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.


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Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
Aug. 8, 2026 National HR 6500 African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) Extension Act Bill Passed - Senate (90 - 6)
Aug. 8, 2026 National PN 1078 Nomination of Todd Blanche, of Florida, to be Attorney General, vice Pamela Bondi Nomination Confirmed - Senate (50 - 49)
Aug. 8, 2026 National S 5271 A bill to amend the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to require voters to provide photo identification Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (52 - 46)
Aug. 7, 2026 National HR 5334 Supporting Early-childhood Educators' Deductions (SEED) Act of 2025 Bill Passed - Senate (86 - 11)
Aug. 5, 2026 National PN 932 Nomination of Erica Schwartz, of Florida, to be Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, vice Susan Monarez Nomination Confirmed - Senate (51 - 44)
Aug. 5, 2026 National S J Res 187 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 "Modification to the Start of the Submission Period for Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Reporting and Recordkeeping Under TSCA 8(a)(7)" Motion Rejected - Senate (48 - 50)
Aug. 3, 2026 National HR 6500 African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) Extension Act Cloture Invoked - Senate (89 - 4)
July 30, 2026 National S J Res 199 A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Health and Human Services relating to "Restoring Flexibility in the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF)" Motion Rejected - Senate (47 - 52)
July 30, 2026 National S J Res 181 A joint resolution to direct the removal of United States Armed Forces from hostilities within or against the Islamic Republic of Iran that have not been authorized by Congress Motion Rejected - Senate (49 - 50)
July 29, 2026 National HR 5334 Supporting Early-childhood Educators' Deductions (SEED) Act of 2025 Motion Agreed - Senate (84 - 12)
July 28, 2026 National HR 5334 Supporting Early-childhood Educators' Deductions (SEED) Act of 2025 Cloture Invoked - Senate (86 - 12)
July 28, 2026 National PN 1092 Nomination of Walter Clayton, of New York, to be Director of National Intelligence, vice Tulsi Gabbard Nomination Confirmed - Senate (51 - 47)
July 23, 2026 National S J Res 180 A joint resolution to direct the removal of United States Armed Forces from hostilities within or against the Islamic Republic of Iran that have not been authorized by Congress Motion Rejected - Senate (47 - 49)
July 21, 2026 National PN 851-8 Nomination of Kara Marie Westercamp, of Virginia, to be a Judge of the United States Court of International Trade, vice Stephen A. Vaden, resigned Nomination Confirmed - Senate (50 - 48)
July 16, 2026 National PN 851-8 Nomination of Kara Marie Westercamp, of Virginia, to be a Judge of the United States Court of International Trade, vice Stephen A. Vaden, resigned Cloture Invoked - Senate (49 - 48)
July 16, 2026 National S J Res 198 A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services of the Department of Health and Human Services relating to "Medicare Program; Implementation of Prior Authorization for Select Services for the Wasteful and Inappropriate Services Reduction (WISeR) Model" Motion Rejected - Senate (46 - 50)
July 14, 2026 National S 4784 An original bill to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2027 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (50 - 46)
June 24, 2026 National S J Res 185 A joint resolution to direct the removal of United States Armed Forces from hostilities within or against the Islamic Republic of Iran that have not been authorized by Congress Motion Rejected - Senate (47 - 50)
June 24, 2026 National S J Res 196 A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Education relating to "Reimagining and Improving Student Education-Federal Student Loan Program Final Regulations" Motion Rejected - Senate (45 - 52)
June 23, 2026 National H Con Res 86 Directing the President, pursuant to section 5(c) of the War Powers Resolution, to remove United States Armed Forces from hostilities with Iran Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (50 - 48)
June 23, 2026 National PN 859-3 Nomination of Darrell Owens, of Pennsylvania, to be U.S. Representative to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, with the rank of Ambassador Nomination Confirmed - Senate (67 - 30)
June 22, 2026 National HR 6644 Housing for the 21st Century Act Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (85 - 5)
June 18, 2026 National HR 6644 Housing for the 21st Century Act Cloture Invoked - Senate (84 - 8)
June 18, 2026 National PN 730-33 Nomination of George Holding, of North Carolina, to be United States Director of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, vice J. Steven Dowd Nomination Confirmed - Senate (48 - 39)
