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
Feb. 4, 2025 VA SB 1002 Prohibits the Use of Campaign Funds for Personal Expenses Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 4)
Feb. 4, 2025 IN SB 10 Prohibits Use of School IDs for Voter Registration Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 11)
Feb. 3, 2025 AR HB 1056 Establishes a Joint Committee on Military and Veterans Affairs Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 0)
Feb. 3, 2025 National PN 11-2 Nomination of Pamela Bondi to be Attorney General Cloture Invoked - Senate (52 - 46)
Feb. 3, 2025 National PN 11-22 Nomination of Russell Vought to be Director of the Office of Management and Budget Motion Agreed - Senate (51 - 46)
Jan. 31, 2025 VA HJR 1 Establishes a Constitutional Amendment Enshrining Rights to Abortion Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (21 - 18)
Jan. 31, 2025 VA HJR 2 Establishes a Constitutional Amendment that Restores Felon Voting Rights Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (21 - 18)
Jan. 31, 2025 VA HJR 2 Establishes a Constitutional Amendment that Restores Felon Voting Rights Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (21 - 18)
Jan. 30, 2025 National PN 11-15 Nomination of Christopher Wright to be Secretary of Energy Nomination Confirmed - Senate (59 - 38)
Jan. 30, 2025 National PN 11-3 Nomination of Douglas Burgum to be Secretary of the Interior Nomination Confirmed - Senate (79 - 18)
Jan. 30, 2025 National PN 11-3 Nomination of Douglas Burgum to be Secretary of the Interior Nomination Confirmed - Senate (79 - 18)
Jan. 30, 2025 NJ A 5117 Increases the Signature Threshold for State Office-Seekers Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13)
Jan. 30, 2025 ID H 14 Requires State Agencies to Recommend Laws for Removal and Repeal Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 0)
Jan. 30, 2025 ID H 14 Requires State Agencies to Recommend Laws for Removal and Repeal Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 0)
Jan. 30, 2025 NH SB 71 Prohibits Sanctuary City Policies in the State "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - Senate (15 - 8)
Jan. 30, 2025 National PN 11-15 Nomination of Christopher Wright to be Secretary of Energy Cloture Invoked - Senate (62 - 35)
Jan. 30, 2025 National PN 11-5 Nomination of Douglas Collins to be Secretary of Veterans Affairs Cloture Invoked - Senate (83 - 13)
Jan. 29, 2025 National PN 11-23 Nomination of Lee Zeldin to be Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency Nomination Confirmed - Senate (56 - 42)
Jan. 29, 2025 National PN 11-23 Nomination of Lee Zeldin to be Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency Cloture Invoked - Senate (56 - 42)
Jan. 28, 2025 National PN 11-6 Nomination of Sean Duffy to be Secretary of Transportation Nomination Confirmed - Senate (77 - 22)
Jan. 28, 2025 NY A 1020 Amends and Updates Emergency Response Training for Lithium-Ion Battery Fires Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 0)
Jan. 28, 2025 DE SB 50 Amends and Reallocates Capital Funding to Existing Projects Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 0)
Jan. 27, 2025 National PN 11-1 Nomination of Scott Bessent to be Secretary of the Treasury Nomination Confirmed - Senate (68 - 29)
Jan. 27, 2025 National PN 11-6 Nomination of Sean Duffy to be Secretary of Transportation Cloture Invoked - Senate (97 - 0)
Jan. 27, 2025 IN SJR 21 Specifies Term Limits for Members of Congress Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (31 - 18)
Date No. Title Outcome
2/04 SB 1002 Prohibits the Use of Campaign Funds for Personal Expenses Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 4)
2/04 SB 10 Prohibits Use of School IDs for Voter Registration Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 11)
2/03 HB 1056 Establishes a Joint Committee on Military and Veterans Affairs Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 0)
2/03 PN 11-2 Nomination of Pamela Bondi to be Attorney General Cloture Invoked - Senate (52 - 46)
2/03 PN 11-22 Nomination of Russell Vought to be Director of the Office of Management and Budget Motion Agreed - Senate (51 - 46)
1/31 HJR 1 Establishes a Constitutional Amendment Enshrining Rights to Abortion Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (21 - 18)
1/31 HJR 2 Establishes a Constitutional Amendment that Restores Felon Voting Rights Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (21 - 18)
1/31 HJR 2 Establishes a Constitutional Amendment that Restores Felon Voting Rights Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (21 - 18)
1/30 PN 11-15 Nomination of Christopher Wright to be Secretary of Energy Nomination Confirmed - Senate (59 - 38)
1/30 PN 11-3 Nomination of Douglas Burgum to be Secretary of the Interior Nomination Confirmed - Senate (79 - 18)
1/30 PN 11-3 Nomination of Douglas Burgum to be Secretary of the Interior Nomination Confirmed - Senate (79 - 18)
1/30 A 5117 Increases the Signature Threshold for State Office-Seekers Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13)
1/30 H 14 Requires State Agencies to Recommend Laws for Removal and Repeal Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 0)
1/30 H 14 Requires State Agencies to Recommend Laws for Removal and Repeal Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 0)
1/30 SB 71 Prohibits Sanctuary City Policies in the State "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - Senate (15 - 8)
1/30 PN 11-15 Nomination of Christopher Wright to be Secretary of Energy Cloture Invoked - Senate (62 - 35)
1/30 PN 11-5 Nomination of Douglas Collins to be Secretary of Veterans Affairs Cloture Invoked - Senate (83 - 13)
1/29 PN 11-23 Nomination of Lee Zeldin to be Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency Nomination Confirmed - Senate (56 - 42)
1/29 PN 11-23 Nomination of Lee Zeldin to be Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency Cloture Invoked - Senate (56 - 42)
1/28 PN 11-6 Nomination of Sean Duffy to be Secretary of Transportation Nomination Confirmed - Senate (77 - 22)
1/28 A 1020 Amends and Updates Emergency Response Training for Lithium-Ion Battery Fires Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 0)
1/28 SB 50 Amends and Reallocates Capital Funding to Existing Projects Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 0)
1/27 PN 11-1 Nomination of Scott Bessent to be Secretary of the Treasury Nomination Confirmed - Senate (68 - 29)
1/27 PN 11-6 Nomination of Sean Duffy to be Secretary of Transportation Cloture Invoked - Senate (97 - 0)
1/27 SJR 21 Specifies Term Limits for Members of Congress Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (31 - 18)

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