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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | H Amdt 524 | Limits Covered Customers to Businesses With Less Than $25 Million in Revenue | Amendment Rejected - House (144 - 266) |
| 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) |
| 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) |
| July 25, 2013 | National | HR 2218 | Coal Residuals Reuse and Management Act of 2013 | Bill Passed - House (265 - 155) |
| May 22, 2013 | National | H Amdt 71 | Repeals Requirement that Secretary of the Army Approve All Keystone XL Pipeline Permit Applications | Amendment Rejected - House (182 - 234) |
| May 22, 2013 | National | H Amdt 67 | Requires a Finding be Added Concerning Oil Sand Crudes | Amendment Rejected - House (146 - 269) |
| May 8, 2013 | National | HR 1406 | Working Families Flexibility Act of 2013 | Bill Passed - House (223 - 204) |
| May 8, 2013 | National | HR 1406 | Working Families Flexibility Act of 2013 | Bill Passed - House (223 - 204) |
| July 26, 2012 | National | HR 4078 | Red Tape Reduction and Small Business Job Creation Act | Bill Passed - House (245 - 172) |
| April 26, 2012 | National | HR 3523 | Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act | Bill Passed - House (248 - 168) |
| April 19, 2012 | National | HR 9 | Income Tax Deduction for Small Businesses | Bill Passed - House (235 - 173) |
| Dec. 7, 2011 | National | HR 10 | Congressional Approval of Regulations | Bill Passed - House (241 - 184) |
| Dec. 2, 2011 | National | HR 3010 | Establishes Additional Requirements for Regulatory Agencies | Bill Passed - House (253 - 167) |
| Dec. 1, 2011 | National | HR 527 | Increases Requirements for Agencies that Promulgate Regulations Affecting Small Businesses | Bill Passed - House (263 - 159) |
| Nov. 3, 2011 | National | H Amdt 853 | Requires Crowdfunding Intermediaries to Disclose Methods of Compensation to Investors | Amendment Rejected - House (189 - 234) |
| Nov. 3, 2011 | National | H Amdt 849 | Requires Public Disclosure of Bonuses and Golden Parachute Arrangements | Amendment Rejected - House (190 - 234) |
| Nov. 3, 2011 | National | HR 2930 | Authorizes Crowdfunding for Small Businesses | Bill Passed - House (407 - 17) |
| Sept. 15, 2011 | National | HR 2587 | National Labor Relations Board Prohibitions | Bill Passed - House (238 - 186) |
| June 23, 2011 | National | HR 1249 | Patent Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (304 - 117) |
| March 3, 2011 | National | HR 4 | Repeals the Form 1099 Provision in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act | Bill Passed - House (314 - 112) |
| Feb. 19, 2011 | National | H Amdt 155 | Prohibits Use of Funds for Step Increase for General Schedule Employees | Amendment Rejected - House (191 - 230) |
| Dec. 21, 2010 | National | HR 2751 | FDA Food Safety Modernization Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (215 - 144) |
| Dec. 8, 2010 | National | HR 6495 | Mine Safety Act | Bill Failed - House (214 - 193) |
| Sept. 23, 2010 | National | HR 5297 | Small Business Lending Fund and Tax Law Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (237 - 187) |
| July 30, 2010 | National | HR 5851 | "Whistleblower Protection" for Offshore Oil Workers | Bill Passed - House (315 - 93) |
| July 30, 2010 | National | HR 5982 | Tax Law Amendments | Bill Failed - House (241 - 154) |
| June 30, 2010 | National | HR 4173 | Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act | Conference Report Adopted - House (237 - 192) |
| June 17, 2010 | National | HR 5297 | Small Business Lending Fund and Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (241 - 182) |
| March 25, 2010 | National | HR 4872 | Health Care Reconciliation Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (220 - 207) |
| March 21, 2010 | National | HR 4872 | Health Care Reconciliation Act | Bill Passed - House (220 - 211) |
| March 4, 2010 | National | HR 2847 | Employment, Infrastructure, and Transportation Appropriations and Tax Credits ("Senate Jobs Bill") | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (217 - 201) |
| Dec. 16, 2009 | National | HR 2847 | Employment, Infrastructure, and Transportation Appropriations | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (217 - 212) |
