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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 24, 2013 | National | S Amdt 1778 | Limits Interest Rates for Certain Federal Student Loans | Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 53) |
| June 6, 2013 | National | S 953 | Student Loan Affordability Act | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (51 - 46) |
| June 6, 2013 | National | S 1003 | Comprehensive Student Loan Protection Act | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (40 - 57) |
| May 23, 2013 | National | HR 1911 | Smarter Solutions for Students Act | Bill Passed - House (221 - 198) |
| June 19, 2012 | National | S Amdt 2156 | Increases Funding for the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program | Amendment Rejected - Senate (33 - 66) |
| May 24, 2012 | National | S 2343 | Extends Student Loan Interest Rates (Reid Bill) | Bill Failed - Senate (51 - 43) |
| May 24, 2012 | National | S Amdt 2153 | Prohibits Increase in Interest Rates for Student Loans (Lamar Bill) | Amendment Rejected - Senate (34 - 62) |
| May 8, 2012 | National | S 2343 | Extends Student Loan Interest Rates (Reid Bill) | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (52 - 45) |
| April 27, 2012 | National | HR 4628 | Extending Student Loan Interest Rates | Bill Passed - House (215 - 195) |
| Feb. 28, 2012 | National | HR 2117 | Repeals Department of Education Regulations | Bill Passed - House (303 - 114) |
| Nov. 17, 2011 | National | HR 2112 | Appropriations for Agriculture, Rural Development, and the Food and Drug Administration | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (70 - 30) |
| Nov. 17, 2011 | National | HR 2112 | Appropriations for Agriculture, Rural Development, and the Food and Drug Administration | Conference Report Adopted - House (298 - 121) |
| Oct. 11, 2011 | National | S 1660 | American Jobs Act of 2011 | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (50 - 49) |
| May 4, 2011 | National | HR 1214 | Repealing Funding for School-Based Health Center Construction | Bill Passed - House (235 - 191) |
| March 30, 2011 | National | HR 471 | School Vouchers for Washington, D.C. | Bill Passed - House (225 - 195) |
| Feb. 18, 2011 | National | H Amdt 94 | Prohibits Funds for the Gainful Employment Rule | Amendment Adopted - House (289 - 136) |
| Dec. 8, 2010 | National | HR 5281 | DREAM Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (216 - 198) |
| Aug. 10, 2010 | National | HR 1586 | Aid To States for Medicaid, Teacher Employment, and Other Purposes | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (247 - 161) |
| Aug. 5, 2010 | National | HR 1586 | Aid To States for Medicaid, Teacher Employment, and Other Purposes | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (61 - 39) |
| March 25, 2010 | National | HR 4872 | Health Care Reconciliation Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (220 - 207) |
| March 25, 2010 | National | HR 4872 | Health Care Reconciliation Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (220 - 207) |
| March 25, 2010 | National | HR 4872 | Health Care Reconciliation Act | Bill Passed - Senate (56 - 43) |
| March 25, 2010 | National | HR 4872 | Health Care Reconciliation Act | Bill Passed - Senate (56 - 43) |
| March 21, 2010 | National | HR 4872 | Health Care Reconciliation Act | Bill Passed - House (220 - 211) |
| March 21, 2010 | National | HR 4872 | Health Care Reconciliation Act | Bill Passed - House (220 - 211) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7/24 | S Amdt 1778 | Limits Interest Rates for Certain Federal Student Loans | Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 53) |
| 6/06 | S 953 | Student Loan Affordability Act | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (51 - 46) |
| 6/06 | S 1003 | Comprehensive Student Loan Protection Act | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (40 - 57) |
| 5/23 | HR 1911 | Smarter Solutions for Students Act | Bill Passed - House (221 - 198) |
| 6/19 | S Amdt 2156 | Increases Funding for the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program | Amendment Rejected - Senate (33 - 66) |
| 5/24 | S 2343 | Extends Student Loan Interest Rates (Reid Bill) | Bill Failed - Senate (51 - 43) |
| 5/24 | S Amdt 2153 | Prohibits Increase in Interest Rates for Student Loans (Lamar Bill) | Amendment Rejected - Senate (34 - 62) |
| 5/08 | S 2343 | Extends Student Loan Interest Rates (Reid Bill) | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (52 - 45) |
| 4/27 | HR 4628 | Extending Student Loan Interest Rates | Bill Passed - House (215 - 195) |
| 2/28 | HR 2117 | Repeals Department of Education Regulations | Bill Passed - House (303 - 114) |
| 11/17 | HR 2112 | Appropriations for Agriculture, Rural Development, and the Food and Drug Administration | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (70 - 30) |
| 11/17 | HR 2112 | Appropriations for Agriculture, Rural Development, and the Food and Drug Administration | Conference Report Adopted - House (298 - 121) |
| 10/11 | S 1660 | American Jobs Act of 2011 | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (50 - 49) |
| 5/04 | HR 1214 | Repealing Funding for School-Based Health Center Construction | Bill Passed - House (235 - 191) |
| 3/30 | HR 471 | School Vouchers for Washington, D.C. | Bill Passed - House (225 - 195) |
| 2/18 | H Amdt 94 | Prohibits Funds for the Gainful Employment Rule | Amendment Adopted - House (289 - 136) |
| 12/08 | HR 5281 | DREAM Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (216 - 198) |
| 8/10 | HR 1586 | Aid To States for Medicaid, Teacher Employment, and Other Purposes | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (247 - 161) |
| 8/05 | HR 1586 | Aid To States for Medicaid, Teacher Employment, and Other Purposes | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (61 - 39) |
| 3/25 | HR 4872 | Health Care Reconciliation Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (220 - 207) |
| 3/25 | HR 4872 | Health Care Reconciliation Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (220 - 207) |
| 3/25 | HR 4872 | Health Care Reconciliation Act | Bill Passed - Senate (56 - 43) |
| 3/25 | HR 4872 | Health Care Reconciliation Act | Bill Passed - Senate (56 - 43) |
| 3/21 | HR 4872 | Health Care Reconciliation Act | Bill Passed - House (220 - 211) |
| 3/21 | HR 4872 | Health Care Reconciliation Act | Bill Passed - House (220 - 211) |