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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb. 9, 2012 | NM | HB 42 | Increasing Contribution to Legislative Pension Plan | Bill Passed - House (56 - 10) |
| Feb. 8, 2012 | National | HR 3521 | Authorizes the President to Line-Item Veto Certain Legislation | Bill Passed - House (254 - 173) |
| Feb. 8, 2012 | ID | HB 391 | Repeals the Presidential Primary Election | Bill Passed - House (56 - 12) |
| Feb. 8, 2012 | National | HR 3521 | Authorizes the President to Line-Item Veto Certain Legislation | Bill Passed - House (254 - 173) |
| Feb. 4, 2012 | NM | HB 111 | Increases Penalties for Public Officials who Commit Crimes | Bill Passed - House (41 - 26) |
| Feb. 3, 2012 | FL | SB 1174 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (80 - 37) |
| Feb. 3, 2012 | FL | SB 1174 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (80 - 37) |
| Feb. 3, 2012 | FL | SB 1174 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (80 - 37) |
| Feb. 3, 2012 | UT | HB 253 | Removal of Voters from Voter Registration List | Bill Passed - House (46 - 27) |
| Feb. 3, 2012 | GA | HB 829 | State House Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (101 - 53) |
| Feb. 3, 2012 | GA | HB 829 | State House Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (101 - 53) |
| Feb. 1, 2012 | RI | S 2178 | State Senate, State House, and Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (56 - 12) |
| Feb. 1, 2012 | RI | S 2178 | State Senate, State House, and Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (56 - 12) |
| Feb. 1, 2012 | National | HR 3835 | Extends Pay Freeze for Congress and Non-Military Federal Workers | Bill Passed - House (309 - 117) |
| Feb. 1, 2012 | National | HR 3835 | Extends Pay Freeze for Congress and Non-Military Federal Workers | Bill Passed - House (309 - 117) |
| Feb. 1, 2012 | VA | HB 9 | Voter Identification Requirements | Bill Passed - House (69 - 30) |
| Jan. 31, 2012 | IN | HB 1269 | Authorizes Indiana to Join the Interstate Health Care Compact | Bill Passed - House (62 - 35) |
| Jan. 31, 2012 | IN | HB 1007 | Requires Drug Testing for TANF Applicants | Bill Passed - House (73 - 23) |
| Jan. 31, 2012 | CA | AB 1148 | Requires Political Advertisements to Disclose Funding Sources | Bill Failed - House (52 - 26) |
| Jan. 27, 2012 | UT | SB 125 | State Senate Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (69 - 0) |
| Jan. 27, 2012 | UT | SB 125 | State Senate Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (69 - 0) |
| Jan. 27, 2012 | IN | H Amdt 3 | Drug and Alcohol Testing for Legislators | Amendment Adopted - House (55 - 40) |
| Jan. 19, 2012 | KY | HB 1 | State Senate, House, and Judicial Redistricting | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (58 - 39) |
| Jan. 19, 2012 | KY | HB 1 | State Senate, House, and Judicial Redistricting | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (58 - 39) |
| Jan. 19, 2012 | CO | HR 1003 | Repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act | Resolution Passed - House (33 - 31) |
| Jan. 18, 2012 | TN | SB 1514 | State Senate Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (75 - 19) |
| Jan. 18, 2012 | TN | SB 1514 | State Senate Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (75 - 19) |
| Jan. 18, 2012 | KY | HB 30 | Authorizes Advertising on School Buses | Bill Passed - House (67 - 29) |
| Jan. 18, 2012 | National | H J Res 98 | Disapproval of President's Authority to Raise the Debt Limit | Joint Resolution Passed - House (239 - 176) |
| Jan. 18, 2012 | National | H J Res 98 | Disapproval of President's Authority to Raise the Debt Limit | Joint Resolution Passed - House (239 - 176) |
| Jan. 18, 2012 | NH | CACR 13 | Prohibits New Personal Income Taxes | Resolution Passed - House (257 - 101) |
| Jan. 18, 2012 | NH | CACR 13 | Prohibits New Personal Income Taxes | Resolution Passed - House (257 - 101) |
| Jan. 18, 2012 | NH | HB 228 | Prohibits the Use of Public Funds for Abortion | Bill Passed - House (207 - 147) |
| Jan. 13, 2012 | VA | HB 251 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (74 - 21) |
| Jan. 13, 2012 | VA | HB 251 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (74 - 21) |
| Jan. 12, 2012 | TN | HB 1555 | State House Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (67 - 25) |
| Jan. 12, 2012 | TN | HB 1555 | State House Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (67 - 25) |
