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.


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Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
Dec. 20, 2011 National HR 3630 Temporary Payroll Tax Cut Extension Nonconcurrence Vote Passed - House (229 - 193)
Dec. 16, 2011 National HR 2055 Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2012 Conference Report Adopted - House (296 - 121)
Dec. 14, 2011 National HR 1540 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 Conference Report Adopted - House (283 - 136)
Dec. 13, 2011 National HR 3630 Reduces Payroll Taxes and Unemployment Benefits Bill Passed - House (234 - 193)
Dec. 8, 2011 National HR 1633 Limits Regulation of Farm Dust Bill Passed - House (268 - 150)
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)
Dec. 1, 2011 National HR 3463 Repeals Taxpayer Financing of Presidential Election Campaigns Bill Passed - House (235 - 190)
Nov. 30, 2011 National HR 3094 Labor Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (235 - 188)
Nov. 29, 2011 National HR 3012 Repeals Certain Green Cards Limitations Bill Passed - House (389 - 15)
Nov. 18, 2011 National H J Res 2 Proposing a Balanced Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution Joint Resolution Failed - House (261 - 165)
Nov. 17, 2011 National HR 2112 Appropriations for Agriculture, Rural Development, and the Food and Drug Administration Conference Report Adopted - House (298 - 121)
Nov. 16, 2011 National HR 822 Requiring State Reciprocity for Carrying Concealed Firearms Bill Passed - House (272 - 154)
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)
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)
Oct. 27, 2011 National HR 2576 Requires Inclusion of Social Security Benefits in Calculation of Modified Adjusted Gross Income Bill Passed - House (262 - 157)
Oct. 26, 2011 National HR 1904 Southeast Arizona Land Exchange and Conservation Act of 2011 Bill Passed - House (235 - 186)
Oct. 14, 2011 National HR 2273 Coal Residuals Reuse and Management Act Bill Passed - House (267 - 144)
Oct. 13, 2011 National HR 358 Amends Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to Prohibit Abortion Coverage Bill Passed - House (251 - 172)
Oct. 12, 2011 National HR 3079 Trade Promotion Agreement with Panama Bill Passed - House (300 - 129)
Oct. 12, 2011 National HR 3080 Free Trade Agreement with Korea Bill Passed - House (278 - 151)
Oct. 12, 2011 National HR 3078 Trade Promotion Agreement with Colombia Bill Passed - House (262 - 167)
Oct. 6, 2011 National HR 2681 Repeals EPA Emissions Regulations for Cement Manufacturers Bill Passed - House (262 - 161)
Oct. 4, 2011 National HR 2608 Continuing Appropriations Act of 2012 Concurrence Vote Passed - House (352 - 66)
Sept. 23, 2011 National HR 2608 Stopgap Spending and Disaster Relief Concurrence Vote Passed - House (219 - 203)
Sept. 23, 2011 National H Amdt 800 Requires the EPA to Consider Costs and Feasibility of Air Quality Standards Amendment Adopted - House (227 - 192)
Sept. 23, 2011 National H Amdt 799 Suspends Cross State Air Pollution Rule Amendment Adopted - House (234 - 188)
Sept. 21, 2011 National HR 2608 Stopgap Spending and Disaster Relief Concurrence Vote Failed - House (195 - 230)
Sept. 15, 2011 National HR 2587 National Labor Relations Board Prohibitions Bill Passed - House (238 - 186)
Sept. 14, 2011 National H J Res 77 Disapproval of the President's Authority to Raise the Debt Limit Joint Resolution Passed - House (232 - 186)
Aug. 1, 2011 National S 365 Budget Control Act of 2011 Bill Passed - House (269 - 161)
July 29, 2011 National S 627 Increasing the Debt Ceiling (Boehner Bill) Bill Passed - House (218 - 210)
July 27, 2011 National H Amdt 735 Repeals Laws that Limited Funding for the Endangered Species Act Amendment Adopted - House (224 - 202)
July 22, 2011 National HR 2551 2011-2012 Congressional Budget Bill Passed - House (252 - 159)
July 21, 2011 National HR 1315 Oversight of Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Bill Passed - House (241 - 173)
July 20, 2011 National HR 2553 Airport and Airway Extension Act Bill Passed - House (243 - 177)
July 19, 2011 National HR 2560 Cut, Cap and Balance Act of 2011 Bill Passed - House (234 - 190)
July 13, 2011 National HR 2018 Amending Clean Water Laws Bill Passed - House (239 - 184)
July 12, 2011 National HR 2417 Repeals Energy Efficiency Standards for Incandescent Light Bulbs Motion Rejected - House (233 - 193)
June 24, 2011 National H J Res 68 Authorizes Limited Use of US Armed Forces in Libya Joint Resolution Failed - House (123 - 295)
June 24, 2011 National HR 2278 Limits the Use of Funds in Support of NATO Operations in Libya Bill Failed - House (180 - 238)
June 23, 2011 National HR 1249 Patent Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (304 - 117)
June 22, 2011 National HR 2021 Impact of Drilling on Air Quality Bill Passed - House (253 - 166)
June 13, 2011 National H Amdt 414 Prohibits Use of Funds in Contravention of the War Powers Resolution Amendment Adopted - House (248 - 163)