| Dec. 11, 2009 | National | HR 4173 | Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act | Bill Passed - House (223 - 202) |
| Nov. 19, 2009 | National | HR 3961 | Revising Medicare Physician Fee Schedules and Reinstatement of PAYGO | Bill Passed - House (243 - 183) |
| June 26, 2009 | National | HR 2454 | Energy and Environmental Law Amendments ("Cap and Trade") | Bill Passed - House (219 - 212) |
| Jan. 27, 2009 | National | S 181 | Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009 | Bill Passed - House (250 - 177) |
| Jan. 9, 2009 | National | HR 12 | Employment Discrimination Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (256 - 163) |
| Jan. 9, 2009 | National | HR 11 | Employment Discrimination Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (247 - 171) |
| Sept. 23, 2008 | National | HR 5244 | Credit Card Regulations | Bill Passed - House (312 - 112) |
| Sept. 18, 2008 | National | HR 6604 | Commodity Markets Speculation Bill | Bill Passed - House (283 - 133) |
| July 31, 2008 | National | HR 1338 | Employment Discrimination Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (247 - 178) |
| July 30, 2008 | National | HR 1108 | FDA Regulation of Tobacco | Bill Passed - House (326 - 102) |
| June 24, 2008 | National | HR 6346 | Price Gouging Prevention Act | Bill Failed - House (276 - 146) |
| April 30, 2008 | National | HR 5522 | Requiring OSHA to Establish Combustible Dust Safety Standards | Bill Passed - House (247 - 165) |
| Jan. 16, 2008 | National | HR 2768 | S-MINER Act | Bill Passed - House (214 - 199) |
| Nov. 7, 2007 | National | HR 3685 | Sexual Orientation Employment Nondiscrimination Act (ENDA) | Bill Passed - House (235 - 184) |
| Oct. 31, 2007 | National | HR 3920 | Trade and Globalization Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - House (264 - 157) |
| Sept. 7, 2007 | National | HR 1908 | Patent Reform Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - House (220 - 175) |
| July 31, 2007 | National | HR 2831 | Equal Pay Bill | Bill Passed - House (225 - 199) |
| May 10, 2007 | National | HR 2206 | Emergency Departmental Supplemental Appropriations Bill of 2007 | Bill Passed - House (221 - 205) |
| Jan. 10, 2007 | National | HR 2 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - House (315 - 116) |
| July 29, 2006 | National | HR 5970 | Death/Estate Tax and Minimum Wage Bill | Bill Passed - House (230 - 180) |
| July 28, 2006 | National | HR 4 | Pension Reform Bill | Bill Passed - House (279 - 131) |
| June 8, 2006 | National | HR 5252 | COPE Bill of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (321 - 101) |
| March 30, 2006 | National | H Amdt 772 | Reverse the Raid on Student Aid Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (200 - 220) |
| July 26, 2005 | National | H Amdt 514 | Small Employer Health Benefits Plan Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (197 - 230) |
| Oct. 7, 2004 | National | HR 4520 | JOBS (Jumpstart Our Business Strength) | Conference Report Adopted - House (280 - 141) |
| Sept. 9, 2004 | National | HR 5006 | Labor, HHS and Education Appropriations Bill- FY 2005 | Bill Passed - House (388 - 13) |
| July 8, 2004 | National | HR 4754 | Commerce Department FY2005 Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - House (397 - 18) |
| May 12, 2004 | National | HR 4279 | Small Business Health Fairness Act of 2004 | Bill Passed - House (273 - 152) |
| April 2, 2004 | National | HR 3108 | Pension Funding Equity Act of 2004 | Conference Report Adopted - House (336 - 69) |
| March 10, 2004 | National | HR 339 | Food Industry Obesity Lawsuits (Cheeseburger Bill) | Bill Passed - House (276 - 139) |
| March 3, 2004 | National | HR 1561 | US Patent and Trademark Fee Modernization Act, 2004 | Bill Passed - House (379 - 28) |
| Feb. 25, 2004 | National | HR 2751 | GAO Human Capital Reform Act of 2004 | Bill Passed - House (382 - 43) |
| June 19, 2003 | National | HR 660 | Small Business Health Fairness Act of 2003 | Bill Passed - House (262 - 162) |
| Jan. 8, 2003 | National | S 23 | Unemployment Benefits bill | Bill Passed - House (416 - 4) |
| July 19, 2001 | National | H Amdt 200 | Community Solutions Act Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (168 - 261) |