| Jan. 12, 2012 | TN | HB 1558 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (68 - 25) |
| Jan. 12, 2012 | TN | HB 1558 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (68 - 25) |
| Jan. 5, 2012 | NH | HB 628 | Recording and Tracking Complaints of Abuse by Transportation Security Agents | Bill Passed - House (188 - 136) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2/09 | HB 42 | Increasing Contribution to Legislative Pension Plan | Bill Passed - House (56 - 10) |
| 2/08 | HR 3521 | Authorizes the President to Line-Item Veto Certain Legislation | Bill Passed - House (254 - 173) |
| 2/08 | HB 391 | Repeals the Presidential Primary Election | Bill Passed - House (56 - 12) |
| 2/08 | HR 3521 | Authorizes the President to Line-Item Veto Certain Legislation | Bill Passed - House (254 - 173) |
| 2/04 | HB 111 | Increases Penalties for Public Officials who Commit Crimes | Bill Passed - House (41 - 26) |
| 2/03 | SB 1174 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (80 - 37) |
| 2/03 | SB 1174 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (80 - 37) |
| 2/03 | SB 1174 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (80 - 37) |
| 2/03 | HB 253 | Removal of Voters from Voter Registration List | Bill Passed - House (46 - 27) |
| 2/03 | HB 829 | State House Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (101 - 53) |
| 2/03 | HB 829 | State House Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (101 - 53) |
| 2/01 | S 2178 | State Senate, State House, and Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (56 - 12) |
| 2/01 | S 2178 | State Senate, State House, and Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (56 - 12) |
| 2/01 | HR 3835 | Extends Pay Freeze for Congress and Non-Military Federal Workers | Bill Passed - House (309 - 117) |
| 2/01 | HR 3835 | Extends Pay Freeze for Congress and Non-Military Federal Workers | Bill Passed - House (309 - 117) |
| 2/01 | HB 9 | Voter Identification Requirements | Bill Passed - House (69 - 30) |
| 1/31 | HB 1269 | Authorizes Indiana to Join the Interstate Health Care Compact | Bill Passed - House (62 - 35) |
| 1/31 | HB 1007 | Requires Drug Testing for TANF Applicants | Bill Passed - House (73 - 23) |
| 1/31 | AB 1148 | Requires Political Advertisements to Disclose Funding Sources | Bill Failed - House (52 - 26) |
| 1/27 | SB 125 | State Senate Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (69 - 0) |
| 1/27 | SB 125 | State Senate Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (69 - 0) |
| 1/27 | H Amdt 3 | Drug and Alcohol Testing for Legislators | Amendment Adopted - House (55 - 40) |
| 1/19 | HB 1 | State Senate, House, and Judicial Redistricting | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (58 - 39) |
| 1/19 | HB 1 | State Senate, House, and Judicial Redistricting | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (58 - 39) |
| 1/19 | HR 1003 | Repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act | Resolution Passed - House (33 - 31) |
| 1/18 | SB 1514 | State Senate Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (75 - 19) |
| 1/18 | SB 1514 | State Senate Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (75 - 19) |
| 1/18 | HB 30 | Authorizes Advertising on School Buses | Bill Passed - House (67 - 29) |
| 1/18 | H J Res 98 | Disapproval of President's Authority to Raise the Debt Limit | Joint Resolution Passed - House (239 - 176) |
| 1/18 | H J Res 98 | Disapproval of President's Authority to Raise the Debt Limit | Joint Resolution Passed - House (239 - 176) |
| 1/18 | CACR 13 | Prohibits New Personal Income Taxes | Resolution Passed - House (257 - 101) |
| 1/18 | CACR 13 | Prohibits New Personal Income Taxes | Resolution Passed - House (257 - 101) |
| 1/18 | HB 228 | Prohibits the Use of Public Funds for Abortion | Bill Passed - House (207 - 147) |
| 1/13 | HB 251 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (74 - 21) |
| 1/13 | HB 251 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (74 - 21) |
| 1/12 | HB 1555 | State House Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (67 - 25) |
| 1/12 | HB 1555 | State House Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (67 - 25) |
| 1/12 | HB 1558 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (68 - 25) |
| 1/12 | HB 1558 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (68 - 25) |
| 1/05 | HB 628 | Recording and Tracking Complaints of Abuse by Transportation Security Agents | Bill Passed - House (188 - 136) |