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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct. 18, 2019 | National | HR 3624 | Outsourcing Accountability Act of 2019 | Bill Passed - House (226 - 184) |
| Oct. 18, 2019 | National | HR 3624 | Outsourcing Accountability Act of 2019 | Bill Passed - House (226 - 184) |
| Sept. 26, 2019 | National | PN 1099 | Nomination of Eugene Scalia as the Secretary of Labor | (53 - 44) |
| Sept. 25, 2019 | National | PN 1099 | Nomination of Eugene Scalia as the Secretary of Labor | Cloture Invoked - Senate (52 - 42) |
| Sept. 25, 2019 | National | HR 1595 | Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act of 2019 | Bill Passed - House (321 - 103) |
| Sept. 20, 2019 | National | HR 1423 | Forced Arbitration Injustice Repeal Act (FAIR Act) | Bill Passed - House (225 - 186) |
| July 24, 2019 | National | HR 397 | Rehabilitation for Multiemployer Pensions Act of 2019 | Bill Passed - House (264 - 169) |
| July 18, 2019 | National | HR 582 | Raise the Wage Act | Bill Passed - House (231 - 199) |
| May 22, 2019 | National | HR 1500 | Consumers First Act | Bill Passed - House (231 - 191) |
| March 27, 2019 | National | HR 7 | Paycheck Fairness Act | Bill Passed - House (242 - 187) |
| Dec. 6, 2018 | National | PN 2170 | Nomination of Kathleen Laura Kraninger to be the Director of the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection | (50 - 49) |
| Nov. 29, 2018 | National | PN 2170 | Nomination of Kathleen Laura Kraninger to be the Director of the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection | Cloture Invoked - Senate (50 - 49) |
| July 19, 2018 | National | H Con Res 119 | Expressing the sense of Congress that a carbon tax would be detrimental to the United States economy. | Bill Passed - House (229 - 180) |
| July 13, 2018 | National | HR 50 | Unfunded Mandates Information and Transparency Act of 2017 | Bill Passed - House (230 - 168) |
| May 22, 2018 | National | S 2155 | Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act | Bill Passed - House (258 - 159) |
| May 9, 2018 | National | HR 5645 | Standard Merger and Acquisition Reviews Through Equal Rules Act of 2018 | Bill Passed - House (230 - 185) |
| March 21, 2018 | National | HR 1865 | Allow States and Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act of 2017 | Bill Passed - Senate (97 - 2) |
| March 14, 2018 | National | S 2155 | Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act | Bill Passed - Senate (67 - 31) |
| March 14, 2018 | National | HR 4909 | STOP School Violence Act of 2018 | Bill Passed - House (407 - 10) |
| Feb. 27, 2018 | National | HR 1865 | Allow States and Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act of 2017 | Bill Passed - House (388 - 25) |
| Feb. 15, 2018 | National | HR 620 | ADA Education and Reform Act of 2017 | Bill Passed - House (225 - 192) |
| Feb. 6, 2018 | National | HR 772 | Common Sense Nutrition Disclosure Act of 2017 | Bill Passed - House (266 - 157) |
| Jan. 10, 2018 | National | S 140 | An Act to amend the White Mountain Apache Tribe Water Rights Quantification Act of 2010 to clarify the use of amounts in the WMAT Settlement Fund | Bill Passed - House (239 - 173) |
| Nov. 30, 2017 | National | HR 4182 | Ensuring a Qualified Civil Service Act of 2017 (EQUALS Act) | Bill Passed - House (213 - 204) |
| Nov. 9, 2017 | National | HR 2201 | Micro Offering Safe Harbor Act | Bill Passed - House (23 - 188) |
| Nov. 7, 2017 | National | HR 3441 | Save Local Business Act | Bill Passed - House (242 - 181) |
