OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

National Government Operations Key Votes

State

All States National Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana National Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming

Issue

All Issues Abortion Agriculture and Food Animals and Wildlife Arts, Entertainment, and History Budget, Spending and Taxes Business and Consumers Business, Consumers, and Employees Campaign Finance Civil Liberties and Civil Rights Conservative Constitution Criminal Justice Death Penalty Defense Drugs Economy and Fiscal Education Elections Employment and Affirmative Action Energy Entitlements and the Safety Net Environment Executive Branch Family Federal, State and Local Relations Finance and Banking Fiscally Conservative Fiscally Liberal Food Processing and Sales Foreign Affairs Foreign Aid Gambling and Gaming Government Budget and Spending Government Operations Guns Health Insurance Health and Health Care High Priority Higher Education Housing and Property Ideology Immigration Impartial/Nonpartisan Indigenous Peoples Industries Infrastructure Issues Judicial Branch K-12 Education Labor Unions Legal Legislative Branch Liberal Low Priority Marijuana Marriage Military Personnel Minors and Children Monetary Policy National Security Natural Resources Oil and Gas Populations Priorities Religion Reproduction Science Science, Technology and Communication Senior Citizens Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Social Socially Conservative Socially Liberal Stem Cell Research Taxes Technology and Communication Trade Transportation Unemployed and Low-Income Veterans Women

Year

All Years 2026 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1986 1901

Chamber

All House Senate

Keyword Search

Search string must be longer than 3 characters.

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.

