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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct. 18, 2011 | National | S Amdt 740 | Repeals Funding for Trade Adjustment Assistance for Firms | Amendment Rejected - Senate (44 - 55) |
| Oct. 18, 2011 | National | S Amdt 740 | Repeals Funding for Trade Adjustment Assistance for Firms | Amendment Rejected - Senate (44 - 55) |
| Oct. 12, 2011 | National | HR 3079 | Trade Promotion Agreement with Panama | Bill Passed - Senate (77 - 22) |
| Oct. 12, 2011 | National | HR 3080 | Free Trade Agreement with Korea | Bill Passed - Senate (83 - 15) |
| Oct. 12, 2011 | National | HR 3078 | Trade Promotion Agreement with Colombia | Bill Passed - Senate (66 - 33) |
| Oct. 11, 2011 | National | S 1619 | Currency Exchange Rate Oversight Act of 2011 | Bill Passed - Senate (63 - 35) |
| Sept. 22, 2011 | National | S Amdt 633 | Extends Trade Adjustment Assistance | Amendment Adopted - Senate (69 - 28) |
| Sept. 21, 2011 | National | S Amdt 625 | Reducing and Extending Trade Adjustment Assistance | Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 53) |
| Sept. 21, 2011 | National | S Amdt 645 | Repeals the Trade Adjustment Assistance Program for Firms | Amendment Rejected - Senate (43 - 54) |
| Sept. 21, 2011 | National | S Amdt 645 | Repeals the Trade Adjustment Assistance Program for Firms | Amendment Rejected - Senate (43 - 54) |
| Sept. 21, 2011 | National | S Amdt 641 | Requires Extension of Trade Adjustment Assistance to be Contingent Upon Ratification of Free Trade Agreements with Columbia, Korea and Panama | Amendment Rejected - Senate (44 - 54) |
| Sept. 21, 2011 | National | S Amdt 642 | Modifies Eligibility Requirements for Trade Adjustment Assistance | Amendment Rejected - Senate (40 - 57) |
| Sept. 8, 2011 | National | HR 1249 | Patent Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (89 - 9) |
| June 9, 2011 | National | S Amdt 390 | Amending Small Business Regulations | Amendment Rejected - Senate (53 - 46) |
| June 8, 2011 | National | S Amdt 392 | Debit Card Transactions | Amendment Rejected - Senate (54 - 45) |
| June 8, 2011 | National | S Amdt 392 | Debit Card Transactions | Amendment Rejected - Senate (54 - 45) |
| April 5, 2011 | National | HR 4 | Repeals the Form 1099 Provision in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act | Bill Passed - Senate (87 - 12) |
| Feb. 2, 2011 | National | S Amdt 9 | Repealing the IRS 1099 Provision from the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act | Motion Agreed - Senate (81 - 17) |
| Feb. 2, 2011 | National | S Amdt 28 | Repealing the IRS 1099 Provision from the Health Care Law | Amendment Rejected - Senate (44 - 54) |
| Feb. 2, 2011 | National | S Amdt 28 | Repealing the IRS 1099 Provision from the Health Care Law | Amendment Rejected - Senate (44 - 54) |
| Sept. 28, 2010 | National | S 3816 | Tax Law Amendments | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 45) |
| Sept. 16, 2010 | National | HR 5297 | Small Business Lending Fund and Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 38) |
| Sept. 16, 2010 | National | HR 5297 | Small Business Lending Fund and Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 38) |
| Sept. 14, 2010 | National | S Amdt 4595 | Business Transaction Reporting Requirement Amendments | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (56 - 42) |
| July 29, 2010 | National | S Amdt 4519 | Small Business Lending Fund and Tax Law Amendments | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (58 - 42) |
| July 29, 2010 | National | S Amdt 4519 | Small Business Lending Fund and Tax Law Amendments | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (58 - 42) |
| July 15, 2010 | National | HR 4173 | Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (60 - 39) |
