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. 22, 2010 National Treaty Doc. 111-5 Treaty with Russia to Reduce and Limit Offensive Arms Treaty Ratification Passed - Senate (71 - 26)
Dec. 21, 2010 National HR 3082 Continuing Appropriations Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (79 - 16)
Dec. 18, 2010 National HR 2965 Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (65 - 31)
Dec. 15, 2010 National HR 4853 Temporary Extension of Tax Relief Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (81 - 19)
Dec. 9, 2010 National HR 847 9/11 Health and Compensation Act Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (57 - 42)
Dec. 8, 2010 National S 3985 Emergency Senior Citizens Relief Act Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 45)
Dec. 8, 2010 National S 3991 Allowing Collective Bargaining for Public Safety Officers Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (55 - 43)
Dec. 4, 2010 National S Amdt 4727 Extension of Tax Cuts for Those Making Under $250,000 Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 36)
Dec. 4, 2010 National S Amdt 4728 Extension of Tax Cuts for Those Making Under $1 Million Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 37)
Nov. 30, 2010 National S Amdt 4697 Prohibiting Earmarks Motion Rejected - Senate (39 - 56)
Nov. 30, 2010 National S 510 FDA Food Safety Modernization Act Bill Passed - Senate (73 - 25)
Nov. 17, 2010 National S 3772 Paycheck Fairness Act Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (58 - 41)
Sept. 29, 2010 National S J Res 39 Disapproving Rule for "Grandfathered Health Plans" Motion Rejected - Senate (40 - 59)
Sept. 29, 2010 National HR 3081 Continuing Appropriations Bill Passed - Senate (69 - 30)
Sept. 29, 2010 National S Amdt 4676 Reducing "Continuing Appropriation" Amounts by 5 Percent Amendment Rejected - Senate (48 - 51)
Sept. 28, 2010 National S 3816 Tax Law Amendments Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 45)
Sept. 23, 2010 National S 3628 Campaign Finance Disclosure Requirements Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (59 - 39)
Sept. 21, 2010 National S 3454 2010-2011 Defense Authorizations Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (56 - 43)
Sept. 16, 2010 National HR 5297 Small Business Lending Fund and Tax Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 38)
Sept. 14, 2010 National S Amdt 4596 Repealing Business Transaction Reporting Requirements Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (46 - 52)
Sept. 14, 2010 National S Amdt 4595 Business Transaction Reporting Requirement Amendments Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (56 - 42)
Aug. 5, 2010 National HR 1586 Aid To States for Medicaid, Teacher Employment, and Other Purposes Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (61 - 39)
Aug. 5, 2010 National PN 1768 Elena Kagan, Associate Justice Nomination Confirmed - Senate (63 - 37)
July 29, 2010 National S Amdt 4519 Small Business Lending Fund and Tax Law Amendments Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (58 - 42)
July 27, 2010 National S 3628 Campaign Finance Disclosure Requirements Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (57 - 41)
Date No. Title Outcome
12/22 Treaty Doc. 111-5 Treaty with Russia to Reduce and Limit Offensive Arms Treaty Ratification Passed - Senate (71 - 26)
12/21 HR 3082 Continuing Appropriations Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (79 - 16)
12/18 HR 2965 Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (65 - 31)
12/15 HR 4853 Temporary Extension of Tax Relief Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (81 - 19)
12/09 HR 847 9/11 Health and Compensation Act Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (57 - 42)
12/08 S 3985 Emergency Senior Citizens Relief Act Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 45)
12/08 S 3991 Allowing Collective Bargaining for Public Safety Officers Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (55 - 43)
12/04 S Amdt 4727 Extension of Tax Cuts for Those Making Under $250,000 Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 36)
12/04 S Amdt 4728 Extension of Tax Cuts for Those Making Under $1 Million Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 37)
11/30 S Amdt 4697 Prohibiting Earmarks Motion Rejected - Senate (39 - 56)
11/30 S 510 FDA Food Safety Modernization Act Bill Passed - Senate (73 - 25)
11/17 S 3772 Paycheck Fairness Act Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (58 - 41)
9/29 S J Res 39 Disapproving Rule for "Grandfathered Health Plans" Motion Rejected - Senate (40 - 59)
9/29 HR 3081 Continuing Appropriations Bill Passed - Senate (69 - 30)
9/29 S Amdt 4676 Reducing "Continuing Appropriation" Amounts by 5 Percent Amendment Rejected - Senate (48 - 51)
9/28 S 3816 Tax Law Amendments Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 45)
9/23 S 3628 Campaign Finance Disclosure Requirements Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (59 - 39)
9/21 S 3454 2010-2011 Defense Authorizations Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (56 - 43)
9/16 HR 5297 Small Business Lending Fund and Tax Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 38)
9/14 S Amdt 4596 Repealing Business Transaction Reporting Requirements Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (46 - 52)
9/14 S Amdt 4595 Business Transaction Reporting Requirement Amendments Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (56 - 42)
8/05 HR 1586 Aid To States for Medicaid, Teacher Employment, and Other Purposes Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (61 - 39)
8/05 PN 1768 Elena Kagan, Associate Justice Nomination Confirmed - Senate (63 - 37)
7/29 S Amdt 4519 Small Business Lending Fund and Tax Law Amendments Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (58 - 42)
7/27 S 3628 Campaign Finance Disclosure Requirements Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (57 - 41)

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