National Judicial Branch Key Votes

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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.


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Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
July 21, 2026 National PN 851-8 Nomination of Kara Marie Westercamp, of Virginia, to be a Judge of the United States Court of International Trade, vice Stephen A. Vaden, resigned Nomination Confirmed - Senate (50 - 48)
July 16, 2026 National PN 851-8 Nomination of Kara Marie Westercamp, of Virginia, to be a Judge of the United States Court of International Trade, vice Stephen A. Vaden, resigned Cloture Invoked - Senate (49 - 48)
June 11, 2026 National PN 904-1 Nomination of Brock Dahl, of Maryland, to be Legal Adviser of the Department of State, vice Reed Rubinstein Nomination Confirmed - Senate (49 - 44)
June 10, 2026 National HR 8312 Fraud Prevention and Accountability Act Bill Passed - House (240 - 181)
March 24, 2026 National PN 786-9 Nomination of Colin McDonald, of California, to be an Assistant Attorney General, vice Todd Sunhwae Kim Nomination Confirmed - Senate (52 - 47)
March 23, 2026 National PN 786-9 Nomination of Colin McDonald, of California, to be an Assistant Attorney General, vice Todd Sunhwae Kim Cloture Invoked - Senate (51 - 45)
Nov. 19, 2025 National HR 6019 To repeal certain provisions relating to notification to Senate offices regarding legal process on disclosure of Senate data, and for other purposes. Bill Passed - House (426 - 0)
Sept. 17, 2025 National HR 5125 District of Columbia Judicial Nominations Reform Act Bill Passed - House (218 - 211)
July 23, 2025 National HR 3357 Enhancing Multi-Class Share Disclosures Act Bill Passed - House (381 - 31)
June 11, 2025 National S J Res 53 A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval of the proposed foreign military sale to the Government of Qatar of certain defense articles and services. Motion Rejected - Senate (39 - 56)
June 11, 2025 National S J Res 54 A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval of the proposed foreign military sale to the Government of the United Arab Emirates of certain defense articles and services. Motion Rejected - Senate (39 - 56)
May 14, 2025 National HR 2243 Law Enforcement Officer Safety Act (LEOSA) Reform Act Bill Passed - House (229 - 193)
May 13, 2025 National PN 25-50 Nomination of Reed Rubinstein to be Legal Adviser of the Department of State Nomination Confirmed - Senate (52 - 46)
May 12, 2025 National PN 25-50 Nomination of Reed Rubinstein to be Legal Adviser of the Department of State Cloture Invoked - Senate (52 - 45)
April 9, 2025 National HR 1526 No Rogue Rulings Act (NORRA) Bill Passed - House (219 - 213)
April 2, 2025 National PN 12-39 Nomination of Dean Sauer to be Solicitor General of the United States Cloture Invoked - Senate (53 - 46)
April 2, 2025 National PN 12-39 Nomination of Dean Sauer to be Solicitor General of the United States Cloture Invoked - Senate (53 - 46)
Dec. 12, 2024 National S 4199 Judicial Understaffing Delays Getting Emergencies Solved (JUDGES) Act Bill Passed - House (236 - 173)
July 23, 2024 National S 3706 Victims' VOICES Act Bill Passed - House (408 - 2)
July 23, 2024 National S 227 Improving Access to Our Courts Act Bill Passed - House (404 - 3)
July 23, 2024 National S 227 Improving Access to Our Courts Act Bill Passed - House (404 - 3)
July 22, 2024 National HR 1631 Protecting and Enhancing Public Access to Codes (Pro Codes) Act Bill Failed - House (248 - 127)
June 12, 2024 National H Res 1292 Recommending that the House of Representatives find United States Attorney General Merrick B. Garland in Contempt of Congress for Refusal to Comply with a Subpoena Duly Issued by the Committee on the Judiciary Resolution Passed - House (216 - 207)
June 12, 2024 National H Res 1292 Recommending that the House of Representatives find United States Attorney General Merrick B. Garland in Contempt of Congress for Refusal to Comply with a Subpoena Duly Issued by the Committee on the Judiciary Resolution Passed - House (216 - 207)
May 16, 2024 National HR 354 LEOSA Reform Act Bill Passed - House (221 - 185)
June 15, 2023 National HR 288 Separation of Powers Restoration Act Bill Passed - House (220 - 211)
May 17, 2023 National S J Res 18 A joint resolution disapproving of the rule submitted by the Department of Homeland Security relating to "Public Charge Ground of Inadmissibility". Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (50 - 47)
Jan. 10, 2023 National H Res 12 Establishing a Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government as a select investigative subcommittee of the Committee on the Judiciary Resolution Passed - House (221 - 211)
April 7, 2022 National PN 1783 Nomination of Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court of the United States Nomination Confirmed - Senate (53 - 47)
