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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 21, 2014 | National | H Amdt 669 | Amends Intercontinental-Range Ballistic Missiles (ICBM) Laws | Amendment Adopted - House (222 - 196) |
| May 9, 2014 | National | HR 4438 | American Research and Competitiveness Act of 2014 | Bill Passed - House (274 - 131) |
| April 10, 2014 | National | H Con Res 96 | Establishing the Budget for the United States Government for Fiscal Year 2015 and Setting Forth Appropriate Budgetary Levels for Fiscal Years 2016 Through 2024 | Joint Resolution Passed - House (219 - 205) |
| April 8, 2014 | National | HR 1871 | Baseline Reform Act of 2014 | Bill Passed - House (230 - 185) |
| April 4, 2014 | National | HR 1874 | Pro-Growth Budgeting Act of 2014 | Bill Passed - House (224 - 182) |
| Feb. 26, 2014 | National | HR 3865 | Stop Targeting of Political Beliefs by the IRS Act of 2014 | Bill Passed - House (243 - 176) |
| Feb. 12, 2014 | National | S 540 | Temporary Debt Limit Extension Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (55 - 43) |
| Feb. 12, 2014 | National | S 540 | Temporary Debt Limit Extension Act | Cloture Invoked - Senate (67 - 31) |
| Feb. 11, 2014 | National | S 540 | Temporary Debt Limit Extension Act | Bill Passed - House (221 - 201) |
| Jan. 28, 2014 | National | HR 7 | No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act | Bill Passed - House (227 - 188) |
| Jan. 16, 2014 | National | HR 3547 | Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014 | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (72 - 26) |
| Jan. 15, 2014 | National | HR 3547 | Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014 | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (359 - 67) |
| Dec. 18, 2013 | National | H J Res 59 | Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (64 - 36) |
| Dec. 18, 2013 | National | H J Res 59 | Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (64 - 36) |
| Dec. 12, 2013 | National | H J Res 59 | Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (332 - 94) |
| Dec. 12, 2013 | National | H J Res 59 | Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (332 - 94) |
| Oct. 30, 2013 | National | H J Res 99 | Disapproval of the President's Exercise of Authority to Suspend the Debt Limit | Joint Resolution Passed - House (222 - 191) |
| 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 | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (285 - 144) |
| 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) |
| Oct. 11, 2013 | National | H J Res 76 | National Nuclear Security Administration Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 | Bill Passed - House (248 - 176) |
| Oct. 10, 2013 | National | H J Res 79 | Border Security and Enforcement Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 | Joint Resolution Passed - House (249 - 175) |
| Oct. 9, 2013 | National | H J Res 90 | Federal Aviation Administration Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 | Joint Resolution Passed - House (252 - 172) |
| Oct. 8, 2013 | National | H J Res 84 | Head Start Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 | Joint Resolution Passed - House (248 - 168) |
| Oct. 7, 2013 | National | H J Res 77 | Food and Drug Administration Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 | Joint Resolution Passed - House (235 - 162) |
| Oct. 4, 2013 | National | H J Res 85 | Federal Emergency Management Agency Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 | Joint Resolution Passed - House (247 - 164) |
| Oct. 4, 2013 | National | H J Res 75 | Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 | Joint Resolution Passed - House (244 - 164) |
| Oct. 3, 2013 | National | HR 3230 | Pay Our Guard and Reserve Act | Bill Passed - House (265 - 160) |
| Oct. 1, 2013 | National | H J Res 71 | District of Columbia Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 | Joint Resolution Failed - House (265 - 163) |
| Oct. 1, 2013 | National | H J Res 70 | National Park Service Operations, Smithsonian Institution, National Gallery of Art, and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 | Joint Resolution Failed - House (252 - 176) |
| Oct. 1, 2013 | National | H J Res 72 | Veterans Benefits Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 | Joint Resolution Failed - House (264 - 164) |
| 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 | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (228 - 201) |
| 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. 29, 2013 | National | H J Res 59 | Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (248 - 174) |