Page 13 of 18
results per page:
100 75 50 25
Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
Feb. 2, 2012 National S Amdt 1472 Prohibits Consideration of Bills Containing Earmarks Amendment Rejected - Senate (40 - 59)
Feb. 2, 2012 National S 2038 Prohibits Insider Trading by Government Officials Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 3)
Feb. 2, 2012 National S 2038 Prohibits Insider Trading by Government Officials Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 3)
Feb. 2, 2012 National S 2038 Prohibits Insider Trading by Government Officials Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 3)
Feb. 1, 2012 National HR 3835 Extends Pay Freeze for Congress and Non-Military Federal Workers Bill Passed - House (309 - 117)
Feb. 1, 2012 National HR 3835 Extends Pay Freeze for Congress and Non-Military Federal Workers Bill Passed - House (309 - 117)
Jan. 26, 2012 National H J Res 98 Disapproval of President's Authority to Raise the Debt Limit Motion Rejected - Senate (44 - 54)
Jan. 26, 2012 National H J Res 98 Disapproval of President's Authority to Raise the Debt Limit Motion Rejected - Senate (44 - 54)
Jan. 18, 2012 National H J Res 98 Disapproval of President's Authority to Raise the Debt Limit Joint Resolution Passed - House (239 - 176)
Jan. 18, 2012 National H J Res 98 Disapproval of President's Authority to Raise the Debt Limit Joint Resolution Passed - House (239 - 176)
Dec. 14, 2011 National S J Res 10 Proposing a Balanced Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution (Hatch Bill) Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 53)
Dec. 14, 2011 National S J Res 24 Proposing a Balanced Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution (Udall Bill) Amendment Rejected - Senate (21 - 79)
Dec. 6, 2011 National PN 5 Nomination of Caitlin Joan Halligan to the District of Columbia Circuit Court Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (54 - 45)
Dec. 2, 2011 National HR 3010 Establishes Additional Requirements for Regulatory Agencies Bill Passed - House (253 - 167)
Dec. 1, 2011 National HR 3463 Repeals Taxpayer Financing of Presidential Election Campaigns Bill Passed - House (235 - 190)
Nov. 18, 2011 National H J Res 2 Proposing a Balanced Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution Joint Resolution Failed - House (261 - 165)
Nov. 16, 2011 National HR 822 Requiring State Reciprocity for Carrying Concealed Firearms Bill Passed - House (272 - 154)
Nov. 10, 2011 National S J Res 27 Disapproval of EPA Cross-Border Pollution Rule Motion Rejected - Senate (41 - 56)
Nov. 1, 2011 National H Con Res 13 Encourages Display of "In God We Trust" in Public Buildings and Schools Joint Resolution Passed - House (396 - 9)
Oct. 26, 2011 National HR 1904 Southeast Arizona Land Exchange and Conservation Act of 2011 Bill Passed - House (235 - 186)
Oct. 14, 2011 National HR 2273 Coal Residuals Reuse and Management Act Bill Passed - House (267 - 144)
Sept. 23, 2011 National H Amdt 799 Suspends Cross State Air Pollution Rule Amendment Adopted - House (234 - 188)
Sept. 14, 2011 National H J Res 77 Disapproval of the President's Authority to Raise the Debt Limit Joint Resolution Passed - House (232 - 186)
Aug. 2, 2011 National S 365 Budget Control Act of 2011 Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (74 - 26)
Aug. 1, 2011 National S 365 Budget Control Act of 2011 Bill Passed - House (269 - 161)
July 31, 2011 National S 627 Increasing the Debt Ceiling (Reid Bill) Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (50 - 49)
July 29, 2011 National S 627 Increasing the Debt Ceiling (Boehner Bill) Bill Tabled - Senate (59 - 41)
July 29, 2011 National S 627 Increasing the Debt Ceiling (Boehner Bill) Bill Passed - House (218 - 210)
July 22, 2011 National HR 2560 Cut, Cap and Balance Act of 2011 Bill Tabled - Senate (51 - 46)
July 19, 2011 National HR 2560 Cut, Cap and Balance Act of 2011 Bill Passed - House (234 - 190)
July 13, 2011 National HR 2018 Amending Clean Water Laws Bill Passed - House (239 - 184)
June 23, 2011 National S Amdt 499 Prohibits the Appointment of Presidential "Czars" Without Senate Approval Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 51)
June 23, 2011 National S Amdt 499 Prohibits the Appointment of Presidential "Czars" Without Senate Approval Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 51)
June 3, 2011 National H Con Res 51 Removing Armed Forces from Libya Joint Resolution Failed - House (148 - 265)
June 3, 2011 National H Res 292 Ground Forces in Libya Resolution Passed - House (268 - 145)
May 3, 2011 National HR 1213 Repealing Funding for State Health Benefit Exchanges Bill Passed - House (238 - 183)
April 1, 2011 National HR 1255 Government Shutdown Prevention Act Bill Passed - House (221 - 202)
April 1, 2011 National HR 1255 Government Shutdown Prevention Act Bill Passed - House (221 - 202)
March 30, 2011 National HR 471 School Vouchers for Washington, D.C. Bill Passed - House (225 - 195)
March 2, 2011 National S Amdt 115 Calling for a Balanced Budget Constitutional Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (58 - 40)
Feb. 19, 2011 National H Amdt 155 Prohibits Use of Funds for Step Increase for General Schedule Employees Amendment Rejected - House (191 - 230)
Dec. 2, 2010 National H Res 1737 Censure for Representative Charles Rangel Resolution Passed - House (333 - 79)
Nov. 30, 2010 National S Amdt 4697 Prohibiting Earmarks Motion Rejected - Senate (39 - 56)
Nov. 18, 2010 National HR 1722 Telework Policies and Regulations for Federal Agencies Concurrence Vote Passed - House (254 - 152)