April 21, 2021 National HR 1573 Access to Counsel Act of 2021 Bill Passed - House (217 - 207)
March 10, 2021 National PN 78-7 Nomination of Merrick Garland as Attorney General Nomination Confirmed - Senate (70 - 30)
Oct. 26, 2020 National PN 2252 Nomination of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court of the United States Nomination Confirmed - Senate (52 - 48)
Oct. 25, 2020 National PN 2252 Nomination of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court of the United States Cloture Invoked - Senate (51 - 48)
Oct. 1, 2020 National S 4653 A bill to protect the healthcare of hundreds of millions of people of the United States and prevent efforts of the Department of Justice to advocate courts to strike down the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (51 - 43)
Sept. 16, 2020 National HR 2574 Equity and Inclusion Enforcement Act of 2019 Bill Passed - House (232 - 188)
June 19, 2019 National PN 233 Nomination of Matthew Kacsmaryk to be U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of Texas (52 - 46)
Dec. 11, 2018 National PN 2117 Nomination of Jonathan A. Kobes to the Eighth Circuit Court (51 - 50)
Nov. 29, 2018 National PN 2117 Nomination of Jonathan A. Kobes to the Eighth Circuit Court Cloture Invoked - Senate (50 - 49)
Oct. 6, 2018 National PN 2259 Nomination of Brett M. Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court of the United States (50 - 48)
Oct. 5, 2018 National PN 2259 Nomination of Brett M. Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court of the United States Cloture Invoked - Senate (51 - 49)
July 18, 2018 National PN 1645 Nomination of Andrew S. Oldham to be United States Circuit Judge for the 5th Circuit (50 - 49)
July 17, 2018 National PN 1645 Nomination of Andrew S. Oldham to be United States Circuit Judge for the 5th Circuit Cloture Invoked - Senate (50 - 49)
June 29, 2017 National HR 3003 No Sanctuary for Criminals Act Bill Passed - House (228 - 195)
June 28, 2017 National HR 1215 Protecting Access to Care Act of 2017 Bill Passed - House (218 - 210)
April 7, 2017 National PN 55 Nomination of Neil M. Gorsuch to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States (54 - 45)
April 7, 2017 National PN 55 Nomination of Neil M. Gorsuch to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States (54 - 45)
April 6, 2017 National PN 55 Nomination of Neil M. Gorsuch to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States Cloture Invoked - Senate (55 - 45)
April 6, 2017 National PN 55 Nomination of Neil M. Gorsuch to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States Cloture Invoked - Senate (55 - 45)
March 10, 2017 National HR 720 Lawsuit Abuse Reduction Act of 2017 Bill Passed - House (230 - 188)
March 9, 2017 National HR 985 Fairness in Class Action Litigation and Furthering Asbestos Claim Transparency Act of 2017 Bill Passed - House (220 - 201)
Date No. Title Outcome
7/21 PN 851-8 Nomination of Kara Marie Westercamp, of Virginia, to be a Judge of the United States Court of International Trade, vice Stephen A. Vaden, resigned Nomination Confirmed - Senate (50 - 48)
7/16 PN 851-8 Nomination of Kara Marie Westercamp, of Virginia, to be a Judge of the United States Court of International Trade, vice Stephen A. Vaden, resigned Cloture Invoked - Senate (49 - 48)
6/11 PN 904-1 Nomination of Brock Dahl, of Maryland, to be Legal Adviser of the Department of State, vice Reed Rubinstein Nomination Confirmed - Senate (49 - 44)
6/10 HR 8312 Fraud Prevention and Accountability Act Bill Passed - House (240 - 181)
3/24 PN 786-9 Nomination of Colin McDonald, of California, to be an Assistant Attorney General, vice Todd Sunhwae Kim Nomination Confirmed - Senate (52 - 47)
3/23 PN 786-9 Nomination of Colin McDonald, of California, to be an Assistant Attorney General, vice Todd Sunhwae Kim Cloture Invoked - Senate (51 - 45)
11/19 HR 6019 To repeal certain provisions relating to notification to Senate offices regarding legal process on disclosure of Senate data, and for other purposes. Bill Passed - House (426 - 0)
9/17 HR 5125 District of Columbia Judicial Nominations Reform Act Bill Passed - House (218 - 211)
7/23 HR 3357 Enhancing Multi-Class Share Disclosures Act Bill Passed - House (381 - 31)
6/11 S J Res 53 A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval of the proposed foreign military sale to the Government of Qatar of certain defense articles and services. Motion Rejected - Senate (39 - 56)
6/11 S J Res 54 A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval of the proposed foreign military sale to the Government of the United Arab Emirates of certain defense articles and services. Motion Rejected - Senate (39 - 56)
5/14 HR 2243 Law Enforcement Officer Safety Act (LEOSA) Reform Act Bill Passed - House (229 - 193)