June 3, 2011 National H Con Res 51 Removing Armed Forces from Libya Joint Resolution Failed - House (148 - 265)
June 3, 2011 National H Res 292 Ground Forces in Libya Resolution Passed - House (268 - 145)
June 2, 2011 National H Amdt 406 Transportation Security Administration Appropriations Amendment Adopted - House (219 - 204)
Date No. Title Outcome
12/20 HR 3630 Temporary Payroll Tax Cut Extension Nonconcurrence Vote Passed - House (229 - 193)
12/16 HR 2055 Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2012 Conference Report Adopted - House (296 - 121)
12/14 HR 1540 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 Conference Report Adopted - House (283 - 136)
12/13 HR 3630 Reduces Payroll Taxes and Unemployment Benefits Bill Passed - House (234 - 193)
12/08 HR 1633 Limits Regulation of Farm Dust Bill Passed - House (268 - 150)
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)
12/01 HR 3463 Repeals Taxpayer Financing of Presidential Election Campaigns Bill Passed - House (235 - 190)
11/30 HR 3094 Labor Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (235 - 188)
11/29 HR 3012 Repeals Certain Green Cards Limitations Bill Passed - House (389 - 15)
11/18 H J Res 2 Proposing a Balanced Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution Joint Resolution Failed - House (261 - 165)
11/17 HR 2112 Appropriations for Agriculture, Rural Development, and the Food and Drug Administration Conference Report Adopted - House (298 - 121)
11/16 HR 822 Requiring State Reciprocity for Carrying Concealed Firearms Bill Passed - House (272 - 154)
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)
11/01 H Con Res 13 Encourages Display of "In God We Trust" in Public Buildings and Schools Joint Resolution Passed - House (396 - 9)
10/27 HR 2576 Requires Inclusion of Social Security Benefits in Calculation of Modified Adjusted Gross Income Bill Passed - House (262 - 157)
10/26 HR 1904 Southeast Arizona Land Exchange and Conservation Act of 2011 Bill Passed - House (235 - 186)
10/14 HR 2273 Coal Residuals Reuse and Management Act Bill Passed - House (267 - 144)
10/13 HR 358 Amends Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to Prohibit Abortion Coverage Bill Passed - House (251 - 172)
10/12 HR 3079 Trade Promotion Agreement with Panama Bill Passed - House (300 - 129)
10/12 HR 3080 Free Trade Agreement with Korea Bill Passed - House (278 - 151)
10/12 HR 3078 Trade Promotion Agreement with Colombia Bill Passed - House (262 - 167)
10/06 HR 2681 Repeals EPA Emissions Regulations for Cement Manufacturers Bill Passed - House (262 - 161)
10/04 HR 2608 Continuing Appropriations Act of 2012 Concurrence Vote Passed - House (352 - 66)
9/23 HR 2608 Stopgap Spending and Disaster Relief Concurrence Vote Passed - House (219 - 203)
9/23 H Amdt 800 Requires the EPA to Consider Costs and Feasibility of Air Quality Standards Amendment Adopted - House (227 - 192)
9/23 H Amdt 799 Suspends Cross State Air Pollution Rule Amendment Adopted - House (234 - 188)
9/21 HR 2608 Stopgap Spending and Disaster Relief Concurrence Vote Failed - House (195 - 230)
9/15 HR 2587 National Labor Relations Board Prohibitions Bill Passed - House (238 - 186)
9/14 H J Res 77 Disapproval of the President's Authority to Raise the Debt Limit Joint Resolution Passed - House (232 - 186)
8/01 S 365 Budget Control Act of 2011 Bill Passed - House (269 - 161)
7/29 S 627 Increasing the Debt Ceiling (Boehner Bill) Bill Passed - House (218 - 210)
7/27 H Amdt 735 Repeals Laws that Limited Funding for the Endangered Species Act Amendment Adopted - House (224 - 202)
7/22 HR 2551 2011-2012 Congressional Budget Bill Passed - House (252 - 159)
7/21 HR 1315 Oversight of Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Bill Passed - House (241 - 173)
7/20 HR 2553 Airport and Airway Extension Act Bill Passed - House (243 - 177)
7/19 HR 2560 Cut, Cap and Balance Act of 2011 Bill Passed - House (234 - 190)
7/13 HR 2018 Amending Clean Water Laws Bill Passed - House (239 - 184)
7/12 HR 2417 Repeals Energy Efficiency Standards for Incandescent Light Bulbs Motion Rejected - House (233 - 193)
6/24 H J Res 68 Authorizes Limited Use of US Armed Forces in Libya Joint Resolution Failed - House (123 - 295)
6/24 HR 2278 Limits the Use of Funds in Support of NATO Operations in Libya Bill Failed - House (180 - 238)
6/23 HR 1249 Patent Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (304 - 117)
6/22 HR 2021 Impact of Drilling on Air Quality Bill Passed - House (253 - 166)
6/13 H Amdt 414 Prohibits Use of Funds in Contravention of the War Powers Resolution Amendment Adopted - House (248 - 163)
6/03 H Con Res 51 Removing Armed Forces from Libya Joint Resolution Failed - House (148 - 265)
6/03 H Res 292 Ground Forces in Libya Resolution Passed - House (268 - 145)
6/02 H Amdt 406 Transportation Security Administration Appropriations Amendment Adopted - House (219 - 204)

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