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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 20, 2016 | National | S Amdt 4750 | Fix Gun Checks Act of 2016 | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (44 - 56) |
| June 20, 2016 | National | S Amdt 4751 | Protecting Communities and Preserving the Second Amendment Act of 2016 | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 47) |
| June 20, 2016 | National | S Amdt 4749 | Authorizes the Attorney General to Delay Transfer of Firearms to Suspected Terrorists | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 47) |
| Feb. 26, 2016 | National | HR 2406 | Sportsmen's Heritage and Recreational Enhancement (SHARE) Act of 2015 | Bill Passed - House (242 - 161) |
| Dec. 3, 2015 | National | S Amdt 2915 | Defend Our Capital Act of 2015 | Amendment Rejected - Senate (54 - 45) |
| Dec. 3, 2015 | National | S Amdt 2910 | Denying Firearms and Explosives to Dangerous Terrorists Act of 2015 | Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 54) |
| July 16, 2014 | National | H Amdt 1098 | Prohibits District of Columbia from Implementing Certain Firearm Laws | Amendment Adopted - House (241 - 181) |
| April 17, 2013 | National | S Amdt 711 | Prohibits the Sale of Assault Weapons | Amendment Rejected - Senate (40 - 60) |
| April 17, 2013 | National | S Amdt 715 | Public Safety and Second Amendment Rights Protection Act | Amendment Rejected - Senate (54 - 46) |
| April 17, 2013 | National | S Amdt 719 | Authorizes Reciprocity for the Carrying of Certain Concealed Firearms | Amendment Rejected - Senate (57 - 43) |
| April 17, 2013 | National | S Amdt 714 | Limits Firearm Magazine Capacity | Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 54) |
| March 23, 2013 | National | S Amdt 139 | Prohibits the United States From Entering into the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty | Amendment Adopted - Senate (53 - 46) |
| Nov. 16, 2011 | National | HR 822 | Requiring State Reciprocity for Carrying Concealed Firearms | Bill Passed - House (272 - 154) |
| July 28, 2010 | National | HR 5827 | Exempting Guns from an Estate for Bankruptcy Purposes | Bill Passed - House (307 - 113) |
| Dec. 22, 2009 | National | S Amdt 3276 | Senate Health Care Bill Amendments | Amendment Adopted - Senate (60 - 39) |
| July 22, 2009 | National | S Amdt 1618 | Authorizing Concealed Firearms Across State Lines | Amendment Rejected - Senate (58 - 39) |
| May 20, 2009 | National | HR 627 | Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure Act of 2009 | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (279 - 147) |
| May 12, 2009 | National | S Amdt 1067 | Allowing Loaded Guns in National Parks | Amendment Adopted - Senate (67 - 29) |
| Feb. 26, 2009 | National | S 160 | Washington DC Voting Act | Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 37) |
| Sept. 17, 2008 | National | HR 6842 | Repealing Portions of the D.C. Firearm Ban | Bill Passed - House (266 - 152) |
| Feb. 25, 2008 | National | S Amdt 4070 | Prohibiting Funds in the Bill S 1200 from Being Used to Decrease Gun Ownership | Amendment Adopted - Senate (78 - 11) |
| Sept. 26, 2006 | National | HR 5092 | Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives | Bill Passed - House (277 - 131) |
| July 13, 2006 | National | S Amdt 4615 | Firearm Confiscation Prohibition Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (84 - 16) |
| June 28, 2006 | National | H Amdt 1156 | Trigger Lock Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (230 - 191) |
| Oct. 20, 2005 | National | S 397 | Firearms Manufacturers Protection Bill | Bill Passed - House (283 - 144) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6/20 | S Amdt 4750 | Fix Gun Checks Act of 2016 | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (44 - 56) |
| 6/20 | S Amdt 4751 | Protecting Communities and Preserving the Second Amendment Act of 2016 | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 47) |
| 6/20 | S Amdt 4749 | Authorizes the Attorney General to Delay Transfer of Firearms to Suspected Terrorists | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 47) |
| 2/26 | HR 2406 | Sportsmen's Heritage and Recreational Enhancement (SHARE) Act of 2015 | Bill Passed - House (242 - 161) |
| 12/03 | S Amdt 2915 | Defend Our Capital Act of 2015 | Amendment Rejected - Senate (54 - 45) |
| 12/03 | S Amdt 2910 | Denying Firearms and Explosives to Dangerous Terrorists Act of 2015 | Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 54) |
| 7/16 | H Amdt 1098 | Prohibits District of Columbia from Implementing Certain Firearm Laws | Amendment Adopted - House (241 - 181) |
| 4/17 | S Amdt 711 | Prohibits the Sale of Assault Weapons | Amendment Rejected - Senate (40 - 60) |
| 4/17 | S Amdt 715 | Public Safety and Second Amendment Rights Protection Act | Amendment Rejected - Senate (54 - 46) |
| 4/17 | S Amdt 719 | Authorizes Reciprocity for the Carrying of Certain Concealed Firearms | Amendment Rejected - Senate (57 - 43) |
| 4/17 | S Amdt 714 | Limits Firearm Magazine Capacity | Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 54) |
| 3/23 | S Amdt 139 | Prohibits the United States From Entering into the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty | Amendment Adopted - Senate (53 - 46) |
| 11/16 | HR 822 | Requiring State Reciprocity for Carrying Concealed Firearms | Bill Passed - House (272 - 154) |
| 7/28 | HR 5827 | Exempting Guns from an Estate for Bankruptcy Purposes | Bill Passed - House (307 - 113) |
| 12/22 | S Amdt 3276 | Senate Health Care Bill Amendments | Amendment Adopted - Senate (60 - 39) |
| 7/22 | S Amdt 1618 | Authorizing Concealed Firearms Across State Lines | Amendment Rejected - Senate (58 - 39) |
| 5/20 | HR 627 | Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure Act of 2009 | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (279 - 147) |
| 5/12 | S Amdt 1067 | Allowing Loaded Guns in National Parks | Amendment Adopted - Senate (67 - 29) |
| 2/26 | S 160 | Washington DC Voting Act | Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 37) |
| 9/17 | HR 6842 | Repealing Portions of the D.C. Firearm Ban | Bill Passed - House (266 - 152) |
| 2/25 | S Amdt 4070 | Prohibiting Funds in the Bill S 1200 from Being Used to Decrease Gun Ownership | Amendment Adopted - Senate (78 - 11) |
| 9/26 | HR 5092 | Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives | Bill Passed - House (277 - 131) |
| 7/13 | S Amdt 4615 | Firearm Confiscation Prohibition Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (84 - 16) |
| 6/28 | H Amdt 1156 | Trigger Lock Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (230 - 191) |
| 10/20 | S 397 | Firearms Manufacturers Protection Bill | Bill Passed - House (283 - 144) |