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. 17, 2011 National HR 2055 Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2012 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (67 - 32)
Dec. 16, 2011 National HR 2055 Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2012 Conference Report Adopted - House (296 - 121)
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. 13, 2011 PA SB 732 Amends the Health Care Facilities Act of 179 Bill Passed - House (151 - 44)
Dec. 12, 2011 PA HB 1977 Amending Insurance Coverage of Abortions Bill Passed - House (146 - 45)
Dec. 8, 2011 National HR 1633 Limits Regulation of Farm Dust Bill Passed - House (268 - 150)
Dec. 1, 2011 National S Amdt 1274 Authorizes Further Detention After Trial During Wartime Amendment Rejected - Senate (41 - 59)
Dec. 1, 2011 National S Amdt 1126 Prohibits Detention of U.S. Citizens Without Trial Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 55)
Dec. 1, 2011 National S Amdt 1125 Limits New Detention Rules to Prisoners Captured Outside the U.S. Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 55)
Nov. 29, 2011 National S Amdt 1064 Repeals Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Amendment Rejected - Senate (30 - 67)
Nov. 29, 2011 National S Amdt 1107 Removes Provisions Requiring Military Custody of al-Qaeda Suspects Amendment Rejected - Senate (38 - 60)
Nov. 29, 2011 NC HB 645 Temporary Fuel Tax Cap Bill Passed - House (94 - 23)
Nov. 17, 2011 National HR 2112 Appropriations for Agriculture, Rural Development, and the Food and Drug Administration Conference Report Adopted - Senate (70 - 30)
Nov. 17, 2011 National HR 2112 Appropriations for Agriculture, Rural Development, and the Food and Drug Administration Conference Report Adopted - House (298 - 121)
Nov. 10, 2011 National S Amdt 928 American Jobs and Economic Growth Amendment Rejected - Senate (40 - 56)
Nov. 10, 2011 National S Amdt 928 American Jobs and Economic Growth Amendment Rejected - Senate (40 - 56)
Nov. 10, 2011 ND HB 1474 Establishing a Health Benefit Exchange Bill Failed - House (30 - 64)
Nov. 10, 2011 MI SB 693 Establishes MIHealth Marketplace Health Insurance Exchange Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12)
Nov. 9, 2011 IL SB 965 Authorizing Speed Cameras in Certain Cities Bill Passed - House (64 - 50)
Nov. 3, 2011 National S 1769 Transportation Infrastructure Appropriations and Tax on Income Over $1 Million Motion Rejected - Senate (51 - 49)
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 S 1786 Long-Term Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2011 Motion Rejected - Senate (47 - 53)
Nov. 2, 2011 MI SB 291 Repeals Motorcycle Helmet Law Bill Passed - House (69 - 39)
Nov. 1, 2011 WI AB 69 Use of Deadly Force in Self-Defense Bill Passed - House (71 - 24)
Date No. Title Outcome
12/17 HR 2055 Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2012 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (67 - 32)
12/16 HR 2055 Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2012 Conference Report Adopted - House (296 - 121)
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)
12/13 SB 732 Amends the Health Care Facilities Act of 179 Bill Passed - House (151 - 44)
12/12 HB 1977 Amending Insurance Coverage of Abortions Bill Passed - House (146 - 45)
12/08 HR 1633 Limits Regulation of Farm Dust Bill Passed - House (268 - 150)
12/01 S Amdt 1274 Authorizes Further Detention After Trial During Wartime Amendment Rejected - Senate (41 - 59)
12/01 S Amdt 1126 Prohibits Detention of U.S. Citizens Without Trial Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 55)
12/01 S Amdt 1125 Limits New Detention Rules to Prisoners Captured Outside the U.S. Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 55)
11/29 S Amdt 1064 Repeals Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Amendment Rejected - Senate (30 - 67)
11/29 S Amdt 1107 Removes Provisions Requiring Military Custody of al-Qaeda Suspects Amendment Rejected - Senate (38 - 60)
11/29 HB 645 Temporary Fuel Tax Cap Bill Passed - House (94 - 23)
11/17 HR 2112 Appropriations for Agriculture, Rural Development, and the Food and Drug Administration Conference Report Adopted - Senate (70 - 30)
11/17 HR 2112 Appropriations for Agriculture, Rural Development, and the Food and Drug Administration Conference Report Adopted - House (298 - 121)
11/10 S Amdt 928 American Jobs and Economic Growth Amendment Rejected - Senate (40 - 56)
11/10 S Amdt 928 American Jobs and Economic Growth Amendment Rejected - Senate (40 - 56)
11/10 HB 1474 Establishing a Health Benefit Exchange Bill Failed - House (30 - 64)
11/10 SB 693 Establishes MIHealth Marketplace Health Insurance Exchange Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12)
11/09 SB 965 Authorizing Speed Cameras in Certain Cities Bill Passed - House (64 - 50)
11/03 S 1769 Transportation Infrastructure Appropriations and Tax on Income Over $1 Million Motion Rejected - Senate (51 - 49)
11/03 H Amdt 849 Requires Public Disclosure of Bonuses and Golden Parachute Arrangements Amendment Rejected - House (190 - 234)
11/03 S 1786 Long-Term Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2011 Motion Rejected - Senate (47 - 53)
11/02 SB 291 Repeals Motorcycle Helmet Law Bill Passed - House (69 - 39)
11/01 AB 69 Use of Deadly Force in Self-Defense Bill Passed - House (71 - 24)

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