National Government Operations 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
Feb. 23, 2021 National PN 78-21 Nomination of Linda Thomas-Greenfield as Representative of the United States of America to the Sessions of the General Assembly of the United Nations Nomination Confirmed - Senate (78 - 21)
Feb. 23, 2021 National PN 78-22 Nomination of Thomas J. Vilsack as Secretary of Agriculture Nomination Confirmed - Senate (92 - 7)
Feb. 13, 2021 National H Res 24 Impeaching Donald John Trump, President of the United States, for high crimes and misdemeanors Resolution Failed - Senate (57 - 43)
Feb. 13, 2021 National H Res 24 Impeaching Donald John Trump, President of the United States, for high crimes and misdemeanors Resolution Failed - Senate (57 - 43)
Feb. 9, 2021 National N/A On the Motion "Is Former President Donald John Trump Subject to a Court of Impeachment for Acts Committed While President?" Resolution Passed - Senate (56 - 44)
Feb. 8, 2021 National PN 78-14 Nomination of Denis McDonough as Secretary of Veterans Affairs Nomination Confirmed - Senate (87 - 7)
Feb. 5, 2021 National S Con Res 5 A concurrent resolution setting forth the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2021 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2022 through 2030 Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (51 - 50)
Feb. 2, 2021 National PN 78-4 Nomination of Peter Buttigieg as Secretary of Transportation Nomination Confirmed - Senate (86 - 13)
Feb. 2, 2021 National PN 78-13 Nomination of Alejandro Mayorkas as Secretary of Homeland Security Nomination Confirmed - Senate (56 - 43)
Jan. 26, 2021 National PN 78-3 Nomination of Antony Blinken as Secretary of State Nomination Confirmed - Senate (78 - 22)
Jan. 25, 2021 National PN 78-24 Nomination of Janet Yellen as Secretary of the Treasury Nomination Confirmed - Senate (84 - 15)
Jan. 22, 2021 National PN 78-1 Nomination of Lloyd Austin as Secretary of Defense Nomination Confirmed - Senate (93 - 2)
Jan. 20, 2021 National PN 78-10 Nomination of Avril Haines as the Director of National Intelligence Nomination Confirmed - Senate (84 - 10)
Oct. 26, 2020 National PN 2252 Nomination of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court of the United States Nomination Confirmed - Senate (52 - 48)
Oct. 25, 2020 National PN 2252 Nomination of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court of the United States Cloture Invoked - Senate (51 - 48)
Oct. 1, 2020 National S 4653 A bill to protect the healthcare of hundreds of millions of people of the United States and prevent efforts of the Department of Justice to advocate courts to strike down the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (51 - 43)
May 21, 2020 National PN 1615 Nomination of John Ratcliffe as Director of National Intelligence Nomination Confirmed - Senate (49 - 44)
Feb. 5, 2020 National H Res 755 Impeaching Donald John Trump, President of the United States, for high crimes and misdemeanors Bill Failed - Senate (47 - 53)
Feb. 5, 2020 National H Res 755 Impeaching Donald John Trump, President of the United States, for high crimes and misdemeanors Bill Failed - Senate (47 - 53)
Feb. 5, 2020 National H Res 755 Impeaching Donald John Trump, President of the United States, for high crimes and misdemeanors Bill Failed - Senate (48 - 52)
Feb. 5, 2020 National H Res 755 Impeaching Donald John Trump, President of the United States, for high crimes and misdemeanors Bill Failed - Senate (48 - 52)
Jan. 31, 2020 National S Amdt 1298 Requires the US Chief Justice to rule on motions to subpoena witnesses and documents and issues of privilege Amendment Tabled - Senate (53 - 47)
Jan. 31, 2020 National S Amdt 1298 Requires the US Chief Justice to rule on motions to subpoena witnesses and documents and issues of privilege Amendment Tabled - Senate (53 - 47)
Jan. 31, 2020 National S Res 488 A resolution to provide for related procedures concerning the articles of impeachment against Donald John Trump, President of the United States Bill Passed - Senate (51 - 49)
Jan. 31, 2020 National S Res 488 A resolution to provide for related procedures concerning the articles of impeachment against Donald John Trump, President of the United States Bill Passed - Senate (51 - 49)