June 17, 2026 National PN 901-8 Nomination of Michelle Steel, of California, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Korea Nomination Confirmed - Senate (55 - 39)
Date No. Title Outcome
8/08 HR 6500 African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) Extension Act Bill Passed - Senate (90 - 6)
8/08 PN 1078 Nomination of Todd Blanche, of Florida, to be Attorney General, vice Pamela Bondi Nomination Confirmed - Senate (50 - 49)
8/08 S 5271 A bill to amend the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to require voters to provide photo identification Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (52 - 46)
8/07 HR 5334 Supporting Early-childhood Educators' Deductions (SEED) Act of 2025 Bill Passed - Senate (86 - 11)
8/05 PN 932 Nomination of Erica Schwartz, of Florida, to be Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, vice Susan Monarez Nomination Confirmed - Senate (51 - 44)
8/05 S J Res 187 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 "Modification to the Start of the Submission Period for Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Reporting and Recordkeeping Under TSCA 8(a)(7)" Motion Rejected - Senate (48 - 50)
8/03 HR 6500 African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) Extension Act Cloture Invoked - Senate (89 - 4)
7/30 S J Res 199 A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Health and Human Services relating to "Restoring Flexibility in the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF)" Motion Rejected - Senate (47 - 52)
7/30 S J Res 181 A joint resolution to direct the removal of United States Armed Forces from hostilities within or against the Islamic Republic of Iran that have not been authorized by Congress Motion Rejected - Senate (49 - 50)
7/29 HR 5334 Supporting Early-childhood Educators' Deductions (SEED) Act of 2025 Motion Agreed - Senate (84 - 12)
7/28 HR 5334 Supporting Early-childhood Educators' Deductions (SEED) Act of 2025 Cloture Invoked - Senate (86 - 12)
7/28 PN 1092 Nomination of Walter Clayton, of New York, to be Director of National Intelligence, vice Tulsi Gabbard Nomination Confirmed - Senate (51 - 47)
7/23 S J Res 180 A joint resolution to direct the removal of United States Armed Forces from hostilities within or against the Islamic Republic of Iran that have not been authorized by Congress Motion Rejected - Senate (47 - 49)
7/21 PN 851-8 Nomination of Kara Marie Westercamp, of Virginia, to be a Judge of the United States Court of International Trade, vice Stephen A. Vaden, resigned Nomination Confirmed - Senate (50 - 48)
7/16 PN 851-8 Nomination of Kara Marie Westercamp, of Virginia, to be a Judge of the United States Court of International Trade, vice Stephen A. Vaden, resigned Cloture Invoked - Senate (49 - 48)
7/16 S J Res 198 A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services of the Department of Health and Human Services relating to "Medicare Program; Implementation of Prior Authorization for Select Services for the Wasteful and Inappropriate Services Reduction (WISeR) Model" Motion Rejected - Senate (46 - 50)
7/14 S 4784 An original bill to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2027 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (50 - 46)
6/24 S J Res 185 A joint resolution to direct the removal of United States Armed Forces from hostilities within or against the Islamic Republic of Iran that have not been authorized by Congress Motion Rejected - Senate (47 - 50)
6/24 S J Res 196 A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Education relating to "Reimagining and Improving Student Education-Federal Student Loan Program Final Regulations" Motion Rejected - Senate (45 - 52)
6/23 H Con Res 86 Directing the President, pursuant to section 5(c) of the War Powers Resolution, to remove United States Armed Forces from hostilities with Iran Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (50 - 48)
6/23 PN 859-3 Nomination of Darrell Owens, of Pennsylvania, to be U.S. Representative to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, with the rank of Ambassador Nomination Confirmed - Senate (67 - 30)
6/22 HR 6644 Housing for the 21st Century Act Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (85 - 5)
6/18 HR 6644 Housing for the 21st Century Act Cloture Invoked - Senate (84 - 8)
6/18 PN 730-33 Nomination of George Holding, of North Carolina, to be United States Director of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, vice J. Steven Dowd Nomination Confirmed - Senate (48 - 39)
6/17 PN 901-8 Nomination of Michelle Steel, of California, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Korea Nomination Confirmed - Senate (55 - 39)

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