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) |
| 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 | Bill Passed - Senate (81 - 18) |
| Oct. 16, 2013 | National | HR 2775 | Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 | Bill Passed - Senate (81 - 18) |
| Oct. 12, 2013 | National | S 1569 | Default Prevention Act of 2013 | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 45) |
| 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 | Motion Agreed - Senate (54 - 46) |
| Sept. 27, 2013 | National | H J Res 59 | Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 | Bill Passed - Senate (54 - 44) |
| Sept. 12, 2013 | CA | SB 359 | Appropriates Funds for Hybrid and Zero Emission Vehicle Use | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 10) |
| Aug. 27, 2013 | MI | HB 4714 | Expands Medicaid Eligibility | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 18) |
| July 24, 2013 | NC | SB 402 | 2013-2015 Supplemental Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 17) |
| July 3, 2013 | PA | HB 1075 | Amends Public Welfare Code | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 22) |
| July 2, 2013 | OR | HB 2456 | Appropriates Increased Tax Funds to Schools and Health Services | Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 15) |
| June 27, 2013 | DE | HB 200 | 2013-2014 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 4) |
| June 21, 2013 | WI | AB 40 | 2013-2015 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 16) |
| June 10, 2013 | National | S 954 | Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act of 2013 | Bill Passed - Senate (66 - 27) |
| June 10, 2013 | National | S 954 | Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act of 2013 | Bill Passed - Senate (66 - 27) |
| May 29, 2013 | MI | HB 4228 | 2013-2014 Education Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 12) |
| May 25, 2013 | TX | SB 1 | 2013-2015 Biennium Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 4) |
| May 23, 2013 | ME | LD 1546 | Expands Medicaid and Authorizes Liquor Operation Bonds | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| May 23, 2013 | ME | LD 1546 | Expands Medicaid and Authorizes Liquor Operation Bonds | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| May 23, 2013 | National | S Amdt 923 | Prohibits the Payment of the Premium for an Insurance Policy For Tobacco | Amendment Rejected - Senate (44 - 52) |
| May 22, 2013 | IA | SF 446 | 2013-2014 Health and Human Services Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 24) |
| May 22, 2013 | IA | SF 446 | 2013-2014 Health and Human Services Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 24) |
| May 19, 2013 | MN | HF 630 | 2013-2015 Biennium K-12 Education Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (41 - 26) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12/18 | H J Res 59 | Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (64 - 36) |
| 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 | Bill Passed - Senate (81 - 18) |
| 10/16 | HR 2775 | Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 | Bill Passed - Senate (81 - 18) |
| 10/12 | S 1569 | Default Prevention Act of 2013 | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 45) |
| 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 | Motion Agreed - Senate (54 - 46) |
| 9/27 | H J Res 59 | Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 | Bill Passed - Senate (54 - 44) |
| 9/12 | SB 359 | Appropriates Funds for Hybrid and Zero Emission Vehicle Use | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 10) |
| 8/27 | HB 4714 | Expands Medicaid Eligibility | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 18) |
| 7/24 | SB 402 | 2013-2015 Supplemental Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 17) |
| 7/03 | HB 1075 | Amends Public Welfare Code | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 22) |
| 7/02 | HB 2456 | Appropriates Increased Tax Funds to Schools and Health Services | Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 15) |
| 6/27 | HB 200 | 2013-2014 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 4) |
| 6/21 | AB 40 | 2013-2015 Biennium Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 16) |
| 6/10 | S 954 | Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act of 2013 | Bill Passed - Senate (66 - 27) |
| 6/10 | S 954 | Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act of 2013 | Bill Passed - Senate (66 - 27) |
| 5/29 | HB 4228 | 2013-2014 Education Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (25 - 12) |
| 5/25 | SB 1 | 2013-2015 Biennium Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 4) |
| 5/23 | LD 1546 | Expands Medicaid and Authorizes Liquor Operation Bonds | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| 5/23 | LD 1546 | Expands Medicaid and Authorizes Liquor Operation Bonds | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| 5/23 | S Amdt 923 | Prohibits the Payment of the Premium for an Insurance Policy For Tobacco | Amendment Rejected - Senate (44 - 52) |
| 5/22 | SF 446 | 2013-2014 Health and Human Services Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 24) |
| 5/22 | SF 446 | 2013-2014 Health and Human Services Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 24) |
| 5/19 | HF 630 | 2013-2015 Biennium K-12 Education Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (41 - 26) |