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
Dec. 24, 2009 National HR 3590 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Bill Passed - Senate (60 - 39)
Dec. 23, 2009 National HR 3590 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Cloture Invoked - Senate (60 - 39)
Dec. 23, 2009 National S Amdt 2786 Health Care and Insurance Law Amendments Amendment Adopted - Senate (60 - 39)
Dec. 22, 2009 National S Amdt 2786 Health Care and Insurance Law Amendments Cloture Invoked - Senate (60 - 39)
Dec. 22, 2009 National S Amdt 3276 Senate Health Care Bill Amendments Amendment Adopted - Senate (60 - 39)
Dec. 15, 2009 National S Amdt 2793 Authorizing Importation of Prescription Drugs Amendment Rejected - Senate (51 - 48)
Dec. 13, 2009 National HR 3288 2009-2010 Omnibus Appropriations Conference Report Adopted - Senate (57 - 35)
Dec. 8, 2009 National S Amdt 2962 Prohibiting Federally Funded Abortion Services Amendment Tabled - Senate (54 - 45)
Oct. 22, 2009 National HR 2647 2009-2010 Defense Appropriations Conference Report Adopted - Senate (68 - 29)
Oct. 20, 2009 National HR 2892 2009-2010 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Authorizations Conference Report Adopted - Senate (79 - 19)
Oct. 8, 2009 National HR 2997 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agency Appropriations Fiscal Year 2009-2010 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (76 - 22)
Oct. 1, 2009 National S Amdt 2575 U.S. Military Commanders to Testify Before Congress Amendment Rejected - Senate (40 - 59)
Aug. 6, 2009 National HR 3435 Supplemental Appropriations for the "Cash for Clunkers" Program Bill Passed - Senate (60 - 37)
Aug. 6, 2009 National HR 3435 Supplemental Appropriations for the "Cash for Clunkers" Program Bill Passed - Senate (60 - 37)
July 21, 2009 National S Amdt 1469 Repealing Funding for F-22 Aircraft Procurement Amendment Adopted - Senate (58 - 40)
April 28, 2009 National PN 188 Kathleen Sebelius, Secretary of Health and Human Services Nomination Confirmed - Senate (65 - 31)
Feb. 3, 2009 National S Amdt 109 Hollywood Productions Tax Credit Amendment Adopted - Senate (52 - 45)
Jan. 15, 2009 National S J Res 5 Releasing Funds for Economic Stabilization Act Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (42 - 52)
Date No. Title Outcome
12/24 HR 3590 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Bill Passed - Senate (60 - 39)
12/23 HR 3590 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Cloture Invoked - Senate (60 - 39)
12/23 S Amdt 2786 Health Care and Insurance Law Amendments Amendment Adopted - Senate (60 - 39)
12/22 S Amdt 2786 Health Care and Insurance Law Amendments Cloture Invoked - Senate (60 - 39)
12/22 S Amdt 3276 Senate Health Care Bill Amendments Amendment Adopted - Senate (60 - 39)
12/15 S Amdt 2793 Authorizing Importation of Prescription Drugs Amendment Rejected - Senate (51 - 48)
12/13 HR 3288 2009-2010 Omnibus Appropriations Conference Report Adopted - Senate (57 - 35)
12/08 S Amdt 2962 Prohibiting Federally Funded Abortion Services Amendment Tabled - Senate (54 - 45)
10/22 HR 2647 2009-2010 Defense Appropriations Conference Report Adopted - Senate (68 - 29)
10/20 HR 2892 2009-2010 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Authorizations Conference Report Adopted - Senate (79 - 19)
10/08 HR 2997 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agency Appropriations Fiscal Year 2009-2010 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (76 - 22)
10/01 S Amdt 2575 U.S. Military Commanders to Testify Before Congress Amendment Rejected - Senate (40 - 59)
8/06 HR 3435 Supplemental Appropriations for the "Cash for Clunkers" Program Bill Passed - Senate (60 - 37)
8/06 HR 3435 Supplemental Appropriations for the "Cash for Clunkers" Program Bill Passed - Senate (60 - 37)
7/21 S Amdt 1469 Repealing Funding for F-22 Aircraft Procurement Amendment Adopted - Senate (58 - 40)
4/28 PN 188 Kathleen Sebelius, Secretary of Health and Human Services Nomination Confirmed - Senate (65 - 31)
2/03 S Amdt 109 Hollywood Productions Tax Credit Amendment Adopted - Senate (52 - 45)
1/15 S J Res 5 Releasing Funds for Economic Stabilization Act Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (42 - 52)

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