Jan. 22, 2020 National S Res 483 A resolution to provide for related procedures concerning the articles of impeachment against Donald John Trump, President of the United States Bill Passed - Senate (53 - 47)
Jan. 22, 2020 National S Res 483 A resolution to provide for related procedures concerning the articles of impeachment against Donald John Trump, President of the United States Bill Passed - Senate (53 - 47)
Dec. 2, 2019 National PN 1268 Nomination of Dan Brouillette as the Secretary of Energy Nomination Confirmed - Senate (70 - 15)
Nov. 21, 2019 National PN 1268 Nomination of Dan Brouillette as the Secretary of Energy Cloture Invoked - Senate (74 - 18)
Nov. 13, 2019 National PN 410 Nomination of Chad Wolf to be Under Secretary for Strategy, Policy, and Plans for the Department of Homeland Security (54 - 41)
Nov. 12, 2019 National PN 410 Nomination of Chad Wolf to be Under Secretary for Strategy, Policy, and Plans for the Department of Homeland Security Cloture Invoked - Senate (54 - 40)
Oct. 22, 2019 National PN 110 Nomination of Andrew Bremberg to be the Representative of the United States of America to the Office of the United Nations (50 - 44)
Oct. 22, 2019 National PN 110 Nomination of Andrew Bremberg to be the Representative of the United States of America to the Office of the United Nations Cloture Invoked - Senate (50 - 43)
Sept. 26, 2019 National PN 1099 Nomination of Eugene Scalia as the Secretary of Labor (53 - 44)
Sept. 26, 2019 National SJ Res 54 Rescinds a National Emergency Declared by the President on February 15, 2019 Bill Passed - Senate (54 - 41)
Sept. 26, 2019 National SJ Res 54 Rescinds a National Emergency Declared by the President on February 15, 2019 Bill Passed - Senate (54 - 41)
Sept. 25, 2019 National PN 1099 Nomination of Eugene Scalia as the Secretary of Labor Cloture Invoked - Senate (52 - 42)
July 23, 2019 National PN 934 Nomination of Mark Esper as the Secretary of Defense (90 - 8)
July 22, 2019 National PN 934 Nomination of Mark Esper as the Secretary of Defense Cloture Invoked - Senate (85 - 6)
June 19, 2019 National PN 233 Nomination of Matthew Kacsmaryk to be U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of Texas (52 - 46)
May 16, 2019 National PN 526 Nomination of Jeffrey Rosen to be Deputy Attorney General for the Department of Justice (52 - 45)
April 11, 2019 National PN 503 Nomination of David Bernhardt as the Secretary of the Interior (56 - 41)
March 14, 2019 National H J Res 46 Relating to a national emergency declared by the President on February 15, 2019 Bill Passed - Senate (59 - 41)
Feb. 14, 2019 National PN 17 Nomination of William Pelham Barr to be Attorney General of the Department of Justice (54 - 45)
Feb. 12, 2019 National PN 17 Nomination of William Pelham Barr to be Attorney General of the Department of Justice Cloture Invoked - Senate (55 - 44)
Dec. 11, 2018 National PN 2117 Nomination of Jonathan A. Kobes to the Eighth Circuit Court (51 - 50)
Nov. 29, 2018 National PN 2117 Nomination of Jonathan A. Kobes to the Eighth Circuit Court Cloture Invoked - Senate (50 - 49)
Oct. 6, 2018 National PN 2259 Nomination of Brett M. Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court of the United States (50 - 48)
Oct. 5, 2018 National PN 2259 Nomination of Brett M. Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court of the United States Cloture Invoked - Senate (51 - 49)
July 19, 2018 National S Res 584 A resolution expressing the sense of the Senate against the making available of current and former diplomats, officials, and members of the Armed Forces of the United States for questioning by the government of Vladimir Putin. Bill Passed - Senate (98 - 0)
July 18, 2018 National PN 1645 Nomination of Andrew S. Oldham to be United States Circuit Judge for the 5th Circuit (50 - 49)
July 17, 2018 National PN 1645 Nomination of Andrew S. Oldham to be United States Circuit Judge for the 5th Circuit Cloture Invoked - Senate (50 - 49)
July 11, 2018 National PN 1402 Nomination of Brian Allen Benczkowski to be Assistant Attorney General (51 - 48)
July 10, 2018 National PN 1402 Nomination of Brian Allen Benczkowski to be Assistant Attorney General Cloture Invoked - Senate (51 - 48)
March 23, 2018 National HR 1625 Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 Bill Passed - Senate (65 - 32)
