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
Oct. 17, 2019 National S J Res 53 A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Environmental Protection Agency relating to "Repeal of the Clean Power Plan; Emission Guidelines for Greenhouse Gas Emissions From Existing Electric Utility Generating Units; Revisions to Emission Guidelines Implementing Regulations" Bill Failed - Senate (41 - 53)
Oct. 16, 2019 National H J Res 77 Opposing the decision to end certain United States efforts to prevent Turkish military operations against Syrian Kurdish forces in Northeast Syria Bill Passed - House (354 - 60)
Sept. 27, 2019 National SJ Res 54 Rescinds a National Emergency Declared by the President on February 15, 2019 Bill Passed - House (236 - 174)
Sept. 26, 2019 National PN 1099 Nomination of Eugene Scalia as the Secretary of Labor (53 - 44)
Sept. 26, 2019 National HR 4378 Making continuing appropriations for fiscal year 2020, and for other purposes Bill Passed - Senate (81 - 16)
Sept. 26, 2019 National SJ Res 54 Rescinds a National Emergency Declared by the President on February 15, 2019 Bill Passed - Senate (54 - 41)
Sept. 26, 2019 National HR 3525 US Border Patrol Medical Screening Standards Act Bill Passed - House (230 - 184)
Sept. 25, 2019 National PN 1099 Nomination of Eugene Scalia as the Secretary of Labor Cloture Invoked - Senate (52 - 42)
Sept. 25, 2019 National H Res 576 Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives with respect to the whistleblower complaint of August 12, 2019, made to the Inspector General of the Intelligence Community Bill Passed - House (421 - 0)
Sept. 25, 2019 National HR 1595 Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act of 2019 Bill Passed - House (321 - 103)
Sept. 25, 2019 National HR 2203 Homeland Security Improvement Act Bill Passed - House (230 - 194)
Sept. 20, 2019 National HR 1423 Forced Arbitration Injustice Repeal Act (FAIR Act) Bill Passed - House (225 - 186)
Sept. 19, 2019 National HR 4378 Making continuing appropriations for fiscal year 2020, and for other purposes Bill Passed - House (301 - 123)
Sept. 12, 2019 National HR 1146 Arctic Cultural and Coastal Plain Protection Act Bill Passed - House (225 - 193)
Sept. 11, 2019 National HR 1941 Coastal and Marine Economies Protection Act Bill Passed - House (238 - 189)
Aug. 1, 2019 National HR 3877 Bipartisan Budget Act of 2019 Bill Passed - Senate (67 - 28)
July 29, 2019 National S J Res 38 A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval of the proposed export to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland of certain defense articles and services Veto Override Passed - Senate (46 - 41)
July 29, 2019 National S J Res 37 A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval of the proposed export to the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the Republic of France of certain defense articles and services Veto Override Failed - Senate (45 - 39)
July 29, 2019 National S J Res 36 A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval of the proposed transfer to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Kingdom of Spain, and the Italian Republic of certain defense articles and services Veto Override Failed - Senate (45 - 40)
July 25, 2019 National HR 3877 Bipartisan Budget Act of 2019 Bill Passed - House (284 - 149)
July 25, 2019 National HR 549 Venezuela TPS Act of 2019 Bill Passed - House (272 - 158)
July 24, 2019 National HR 3239 Humanitarian Standards for Individuals in Customs and Border Protection Custody Act Bill Passed - House (233 - 195)
July 24, 2019 National HR 397 Rehabilitation for Multiemployer Pensions Act of 2019 Bill Passed - House (264 - 169)
July 23, 2019 National PN 934 Nomination of Mark Esper as the Secretary of Defense (90 - 8)
July 23, 2019 National HR 1327 Never Forget the Heroes: Permanent Authorization of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund Act Bill Passed - Senate (97 - 2)
Date No. Title Outcome
10/17 S J Res 53 A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Environmental Protection Agency relating to "Repeal of the Clean Power Plan; Emission Guidelines for Greenhouse Gas Emissions From Existing Electric Utility Generating Units; Revisions to Emission Guidelines Implementing Regulations" Bill Failed - Senate (41 - 53)
10/16 H J Res 77 Opposing the decision to end certain United States efforts to prevent Turkish military operations against Syrian Kurdish forces in Northeast Syria Bill Passed - House (354 - 60)
9/27 SJ Res 54 Rescinds a National Emergency Declared by the President on February 15, 2019 Bill Passed - House (236 - 174)
9/26 PN 1099 Nomination of Eugene Scalia as the Secretary of Labor (53 - 44)
9/26 HR 4378 Making continuing appropriations for fiscal year 2020, and for other purposes Bill Passed - Senate (81 - 16)
9/26 SJ Res 54 Rescinds a National Emergency Declared by the President on February 15, 2019 Bill Passed - Senate (54 - 41)
9/26 HR 3525 US Border Patrol Medical Screening Standards Act Bill Passed - House (230 - 184)
9/25 PN 1099 Nomination of Eugene Scalia as the Secretary of Labor Cloture Invoked - Senate (52 - 42)
9/25 H Res 576 Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives with respect to the whistleblower complaint of August 12, 2019, made to the Inspector General of the Intelligence Community Bill Passed - House (421 - 0)
9/25 HR 1595 Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act of 2019 Bill Passed - House (321 - 103)
9/25 HR 2203 Homeland Security Improvement Act Bill Passed - House (230 - 194)
9/20 HR 1423 Forced Arbitration Injustice Repeal Act (FAIR Act) Bill Passed - House (225 - 186)
9/19 HR 4378 Making continuing appropriations for fiscal year 2020, and for other purposes Bill Passed - House (301 - 123)
9/12 HR 1146 Arctic Cultural and Coastal Plain Protection Act Bill Passed - House (225 - 193)
9/11 HR 1941 Coastal and Marine Economies Protection Act Bill Passed - House (238 - 189)
8/01 HR 3877 Bipartisan Budget Act of 2019 Bill Passed - Senate (67 - 28)
7/29 S J Res 38 A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval of the proposed export to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland of certain defense articles and services Veto Override Passed - Senate (46 - 41)
7/29 S J Res 37 A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval of the proposed export to the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the Republic of France of certain defense articles and services Veto Override Failed - Senate (45 - 39)
7/29 S J Res 36 A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval of the proposed transfer to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Kingdom of Spain, and the Italian Republic of certain defense articles and services Veto Override Failed - Senate (45 - 40)
7/25 HR 3877 Bipartisan Budget Act of 2019 Bill Passed - House (284 - 149)
7/25 HR 549 Venezuela TPS Act of 2019 Bill Passed - House (272 - 158)
7/24 HR 3239 Humanitarian Standards for Individuals in Customs and Border Protection Custody Act Bill Passed - House (233 - 195)
7/24 HR 397 Rehabilitation for Multiemployer Pensions Act of 2019 Bill Passed - House (264 - 169)
7/23 PN 934 Nomination of Mark Esper as the Secretary of Defense (90 - 8)
7/23 HR 1327 Never Forget the Heroes: Permanent Authorization of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund Act Bill Passed - Senate (97 - 2)

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