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.


results per page:
Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
March 26, 2026 National H Res 1128 Expressing the support of the House of Representatives for the Department of Homeland Security Resolution Passed - House (225 - 187)
March 5, 2026 National H Con Res 38 Directing the President pursuant to section 5(c) of the War Powers Resolution to remove United States Armed Forces from unauthorized hostilities in the Islamic Republic of Iran Bill Failed - House (212 - 219)
March 4, 2026 National S J Res 104 A joint resolution to direct the removal of United States Armed Forces from hostilities within or against the Islamic Republic of Iran that have not been authorized by Congress Motion Rejected - Senate (47 - 53)
March 4, 2026 National H Res 1100 Directing the Committee on Ethics to preserve and publicly release records of the Committee's review of violations or alleged violations of clause 9 (as it pertains to acts of sexual harassment) and clause 18 of rule XXIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives Motion Agreed - House (357 - 65)
Feb. 10, 2026 AL HB 220 Authorizes the Governor and Legislature Leaders to Replace Appointed State Board Members Bill Passed - House (82 - 3)
Jan. 26, 2026 SD SJR 501 Amends the State Constitution to Establish Term Limits for Members of the Legislature Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 14)
Jan. 12, 2026 NJ A 5886 Amends the Process for Filling Vacancies From New Jersey in the United States House of Representatives Bill Passed - House (66 - 7)
Jan. 8, 2026 National H Res 780 Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 1834) to advance policy priorities that will break the gridlock Resolution Passed - House (224 - 202)
Jan. 7, 2026 National H Res 780 Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 1834) to advance policy priorities that will break the gridlock Motion Agreed - House (221 - 205)
Date No. Title Outcome
3/26 H Res 1128 Expressing the support of the House of Representatives for the Department of Homeland Security Resolution Passed - House (225 - 187)
3/05 H Con Res 38 Directing the President pursuant to section 5(c) of the War Powers Resolution to remove United States Armed Forces from unauthorized hostilities in the Islamic Republic of Iran Bill Failed - House (212 - 219)
3/04 S J Res 104 A joint resolution to direct the removal of United States Armed Forces from hostilities within or against the Islamic Republic of Iran that have not been authorized by Congress Motion Rejected - Senate (47 - 53)
3/04 H Res 1100 Directing the Committee on Ethics to preserve and publicly release records of the Committee's review of violations or alleged violations of clause 9 (as it pertains to acts of sexual harassment) and clause 18 of rule XXIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives Motion Agreed - House (357 - 65)
2/10 HB 220 Authorizes the Governor and Legislature Leaders to Replace Appointed State Board Members Bill Passed - House (82 - 3)
1/26 SJR 501 Amends the State Constitution to Establish Term Limits for Members of the Legislature Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 14)
1/12 A 5886 Amends the Process for Filling Vacancies From New Jersey in the United States House of Representatives Bill Passed - House (66 - 7)
1/08 H Res 780 Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 1834) to advance policy priorities that will break the gridlock Resolution Passed - House (224 - 202)
1/07 H Res 780 Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 1834) to advance policy priorities that will break the gridlock Motion Agreed - House (221 - 205)

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