| June 13, 2017 | National | S 1094 | Department of Veterans Affairs Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act of 2017 | Bill Passed - House (368 - 55) |
| June 7, 2017 | National | HR 2213 | Anti-Border Corruption Reauthorization Act of 2017 | Bill Passed - House (282 - 137) |
| May 2, 2017 | National | HR 1180 | Working Families Flexibility Act of 2017 | Bill Passed - House (229 - 197) |
| April 27, 2017 | National | PN 88 | Nomination of Alexander Acosta to be Secretary of Labor | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (60 - 38) |
| April 26, 2017 | National | PN 88 | Nomination of Alexander Acosta to be Secretary of Labor | Cloture Invoked - Senate (61 - 39) |
| March 16, 2017 | National | HR 1259 | VA Accountability First Act of 2017 | Bill Passed - House (237 - 178) |
| Sept. 28, 2016 | National | HR 6094 | Regulatory Relief for Small Businesses, Schools, and Nonprofits Act | Bill Passed - House (246 - 177) |
| Sept. 28, 2016 | National | HR 6094 | Regulatory Relief for Small Businesses, Schools, and Nonprofits Act | Bill Passed - House (246 - 177) |
| Sept. 14, 2016 | National | HR 5620 | VA Accountability First and Appeals Modernization Act of 2016 | Bill Passed - House (310 - 116) |
| July 7, 2016 | National | S 764 | Establishes Labeling Standards for Genetically Modified Foods | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (63 - 30) |
| June 9, 2016 | National | HR 5278 | Puerto Rico Oversight, Management, and Economic Stability Act (PROMESA) | Bill Passed - House (297 - 127) |
| May 25, 2016 | National | H Amdt 1128 | Prohibits Use of Funds for Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity | Amendment Adopted - House (223 - 195) |
| May 19, 2016 | National | H Amdt 1079 | Prohibits Use of Funds for Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity | Amendment Rejected - House (212 - 213) |
| April 7, 2016 | National | S Amdt 3483 | Establishes Standards for Passenger Space on Airplanes | Amendment Rejected - Senate (42 - 54) |
| Feb. 12, 2016 | National | HR 2017 | Common Sense Nutrition Disclosure Act of 2015 | Bill Passed - House (266 - 144) |
| Dec. 1, 2015 | National | S J Res 23 | A Joint Resolution Providing for Congressional Disapproval Under Chapter 8 of Title 5, United States Code, of a Rule Submitted by the Environmental Protection Agency Relating to "Standards of Performance for Greenhouse Gas Emissions from New, Modified, and Reconstructed Stationary Sources: Electric Utility Generating Units" | Bill Passed - House (235 - 188) |
| Nov. 17, 2015 | National | HR 511 | Tribal Labor Sovereignty Act of 2015 | Bill Passed - House (249 - 177) |
| Nov. 17, 2015 | National | S J Res 23 | A Joint Resolution Providing for Congressional Disapproval Under Chapter 8 of Title 5, United States Code, of a Rule Submitted by the Environmental Protection Agency Relating to "Standards of Performance for Greenhouse Gas Emissions from New, Modified, and Reconstructed Stationary Sources: Electric Utility Generating Units" | Bill Passed - Senate (52 - 46) |
| Oct. 22, 2015 | National | S Amdt 2564 | Prohibits Liability Immunity for Corporations that Break User Agreements | Amendment Rejected - Senate (32 - 65) |
| July 23, 2015 | National | HR 1599 | Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act of 2015 | Bill Passed - House (275 - 150) |
| June 10, 2015 | National | HR 2393 | Country of Origin Labeling Amendments Act of 2015 | Bill Passed - House (300 - 131) |
| June 1, 2015 | National | HR 1335 | Strengthening Fishing Communities and Increasing Flexibility in Fisheries Management Act | Bill Passed - House (225 - 152) |
