National Social 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.


results per page:
Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
June 4, 2013 National H Amdt 84 Authorizes Funds for the Construction of United States Prison for Prisoners from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba Amendment Rejected - House (170 - 254)
March 13, 2013 National HR 890 Preserving Work Requirements for Welfare Programs Act of 2013 Bill Passed - House (246 - 181)
Feb. 28, 2013 National S 47 Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 Bill Passed - House (286 - 138)
Feb. 28, 2013 National S 47 Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 Bill Passed - House (286 - 138)
Feb. 28, 2013 National H Amdt 23 Reauthorizes the Violence Against Women Act Amendment Rejected - House (166 - 257)
Nov. 30, 2012 National HR 6429 STEM Jobs Act of 2012 Bill Passed - House (245 - 139)
Sept. 20, 2012 National HR 6429 STEM Jobs Act of 2012 Bill Failed - House (257 - 158)
Sept. 12, 2012 National HR 5949 FISA Amendments Act Reauthorization Act of 2012 Bill Passed - House (301 - 118)
July 19, 2012 National H Amdt 1416 Prohibits Use of Funds in Contravention of the Defense of Marriage Act Amendment Adopted - House (247 - 166)
May 18, 2012 National H Amdt 1127 Repeals Indefinite Military Detention Provisions Amendment Rejected - House (182 - 238)
May 16, 2012 National HR 4970 Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2012 Bill Passed - House (222 - 205)
May 16, 2012 National HR 4970 Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2012 Bill Passed - House (222 - 205)
May 9, 2012 National H Amdt 1096 Prohibits Use of Funds in Contravention with the Defense of Marriage Act Amendment Adopted - House (245 - 171)
Feb. 29, 2012 National HR 1837 Water Resources in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Valley Bill Passed - House (246 - 175)
Feb. 9, 2012 National S 2038 Prohibits Insider Trading by Government Officials Bill Passed - House (417 - 2)
Dec. 14, 2011 National HR 1540 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 Conference Report Adopted - House (283 - 136)
Nov. 29, 2011 National HR 3012 Repeals Certain Green Cards Limitations Bill Passed - House (389 - 15)
Nov. 16, 2011 National HR 822 Requiring State Reciprocity for Carrying Concealed Firearms Bill Passed - House (272 - 154)
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)
July 27, 2011 National H Amdt 735 Repeals Laws that Limited Funding for the Endangered Species Act Amendment Adopted - House (224 - 202)
May 26, 2011 National S 990 PATRIOT Act Extension Concurrence Vote Passed - House (250 - 153)
March 17, 2011 National HR 1076 Prohibiting Federal Funding of National Public Radio Bill Passed - House (228 - 192)
Feb. 18, 2011 National H Amdt 95 Prohibiting Use of Federal Funds For Planned Parenthood Amendment Adopted - House (240 - 185)
Feb. 18, 2011 National H Amdt 92 Prohibiting the Use of Federal Funds for NASCAR Sponsorships Amendment Rejected - House (148 - 281)
Feb. 17, 2011 National HR 514 Extension of Various USA PATRIOT Act Provisions Concurrence Vote Passed - House (279 - 143)
Date No. Title Outcome
6/04 H Amdt 84 Authorizes Funds for the Construction of United States Prison for Prisoners from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba Amendment Rejected - House (170 - 254)
3/13 HR 890 Preserving Work Requirements for Welfare Programs Act of 2013 Bill Passed - House (246 - 181)
2/28 S 47 Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 Bill Passed - House (286 - 138)
2/28 S 47 Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 Bill Passed - House (286 - 138)
2/28 H Amdt 23 Reauthorizes the Violence Against Women Act Amendment Rejected - House (166 - 257)
11/30 HR 6429 STEM Jobs Act of 2012 Bill Passed - House (245 - 139)
9/20 HR 6429 STEM Jobs Act of 2012 Bill Failed - House (257 - 158)
9/12 HR 5949 FISA Amendments Act Reauthorization Act of 2012 Bill Passed - House (301 - 118)
7/19 H Amdt 1416 Prohibits Use of Funds in Contravention of the Defense of Marriage Act Amendment Adopted - House (247 - 166)
5/18 H Amdt 1127 Repeals Indefinite Military Detention Provisions Amendment Rejected - House (182 - 238)
5/16 HR 4970 Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2012 Bill Passed - House (222 - 205)
5/16 HR 4970 Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2012 Bill Passed - House (222 - 205)
5/09 H Amdt 1096 Prohibits Use of Funds in Contravention with the Defense of Marriage Act Amendment Adopted - House (245 - 171)
2/29 HR 1837 Water Resources in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Valley Bill Passed - House (246 - 175)
2/09 S 2038 Prohibits Insider Trading by Government Officials Bill Passed - House (417 - 2)
12/14 HR 1540 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 Conference Report Adopted - House (283 - 136)
11/29 HR 3012 Repeals Certain Green Cards Limitations Bill Passed - House (389 - 15)
11/16 HR 822 Requiring State Reciprocity for Carrying Concealed Firearms Bill Passed - House (272 - 154)
11/01 H Con Res 13 Encourages Display of "In God We Trust" in Public Buildings and Schools Joint Resolution Passed - House (396 - 9)
7/27 H Amdt 735 Repeals Laws that Limited Funding for the Endangered Species Act Amendment Adopted - House (224 - 202)
5/26 S 990 PATRIOT Act Extension Concurrence Vote Passed - House (250 - 153)
3/17 HR 1076 Prohibiting Federal Funding of National Public Radio Bill Passed - House (228 - 192)
2/18 H Amdt 95 Prohibiting Use of Federal Funds For Planned Parenthood Amendment Adopted - House (240 - 185)
2/18 H Amdt 92 Prohibiting the Use of Federal Funds for NASCAR Sponsorships Amendment Rejected - House (148 - 281)
2/17 HR 514 Extension of Various USA PATRIOT Act Provisions Concurrence Vote Passed - House (279 - 143)

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