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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov. 30, 2010 | National | S Amdt 4697 | Prohibiting Earmarks | Motion Rejected - Senate (39 - 56) |
| April 27, 2010 | National | HR 5146 | Prohibiting 2010- 2011 Congressional Cost-of-Living Pay Increase | Bill Passed - House (402 - 15) |
| Jan. 26, 2010 | National | S Amdt 3302 | Establishing a Federal Budget Deficit Commission | Amendment Rejected - Senate (53 - 46) |
| Oct. 7, 2009 | National | H Res 805 | Removing Rep. Charles Rangel as Chairman of House Committee on Ways and Means | Motion Agreed - House (246 - 153) |
| Sept. 30, 2009 | National | HR 2918 | Continuing Appropriations Resolution and 2009-2010 Legislative Appropriations | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (62 - 38) |
| Sept. 25, 2009 | National | HR 2918 | Continuing Appropriations Resolution and 2009-2010 Legislative Appropriations | Conference Report Adopted - House (217 - 190) |
| Sept. 15, 2009 | National | H Res 744 | Resolution of Disapproval of Representative Joe Wilson's Conduct | Resolution Passed - House (240 - 179) |
| Feb. 26, 2009 | National | S 160 | Washington DC Voting Act | Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 37) |
| April 10, 2008 | National | H Res 1092 | Postponing the Consideration of the Trade Agreement with Colombia | Resolution Passed - House (224 - 195) |
| March 13, 2008 | National | S Amdt 4347 | Earmark Moratorium | Motion Rejected - Senate (29 - 71) |
| March 11, 2008 | National | H Res 1031 | Establishment of the Office of Congressional Ethics | Resolution Passed - House (229 - 182) |
| Feb. 14, 2008 | National | H Res 982 | Contempt Charges | Resolution Passed - House (223 - 32) |
| Sept. 18, 2007 | National | S 1257 | District of Columbia House Voting Rights Act of 2007 | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (57 - 42) |
| Aug. 2, 2007 | National | S 1 | Lobbying and Donation Regulations | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (83 - 14) |
| July 31, 2007 | National | S 1 | Lobbying and Donation Regulations | Bill Passed - House (411 - 8) |
| April 19, 2007 | National | HR 1905 | District of Columbia House Voting Rights Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - House (241 - 177) |
| Sept. 26, 2006 | National | N/A | Motion to Resolve Into Secret Session | Motion Rejected - House (171 - 217) |
| June 7, 2006 | National | HR 5521 | Legislative Branch FY 2007 Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - House (361 - 53) |
| May 3, 2006 | National | HR 4975 | 527 Reform Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (217 - 213) |
| March 30, 2006 | National | H Res 746 | Jack Abramoff Investigation Resolution | Resolution Tabled - House (216 - 193) |
| Oct. 18, 2005 | National | S Amdt 2062 | Congressional Pay Raise Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (92 - 6) |
| Sept. 15, 2005 | National | S Amdt 1678 | Hurricane Katrina Relief Amendment | Motion Rejected - Senate (43 - 52) |
| Sept. 15, 2005 | National | H Res 437 | Bipartisan Committee to Investigate Hurricane Katrina | Resolution Passed - House (224 - 188) |
| Sept. 14, 2005 | National | S Amdt 1670 | Special Committee on Contracts in Afghanistan and Iraq | Motion Rejected - Senate (44 - 53) |
| July 29, 2005 | National | HR 2985 | Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2006 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (96 - 4) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11/30 | S Amdt 4697 | Prohibiting Earmarks | Motion Rejected - Senate (39 - 56) |
| 4/27 | HR 5146 | Prohibiting 2010- 2011 Congressional Cost-of-Living Pay Increase | Bill Passed - House (402 - 15) |
| 1/26 | S Amdt 3302 | Establishing a Federal Budget Deficit Commission | Amendment Rejected - Senate (53 - 46) |
| 10/07 | H Res 805 | Removing Rep. Charles Rangel as Chairman of House Committee on Ways and Means | Motion Agreed - House (246 - 153) |
| 9/30 | HR 2918 | Continuing Appropriations Resolution and 2009-2010 Legislative Appropriations | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (62 - 38) |
| 9/25 | HR 2918 | Continuing Appropriations Resolution and 2009-2010 Legislative Appropriations | Conference Report Adopted - House (217 - 190) |
| 9/15 | H Res 744 | Resolution of Disapproval of Representative Joe Wilson's Conduct | Resolution Passed - House (240 - 179) |
| 2/26 | S 160 | Washington DC Voting Act | Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 37) |
| 4/10 | H Res 1092 | Postponing the Consideration of the Trade Agreement with Colombia | Resolution Passed - House (224 - 195) |
| 3/13 | S Amdt 4347 | Earmark Moratorium | Motion Rejected - Senate (29 - 71) |
| 3/11 | H Res 1031 | Establishment of the Office of Congressional Ethics | Resolution Passed - House (229 - 182) |
| 2/14 | H Res 982 | Contempt Charges | Resolution Passed - House (223 - 32) |
| 9/18 | S 1257 | District of Columbia House Voting Rights Act of 2007 | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (57 - 42) |
| 8/02 | S 1 | Lobbying and Donation Regulations | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (83 - 14) |
| 7/31 | S 1 | Lobbying and Donation Regulations | Bill Passed - House (411 - 8) |
| 4/19 | HR 1905 | District of Columbia House Voting Rights Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - House (241 - 177) |
| 9/26 | N/A | Motion to Resolve Into Secret Session | Motion Rejected - House (171 - 217) |
| 6/07 | HR 5521 | Legislative Branch FY 2007 Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - House (361 - 53) |
| 5/03 | HR 4975 | 527 Reform Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (217 - 213) |
| 3/30 | H Res 746 | Jack Abramoff Investigation Resolution | Resolution Tabled - House (216 - 193) |
| 10/18 | S Amdt 2062 | Congressional Pay Raise Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (92 - 6) |
| 9/15 | S Amdt 1678 | Hurricane Katrina Relief Amendment | Motion Rejected - Senate (43 - 52) |
| 9/15 | H Res 437 | Bipartisan Committee to Investigate Hurricane Katrina | Resolution Passed - House (224 - 188) |
| 9/14 | S Amdt 1670 | Special Committee on Contracts in Afghanistan and Iraq | Motion Rejected - Senate (44 - 53) |
| 7/29 | HR 2985 | Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2006 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (96 - 4) |