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. 18, 2013 | National | H J Res 59 | Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (64 - 36) |
| Dec. 18, 2013 | National | H J Res 59 | Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (64 - 36) |
| Dec. 12, 2013 | National | H J Res 59 | Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (332 - 94) |
| Dec. 12, 2013 | National | H J Res 59 | Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (332 - 94) |
| Dec. 12, 2013 | MI | SB 660 | Authorizes the Growth and Sale of Pharmaceutical-Grade Marijuana | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 18) |
| Dec. 12, 2013 | MI | SB 660 | Authorizes the Growth and Sale of Pharmaceutical-Grade Marijuana | Bill Passed - House (87 - 22) |
| Dec. 11, 2013 | MI | HB 4369 | Expands the Education Achievement Authority | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 18) |
| Dec. 11, 2013 | MI | Initiation of Legislation | Requires Abortion Coverage To Be Optional In Health Care Plans | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 11) |
| Dec. 11, 2013 | MI | Initiation of Legislation | Requires Abortion Coverage To Be Optional In Health Care Plans | Bill Passed - House (62 - 47) |
| Dec. 11, 2013 | National | HR 2019 | Kids First Research Act of 2013 | Bill Passed - House (295 - 103) |
| Dec. 5, 2013 | National | H Amdt 524 | Limits Covered Customers to Businesses With Less Than $25 Million in Revenue | Amendment Rejected - House (144 - 266) |
| Dec. 5, 2013 | National | H Amdt 521 | Authorizes Judicial Discretion in Awarding Legal Fees in Patent Lawsuits | Amendment Rejected - House (199 - 213) |
| Dec. 5, 2013 | National | HR 3309 | Innovation Act | Bill Passed - House (325 - 91) |
| Dec. 4, 2013 | National | HR 1105 | Small Business Capital Access and Job Preservation Act | Bill Passed - House (254 - 159) |
| Dec. 3, 2013 | IL | SB 1 | Amends State Employee Pension Plans | Conference Report Adopted - House (62 - 53) |
| Dec. 3, 2013 | IL | SB 1 | Amends State Employee Pension Plans | Conference Report Adopted - House (62 - 53) |
| Dec. 3, 2013 | IL | SB 1 | Amends State Employee Pension Plans | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (30 - 24) |
| Dec. 3, 2013 | IL | SB 1 | Amends State Employee Pension Plans | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (30 - 24) |
| Nov. 21, 2013 | National | H Amdt 515 | Prohibits the Natural Gas Pipeline Permitting Reform Act from Taking Effect During the Sequester | Amendment Rejected - House (175 - 243) |
| Nov. 21, 2013 | National | H Amdt 512 | Requires Natural Gas Pipeline Applications to Include Certain Information | Amendment Rejected - House (183 - 233) |
| Nov. 21, 2013 | National | H Amdt 513 | Removes the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Permit Issuance Requirement | Amendment Rejected - House (184 - 233) |
| Nov. 21, 2013 | National | HR 1900 | Natural Gas Pipeline Permitting Reform Act | Bill Passed - House (252 - 165) |
| Nov. 20, 2013 | National | H Amdt 503 | Requires a Report on the Effect of Flooding on Oil and Gas Facilities | Amendment Rejected - House (202 - 221) |
| Nov. 20, 2013 | National | H Amdt 499 | Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to Require Certain Findings for Categorical Exclusions | Amendment Rejected - House (194 - 228) |
| Nov. 20, 2013 | National | H Amdt 503 | Requires a Report on the Effect of Flooding on Oil and Gas Facilities | Amendment Rejected - House (202 - 221) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12/18 | H J Res 59 | Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (64 - 36) |
| 12/18 | H J Res 59 | Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (64 - 36) |
| 12/12 | H J Res 59 | Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (332 - 94) |
| 12/12 | H J Res 59 | Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (332 - 94) |
| 12/12 | SB 660 | Authorizes the Growth and Sale of Pharmaceutical-Grade Marijuana | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 18) |
| 12/12 | SB 660 | Authorizes the Growth and Sale of Pharmaceutical-Grade Marijuana | Bill Passed - House (87 - 22) |
| 12/11 | HB 4369 | Expands the Education Achievement Authority | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 18) |
| 12/11 | Initiation of Legislation | Requires Abortion Coverage To Be Optional In Health Care Plans | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 11) |
| 12/11 | Initiation of Legislation | Requires Abortion Coverage To Be Optional In Health Care Plans | Bill Passed - House (62 - 47) |
| 12/11 | HR 2019 | Kids First Research Act of 2013 | Bill Passed - House (295 - 103) |
| 12/05 | H Amdt 524 | Limits Covered Customers to Businesses With Less Than $25 Million in Revenue | Amendment Rejected - House (144 - 266) |
| 12/05 | H Amdt 521 | Authorizes Judicial Discretion in Awarding Legal Fees in Patent Lawsuits | Amendment Rejected - House (199 - 213) |
| 12/05 | HR 3309 | Innovation Act | Bill Passed - House (325 - 91) |
| 12/04 | HR 1105 | Small Business Capital Access and Job Preservation Act | Bill Passed - House (254 - 159) |
| 12/03 | SB 1 | Amends State Employee Pension Plans | Conference Report Adopted - House (62 - 53) |
| 12/03 | SB 1 | Amends State Employee Pension Plans | Conference Report Adopted - House (62 - 53) |
| 12/03 | SB 1 | Amends State Employee Pension Plans | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (30 - 24) |
| 12/03 | SB 1 | Amends State Employee Pension Plans | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (30 - 24) |
| 11/21 | H Amdt 515 | Prohibits the Natural Gas Pipeline Permitting Reform Act from Taking Effect During the Sequester | Amendment Rejected - House (175 - 243) |
| 11/21 | H Amdt 512 | Requires Natural Gas Pipeline Applications to Include Certain Information | Amendment Rejected - House (183 - 233) |
| 11/21 | H Amdt 513 | Removes the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Permit Issuance Requirement | Amendment Rejected - House (184 - 233) |
| 11/21 | HR 1900 | Natural Gas Pipeline Permitting Reform Act | Bill Passed - House (252 - 165) |
| 11/20 | H Amdt 503 | Requires a Report on the Effect of Flooding on Oil and Gas Facilities | Amendment Rejected - House (202 - 221) |
| 11/20 | H Amdt 499 | Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to Require Certain Findings for Categorical Exclusions | Amendment Rejected - House (194 - 228) |
| 11/20 | H Amdt 503 | Requires a Report on the Effect of Flooding on Oil and Gas Facilities | Amendment Rejected - House (202 - 221) |