National Legislative Branch 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
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)

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