| Sept. 26, 2000 | National | HR 5175 | Small Business Superfund Exemption | Bill Failed - House (253 - 161) |
| June 9, 2000 | National | H Amdt 763 | Estate Tax Substitute Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (196 - 222) |
| June 8, 2000 | National | H Amdt 760 | OSHA Ergonomic Protection Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (203 - 220) |
| March 9, 2000 | National | H Amdt 594 | Minimum Wage Increase-Two Year Raise | Amendment Adopted - House (246 - 179) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12/05 | H Amdt 521 | Authorizes Judicial Discretion in Awarding Legal Fees in Patent Lawsuits | Amendment Rejected - House (199 - 213) |
| 12/05 | H Amdt 524 | Limits Covered Customers to Businesses With Less Than $25 Million in Revenue | Amendment Rejected - House (144 - 266) |
| 12/05 | HR 3309 | Innovation Act | Bill Passed - House (325 - 91) |
| 12/04 | HR 1105 | Small Business Capital Access and Job Preservation Act | Bill Passed - House (254 - 159) |
| 10/30 | HR 992 | Swaps Regulatory Improvement Act | Bill Passed - House (292 - 122) |
| 10/29 | HR 2374 | Retail Investor Protection Act | Bill Passed - House (254 - 166) |
| 8/01 | HR 2879 | Stop Government Abuse Act | Bill Passed - House (239 - 176) |
| 7/25 | HR 2218 | Coal Residuals Reuse and Management Act of 2013 | Bill Passed - House (265 - 155) |
| 5/22 | H Amdt 71 | Repeals Requirement that Secretary of the Army Approve All Keystone XL Pipeline Permit Applications | Amendment Rejected - House (182 - 234) |
| 5/22 | H Amdt 67 | Requires a Finding be Added Concerning Oil Sand Crudes | Amendment Rejected - House (146 - 269) |
| 5/08 | HR 1406 | Working Families Flexibility Act of 2013 | Bill Passed - House (223 - 204) |
| 5/08 | HR 1406 | Working Families Flexibility Act of 2013 | Bill Passed - House (223 - 204) |
| 7/26 | HR 4078 | Red Tape Reduction and Small Business Job Creation Act | Bill Passed - House (245 - 172) |
| 4/26 | HR 3523 | Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act | Bill Passed - House (248 - 168) |
| 4/19 | HR 9 | Income Tax Deduction for Small Businesses | Bill Passed - House (235 - 173) |
| 12/07 | HR 10 | Congressional Approval of Regulations | Bill Passed - House (241 - 184) |
| 12/02 | HR 3010 | Establishes Additional Requirements for Regulatory Agencies | Bill Passed - House (253 - 167) |
| 12/01 | HR 527 | Increases Requirements for Agencies that Promulgate Regulations Affecting Small Businesses | Bill Passed - House (263 - 159) |
| 11/03 | H Amdt 853 | Requires Crowdfunding Intermediaries to Disclose Methods of Compensation to Investors | Amendment Rejected - House (189 - 234) |
| 11/03 | H Amdt 849 | Requires Public Disclosure of Bonuses and Golden Parachute Arrangements | Amendment Rejected - House (190 - 234) |
| 11/03 | HR 2930 | Authorizes Crowdfunding for Small Businesses | Bill Passed - House (407 - 17) |
| 9/15 | HR 2587 | National Labor Relations Board Prohibitions | Bill Passed - House (238 - 186) |
| 6/23 | HR 1249 | Patent Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (304 - 117) |
| 3/03 | HR 4 | Repeals the Form 1099 Provision in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act | Bill Passed - House (314 - 112) |
| 2/19 | H Amdt 155 | Prohibits Use of Funds for Step Increase for General Schedule Employees | Amendment Rejected - House (191 - 230) |
| 12/21 | HR 2751 | FDA Food Safety Modernization Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (215 - 144) |
| 12/08 | HR 6495 | Mine Safety Act | Bill Failed - House (214 - 193) |
| 9/23 | HR 5297 | Small Business Lending Fund and Tax Law Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (237 - 187) |
| 7/30 | HR 5851 | "Whistleblower Protection" for Offshore Oil Workers | Bill Passed - House (315 - 93) |
| 7/30 | HR 5982 | Tax Law Amendments | Bill Failed - House (241 - 154) |
| 6/30 | HR 4173 | Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act | Conference Report Adopted - House (237 - 192) |
| 6/17 | HR 5297 | Small Business Lending Fund and Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (241 - 182) |
| 3/25 | HR 4872 | Health Care Reconciliation Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (220 - 207) |
| 3/21 | HR 4872 | Health Care Reconciliation Act | Bill Passed - House (220 - 211) |