| July 15, 2010 | National | HR 4173 | Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (60 - 39) |
| May 20, 2010 | National | HR 4173 | Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act | Bill Passed - Senate (59 - 39) |
| May 20, 2010 | National | HR 4173 | Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act | Bill Passed - Senate (59 - 39) |
| May 19, 2010 | National | S Amdt 3746 | Allowing States to Limit Credit Card Interest Rates | Amendment Rejected - Senate (35 - 60) |
| May 19, 2010 | National | S Amdt 3746 | Allowing States to Limit Credit Card Interest Rates | Amendment Rejected - Senate (35 - 60) |
| May 18, 2010 | National | S Amdt 4114 | Credit Default Swap Regulations | Amendment Tabled - Senate (57 - 38) |
| May 18, 2010 | National | S Amdt 4072 | Inspector General Appointment Modification | Amendment Adopted - Senate (75 - 21) |
| May 18, 2010 | National | S Amdt 4071 | Amending State Authority to Enforce Consumer Financial Regulations | Amendment Adopted - Senate (80 - 18) |
| May 18, 2010 | National | S Amdt 4071 | Amending State Authority to Enforce Consumer Financial Regulations | Amendment Adopted - Senate (80 - 18) |
| May 18, 2010 | National | S Amdt 4034 | Federal Preemption Over State Consumer Financial Laws | Amendment Rejected - Senate (43 - 55) |
| May 18, 2010 | National | S Amdt 4034 | Federal Preemption Over State Consumer Financial Laws | Amendment Rejected - Senate (43 - 55) |
| May 13, 2010 | National | S Amdt 3832 | Establishing Bankruptcy Process for Non-bank Financial Institutions | Amendment Rejected - Senate (42 - 58) |
| May 13, 2010 | National | S Amdt 3987 | Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection Termination | Amendment Rejected - Senate (40 - 55) |
| May 13, 2010 | National | S Amdt 3987 | Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection Termination | Amendment Rejected - Senate (40 - 55) |
| May 13, 2010 | National | S Amdt 3991 | Credit Rating Agency Board | Amendment Adopted - Senate (64 - 35) |
| May 13, 2010 | National | S Amdt 3989 | Debit Card Fee Regulations | Amendment Adopted - Senate (64 - 33) |
| May 13, 2010 | National | S Amdt 3989 | Debit Card Fee Regulations | Amendment Adopted - Senate (64 - 33) |
| May 12, 2010 | National | S Amdt 3955 | Establishing New Mortgage Underwriting Requirements and Eliminating a Risk Retention Requirement | Amendment Rejected - Senate (42 - 57) |
| May 12, 2010 | National | S Amdt 3962 | Home Loan Regulation Modifications | Amendment Adopted - Senate (63 - 36) |
| May 12, 2010 | National | S Amdt 3816 | Derivatives Regulation Modifications | Amendment Rejected - Senate (39 - 59) |
| May 11, 2010 | National | S Amdt 3938 | Study on Ending the Conservatorships of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac | Amendment Adopted - Senate (63 - 36) |
| May 11, 2010 | National | S Amdt 3760 | Federal Reserve Audit | Amendment Rejected - Senate (37 - 62) |
| May 6, 2010 | National | S Amdt 3826 | Consumer Financial Protection Division Within The FDIC | Amendment Rejected - Senate (38 - 61) |
| Feb. 24, 2010 | National | HR 2847 | Employment, Infrastructure, and Transportation Appropriations and Tax Credits ("Senate Jobs Bill") | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (70 - 28) |
| Jan. 28, 2010 | National | PN 959 | Ben S. Bernanke, Federal Reserve Chairman | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (70 - 30) |
| Oct. 6, 2009 | National | S Amdt 2588 | Prohibiting Federal Funding of Mandatory Arbitration Contracts | Amendment Adopted - Senate (68 - 30) |
| Feb. 4, 2009 | National | S Amdt 279 | Removing the Buy American Clause | Amendment Rejected - Senate (31 - 65) |
| Feb. 4, 2009 | National | S Amdt 279 | Removing the Buy American Clause | Amendment Rejected - Senate (31 - 65) |
