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. 20, 2011 | National | HR 3630 | Temporary Payroll Tax Cut Extension | Nonconcurrence Vote Passed - House (229 - 193) |
| Dec. 17, 2011 | National | S Amdt 1465 | Temporary Payroll Tax Cut Extension | Amendment Adopted - Senate (89 - 10) |
| Dec. 15, 2011 | National | HR 1540 | National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (86 - 13) |
| Dec. 14, 2011 | National | HR 1540 | National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 | Conference Report Adopted - House (283 - 136) |
| Dec. 14, 2011 | National | S J Res 24 | Proposing a Balanced Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution (Udall Bill) | Amendment Rejected - Senate (21 - 79) |
| Dec. 13, 2011 | National | HR 3630 | Reduces Payroll Taxes and Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - House (234 - 193) |
| Dec. 6, 2011 | National | PN 5 | Nomination of Caitlin Joan Halligan to the District of Columbia Circuit Court | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (54 - 45) |
| Dec. 2, 2011 | National | HR 3010 | Establishes Additional Requirements for Regulatory Agencies | Bill Passed - House (253 - 167) |
| Dec. 1, 2011 | National | S 1931 | Reduces Payroll Tax Rate | Motion Rejected - Senate (20 - 78) |
| 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) |
| 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. 11, 2011 | National | S 1660 | American Jobs Act of 2011 | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (50 - 49) |
| Oct. 11, 2011 | National | S 1660 | American Jobs Act of 2011 | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (50 - 49) |
| 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) |
| June 23, 2011 | National | S Amdt 499 | Prohibits the Appointment of Presidential "Czars" Without Senate Approval | Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 51) |
| June 23, 2011 | National | S Amdt 499 | Prohibits the Appointment of Presidential "Czars" Without Senate Approval | Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 51) |
| June 3, 2011 | National | H Res 292 | Ground Forces in Libya | Resolution Passed - House (268 - 145) |
| June 3, 2011 | National | H Con Res 51 | Removing Armed Forces from Libya | Joint Resolution Failed - House (148 - 265) |
| June 3, 2011 | National | H Con Res 51 | Removing Armed Forces from Libya | Joint Resolution Failed - House (148 - 265) |
| June 2, 2011 | National | H Amdt 398 | Prohibiting the Use of Funds for Transportation Security Administration Collective Bargaining | Amendment Adopted - House (218 - 205) |
| 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) |
| April 1, 2011 | National | HR 1255 | Government Shutdown Prevention Act | Bill Passed - House (221 - 202) |
| March 29, 2011 | National | HR 839 | Terminating the Home Affordable Modification Program | Bill Passed - House (252 - 170) |
| March 29, 2011 | National | HR 839 | Terminating the Home Affordable Modification Program | Bill Passed - House (252 - 170) |
| Feb. 18, 2011 | National | H Amdt 95 | Prohibiting Use of Federal Funds For Planned Parenthood | Amendment Adopted - House (240 - 185) |
| Feb. 15, 2011 | National | S Amdt 14 | Prohibiting Transportation Security Administration Employees from Collective Bargaining | Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 51) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12/20 | HR 3630 | Temporary Payroll Tax Cut Extension | Nonconcurrence Vote Passed - House (229 - 193) |
| 12/17 | S Amdt 1465 | Temporary Payroll Tax Cut Extension | Amendment Adopted - Senate (89 - 10) |
| 12/15 | HR 1540 | National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (86 - 13) |
| 12/14 | HR 1540 | National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 | Conference Report Adopted - House (283 - 136) |
| 12/14 | S J Res 24 | Proposing a Balanced Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution (Udall Bill) | Amendment Rejected - Senate (21 - 79) |
| 12/13 | HR 3630 | Reduces Payroll Taxes and Unemployment Benefits | Bill Passed - House (234 - 193) |
| 12/06 | PN 5 | Nomination of Caitlin Joan Halligan to the District of Columbia Circuit Court | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (54 - 45) |
| 12/02 | HR 3010 | Establishes Additional Requirements for Regulatory Agencies | Bill Passed - House (253 - 167) |
| 12/01 | S 1931 | Reduces Payroll Tax Rate | Motion Rejected - Senate (20 - 78) |
| 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) |
| 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) |
| 10/11 | S 1660 | American Jobs Act of 2011 | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (50 - 49) |
| 10/11 | S 1660 | American Jobs Act of 2011 | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (50 - 49) |
| 9/14 | H J Res 77 | Disapproval of the President's Authority to Raise the Debt Limit | Joint Resolution Passed - House (232 - 186) |
| 6/23 | S Amdt 499 | Prohibits the Appointment of Presidential "Czars" Without Senate Approval | Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 51) |
| 6/23 | S Amdt 499 | Prohibits the Appointment of Presidential "Czars" Without Senate Approval | Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 51) |
| 6/03 | H Res 292 | Ground Forces in Libya | Resolution Passed - House (268 - 145) |
| 6/03 | H Con Res 51 | Removing Armed Forces from Libya | Joint Resolution Failed - House (148 - 265) |
| 6/03 | H Con Res 51 | Removing Armed Forces from Libya | Joint Resolution Failed - House (148 - 265) |
| 6/02 | H Amdt 398 | Prohibiting the Use of Funds for Transportation Security Administration Collective Bargaining | Amendment Adopted - House (218 - 205) |
| 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) |
| 4/01 | HR 1255 | Government Shutdown Prevention Act | Bill Passed - House (221 - 202) |
| 3/29 | HR 839 | Terminating the Home Affordable Modification Program | Bill Passed - House (252 - 170) |
| 3/29 | HR 839 | Terminating the Home Affordable Modification Program | Bill Passed - House (252 - 170) |
| 2/18 | H Amdt 95 | Prohibiting Use of Federal Funds For Planned Parenthood | Amendment Adopted - House (240 - 185) |
| 2/15 | S Amdt 14 | Prohibiting Transportation Security Administration Employees from Collective Bargaining | Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 51) |