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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb. 26, 2025 | National | PN 11-17 | Nomination of Jamieson Greer to be U.S. Trade Representative | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (56 - 43) |
| March 21, 2024 | National | S J Res 62 | A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service relating to "Importation of Fresh Beef From Paraguay". | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (70 - 25) |
| June 8, 2021 | National | S 1260 | United States Innovation and Competition Act of 2021 | Bill Passed - Senate (68 - 32) |
| March 2, 2021 | National | PN 78-15 | Nomination of Gina Raimondo as Secretary of Commerce | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (84 - 15) |
| Jan. 16, 2020 | National | HR 5430 | United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement Implementation Act | Bill Passed - Senate (89 - 10) |
| May 11, 2017 | National | PN 42 | Nomination of Robert Lighthizer to be a United States Trade Representative | (82 - 14) |
| May 11, 2017 | National | PN 42 | Nomination of Robert Lighthizer to be a United States Trade Representative | Cloture Invoked - Senate (81 - 15) |
| May 12, 2015 | National | HR 1314 | Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (52 - 46) |
| 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) |
| May 24, 2012 | National | S Amdt 2107 | Authorizes Import of FDA-Approved Drugs from Canada | Amendment Rejected - Senate (43 - 54) |
| May 15, 2012 | National | HR 2072 | Export-Import Bank Reauthorization Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - Senate (78 - 20) |
| March 20, 2012 | National | S Amdt 1836 | Reauthorizing the Export-Import Bank of the United States | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (55 - 44) |
| Oct. 20, 2011 | National | S Amdt 769 | Authorizes Individuals to Import FDA-Approved Drugs from Canada | Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 55) |
| Oct. 18, 2011 | National | S Amdt 740 | Repeals Funding for Trade Adjustment Assistance for Firms | Amendment Rejected - Senate (44 - 55) |
| Oct. 12, 2011 | National | HR 3078 | Trade Promotion Agreement with Colombia | Bill Passed - Senate (66 - 33) |
| Oct. 12, 2011 | National | HR 3079 | Trade Promotion Agreement with Panama | Bill Passed - Senate (77 - 22) |
| Oct. 12, 2011 | National | HR 3080 | Free Trade Agreement with Korea | Bill Passed - Senate (83 - 15) |
| Oct. 11, 2011 | National | S 1619 | Currency Exchange Rate Oversight Act of 2011 | Bill Passed - Senate (63 - 35) |
| Sept. 22, 2011 | National | S Amdt 633 | Extends Trade Adjustment Assistance | Amendment Adopted - Senate (69 - 28) |
| Sept. 21, 2011 | National | S Amdt 625 | Reducing and Extending Trade Adjustment Assistance | Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 53) |
| Sept. 21, 2011 | National | S Amdt 642 | Modifies Eligibility Requirements for Trade Adjustment Assistance | Amendment Rejected - Senate (40 - 57) |
| Sept. 21, 2011 | National | S Amdt 641 | Requires Extension of Trade Adjustment Assistance to be Contingent Upon Ratification of Free Trade Agreements with Columbia, Korea and Panama | Amendment Rejected - Senate (44 - 54) |
| Sept. 21, 2011 | National | S Amdt 645 | Repeals the Trade Adjustment Assistance Program for Firms | Amendment Rejected - Senate (43 - 54) |
| Feb. 4, 2009 | National | S Amdt 279 | Removing the Buy American Clause | Amendment Rejected - Senate (31 - 65) |
| May 22, 2008 | National | HR 2419 | Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill) | Veto Override Passed - Senate (82 - 13) |