| Sept. 29, 2013 | National | H J Res 59 | Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (248 - 174) |
| Sept. 27, 2013 | National | H J Res 59 | Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 | Bill Passed - Senate (54 - 44) |
| Sept. 20, 2013 | National | HR 1526 | Restoring Healthy Forests for Healthy Communities Act | Bill Passed - House (244 - 173) |
| Sept. 20, 2013 | National | H J Res 59 | Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 | Joint Resolution Passed - House (230 - 189) |
| Sept. 12, 2013 | National | HR 2775 | No Subsidies Without Verification Act | Bill Passed - House (235 - 191) |
| Aug. 2, 2013 | National | H Amdt 448 | Requires Congressional Approval Prior to Establishing a Tax on Carbon Emissions | Amendment Adopted - House (237 - 176) |
| July 24, 2013 | National | S Amdt 1778 | Limits Interest Rates for Certain Federal Student Loans | Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 53) |
| July 24, 2013 | National | HR 2397 | Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2014 | Bill Passed - House (315 - 109) |
| June 28, 2013 | National | HR 2231 | Offshore Energy and Jobs Act | Bill Passed - House (235 - 186) |
| June 20, 2013 | National | H Amdt 227 | Amends the Federal Sugar Program | Amendment Rejected - House (206 - 221) |
| June 20, 2013 | National | HR 1947 | Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 2013 | Bill Failed - House (195 - 234) |
| June 19, 2013 | National | H Amdt 176 | Restores $20.5 Billion in Appropriations for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program | Amendment Rejected - House (188 - 234) |
| June 10, 2013 | National | S 954 | Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act of 2013 | Bill Passed - Senate (66 - 27) |
| June 6, 2013 | National | HR 2217 | Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act of 2014 | Bill Passed - House (245 - 182) |
| 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 9, 2013 | National | HR 807 | Full Faith and Credit Act | Bill Passed - House (221 - 207) |
| May 6, 2013 | National | S 743 | Marketplace Fairness Act of 2013 | Bill Passed - Senate (69 - 27) |
| April 25, 2013 | National | S 743 | Marketplace Fairness Act of 2013 | Cloture Invoked - Senate (63 - 30) |
| April 15, 2013 | National | HR 249 | Federal Employee Tax Accountability Act of 2013 | Bill Failed - House (250 - 159) |
| March 23, 2013 | National | S Con Res 8 | An Original Concurrent Resolution Setting Forth the Congressional Budget for the United States Government for Fiscal Year 2014, Revising the Appropriate Budgetary Levels for Fiscal Year 2013, and Setting Forth the Appropriate Budgetary Levels for Fiscal Years 2015 Through 2023 | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (50 - 49) |
| March 23, 2013 | National | S Con Res 8 | An Original Concurrent Resolution Setting Forth the Congressional Budget for the United States Government for Fiscal Year 2014, Revising the Appropriate Budgetary Levels for Fiscal Year 2013, and Setting Forth the Appropriate Budgetary Levels for Fiscal Years 2015 Through 2023 | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (50 - 49) |
| March 21, 2013 | National | HR 933 | Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2013 | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (318 - 109) |
| March 21, 2013 | National | H Con Res 25 | Establishing the Budget for the United States Government for Fiscal Year 2014 and Setting Forth Appropriate Budgetary Levels for Fiscal Years 2015 Through 2023 | Joint Resolution Passed - House (221 - 207) |
| March 21, 2013 | National | H Con Res 25 | Establishing the Budget for the United States Government for Fiscal Year 2014 and Setting Forth Appropriate Budgetary Levels for Fiscal Years 2015 Through 2023 | Joint Resolution Passed - House (221 - 207) |
| March 20, 2013 | National | HR 933 | Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2013 | Bill Passed - Senate (73 - 26) |
| March 15, 2013 | National | HR 803 | Supporting Knowledge and Investing in Lifelong Skills Act (SKILLS Act) | Bill Passed - House (215 - 202) |
| March 13, 2013 | National | S Amdt 30 | To Prohibit the Use of Funds to Carry Out the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act | Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 52) |
| March 6, 2013 | National | HR 933 | Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2013 | Bill Passed - House (267 - 151) |
| Feb. 15, 2013 | National | HR 273 | Eliminates the 2013 Statutory Pay Adjustment for Federal Employees | Bill Passed - House (261 - 154) |