| Jan. 15, 2009 | National | S J Res 5 | Releasing Funds for Economic Stabilization Act | Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (42 - 52) |
| Oct. 1, 2008 | National | HR 1424 | Financial Asset Purchase Authority and Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (74 - 25) |
| July 31, 2008 | National | HR 4040 | Consumer Product Safety Commission Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (89 - 3) |
| June 25, 2008 | National | S Amdt 4983 | Housing Foreclosure Assistance Programs | Amendment Adopted - Senate (79 - 16) |
| May 22, 2008 | National | HR 2419 | Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) | Veto Override Passed - Senate (82 - 13) |
| May 15, 2008 | National | HR 2419 | Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (81 - 15) |
| March 14, 2008 | National | S Amdt 4299 | Expressing the Sense of the Senate on the Legalization of Importing Certain Prescription Drugs | Amendment Adopted - Senate (73 - 23) |
| March 6, 2008 | National | HR 4040 | Consumer Product Safety Commission Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (79 - 13) |
| Dec. 4, 2007 | National | HR 3688 | United States-Peru Trade Agreement | Bill Passed - Senate (77 - 18) |
| Sept. 11, 2007 | National | S Amdt 2797 | Limiting Mexican Trucks to Commercial Zones Near the Border Between the U.S. and Mexico | Amendment Adopted - Senate (75 - 23) |
| June 19, 2007 | National | S Amdt 1519 | Preventing Petroleum Export Organizations (NOPEC Act of 2007) | Amendment Adopted - Senate (70 - 23) |
| May 7, 2007 | National | S Amdt 1010 | FDA Drug Import Certification Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (49 - 40) |
| Sept. 19, 2006 | National | HR 5684 | U.S.-Oman Free Trade Agreement Implementation | Bill Passed - Senate (62 - 32) |
| Sept. 13, 2006 | National | S Amdt 4999 | Security of Cargo Containers Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (43 - 55) |
| June 29, 2006 | National | S 3569 | U.S. -Oman Free Trade Agreement | Bill Passed - Senate (60 - 34) |
| March 14, 2006 | National | S Amdt 3013 | Reinstate Pay-As-You-Go through 2011 Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (50 - 50) |
| July 28, 2005 | National | HR 3045 | CAFTA Implementation Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (55 - 45) |
| July 26, 2005 | National | S Amdt 1351 | Corporate Financing of Terrorism Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 51) |
| June 30, 2005 | National | S 1307 | CAFTA Implementation Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (54 - 45) |
| March 10, 2005 | National | S 256 | Bankruptcy Reform Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (74 - 25) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10/18 | S Amdt 740 | Repeals Funding for Trade Adjustment Assistance for Firms | Amendment Rejected - Senate (44 - 55) |
| 10/18 | S Amdt 740 | Repeals Funding for Trade Adjustment Assistance for Firms | Amendment Rejected - Senate (44 - 55) |
| 10/12 | HR 3079 | Trade Promotion Agreement with Panama | Bill Passed - Senate (77 - 22) |
| 10/12 | HR 3080 | Free Trade Agreement with Korea | Bill Passed - Senate (83 - 15) |
| 10/12 | HR 3078 | Trade Promotion Agreement with Colombia | Bill Passed - Senate (66 - 33) |
| 10/11 | S 1619 | Currency Exchange Rate Oversight Act of 2011 | Bill Passed - Senate (63 - 35) |
| 9/22 | S Amdt 633 | Extends Trade Adjustment Assistance | Amendment Adopted - Senate (69 - 28) |
| 9/21 | S Amdt 625 | Reducing and Extending Trade Adjustment Assistance | Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 53) |
| 9/21 | S Amdt 645 | Repeals the Trade Adjustment Assistance Program for Firms | Amendment Rejected - Senate (43 - 54) |
| 9/21 | S Amdt 645 | Repeals the Trade Adjustment Assistance Program for Firms | Amendment Rejected - Senate (43 - 54) |
