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 10, 2013 | National | S 954 | Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act of 2013 | Bill Passed - Senate (66 - 27) |
| March 13, 2013 | National | S Amdt 30 | To Prohibit the Use of Funds to Carry Out the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act | Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 52) |
| Nov. 29, 2012 | National | S Amdt 3058 | Expands TRICARE Coverage of Autism | Amendment Adopted - Senate (66 - 29) |
| Nov. 29, 2012 | National | S Amdt 3058 | Expands TRICARE Coverage of Autism | Amendment Adopted - Senate (66 - 29) |
| June 21, 2012 | National | S Amdt 2310 | Requires Labels on Foods with Genetically Modified Ingredients | Amendment Rejected - Senate (26 - 73) |
| June 19, 2012 | National | S Amdt 2172 | Rescinds Bonuses to States for Administering Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) | Amendment Rejected - Senate (41 - 58) |
| June 19, 2012 | National | S Amdt 2156 | Increases Funding for the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program | Amendment Rejected - Senate (33 - 66) |
| June 13, 2012 | National | S Amdt 2392 | Reduces Funding for Food Stamps | Amendment Tabled - Senate (65 - 33) |
| May 24, 2012 | National | S Amdt 2153 | Prohibits Increase in Interest Rates for Student Loans (Lamar Bill) | Amendment Rejected - Senate (34 - 62) |
| May 24, 2012 | National | S Amdt 2111 | Prohibits Pharmaceutical Companies from Delaying the Release of Generic Drugs | Amendment Rejected - Senate (28 - 67) |
| May 24, 2012 | National | S Amdt 2108 | Prohibits FDA Approval of Genetically Engineered Fish | Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 50) |
| May 24, 2012 | National | S Amdt 2108 | Prohibits FDA Approval of Genetically Engineered Fish | Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 50) |
| May 24, 2012 | National | S Amdt 2107 | Authorizes Import of FDA-Approved Drugs from Canada | Amendment Rejected - Senate (43 - 54) |
| March 8, 2012 | National | S Amdt 1537 | Approving the Keystone XL Pipeline Project | Amendment Rejected - Senate (56 - 42) |
| March 1, 2012 | National | S Amdt 1520 | Authorizes Moral and Religious Objections to Certain Health Care Items and Services | Amendment Tabled - Senate (51 - 48) |
| Dec. 1, 2011 | National | S 1931 | Reduces Payroll Tax Rate | Motion Rejected - Senate (20 - 78) |
| Nov. 17, 2011 | National | HR 2112 | Appropriations for Agriculture, Rural Development, and the Food and Drug Administration | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (70 - 30) |
| Nov. 10, 2011 | National | S Amdt 928 | American Jobs and Economic Growth | Amendment Rejected - Senate (40 - 56) |
| Nov. 10, 2011 | National | S J Res 27 | Disapproval of EPA Cross-Border Pollution Rule | Motion Rejected - Senate (41 - 56) |
| Nov. 10, 2011 | National | S Amdt 928 | American Jobs and Economic Growth | Amendment Rejected - Senate (40 - 56) |
| Oct. 20, 2011 | National | S Amdt 769 | Authorizes Individuals to Import FDA-Approved Drugs from Canada | Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 55) |
| April 5, 2011 | National | HR 4 | Repeals the Form 1099 Provision in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act | Bill Passed - Senate (87 - 12) |
| Feb. 2, 2011 | National | S Amdt 13 | Repealing the Federal Health Care Law | Motion Rejected - Senate (47 - 51) |
| Feb. 2, 2011 | National | S Amdt 13 | Repealing the Federal Health Care Law | Motion Rejected - Senate (47 - 51) |
| Feb. 2, 2011 | National | S Amdt 9 | Repealing the IRS 1099 Provision from the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act | Motion Agreed - Senate (81 - 17) |