SB 99 | Establishes the Oregon Health Insurance Exchange | Bill Passed - House (48 - 12) |
| 6/05 | AB 580 | 2011-2013 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - House (36 - 6) |
| 6/01 | AB 131 | In-State College Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants | Bill Passed - House (50 - 27) |
| 5/31 | HR 1954 | Increasing the Debt Limit | Motion Rejected - House (97 - 318) |
| 5/31 | AB 155 | Online Sale Taxes | Bill Passed - House (52 - 20) |
| 5/29 | SB 1811 | Reduces Funding for State Agencies | Conference Report Adopted - House (84 - 63) |