| 9/21 | S Amdt 641 | Requires Extension of Trade Adjustment Assistance to be Contingent Upon Ratification of Free Trade Agreements with Columbia, Korea and Panama | Amendment Rejected - Senate (44 - 54) |
| 9/21 | S Amdt 642 | Modifies Eligibility Requirements for Trade Adjustment Assistance | Amendment Rejected - Senate (40 - 57) |
| 9/08 | HR 1249 | Patent Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (89 - 9) |
| 6/09 | S Amdt 390 | Amending Small Business Regulations | Amendment Rejected - Senate (53 - 46) |
| 6/08 | S Amdt 392 | Debit Card Transactions | Amendment Rejected - Senate (54 - 45) |
| 6/08 | S Amdt 392 | Debit Card Transactions | Amendment Rejected - Senate (54 - 45) |
| 4/05 | HR 4 | Repeals the Form 1099 Provision in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act | Bill Passed - Senate (87 - 12) |
| 2/02 | S Amdt 9 | Repealing the IRS 1099 Provision from the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act | Motion Agreed - Senate (81 - 17) |
| 2/02 | S Amdt 28 | Repealing the IRS 1099 Provision from the Health Care Law | Amendment Rejected - Senate (44 - 54) |
| 2/02 | S Amdt 28 | Repealing the IRS 1099 Provision from the Health Care Law | Amendment Rejected - Senate (44 - 54) |
| 9/28 | S 3816 | Tax Law Amendments | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 45) |
| 9/16 | HR 5297 | Small Business Lending Fund and Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 38) |
| 9/16 | HR 5297 | Small Business Lending Fund and Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 38) |
| 9/14 | S Amdt 4595 | Business Transaction Reporting Requirement Amendments | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (56 - 42) |
| 7/29 | S Amdt 4519 | Small Business Lending Fund and Tax Law Amendments | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (58 - 42) |
| 7/29 | S Amdt 4519 | Small Business Lending Fund and Tax Law Amendments | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (58 - 42) |
| 7/15 | HR 4173 | Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (60 - 39) |
| 7/15 | HR 4173 | Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (60 - 39) |
| 5/20 | HR 4173 | Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act | Bill Passed - Senate (59 - 39) |
| 5/20 | HR 4173 | Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act | Bill Passed - Senate (59 - 39) |
| 5/19 | S Amdt 3746 | Allowing States to Limit Credit Card Interest Rates | Amendment Rejected - Senate (35 - 60) |
| 5/19 | S Amdt 3746 | Allowing States to Limit Credit Card Interest Rates | Amendment Rejected - Senate (35 - 60) |
| 5/18 | S Amdt 4114 | Credit Default Swap Regulations | Amendment Tabled - Senate (57 - 38) |
| 5/18 | S Amdt 4072 | Inspector General Appointment Modification | Amendment Adopted - Senate (75 - 21) |
| 5/18 | S Amdt 4071 | Amending State Authority to Enforce Consumer Financial Regulations | Amendment Adopted - Senate (80 - 18) |
| 5/18 | S Amdt 4071 | Amending State Authority to Enforce Consumer Financial Regulations | Amendment Adopted - Senate (80 - 18) |
| 5/18 | S Amdt 4034 | Federal Preemption Over State Consumer Financial Laws | Amendment Rejected - Senate (43 - 55) |
| 5/18 | S Amdt 4034 | Federal Preemption Over State Consumer Financial Laws | Amendment Rejected - Senate (43 - 55) |
| 5/13 | S Amdt 3832 | Establishing Bankruptcy Process for Non-bank Financial Institutions | Amendment Rejected - Senate (42 - 58) |
| 5/13 | S Amdt 3987 | Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection Termination | Amendment Rejected - Senate (40 - 55) |
| 5/13 | S Amdt 3987 | Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection Termination | Amendment Rejected - Senate (40 - 55) |
| 5/13 | S Amdt 3991 | Credit Rating Agency Board | Amendment Adopted - Senate (64 - 35) |
