Key Votes

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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:

  1. The vote should be helpful in portraying how a member stands on a particular issue
  2. The vote should be clear for any person to understand
  3. The vote has received media attention
  4. The vote was passed or defeated by a very close margin
  5. Occasionally, if a specific bill is consistently inquired about on the Voter's Research Hotline, the vote will be added

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.


results per page:
Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
Nov. 5, 2013 IL SB 10 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 21)
Nov. 5, 2013 IL SB 10 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - House (61 - 54)
Nov. 5, 2013 WI AB 297 Amends Laws Concerning the Use of Race-Based Nicknames, Logos, Mascots, and Team Names Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 16)
Nov. 4, 2013 National S 815 Employment Non-Discrimination Act of 2013 Cloture Invoked - Senate (61 - 30)
Oct. 30, 2013 MI SB 652 Amends Court of Claims Judge Appointment Procedures Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11)
Oct. 30, 2013 National H J Res 99 Disapproval of the President's Exercise of Authority to Suspend the Debt Limit Joint Resolution Passed - House (222 - 191)
Oct. 29, 2013 National S J Res 26 A Joint Resolution Relating to the Disapproval of the President's Exercise of Authority to Suspend the Debt Limit, as Submitted Under Section 1002(b) of the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2014 on October 17, 2013 Motion Rejected - Senate (45 - 54)
Oct. 16, 2013 National HR 2775 Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 Concurrence Vote Passed - House (285 - 144)
Oct. 16, 2013 National HR 2775 Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 Bill Passed - Senate (81 - 18)
Oct. 15, 2013 WI AB 297 Amends Laws Concerning the Use of Race-Based Nicknames, Logos, Mascots, and Team Names Bill Passed - House (52 - 41)
Oct. 10, 2013 National H J Res 79 Border Security and Enforcement Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 Joint Resolution Passed - House (249 - 175)
Oct. 4, 2013 National H J Res 75 Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 Joint Resolution Passed - House (244 - 164)
Oct. 3, 2013 National HR 3230 Pay Our Guard and Reserve Act Bill Passed - House (265 - 160)
Oct. 1, 2013 National H J Res 72 Veterans Benefits Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 Joint Resolution Failed - House (264 - 164)
Sept. 30, 2013 National H J Res 59 Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 Motion Agreed - Senate (54 - 46)
Sept. 30, 2013 National H J Res 59 Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 Concurrence Vote Passed - House (228 - 201)
Sept. 27, 2013 National H J Res 59 Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 Bill Passed - Senate (54 - 44)
Sept. 20, 2013 National H J Res 59 Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 Joint Resolution Passed - House (230 - 189)
Sept. 18, 2013 MI SB 276 Requires Community Service for Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 9)
Sept. 12, 2013 CA AB 60 Authorizes Driver's License for Undocumented Immigrants Concurrence Vote Passed - House (55 - 21)
Sept. 12, 2013 CA AB 10 Increases the Minimum Wage Concurrence Vote Passed - House (52 - 25)
Sept. 12, 2013 CA AB 60 Authorizes Driver's License for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 8)
Sept. 12, 2013 CA AB 10 Increases the Minimum Wage Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11)
Sept. 12, 2013 National HR 2775 No Subsidies Without Verification Act Bill Passed - House (235 - 191)
Sept. 10, 2013 CA AB 4 Prohibits Law Enforcement from Detaining Individuals Solely Based on Immigration Status Concurrence Vote Passed - House (48 - 25)
Date No. Title Outcome
11/05 SB 10 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 21)
11/05 SB 10 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - House (61 - 54)
11/05 AB 297 Amends Laws Concerning the Use of Race-Based Nicknames, Logos, Mascots, and Team Names Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 16)
11/04 S 815 Employment Non-Discrimination Act of 2013 Cloture Invoked - Senate (61 - 30)
10/30 SB 652 Amends Court of Claims Judge Appointment Procedures Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11)
10/30 H J Res 99 Disapproval of the President's Exercise of Authority to Suspend the Debt Limit Joint Resolution Passed - House (222 - 191)
10/29 S J Res 26 A Joint Resolution Relating to the Disapproval of the President's Exercise of Authority to Suspend the Debt Limit, as Submitted Under Section 1002(b) of the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2014 on October 17, 2013 Motion Rejected - Senate (45 - 54)
10/16 HR 2775 Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 Concurrence Vote Passed - House (285 - 144)
10/16 HR 2775 Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 Bill Passed - Senate (81 - 18)
10/15 AB 297 Amends Laws Concerning the Use of Race-Based Nicknames, Logos, Mascots, and Team Names Bill Passed - House (52 - 41)
10/10 H J Res 79 Border Security and Enforcement Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 Joint Resolution Passed - House (249 - 175)
10/04 H J Res 75 Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 Joint Resolution Passed - House (244 - 164)
10/03 HR 3230 Pay Our Guard and Reserve Act Bill Passed - House (265 - 160)
10/01 H J Res 72 Veterans Benefits Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 Joint Resolution Failed - House (264 - 164)
9/30 H J Res 59 Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 Motion Agreed - Senate (54 - 46)
9/30 H J Res 59 Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 Concurrence Vote Passed - House (228 - 201)
9/27 H J Res 59 Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 Bill Passed - Senate (54 - 44)
9/20 H J Res 59 Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 Joint Resolution Passed - House (230 - 189)
9/18 SB 276 Requires Community Service for Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 9)
9/12 AB 60 Authorizes Driver's License for Undocumented Immigrants Concurrence Vote Passed - House (55 - 21)
9/12 AB 10 Increases the Minimum Wage Concurrence Vote Passed - House (52 - 25)
9/12 AB 60 Authorizes Driver's License for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 8)
9/12 AB 10 Increases the Minimum Wage Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11)
9/12 HR 2775 No Subsidies Without Verification Act Bill Passed - House (235 - 191)
9/10 AB 4 Prohibits Law Enforcement from Detaining Individuals Solely Based on Immigration Status Concurrence Vote Passed - House (48 - 25)

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