Feb. 9, 2018 National HR 1892 Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (71 - 28)
Jan. 18, 2018 National S 139 FISA Amendments Reauthorization Act of 2017 Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (65 - 34)
May 11, 2017 National PN 42 Nomination of Robert Lighthizer to be a United States Trade Representative (82 - 14)
May 11, 2017 National PN 42 Nomination of Robert Lighthizer to be a United States Trade Representative Cloture Invoked - Senate (81 - 15)
May 2, 2017 National PN 47 Nomination of Jay Clayton to be a Member of the Securities and Exchange Commission Nomination Confirmed - Senate (61 - 37)
May 1, 2017 National PN 47 Nomination of Jay Clayton to be a Member of the Securities and Exchange Commission Cloture Invoked - Senate (60 - 36)
April 27, 2017 National PN 88 Nomination of Alexander Acosta to be Secretary of Labor Nomination Confirmed - Senate (60 - 38)
April 26, 2017 National PN 88 Nomination of Alexander Acosta to be Secretary of Labor Cloture Invoked - Senate (61 - 39)
April 7, 2017 National PN 55 Nomination of Neil M. Gorsuch to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States (54 - 45)
April 6, 2017 National PN 55 Nomination of Neil M. Gorsuch to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States Cloture Invoked - Senate (55 - 45)
Feb. 17, 2017 National PN 44 Nomination of Scott Pruitt to be Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency Nomination Confirmed - Senate (52 - 46)
Feb. 16, 2017 National PN 44 Nomination of Scott Pruitt to be Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency Cloture Invoked - Senate (54 - 46)
Feb. 15, 2017 National H J Res 40 Providing for congressional disapproval of the rule submitted by the Social Security Administration relating to Implementation of the NICS Improvement Amendments Act of 2007 Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (57 - 43)
Feb. 13, 2017 National PN 26 Nomination of Steven T. Mnuchin to be Secretary of the Treasury Nomination Confirmed - Senate (53 - 47)
Feb. 10, 2017 National PN 33 Nomination of Thomas Price to be Secretary of Health and Human Services Nomination Confirmed - Senate (52 - 47)
Feb. 10, 2017 National PN 26 Nomination of Steven T. Mnuchin to be Secretary of the Treasury Cloture Invoked - Senate (53 - 46)
Feb. 8, 2017 National PN 30 Nomination of Jeff Sessions to be Attorney General Nomination Confirmed - Senate (52 - 47)
Feb. 8, 2017 National PN 33 Nomination of Thomas Price to be Secretary of Health and Human Services Cloture Invoked - Senate (51 - 48)
Feb. 7, 2017 National PN 37 Nomination of Elisabeth Prince DeVos to be Secretary of Education Nomination Confirmed - Senate (51 - 50)
Feb. 7, 2017 National PN 30 Nomination of Jeff Sessions to be Attorney General Cloture Invoked - Senate (52 - 47)
Date No. Title Outcome
2/23 PN 78-21 Nomination of Linda Thomas-Greenfield as Representative of the United States of America to the Sessions of the General Assembly of the United Nations Nomination Confirmed - Senate (78 - 21)
2/23 PN 78-22 Nomination of Thomas J. Vilsack as Secretary of Agriculture Nomination Confirmed - Senate (92 - 7)
2/13 H Res 24 Impeaching Donald John Trump, President of the United States, for high crimes and misdemeanors Resolution Failed - Senate (57 - 43)
2/13 H Res 24 Impeaching Donald John Trump, President of the United States, for high crimes and misdemeanors Resolution Failed - Senate (57 - 43)
2/09 N/A On the Motion "Is Former President Donald John Trump Subject to a Court of Impeachment for Acts Committed While President?" Resolution Passed - Senate (56 - 44)
2/08 PN 78-14 Nomination of Denis McDonough as Secretary of Veterans Affairs Nomination Confirmed - Senate (87 - 7)
2/05 S Con Res 5 A concurrent resolution setting forth the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2021 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2022 through 2030 Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (51 - 50)
2/02 PN 78-4 Nomination of Peter Buttigieg as Secretary of Transportation Nomination Confirmed - Senate (86 - 13)
2/02 PN 78-13 Nomination of Alejandro Mayorkas as Secretary of Homeland Security Nomination Confirmed - Senate (56 - 43)
1/26 PN 78-3 Nomination of Antony Blinken as Secretary of State Nomination Confirmed - Senate (78 - 22)
