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. 14, 2011 National HR 1540 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 Conference Report Adopted - House (283 - 136)
Nov. 29, 2011 National HR 3012 Repeals Certain Green Cards Limitations Bill Passed - House (389 - 15)
Nov. 1, 2011 National H Con Res 13 Encourages Display of "In God We Trust" in Public Buildings and Schools Joint Resolution Passed - House (396 - 9)
Oct. 26, 2011 National HR 1904 Southeast Arizona Land Exchange and Conservation Act of 2011 Bill Passed - House (235 - 186)
May 4, 2011 National HR 1214 Repealing Funding for School-Based Health Center Construction Bill Passed - House (235 - 191)
April 13, 2011 National HR 1217 Repealing the Prevention and Public Health Fund Bill Passed - House (236 - 183)
March 29, 2011 National HR 839 Terminating the Home Affordable Modification Program Bill Passed - House (252 - 170)
March 16, 2011 National HR 861 Terminating the Neighborhood Stabilization Program Bill Passed - House (242 - 182)
March 11, 2011 National HR 836 Terminating the Emergency Mortgage Relief Program Bill Passed - House (242 - 177)
March 10, 2011 National HR 830 Terminating the Federal Housing Administration Refinance Program Bill Passed - House (256 - 171)
March 3, 2011 National HR 4 Repeals the Form 1099 Provision in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Bill Passed - House (314 - 112)
Feb. 19, 2011 National H Amdt 155 Prohibits Use of Funds for Step Increase for General Schedule Employees Amendment Rejected - House (191 - 230)
Feb. 18, 2011 National H Amdt 95 Prohibiting Use of Federal Funds For Planned Parenthood Amendment Adopted - House (240 - 185)
Feb. 17, 2011 National H Amdt 69 Reducing Federal Funding of the US Institute of Peace Amendment Adopted - House (268 - 163)
Jan. 19, 2011 National HR 2 Repealing the Health Care Bill Bill Passed - House (245 - 189)
Date No. Title Outcome
12/14 HR 1540 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 Conference Report Adopted - House (283 - 136)
11/29 HR 3012 Repeals Certain Green Cards Limitations Bill Passed - House (389 - 15)
11/01 H Con Res 13 Encourages Display of "In God We Trust" in Public Buildings and Schools Joint Resolution Passed - House (396 - 9)
10/26 HR 1904 Southeast Arizona Land Exchange and Conservation Act of 2011 Bill Passed - House (235 - 186)
5/04 HR 1214 Repealing Funding for School-Based Health Center Construction Bill Passed - House (235 - 191)
4/13 HR 1217 Repealing the Prevention and Public Health Fund Bill Passed - House (236 - 183)
3/29 HR 839 Terminating the Home Affordable Modification Program Bill Passed - House (252 - 170)
3/16 HR 861 Terminating the Neighborhood Stabilization Program Bill Passed - House (242 - 182)
3/11 HR 836 Terminating the Emergency Mortgage Relief Program Bill Passed - House (242 - 177)
3/10 HR 830 Terminating the Federal Housing Administration Refinance Program Bill Passed - House (256 - 171)
3/03 HR 4 Repeals the Form 1099 Provision in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Bill Passed - House (314 - 112)
2/19 H Amdt 155 Prohibits Use of Funds for Step Increase for General Schedule Employees Amendment Rejected - House (191 - 230)
2/18 H Amdt 95 Prohibiting Use of Federal Funds For Planned Parenthood Amendment Adopted - House (240 - 185)
2/17 H Amdt 69 Reducing Federal Funding of the US Institute of Peace Amendment Adopted - House (268 - 163)
1/19 HR 2 Repealing the Health Care Bill Bill Passed - House (245 - 189)

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