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
March 11, 2009 National S 22 Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 Bill Failed - House (282 - 144)
March 5, 2009 National HR 1106 Mortgage Restructuring In Bankruptcy Bill Passed - House (234 - 191)
Feb. 26, 2009 National S 160 Washington DC Voting Act Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 37)
Feb. 26, 2009 National HR 1105 2009 Budget Bill Bill Passed - House (245 - 178)
Feb. 13, 2009 National HR 1 Appropriations, Tax Law Amendments, and Unemployment Benefit Amendments ("Stimulus Bill") Conference Report Adopted - House (246 - 183)
Feb. 13, 2009 National HR 1 Appropriations, Tax Law Amendments, and Unemployment Benefit Amendments ("Stimulus Bill") Conference Report Adopted - Senate (60 - 38)
Feb. 10, 2009 National HR 1 Appropriations, Tax Law Amendments, and Unemployment Benefit Amendments ("Stimulus Bill") Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 37)
Feb. 6, 2009 National S Amdt 538 Tax Credit Substitute Amendment Motion Rejected - Senate (35 - 61)
Feb. 4, 2009 National S Amdt 279 Removing the Buy American Clause Amendment Rejected - Senate (31 - 65)
Feb. 3, 2009 National S Amdt 109 Hollywood Productions Tax Credit Amendment Adopted - Senate (52 - 45)
Jan. 29, 2009 National HR 2 Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization and Expansion Bill Passed - Senate (66 - 32)
Jan. 28, 2009 National HR 1 Appropriations, Tax Law Amendments, and Unemployment Benefit Amendments ("Stimulus Bill") Bill Passed - House (244 - 188)
Jan. 27, 2009 National S 181 Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009 Bill Passed - House (250 - 177)
Jan. 26, 2009 National PN 64-6 Timothy Geithner, Secretary of the Treasury Nomination Confirmed - Senate (60 - 34)
Jan. 22, 2009 National S 181 Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009 Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 36)
Jan. 22, 2009 National H J Res 3 Releasing Funds for Economic Stabilization Act Joint Resolution Passed - House (270 - 155)
Jan. 21, 2009 National HR 384 Oversight of the Troubled Asset Relief Program Bill Passed - House (260 - 166)
Jan. 15, 2009 National S J Res 5 Releasing Funds for Economic Stabilization Act Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (42 - 52)
Jan. 15, 2009 National S 22 Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 Bill Passed - Senate (73 - 21)
Jan. 14, 2009 National HR 2 Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization and Expansion Bill Passed - House (289 - 139)
Jan. 9, 2009 National HR 12 Employment Discrimination Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (256 - 163)
Jan. 9, 2009 National HR 11 Employment Discrimination Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (247 - 171)
Dec. 10, 2008 National HR 7321 Automotive Industry Financing Bill Passed - House (237 - 170)
Oct. 3, 2008 National HR 6867 Emergency Extended Unemployment Compensation Bill Passed - House (368 - 28)
Oct. 3, 2008 National HR 1424 Financial Asset Purchase Authority and Tax Law Amendments Concurrence Vote Passed - House (263 - 171)
Date No. Title Outcome
3/11 S 22 Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 Bill Failed - House (282 - 144)
3/05 HR 1106 Mortgage Restructuring In Bankruptcy Bill Passed - House (234 - 191)
2/26 S 160 Washington DC Voting Act Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 37)
2/26 HR 1105 2009 Budget Bill Bill Passed - House (245 - 178)
2/13 HR 1 Appropriations, Tax Law Amendments, and Unemployment Benefit Amendments ("Stimulus Bill") Conference Report Adopted - House (246 - 183)
2/13 HR 1 Appropriations, Tax Law Amendments, and Unemployment Benefit Amendments ("Stimulus Bill") Conference Report Adopted - Senate (60 - 38)
2/10 HR 1 Appropriations, Tax Law Amendments, and Unemployment Benefit Amendments ("Stimulus Bill") Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 37)
2/06 S Amdt 538 Tax Credit Substitute Amendment Motion Rejected - Senate (35 - 61)
2/04 S Amdt 279 Removing the Buy American Clause Amendment Rejected - Senate (31 - 65)
2/03 S Amdt 109 Hollywood Productions Tax Credit Amendment Adopted - Senate (52 - 45)
1/29 HR 2 Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization and Expansion Bill Passed - Senate (66 - 32)
1/28 HR 1 Appropriations, Tax Law Amendments, and Unemployment Benefit Amendments ("Stimulus Bill") Bill Passed - House (244 - 188)
1/27 S 181 Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009 Bill Passed - House (250 - 177)
1/26 PN 64-6 Timothy Geithner, Secretary of the Treasury Nomination Confirmed - Senate (60 - 34)
1/22 S 181 Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009 Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 36)
1/22 H J Res 3 Releasing Funds for Economic Stabilization Act Joint Resolution Passed - House (270 - 155)
1/21 HR 384 Oversight of the Troubled Asset Relief Program Bill Passed - House (260 - 166)
1/15 S J Res 5 Releasing Funds for Economic Stabilization Act Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (42 - 52)
1/15 S 22 Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 Bill Passed - Senate (73 - 21)
1/14 HR 2 Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization and Expansion Bill Passed - House (289 - 139)
1/09 HR 12 Employment Discrimination Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (256 - 163)
1/09 HR 11 Employment Discrimination Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (247 - 171)
12/10 HR 7321 Automotive Industry Financing Bill Passed - House (237 - 170)
10/03 HR 6867 Emergency Extended Unemployment Compensation Bill Passed - House (368 - 28)
10/03 HR 1424 Financial Asset Purchase Authority and Tax Law Amendments Concurrence Vote Passed - House (263 - 171)

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