1/25 PN 78-24 Nomination of Janet Yellen as Secretary of the Treasury Nomination Confirmed - Senate (84 - 15)
1/22 PN 78-1 Nomination of Lloyd Austin as Secretary of Defense Nomination Confirmed - Senate (93 - 2)
1/20 PN 78-10 Nomination of Avril Haines as the Director of National Intelligence Nomination Confirmed - Senate (84 - 10)
10/26 PN 2252 Nomination of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court of the United States Nomination Confirmed - Senate (52 - 48)
10/25 PN 2252 Nomination of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court of the United States Cloture Invoked - Senate (51 - 48)
10/01 S 4653 A bill to protect the healthcare of hundreds of millions of people of the United States and prevent efforts of the Department of Justice to advocate courts to strike down the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (51 - 43)
5/21 PN 1615 Nomination of John Ratcliffe as Director of National Intelligence Nomination Confirmed - Senate (49 - 44)
2/05 H Res 755 Impeaching Donald John Trump, President of the United States, for high crimes and misdemeanors Bill Failed - Senate (47 - 53)
2/05 H Res 755 Impeaching Donald John Trump, President of the United States, for high crimes and misdemeanors Bill Failed - Senate (47 - 53)
2/05 H Res 755 Impeaching Donald John Trump, President of the United States, for high crimes and misdemeanors Bill Failed - Senate (48 - 52)
2/05 H Res 755 Impeaching Donald John Trump, President of the United States, for high crimes and misdemeanors Bill Failed - Senate (48 - 52)
1/31 S Amdt 1298 Requires the US Chief Justice to rule on motions to subpoena witnesses and documents and issues of privilege Amendment Tabled - Senate (53 - 47)
1/31 S Amdt 1298 Requires the US Chief Justice to rule on motions to subpoena witnesses and documents and issues of privilege Amendment Tabled - Senate (53 - 47)
1/31 S Res 488 A resolution to provide for related procedures concerning the articles of impeachment against Donald John Trump, President of the United States Bill Passed - Senate (51 - 49)
1/31 S Res 488 A resolution to provide for related procedures concerning the articles of impeachment against Donald John Trump, President of the United States Bill Passed - Senate (51 - 49)
1/22 S Res 483 A resolution to provide for related procedures concerning the articles of impeachment against Donald John Trump, President of the United States Bill Passed - Senate (53 - 47)
1/22 S Res 483 A resolution to provide for related procedures concerning the articles of impeachment against Donald John Trump, President of the United States Bill Passed - Senate (53 - 47)
12/02 PN 1268 Nomination of Dan Brouillette as the Secretary of Energy Nomination Confirmed - Senate (70 - 15)
11/21 PN 1268 Nomination of Dan Brouillette as the Secretary of Energy Cloture Invoked - Senate (74 - 18)
11/13 PN 410 Nomination of Chad Wolf to be Under Secretary for Strategy, Policy, and Plans for the Department of Homeland Security (54 - 41)
11/12 PN 410 Nomination of Chad Wolf to be Under Secretary for Strategy, Policy, and Plans for the Department of Homeland Security Cloture Invoked - Senate (54 - 40)
10/22 PN 110 Nomination of Andrew Bremberg to be the Representative of the United States of America to the Office of the United Nations (50 - 44)
10/22 PN 110 Nomination of Andrew Bremberg to be the Representative of the United States of America to the Office of the United Nations Cloture Invoked - Senate (50 - 43)
9/26 PN 1099 Nomination of Eugene Scalia as the Secretary of Labor (53 - 44)
9/26 SJ Res 54 Rescinds a National Emergency Declared by the President on February 15, 2019 Bill Passed - Senate (54 - 41)
9/26 SJ Res 54 Rescinds a National Emergency Declared by the President on February 15, 2019 Bill Passed - Senate (54 - 41)
9/25 PN 1099 Nomination of Eugene Scalia as the Secretary of Labor Cloture Invoked - Senate (52 - 42)
7/23 PN 934 Nomination of Mark Esper as the Secretary of Defense (90 - 8)
7/22 PN 934 Nomination of Mark Esper as the Secretary of Defense Cloture Invoked - Senate (85 - 6)
6/19 PN 233 Nomination of Matthew Kacsmaryk to be U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of Texas (52 - 46)
5/16 PN 526 Nomination of Jeffrey Rosen to be Deputy Attorney General for the Department of Justice (52 - 45)