| Jan. 31, 2013 | National | HR 325 | No Budget, No Pay Act of 2013 | Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 34) |
| Jan. 28, 2013 | National | HR 152 | Disaster Relief Appropriations Act, 2013 | Bill Passed - Senate (62 - 36) |
| Jan. 23, 2013 | National | HR 325 | No Budget, No Pay Act of 2013 | Bill Passed - House (285 - 144) |
| Jan. 15, 2013 | National | H Amdt 4 | Offsets Cost of Disaster Relief Appropriations Through Discretionary Budget Cuts | Amendment Rejected - House (162 - 258) |
| Jan. 15, 2013 | National | HR 152 | Disaster Relief Appropriations Act, 2013 | Bill Passed - House (241 - 180) |
| Jan. 1, 2013 | National | HR 8 | Job Protection and Recession Prevention Act of 2012 | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (257 - 167) |
| Jan. 1, 2013 | National | HR 8 | Job Protection and Recession Prevention Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - Senate (89 - 8) |
| Jan. 1, 2013 | National | HR 6726 | Congressional Pay Freeze and Fiscal Responsibility Act | Bill Passed - House (287 - 129) |
| Dec. 20, 2012 | National | HR 6684 | Spending Reduction Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - House (215 - 209) |
| Sept. 22, 2012 | National | H J Res 117 | Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2013 | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (62 - 30) |
| Sept. 13, 2012 | National | HR 6365 | National Security and Job Protection Act | Bill Passed - House (223 - 196) |
| Aug. 2, 2012 | National | HR 6169 | Pathway to Job Creation through a Simpler, Fairer Tax Code Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - House (232 - 189) |
| Aug. 1, 2012 | National | HR 8 | Job Protection and Recession Prevention Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - House (256 - 171) |
| July 31, 2012 | National | HR 828 | Federal Employee Tax Accountability Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - House (263 - 114) |
| July 25, 2012 | National | S Amdt 2573 | Tax Hike Prevention Act of 2012 | Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 54) |
| July 25, 2012 | National | S 3412 | Middle Class Tax Cut Act | Bill Passed - Senate (51 - 48) |
| July 25, 2012 | National | HR 459 | Federal Reserve Transparency Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - House (327 - 98) |
| July 19, 2012 | National | S 3364 | Bring Jobs Home Act | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (56 - 42) |
| July 12, 2012 | National | S 2237 | Small Business Jobs and Tax Relief Act | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 44) |
| June 7, 2012 | National | HR 436 | Repeals Excise Tax on Medical Devices | Bill Passed - House (270 - 146) |
| June 7, 2012 | National | HR 5855 | Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act for 2013 | Bill Passed - House (234 - 182) |
| May 31, 2012 | National | H Amdt 1160 | Project Labor Agreements | Amendment Adopted - House (218 - 198) |
| May 10, 2012 | National | HR 5652 | Sequester Replacement Reconciliation Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - House (218 - 199) |
| April 19, 2012 | National | HR 9 | Income Tax Deduction for Small Businesses | Bill Passed - House (235 - 173) |
| April 16, 2012 | National | S 2230 | Establishes a Minimum 30 Percent Tax Rate for High-Income Taxpayers | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (51 - 45) |
| March 29, 2012 | National | S 2204 | Amends Energy-Related Tax Credits | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (51 - 47) |
| March 29, 2012 | National | H Con Res 112 | Limits Federal Appropriations for Fiscal Years 2013-2022 ("Ryan Budget") | Joint Resolution Passed - House (228 - 191) |
| March 29, 2012 | National | H Con Res 112 | Limits Federal Appropriations for Fiscal Years 2013-2022 ("Ryan Budget") | Joint Resolution Passed - House (228 - 191) |
| Feb. 17, 2012 | National | HR 3630 | Extends Payroll Tax Cut | Conference Report Adopted - House (293 - 132) |
| Feb. 17, 2012 | National | HR 3630 | Extends Payroll Tax Cut | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (60 - 36) |
| Feb. 8, 2012 | National | HR 3521 | Authorizes the President to Line-Item Veto Certain Legislation | Bill Passed - House (254 - 173) |
| Feb. 3, 2012 | National | HR 3578 | Amends Budget Baseline | Bill Passed - House (235 - 177) |
| Feb. 2, 2012 | National | S Amdt 1472 | Prohibits Consideration of Bills Containing Earmarks | Amendment Rejected - Senate (40 - 59) |
| Jan. 26, 2012 | National | H J Res 98 | Disapproval of President's Authority to Raise the Debt Limit | Motion Rejected - Senate (44 - 54) |