5/13 PN 25-50 Nomination of Reed Rubinstein to be Legal Adviser of the Department of State Nomination Confirmed - Senate (52 - 46)
5/12 PN 25-50 Nomination of Reed Rubinstein to be Legal Adviser of the Department of State Cloture Invoked - Senate (52 - 45)
4/09 HR 1526 No Rogue Rulings Act (NORRA) Bill Passed - House (219 - 213)
4/02 PN 12-39 Nomination of Dean Sauer to be Solicitor General of the United States Cloture Invoked - Senate (53 - 46)
4/02 PN 12-39 Nomination of Dean Sauer to be Solicitor General of the United States Cloture Invoked - Senate (53 - 46)
12/12 S 4199 Judicial Understaffing Delays Getting Emergencies Solved (JUDGES) Act Bill Passed - House (236 - 173)
7/23 S 3706 Victims' VOICES Act Bill Passed - House (408 - 2)
7/23 S 227 Improving Access to Our Courts Act Bill Passed - House (404 - 3)
7/23 S 227 Improving Access to Our Courts Act Bill Passed - House (404 - 3)
7/22 HR 1631 Protecting and Enhancing Public Access to Codes (Pro Codes) Act Bill Failed - House (248 - 127)
6/12 H Res 1292 Recommending that the House of Representatives find United States Attorney General Merrick B. Garland in Contempt of Congress for Refusal to Comply with a Subpoena Duly Issued by the Committee on the Judiciary Resolution Passed - House (216 - 207)
6/12 H Res 1292 Recommending that the House of Representatives find United States Attorney General Merrick B. Garland in Contempt of Congress for Refusal to Comply with a Subpoena Duly Issued by the Committee on the Judiciary Resolution Passed - House (216 - 207)
5/16 HR 354 LEOSA Reform Act Bill Passed - House (221 - 185)
6/15 HR 288 Separation of Powers Restoration Act Bill Passed - House (220 - 211)
5/17 S J Res 18 A joint resolution disapproving of the rule submitted by the Department of Homeland Security relating to "Public Charge Ground of Inadmissibility". Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (50 - 47)
1/10 H Res 12 Establishing a Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government as a select investigative subcommittee of the Committee on the Judiciary Resolution Passed - House (221 - 211)
4/07 PN 1783 Nomination of Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court of the United States Nomination Confirmed - Senate (53 - 47)
4/21 HR 1573 Access to Counsel Act of 2021 Bill Passed - House (217 - 207)
3/10 PN 78-7 Nomination of Merrick Garland as Attorney General Nomination Confirmed - Senate (70 - 30)
10/26 PN 2252 Nomination of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court of the United States Nomination Confirmed - Senate (52 - 48)
10/25 PN 2252 Nomination of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court of the United States Cloture Invoked - Senate (51 - 48)
10/01 S 4653 A bill to protect the healthcare of hundreds of millions of people of the United States and prevent efforts of the Department of Justice to advocate courts to strike down the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (51 - 43)
9/16 HR 2574 Equity and Inclusion Enforcement Act of 2019 Bill Passed - House (232 - 188)
6/19 PN 233 Nomination of Matthew Kacsmaryk to be U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of Texas (52 - 46)
12/11 PN 2117 Nomination of Jonathan A. Kobes to the Eighth Circuit Court (51 - 50)
11/29 PN 2117 Nomination of Jonathan A. Kobes to the Eighth Circuit Court Cloture Invoked - Senate (50 - 49)
10/06 PN 2259 Nomination of Brett M. Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court of the United States (50 - 48)
10/05 PN 2259 Nomination of Brett M. Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court of the United States Cloture Invoked - Senate (51 - 49)
7/18 PN 1645 Nomination of Andrew S. Oldham to be United States Circuit Judge for the 5th Circuit (50 - 49)
7/17 PN 1645 Nomination of Andrew S. Oldham to be United States Circuit Judge for the 5th Circuit Cloture Invoked - Senate (50 - 49)
6/29 HR 3003 No Sanctuary for Criminals Act Bill Passed - House (228 - 195)
6/28 HR 1215 Protecting Access to Care Act of 2017 Bill Passed - House (218 - 210)
4/07 PN 55 Nomination of Neil M. Gorsuch to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States (54 - 45)
4/07 PN 55 Nomination of Neil M. Gorsuch to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States (54 - 45)
4/06 PN 55 Nomination of Neil M. Gorsuch to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States Cloture Invoked - Senate (55 - 45)
4/06 PN 55 Nomination of Neil M. Gorsuch to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States Cloture Invoked - Senate (55 - 45)
3/10 HR 720 Lawsuit Abuse Reduction Act of 2017 Bill Passed - House (230 - 188)
3/09 HR 985 Fairness in Class Action Litigation and Furthering Asbestos Claim Transparency Act of 2017 Bill Passed - House (220 - 201)

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