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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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. 1, 2011 | National | S 365 | Budget Control Act of 2011 | Bill Passed - House (269 - 161) |
| July 29, 2011 | National | S 627 | Increasing the Debt Ceiling (Boehner Bill) | Bill Passed - House (218 - 210) |
| 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 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) |
| 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. 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) |
| 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) |
| Dec. 3, 2009 | National | HR 4154 | Estate Tax Law Amendments and Reinstatement of PAYGO | Bill Passed - House (225 - 200) |
| 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) |
| 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) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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) |
| 8/01 | S 365 | Budget Control Act of 2011 | Bill Passed - House (269 - 161) |
| 7/29 | S 627 | Increasing the Debt Ceiling (Boehner Bill) | Bill Passed - House (218 - 210) |
| 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) |
| 6/03 | 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) |
| 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) |
| 11/18 | 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) |
| 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) |
| 12/03 | HR 4154 | Estate Tax Law Amendments and Reinstatement of PAYGO | Bill Passed - House (225 - 200) |
| 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) |
| 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) |