| May 21, 2015 | National | HR 2262 | Spurring Private Aerospace Competitiveness and Entrepreneurship Act of 2015 | Bill Passed - House (284 - 133) |
| May 20, 2015 | National | HR 880 | American Research and Competitiveness Act of 2015 | Bill Passed - House (274 - 145) |
| March 26, 2015 | National | S Amdt 798 | Deficit-Neutral Reserve Fund for Legislation to Allow Americans to Earn Paid Sick Time | Amendment Adopted - Senate (61 - 39) |
| March 26, 2015 | National | S Amdt 798 | Deficit-Neutral Reserve Fund for Legislation to Allow Americans to Earn Paid Sick Time | Amendment Adopted - Senate (61 - 39) |
| Feb. 13, 2015 | National | HR 636 | America's Small Business Tax Relief Act of 2015 | Bill Passed - House (272 - 142) |
| Feb. 5, 2015 | National | HR 527 | Small Business Regulatory Flexibility Improvements Act of 2015 | Bill Passed - House (260 - 163) |
| Jan. 14, 2015 | National | HR 37 | Promoting Job Creation and Reducing Small Business Burdens Act | Bill Passed - House (271 - 154) |
| Jan. 8, 2015 | National | HR 30 | Save American Workers Act of 2015 | Bill Passed - House (252 - 172) |
| July 30, 2014 | National | S 2569 | Bring Jobs Home Act | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (54 - 42) |
| July 30, 2014 | National | S 2569 | Bring Jobs Home Act | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (54 - 42) |
| July 10, 2014 | National | H Amdt 1012 | Prohibits Federal Agencies from Contracting with Businesses Chartered in Bermuda or in the Cayman Islands | Amendment Adopted - House (221 - 200) |
| April 30, 2014 | National | S 2223 | Minimum Wage Fairness Act | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (54 - 42) |
| April 9, 2014 | National | S 2199 | Paycheck Fairness Act | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 44) |
| April 3, 2014 | National | HR 2575 | Save American Workers Act of 2014 | Bill Passed - House (248 - 179) |
| Dec. 5, 2013 | National | H Amdt 524 | Limits Covered Customers to Businesses With Less Than $25 Million in Revenue | Amendment Rejected - House (144 - 266) |
| Dec. 5, 2013 | National | H Amdt 521 | Authorizes Judicial Discretion in Awarding Legal Fees in Patent Lawsuits | Amendment Rejected - House (199 - 213) |
| Dec. 5, 2013 | National | HR 3309 | Innovation Act | Bill Passed - House (325 - 91) |
| Dec. 4, 2013 | National | HR 1105 | Small Business Capital Access and Job Preservation Act | Bill Passed - House (254 - 159) |
| Nov. 7, 2013 | National | S 815 | Employment Non-Discrimination Act of 2013 | Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 32) |
| Nov. 7, 2013 | National | S 815 | Employment Non-Discrimination Act of 2013 | Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 32) |
| Nov. 7, 2013 | National | S Amdt 2013 | Exempts Religiously Affiliated Employers from the Prohibition on Employment Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity | Amendment Rejected - Senate (43 - 55) |
| Nov. 7, 2013 | National | S Amdt 2013 | Exempts Religiously Affiliated Employers from the Prohibition on Employment Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity | Amendment Rejected - Senate (43 - 55) |
| Nov. 4, 2013 | National | S 815 | Employment Non-Discrimination Act of 2013 | Cloture Invoked - Senate (61 - 30) |
| Nov. 4, 2013 | National | S 815 | Employment Non-Discrimination Act of 2013 | Cloture Invoked - Senate (61 - 30) |
| Oct. 30, 2013 | National | HR 992 | Swaps Regulatory Improvement Act | Bill Passed - House (292 - 122) |
| Oct. 29, 2013 | National | HR 2374 | Retail Investor Protection Act | Bill Passed - House (254 - 166) |
| Aug. 1, 2013 | National | HR 2879 | Stop Government Abuse Act | Bill Passed - House (239 - 176) |