| 5/13 | S Amdt 3989 | Debit Card Fee Regulations | Amendment Adopted - Senate (64 - 33) |
| 5/13 | S Amdt 3989 | Debit Card Fee Regulations | Amendment Adopted - Senate (64 - 33) |
| 5/12 | S Amdt 3955 | Establishing New Mortgage Underwriting Requirements and Eliminating a Risk Retention Requirement | Amendment Rejected - Senate (42 - 57) |
| 5/12 | S Amdt 3962 | Home Loan Regulation Modifications | Amendment Adopted - Senate (63 - 36) |
| 5/12 | S Amdt 3816 | Derivatives Regulation Modifications | Amendment Rejected - Senate (39 - 59) |
| 5/11 | S Amdt 3938 | Study on Ending the Conservatorships of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac | Amendment Adopted - Senate (63 - 36) |
| 5/11 | S Amdt 3760 | Federal Reserve Audit | Amendment Rejected - Senate (37 - 62) |
| 5/06 | S Amdt 3826 | Consumer Financial Protection Division Within The FDIC | Amendment Rejected - Senate (38 - 61) |
| 2/24 | HR 2847 | Employment, Infrastructure, and Transportation Appropriations and Tax Credits ("Senate Jobs Bill") | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (70 - 28) |
| 1/28 | PN 959 | Ben S. Bernanke, Federal Reserve Chairman | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (70 - 30) |
| 10/06 | S Amdt 2588 | Prohibiting Federal Funding of Mandatory Arbitration Contracts | Amendment Adopted - Senate (68 - 30) |
| 2/04 | S Amdt 279 | Removing the Buy American Clause | Amendment Rejected - Senate (31 - 65) |
| 2/04 | S Amdt 279 | Removing the Buy American Clause | Amendment Rejected - Senate (31 - 65) |
| 1/15 | S J Res 5 | Releasing Funds for Economic Stabilization Act | Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (42 - 52) |
| 10/01 | HR 1424 | Financial Asset Purchase Authority and Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (74 - 25) |
| 7/31 | HR 4040 | Consumer Product Safety Commission Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (89 - 3) |
| 6/25 | S Amdt 4983 | Housing Foreclosure Assistance Programs | Amendment Adopted - Senate (79 - 16) |
| 5/22 | HR 2419 | Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) | Veto Override Passed - Senate (82 - 13) |
| 5/15 | HR 2419 | Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (81 - 15) |
| 3/14 | S Amdt 4299 | Expressing the Sense of the Senate on the Legalization of Importing Certain Prescription Drugs | Amendment Adopted - Senate (73 - 23) |
| 3/06 | HR 4040 | Consumer Product Safety Commission Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (79 - 13) |
| 12/04 | HR 3688 | United States-Peru Trade Agreement | Bill Passed - Senate (77 - 18) |
| 9/11 | S Amdt 2797 | Limiting Mexican Trucks to Commercial Zones Near the Border Between the U.S. and Mexico | Amendment Adopted - Senate (75 - 23) |
| 6/19 | S Amdt 1519 | Preventing Petroleum Export Organizations (NOPEC Act of 2007) | Amendment Adopted - Senate (70 - 23) |
| 5/07 | S Amdt 1010 | FDA Drug Import Certification Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (49 - 40) |
| 9/19 | HR 5684 | U.S.-Oman Free Trade Agreement Implementation | Bill Passed - Senate (62 - 32) |
| 9/13 | S Amdt 4999 | Security of Cargo Containers Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (43 - 55) |
| 6/29 | S 3569 | U.S. -Oman Free Trade Agreement | Bill Passed - Senate (60 - 34) |
| 3/14 | S Amdt 3013 | Reinstate Pay-As-You-Go through 2011 Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (50 - 50) |
| 7/28 | HR 3045 | CAFTA Implementation Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (55 - 45) |
| 7/26 | S Amdt 1351 | Corporate Financing of Terrorism Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 51) |
| 6/30 | S 1307 | CAFTA Implementation Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (54 - 45) |
| 3/10 | S 256 | Bankruptcy Reform Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (74 - 25) |