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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 2, 2011 | National | HR 2017 | Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act | Bill Passed - House (231 - 188) |
| May 31, 2011 | National | HR 1954 | Increasing the Debt Limit | Motion Rejected - House (97 - 318) |
| May 26, 2011 | National | S 990 | PATRIOT Act Extension | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (250 - 153) |
| May 26, 2011 | National | S 990 | PATRIOT Act Extension | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (72 - 23) |
| May 25, 2011 | National | H Con Res 34 | 2011-2012 Budget | Motion Rejected - Senate (40 - 57) |
| May 25, 2011 | National | S Con Res 21 | 2012 Budget | Motion Rejected - Senate (42 - 55) |
| May 23, 2011 | National | S 1038 | PATRIOT Act Extension | Cloture Invoked - Senate (74 - 8) |
| May 18, 2011 | National | S 953 | Offshore Production and Safety Act | Motion Rejected - Senate (42 - 57) |
| May 17, 2011 | National | S 940 | Amending Oil Company Tax Laws | Motion Rejected - Senate (52 - 48) |
| May 5, 2011 | National | HR 1230 | Offshore Leasing Act | Bill Passed - House (266 - 149) |
| May 4, 2011 | National | HR 1214 | Repealing Funding for School-Based Health Center Construction | Bill Passed - House (235 - 191) |
| May 4, 2011 | National | HR 3 | Prohibiting Taxpayer Funding of Abortion | Bill Passed - House (251 - 175) |
| May 3, 2011 | National | HR 1213 | Repealing Funding for State Health Benefit Exchanges | Bill Passed - House (238 - 183) |
| April 15, 2011 | National | H Con Res 34 | 2011-2012 Budget | Joint Resolution Passed - House (235 - 193) |
| April 14, 2011 | National | HR 1473 | 2011 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (81 - 19) |
| April 14, 2011 | National | HR 1473 | 2011 Budget | Bill Passed - House (260 - 167) |
| April 13, 2011 | National | HR 1217 | Repealing the Prevention and Public Health Fund | Bill Passed - House (236 - 183) |
| April 9, 2011 | National | HR 1363 | 2011 Department of Defense Budget and Additional Continuing Appropriations | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (348 - 70) |
| April 8, 2011 | National | H J Res 37 | Disapproving FCC Rules Concerning Internet Providers | Joint Resolution Passed - House (240 - 179) |
| April 7, 2011 | National | HR 1363 | 2011 Department of Defense Budget and Additional Continuing Appropriations | Bill Passed - House (247 - 181) |
| April 7, 2011 | National | HR 910 | Energy Tax Prevention Act | Bill Passed - House (255 - 172) |
| April 5, 2011 | National | HR 4 | Repeals the Form 1099 Provision in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act | Bill Passed - Senate (87 - 12) |
| April 1, 2011 | National | H Amdt 232 | Amending FAA Rulemaking Activities | Amendment Adopted - House (215 - 209) |
| April 1, 2011 | National | HR 658 | Federal Aviation Administration Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - House (223 - 196) |
| April 1, 2011 | National | HR 1255 | Government Shutdown Prevention Act | Bill Passed - House (221 - 202) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6/02 | HR 2017 | Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act | Bill Passed - House (231 - 188) |
| 5/31 | HR 1954 | Increasing the Debt Limit | Motion Rejected - House (97 - 318) |
| 5/26 | S 990 | PATRIOT Act Extension | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (250 - 153) |
| 5/26 | S 990 | PATRIOT Act Extension | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (72 - 23) |
| 5/25 | H Con Res 34 | 2011-2012 Budget | Motion Rejected - Senate (40 - 57) |
| 5/25 | S Con Res 21 | 2012 Budget | Motion Rejected - Senate (42 - 55) |
| 5/23 | S 1038 | PATRIOT Act Extension | Cloture Invoked - Senate (74 - 8) |
| 5/18 | S 953 | Offshore Production and Safety Act | Motion Rejected - Senate (42 - 57) |
| 5/17 | S 940 | Amending Oil Company Tax Laws | Motion Rejected - Senate (52 - 48) |
| 5/05 | HR 1230 | Offshore Leasing Act | Bill Passed - House (266 - 149) |
| 5/04 | HR 1214 | Repealing Funding for School-Based Health Center Construction | Bill Passed - House (235 - 191) |
| 5/04 | HR 3 | Prohibiting Taxpayer Funding of Abortion | Bill Passed - House (251 - 175) |
| 5/03 | HR 1213 | Repealing Funding for State Health Benefit Exchanges | Bill Passed - House (238 - 183) |
| 4/15 | H Con Res 34 | 2011-2012 Budget | Joint Resolution Passed - House (235 - 193) |
| 4/14 | HR 1473 | 2011 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (81 - 19) |
| 4/14 | HR 1473 | 2011 Budget | Bill Passed - House (260 - 167) |
| 4/13 | HR 1217 | Repealing the Prevention and Public Health Fund | Bill Passed - House (236 - 183) |
| 4/09 | HR 1363 | 2011 Department of Defense Budget and Additional Continuing Appropriations | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (348 - 70) |
| 4/08 | H J Res 37 | Disapproving FCC Rules Concerning Internet Providers | Joint Resolution Passed - House (240 - 179) |
| 4/07 | HR 1363 | 2011 Department of Defense Budget and Additional Continuing Appropriations | Bill Passed - House (247 - 181) |
| 4/07 | HR 910 | Energy Tax Prevention Act | Bill Passed - House (255 - 172) |
| 4/05 | HR 4 | Repeals the Form 1099 Provision in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act | Bill Passed - Senate (87 - 12) |
| 4/01 | H Amdt 232 | Amending FAA Rulemaking Activities | Amendment Adopted - House (215 - 209) |
| 4/01 | HR 658 | Federal Aviation Administration Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - House (223 - 196) |
| 4/01 | HR 1255 | Government Shutdown Prevention Act | Bill Passed - House (221 - 202) |