4/11 PN 503 Nomination of David Bernhardt as the Secretary of the Interior (56 - 41)
3/14 H J Res 46 Relating to a national emergency declared by the President on February 15, 2019 Bill Passed - Senate (59 - 41)
2/14 PN 17 Nomination of William Pelham Barr to be Attorney General of the Department of Justice (54 - 45)
2/12 PN 17 Nomination of William Pelham Barr to be Attorney General of the Department of Justice Cloture Invoked - Senate (55 - 44)
12/11 PN 2117 Nomination of Jonathan A. Kobes to the Eighth Circuit Court (51 - 50)
11/29 PN 2117 Nomination of Jonathan A. Kobes to the Eighth Circuit Court Cloture Invoked - Senate (50 - 49)
10/06 PN 2259 Nomination of Brett M. Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court of the United States (50 - 48)
10/05 PN 2259 Nomination of Brett M. Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court of the United States Cloture Invoked - Senate (51 - 49)
7/19 S Res 584 A resolution expressing the sense of the Senate against the making available of current and former diplomats, officials, and members of the Armed Forces of the United States for questioning by the government of Vladimir Putin. Bill Passed - Senate (98 - 0)
7/18 PN 1645 Nomination of Andrew S. Oldham to be United States Circuit Judge for the 5th Circuit (50 - 49)
7/17 PN 1645 Nomination of Andrew S. Oldham to be United States Circuit Judge for the 5th Circuit Cloture Invoked - Senate (50 - 49)
7/11 PN 1402 Nomination of Brian Allen Benczkowski to be Assistant Attorney General (51 - 48)
7/10 PN 1402 Nomination of Brian Allen Benczkowski to be Assistant Attorney General Cloture Invoked - Senate (51 - 48)
3/23 HR 1625 Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 Bill Passed - Senate (65 - 32)
2/09 HR 1892 Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (71 - 28)
1/18 S 139 FISA Amendments Reauthorization Act of 2017 Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (65 - 34)
5/11 PN 42 Nomination of Robert Lighthizer to be a United States Trade Representative (82 - 14)
5/11 PN 42 Nomination of Robert Lighthizer to be a United States Trade Representative Cloture Invoked - Senate (81 - 15)
5/02 PN 47 Nomination of Jay Clayton to be a Member of the Securities and Exchange Commission Nomination Confirmed - Senate (61 - 37)
5/01 PN 47 Nomination of Jay Clayton to be a Member of the Securities and Exchange Commission Cloture Invoked - Senate (60 - 36)
4/27 PN 88 Nomination of Alexander Acosta to be Secretary of Labor Nomination Confirmed - Senate (60 - 38)
4/26 PN 88 Nomination of Alexander Acosta to be Secretary of Labor Cloture Invoked - Senate (61 - 39)
4/07 PN 55 Nomination of Neil M. Gorsuch to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States (54 - 45)
4/06 PN 55 Nomination of Neil M. Gorsuch to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States Cloture Invoked - Senate (55 - 45)
2/17 PN 44 Nomination of Scott Pruitt to be Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency Nomination Confirmed - Senate (52 - 46)
2/16 PN 44 Nomination of Scott Pruitt to be Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency Cloture Invoked - Senate (54 - 46)
2/15 H J Res 40 Providing for congressional disapproval of the rule submitted by the Social Security Administration relating to Implementation of the NICS Improvement Amendments Act of 2007 Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (57 - 43)
2/13 PN 26 Nomination of Steven T. Mnuchin to be Secretary of the Treasury Nomination Confirmed - Senate (53 - 47)
2/10 PN 33 Nomination of Thomas Price to be Secretary of Health and Human Services Nomination Confirmed - Senate (52 - 47)
2/10 PN 26 Nomination of Steven T. Mnuchin to be Secretary of the Treasury Cloture Invoked - Senate (53 - 46)
2/08 PN 30 Nomination of Jeff Sessions to be Attorney General Nomination Confirmed - Senate (52 - 47)
2/08 PN 33 Nomination of Thomas Price to be Secretary of Health and Human Services Cloture Invoked - Senate (51 - 48)
2/07 PN 37 Nomination of Elisabeth Prince DeVos to be Secretary of Education Nomination Confirmed - Senate (51 - 50)
2/07 PN 30 Nomination of Jeff Sessions to be Attorney General Cloture Invoked - Senate (52 - 47)

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