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. 16, 2011 | National | HR 2055 | Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2012 | Conference Report Adopted - House (296 - 121) |
| Dec. 14, 2011 | National | HR 1540 | National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 | Conference Report Adopted - House (283 - 136) |
| Dec. 13, 2011 | PA | SB 732 | Amends the Health Care Facilities Act of 179 | Bill Passed - House (151 - 44) |
| Dec. 12, 2011 | PA | HB 1977 | Amending Insurance Coverage of Abortions | Bill Passed - House (146 - 45) |
| Dec. 8, 2011 | National | HR 1633 | Limits Regulation of Farm Dust | Bill Passed - House (268 - 150) |
| Nov. 29, 2011 | NC | HB 645 | Temporary Fuel Tax Cap | Bill Passed - House (94 - 23) |
| Nov. 17, 2011 | National | HR 2112 | Appropriations for Agriculture, Rural Development, and the Food and Drug Administration | Conference Report Adopted - House (298 - 121) |
| Nov. 10, 2011 | ND | HB 1474 | Establishing a Health Benefit Exchange | Bill Failed - House (30 - 64) |
| Nov. 9, 2011 | IL | SB 965 | Authorizing Speed Cameras in Certain Cities | Bill Passed - House (64 - 50) |
| Nov. 3, 2011 | National | H Amdt 849 | Requires Public Disclosure of Bonuses and Golden Parachute Arrangements | Amendment Rejected - House (190 - 234) |
| Nov. 2, 2011 | MI | SB 291 | Repeals Motorcycle Helmet Law | Bill Passed - House (69 - 39) |
| Nov. 1, 2011 | WI | AB 69 | Use of Deadly Force in Self-Defense | Bill Passed - House (71 - 24) |
| Nov. 1, 2011 | WI | SB 45 | Administration of Medications to Students | Bill Passed - House (63 - 32) |
| Nov. 1, 2011 | WI | AB 147 | Inadmissibility of Apology Statements by Health Care Providers | Bill Passed - House (62 - 33) |
| Oct. 14, 2011 | National | HR 2273 | Coal Residuals Reuse and Management Act | Bill Passed - House (267 - 144) |
| Oct. 13, 2011 | MI | HB 4815 | Exempts Incandescent Light Bulbs Made in Michigan from Congressional Authority | Bill Passed - House (62 - 46) |
| Sept. 23, 2011 | National | HR 2608 | Stopgap Spending and Disaster Relief | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (219 - 203) |
| Sept. 14, 2011 | MA | H 3711 | Authorizes Gambling Casinos | Bill Passed - House (123 - 32) |
| Sept. 9, 2011 | CA | AB 1424 | Suspending the Licenses of Delinquent Taxpayers | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (47 - 27) |
| Sept. 9, 2011 | CA | SB 51 | Compliance with Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act | Bill Passed - House (53 - 26) |
| Sept. 2, 2011 | CA | AB 353 | DUI Inspection Checkpoints and Unlicensed Drivers | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (64 - 12) |
| Sept. 1, 2011 | CA | SB 746 | Prohibits the Use of Tanning Beds by Minors | Bill Passed - House (49 - 27) |
| Aug. 30, 2011 | CA | SB 161 | Administration of Epilepsy Medication in Schools | Bill Passed - House (46 - 21) |
| July 21, 2011 | National | HR 1315 | Oversight of Consumer Financial Protection Bureau | Bill Passed - House (241 - 173) |
| July 20, 2011 | National | HR 2553 | Airport and Airway Extension Act | Bill Passed - House (243 - 177) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12/16 | HR 2055 | Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2012 | Conference Report Adopted - House (296 - 121) |
| 12/14 | HR 1540 | National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 | Conference Report Adopted - House (283 - 136) |
| 12/13 | SB 732 | Amends the Health Care Facilities Act of 179 | Bill Passed - House (151 - 44) |
| 12/12 | HB 1977 | Amending Insurance Coverage of Abortions | Bill Passed - House (146 - 45) |
| 12/08 | HR 1633 | Limits Regulation of Farm Dust | Bill Passed - House (268 - 150) |
| 11/29 | HB 645 | Temporary Fuel Tax Cap | Bill Passed - House (94 - 23) |
| 11/17 | HR 2112 | Appropriations for Agriculture, Rural Development, and the Food and Drug Administration | Conference Report Adopted - House (298 - 121) |
| 11/10 | HB 1474 | Establishing a Health Benefit Exchange | Bill Failed - House (30 - 64) |
| 11/09 | SB 965 | Authorizing Speed Cameras in Certain Cities | Bill Passed - House (64 - 50) |
| 11/03 | H Amdt 849 | Requires Public Disclosure of Bonuses and Golden Parachute Arrangements | Amendment Rejected - House (190 - 234) |
| 11/02 | SB 291 | Repeals Motorcycle Helmet Law | Bill Passed - House (69 - 39) |
| 11/01 | AB 69 | Use of Deadly Force in Self-Defense | Bill Passed - House (71 - 24) |
| 11/01 | SB 45 | Administration of Medications to Students | Bill Passed - House (63 - 32) |
| 11/01 | AB 147 | Inadmissibility of Apology Statements by Health Care Providers | Bill Passed - House (62 - 33) |
| 10/14 | HR 2273 | Coal Residuals Reuse and Management Act | Bill Passed - House (267 - 144) |
| 10/13 | HB 4815 | Exempts Incandescent Light Bulbs Made in Michigan from Congressional Authority | Bill Passed - House (62 - 46) |
| 9/23 | HR 2608 | Stopgap Spending and Disaster Relief | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (219 - 203) |
| 9/14 | H 3711 | Authorizes Gambling Casinos | Bill Passed - House (123 - 32) |
| 9/09 | AB 1424 | Suspending the Licenses of Delinquent Taxpayers | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (47 - 27) |
| 9/09 | SB 51 | Compliance with Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act | Bill Passed - House (53 - 26) |
| 9/02 | AB 353 | DUI Inspection Checkpoints and Unlicensed Drivers | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (64 - 12) |
| 9/01 | SB 746 | Prohibits the Use of Tanning Beds by Minors | Bill Passed - House (49 - 27) |
| 8/30 | SB 161 | Administration of Epilepsy Medication in Schools | Bill Passed - House (46 - 21) |
| 7/21 | HR 1315 | Oversight of Consumer Financial Protection Bureau | Bill Passed - House (241 - 173) |
| 7/20 | HR 2553 | Airport and Airway Extension Act | Bill Passed - House (243 - 177) |