Nov. 17, 2010 National HR 3808 Interstate Recognition of Notarizations Act of 2010 2 Veto Override Failed - House (185 - 235)
Aug. 5, 2010 National PN 1768 Elena Kagan, Associate Justice Nomination Confirmed - Senate (63 - 37)
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 4072 Inspector General Appointment Modification Amendment Adopted - Senate (75 - 21)
May 18, 2010 National S Amdt 4051 Prohibiting Funding of State and Local Governments to Prevent Defaulting on Debt Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 50)
May 18, 2010 National S Amdt 4071 Amending State Authority to Enforce Consumer Financial Regulations Amendment Adopted - Senate (80 - 18)
May 6, 2010 National HR 1722 Telework Policies and Regulations for Federal Agencies Bill Failed - House (268 - 147)
April 27, 2010 National HR 5146 Prohibiting 2010- 2011 Congressional Cost-of-Living Pay Increase Bill Passed - House (402 - 15)
March 21, 2010 National HR 3590 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Concurrence Vote Passed - House (219 - 212)
Jan. 26, 2010 National S Amdt 3302 Establishing a Federal Budget Deficit Commission Amendment Rejected - Senate (53 - 46)
Dec. 24, 2009 National HR 3590 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Bill Passed - Senate (60 - 39)
Dec. 23, 2009 National HR 3590 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Cloture Invoked - Senate (60 - 39)
Dec. 3, 2009 National HR 4154 Estate Tax Law Amendments and Reinstatement of PAYGO Bill Passed - House (225 - 200)
Nov. 19, 2009 National PN 187 David F. Hamilton, Seventh Circuit Judge Nomination Confirmed - Senate (59 - 39)
Nov. 7, 2009 National H Amdt 510 Substitute Health Care and Insurance Law Amendments Amendment Rejected - House (176 - 258)
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)
Oct. 6, 2009 National S Amdt 2588 Prohibiting Federal Funding of Mandatory Arbitration Contracts Amendment Adopted - Senate (68 - 30)
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. 17, 2009 National HR 3221 Prohibiting Federal Assistance to ACORN Motion Agreed - House (345 - 75)
Sept. 17, 2009 National HR 3221 Prohibiting Federal Assistance to ACORN Bill Passed - House (253 - 171)
Sept. 15, 2009 National H Res 744 Resolution of Disapproval of Representative Joe Wilson's Conduct Resolution Passed - House (240 - 179)
Sept. 15, 2009 National H Res 744 Resolution of Disapproval of Representative Joe Wilson's Conduct Resolution Passed - House (240 - 179)
Sept. 14, 2009 National S Amdt 2355 Prohibiting Funding for ACORN Amendment Adopted - Senate (83 - 7)
Aug. 6, 2009 National PN 506 Sonia Sotomayor, Associate Justice Nomination Confirmed - Senate (68 - 31)
Aug. 6, 2009 National PN 506 Sonia Sotomayor, Associate Justice Nomination Confirmed - Senate (68 - 31)
July 22, 2009 National S Amdt 1618 Authorizing Concealed Firearms Across State Lines Amendment Rejected - Senate (58 - 39)
July 21, 2009 National S Amdt 1469 Repealing Funding for F-22 Aircraft Procurement Amendment Adopted - Senate (58 - 40)
Feb. 26, 2009 National S 160 Washington DC Voting Act Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 37)
Feb. 26, 2009 National S 160 Washington DC Voting Act Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 37)
Feb. 26, 2009 National S 160 Washington DC Voting Act Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 37)
Date No. Title Outcome
2/02 S Amdt 1472 Prohibits Consideration of Bills Containing Earmarks Amendment Rejected - Senate (40 - 59)
2/02 S 2038 Prohibits Insider Trading by Government Officials Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 3)
2/02 S 2038 Prohibits Insider Trading by Government Officials Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 3)
2/02 S 2038 Prohibits Insider Trading by Government Officials Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 3)
2/01 HR 3835 Extends Pay Freeze for Congress and Non-Military Federal Workers Bill Passed - House (309 - 117)
2/01 HR 3835 Extends Pay Freeze for Congress and Non-Military Federal Workers Bill Passed - House (309 - 117)
1/26 H J Res 98 Disapproval of President's Authority to Raise the Debt Limit Motion Rejected - Senate (44 - 54)
1/26 H J Res 98 Disapproval of President's Authority to Raise the Debt Limit Motion Rejected - Senate (44 - 54)
1/18 H J Res 98 Disapproval of President's Authority to Raise the Debt Limit Joint Resolution Passed - House (239 - 176)
1/18 H J Res 98 Disapproval of President's Authority to Raise the Debt Limit Joint Resolution Passed - House (239 - 176)
12/14 S J Res 10 Proposing a Balanced Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution (Hatch Bill) Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 53)
12/14 S J Res 24 Proposing a Balanced Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution (Udall Bill) Amendment Rejected - Senate (21 - 79)
12/06 PN 5 Nomination of Caitlin Joan Halligan to the District of Columbia Circuit Court Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (54 - 45)
12/02 HR 3010 Establishes Additional Requirements for Regulatory Agencies Bill Passed - House (253 - 167)
12/01 HR 3463 Repeals Taxpayer Financing of Presidential Election Campaigns Bill Passed - House (235 - 190)
11/18 H J Res 2 Proposing a Balanced Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution Joint Resolution Failed - House (261 - 165)
11/16 HR 822 Requiring State Reciprocity for Carrying Concealed Firearms Bill Passed - House (272 - 154)
11/10 S J Res 27 Disapproval of EPA Cross-Border Pollution Rule Motion Rejected - Senate (41 - 56)