| 3/04 | HR 2847 | Employment, Infrastructure, and Transportation Appropriations and Tax Credits ("Senate Jobs Bill") | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (217 - 201) |
| 12/16 | HR 2847 | Employment, Infrastructure, and Transportation Appropriations | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (217 - 212) |
| 12/11 | HR 4173 | Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act | Bill Passed - House (223 - 202) |
| 11/19 | HR 3961 | Revising Medicare Physician Fee Schedules and Reinstatement of PAYGO | Bill Passed - House (243 - 183) |
| 6/26 | HR 2454 | Energy and Environmental Law Amendments ("Cap and Trade") | Bill Passed - House (219 - 212) |
| 1/27 | S 181 | Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009 | Bill Passed - House (250 - 177) |
| 1/09 | HR 12 | Employment Discrimination Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (256 - 163) |
| 1/09 | HR 11 | Employment Discrimination Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (247 - 171) |
| 9/23 | HR 5244 | Credit Card Regulations | Bill Passed - House (312 - 112) |
| 9/18 | HR 6604 | Commodity Markets Speculation Bill | Bill Passed - House (283 - 133) |
| 7/31 | HR 1338 | Employment Discrimination Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (247 - 178) |
| 7/30 | HR 1108 | FDA Regulation of Tobacco | Bill Passed - House (326 - 102) |
| 6/24 | HR 6346 | Price Gouging Prevention Act | Bill Failed - House (276 - 146) |
| 4/30 | HR 5522 | Requiring OSHA to Establish Combustible Dust Safety Standards | Bill Passed - House (247 - 165) |
| 1/16 | HR 2768 | S-MINER Act | Bill Passed - House (214 - 199) |
| 11/07 | HR 3685 | Sexual Orientation Employment Nondiscrimination Act (ENDA) | Bill Passed - House (235 - 184) |
| 10/31 | HR 3920 | Trade and Globalization Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - House (264 - 157) |
| 9/07 | HR 1908 | Patent Reform Act of 2007 | Bill Passed - House (220 - 175) |
| 7/31 | HR 2831 | Equal Pay Bill | Bill Passed - House (225 - 199) |
| 5/10 | HR 2206 | Emergency Departmental Supplemental Appropriations Bill of 2007 | Bill Passed - House (221 - 205) |
| 1/10 | HR 2 | Minimum Wage Increase | Bill Passed - House (315 - 116) |
| 7/29 | HR 5970 | Death/Estate Tax and Minimum Wage Bill | Bill Passed - House (230 - 180) |
| 7/28 | HR 4 | Pension Reform Bill | Bill Passed - House (279 - 131) |
| 6/08 | HR 5252 | COPE Bill of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (321 - 101) |
| 3/30 | H Amdt 772 | Reverse the Raid on Student Aid Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (200 - 220) |
| 7/26 | H Amdt 514 | Small Employer Health Benefits Plan Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (197 - 230) |
| 10/07 | HR 4520 | JOBS (Jumpstart Our Business Strength) | Conference Report Adopted - House (280 - 141) |
| 9/09 | HR 5006 | Labor, HHS and Education Appropriations Bill- FY 2005 | Bill Passed - House (388 - 13) |
| 7/08 | HR 4754 | Commerce Department FY2005 Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - House (397 - 18) |
| 5/12 | HR 4279 | Small Business Health Fairness Act of 2004 | Bill Passed - House (273 - 152) |
| 4/02 | HR 3108 | Pension Funding Equity Act of 2004 | Conference Report Adopted - House (336 - 69) |
| 3/10 | HR 339 | Food Industry Obesity Lawsuits (Cheeseburger Bill) | Bill Passed - House (276 - 139) |
| 3/03 | HR 1561 | US Patent and Trademark Fee Modernization Act, 2004 | Bill Passed - House (379 - 28) |
| 2/25 | HR 2751 | GAO Human Capital Reform Act of 2004 | Bill Passed - House (382 - 43) |
| 6/19 | HR 660 | Small Business Health Fairness Act of 2003 | Bill Passed - House (262 - 162) |
| 1/08 | S 23 | Unemployment Benefits bill | Bill Passed - House (416 - 4) |
| 7/19 | H Amdt 200 | Community Solutions Act Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (168 - 261) |
| 9/26 | HR 5175 | Small Business Superfund Exemption | Bill Failed - House (253 - 161) |
| 6/09 | H Amdt 763 | Estate Tax Substitute Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (196 - 222) |
| 6/08 | H Amdt 760 | OSHA Ergonomic Protection Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (203 - 220) |
| 3/09 | H Amdt 594 | Minimum Wage Increase-Two Year Raise | Amendment Adopted - House (246 - 179) |