11/01 H Con Res 13 Encourages Display of "In God We Trust" in Public Buildings and Schools Joint Resolution Passed - House (396 - 9)
10/26 HR 1904 Southeast Arizona Land Exchange and Conservation Act of 2011 Bill Passed - House (235 - 186)
10/14 HR 2273 Coal Residuals Reuse and Management Act Bill Passed - House (267 - 144)
9/23 H Amdt 799 Suspends Cross State Air Pollution Rule Amendment Adopted - House (234 - 188)
9/14 H J Res 77 Disapproval of the President's Authority to Raise the Debt Limit Joint Resolution Passed - House (232 - 186)
8/02 S 365 Budget Control Act of 2011 Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (74 - 26)
8/01 S 365 Budget Control Act of 2011 Bill Passed - House (269 - 161)
7/31 S 627 Increasing the Debt Ceiling (Reid Bill) Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (50 - 49)
7/29 S 627 Increasing the Debt Ceiling (Boehner Bill) Bill Tabled - Senate (59 - 41)
7/29 S 627 Increasing the Debt Ceiling (Boehner Bill) Bill Passed - House (218 - 210)
7/22 HR 2560 Cut, Cap and Balance Act of 2011 Bill Tabled - Senate (51 - 46)
7/19 HR 2560 Cut, Cap and Balance Act of 2011 Bill Passed - House (234 - 190)
7/13 HR 2018 Amending Clean Water Laws Bill Passed - House (239 - 184)
6/23 S Amdt 499 Prohibits the Appointment of Presidential "Czars" Without Senate Approval Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 51)
6/23 S Amdt 499 Prohibits the Appointment of Presidential "Czars" Without Senate Approval Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 51)
6/03 H Con Res 51 Removing Armed Forces from Libya Joint Resolution Failed - House (148 - 265)
6/03 H Res 292 Ground Forces in Libya Resolution Passed - House (268 - 145)
5/03 HR 1213 Repealing Funding for State Health Benefit Exchanges Bill Passed - House (238 - 183)
4/01 HR 1255 Government Shutdown Prevention Act Bill Passed - House (221 - 202)
4/01 HR 1255 Government Shutdown Prevention Act Bill Passed - House (221 - 202)
3/30 HR 471 School Vouchers for Washington, D.C. Bill Passed - House (225 - 195)
3/02 S Amdt 115 Calling for a Balanced Budget Constitutional Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (58 - 40)
2/19 H Amdt 155 Prohibits Use of Funds for Step Increase for General Schedule Employees Amendment Rejected - House (191 - 230)
12/02 H Res 1737 Censure for Representative Charles Rangel Resolution Passed - House (333 - 79)
11/30 S Amdt 4697 Prohibiting Earmarks Motion Rejected - Senate (39 - 56)
11/18 HR 1722 Telework Policies and Regulations for Federal Agencies Concurrence Vote Passed - House (254 - 152)
11/17 HR 3808 Interstate Recognition of Notarizations Act of 2010 2 Veto Override Failed - House (185 - 235)
8/05 PN 1768 Elena Kagan, Associate Justice Nomination Confirmed - Senate (63 - 37)
5/18 S Amdt 4034 Federal Preemption Over State Consumer Financial Laws Amendment Rejected - Senate (43 - 55)
5/18 S Amdt 4072 Inspector General Appointment Modification Amendment Adopted - Senate (75 - 21)
5/18 S Amdt 4051 Prohibiting Funding of State and Local Governments to Prevent Defaulting on Debt Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 50)
5/18 S Amdt 4071 Amending State Authority to Enforce Consumer Financial Regulations Amendment Adopted - Senate (80 - 18)
5/06 HR 1722 Telework Policies and Regulations for Federal Agencies Bill Failed - House (268 - 147)
4/27 HR 5146 Prohibiting 2010- 2011 Congressional Cost-of-Living Pay Increase Bill Passed - House (402 - 15)
3/21 HR 3590 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Concurrence Vote Passed - House (219 - 212)
1/26 S Amdt 3302 Establishing a Federal Budget Deficit Commission Amendment Rejected - Senate (53 - 46)
12/24 HR 3590 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Bill Passed - Senate (60 - 39)
12/23 HR 3590 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Cloture Invoked - Senate (60 - 39)
12/03 HR 4154 Estate Tax Law Amendments and Reinstatement of PAYGO Bill Passed - House (225 - 200)
11/19 PN 187 David F. Hamilton, Seventh Circuit Judge Nomination Confirmed - Senate (59 - 39)
11/07 H Amdt 510 Substitute Health Care and Insurance Law Amendments Amendment Rejected - House (176 - 258)
10/07 H Res 805 Removing Rep. Charles Rangel as Chairman of House Committee on Ways and Means Motion Agreed - House (246 - 153)
10/06 S Amdt 2588 Prohibiting Federal Funding of Mandatory Arbitration Contracts Amendment Adopted - Senate (68 - 30)
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)
9/17 HR 3221 Prohibiting Federal Assistance to ACORN Motion Agreed - House (345 - 75)
9/17 HR 3221 Prohibiting Federal Assistance to ACORN Bill Passed - House (253 - 171)
9/15 H Res 744 Resolution of Disapproval of Representative Joe Wilson's Conduct Resolution Passed - House (240 - 179)
9/15 H Res 744 Resolution of Disapproval of Representative Joe Wilson's Conduct Resolution Passed - House (240 - 179)
9/14 S Amdt 2355 Prohibiting Funding for ACORN Amendment Adopted - Senate (83 - 7)
8/06 PN 506 Sonia Sotomayor, Associate Justice Nomination Confirmed - Senate (68 - 31)
8/06 PN 506 Sonia Sotomayor, Associate Justice Nomination Confirmed - Senate (68 - 31)
7/22 S Amdt 1618 Authorizing Concealed Firearms Across State Lines Amendment Rejected - Senate (58 - 39)
7/21 S Amdt 1469 Repealing Funding for F-22 Aircraft Procurement Amendment Adopted - Senate (58 - 40)
2/26 S 160 Washington DC Voting Act Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 37)
2/26 S 160 Washington DC Voting Act Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 37)
2/26 S 160 Washington DC Voting Act Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 37)
Page 13 of 18
arrow_upward