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:
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.
| Date | State | Bill No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec. 4, 2012 | National | Treaty Doc. 112-7 | The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities | Treaty Ratification Failed - Senate (61 - 38) |
| Nov. 30, 2012 | National | HR 6429 | STEM Jobs Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - House (245 - 139) |
| Nov. 29, 2012 | National | S Amdt 3058 | Expands TRICARE Coverage of Autism | Amendment Adopted - Senate (66 - 29) |
| Nov. 28, 2012 | National | S Amdt 2955 | Expands the Public Safety Officers' Benefits Program | Amendment Adopted - Senate (85 - 11) |
| Sept. 20, 2012 | National | HR 6429 | STEM Jobs Act of 2012 | Bill Failed - House (257 - 158) |
| July 12, 2012 | National | HR 4402 | National Strategic and Critical Minerals Production Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - House (256 - 160) |
| July 11, 2012 | National | HR 6079 | Repeals the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 | Bill Passed - House (244 - 185) |
| June 7, 2012 | National | HR 436 | Repeals Excise Tax on Medical Devices | Bill Passed - House (270 - 146) |
| May 24, 2012 | National | S Amdt 2107 | Authorizes Import of FDA-Approved Drugs from Canada | Amendment Rejected - Senate (43 - 54) |
| May 24, 2012 | National | S Amdt 2111 | Prohibits Pharmaceutical Companies from Delaying the Release of Generic Drugs | Amendment Rejected - Senate (28 - 67) |
| May 16, 2012 | National | HR 4970 | Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - House (222 - 205) |
| May 10, 2012 | National | HR 5652 | Sequester Replacement Reconciliation Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - House (218 - 199) |
| April 26, 2012 | National | S 1925 | Reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act | Bill Passed - Senate (68 - 31) |
| April 25, 2012 | National | S 1789 | United States Postal Service Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (62 - 37) |
| Feb. 9, 2012 | National | S 2038 | Prohibits Insider Trading by Government Officials | Bill Passed - House (417 - 2) |
| Feb. 2, 2012 | National | S 2038 | Prohibits Insider Trading by Government Officials | Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 3) |
| Feb. 1, 2012 | National | HR 3835 | Extends Pay Freeze for Congress and Non-Military Federal Workers | Bill Passed - House (309 - 117) |
| Feb. 1, 2012 | National | HR 1173 | Repeals the CLASS Act | Bill Passed - House (267 - 159) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12/04 | Treaty Doc. 112-7 | The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities | Treaty Ratification Failed - Senate (61 - 38) |
| 11/30 | HR 6429 | STEM Jobs Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - House (245 - 139) |
| 11/29 | S Amdt 3058 | Expands TRICARE Coverage of Autism | Amendment Adopted - Senate (66 - 29) |
| 11/28 | S Amdt 2955 | Expands the Public Safety Officers' Benefits Program | Amendment Adopted - Senate (85 - 11) |
| 9/20 | HR 6429 | STEM Jobs Act of 2012 | Bill Failed - House (257 - 158) |
| 7/12 | HR 4402 | National Strategic and Critical Minerals Production Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - House (256 - 160) |
| 7/11 | HR 6079 | Repeals the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 | Bill Passed - House (244 - 185) |
| 6/07 | HR 436 | Repeals Excise Tax on Medical Devices | Bill Passed - House (270 - 146) |
| 5/24 | S Amdt 2107 | Authorizes Import of FDA-Approved Drugs from Canada | Amendment Rejected - Senate (43 - 54) |
| 5/24 | S Amdt 2111 | Prohibits Pharmaceutical Companies from Delaying the Release of Generic Drugs | Amendment Rejected - Senate (28 - 67) |
| 5/16 | HR 4970 | Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - House (222 - 205) |
| 5/10 | HR 5652 | Sequester Replacement Reconciliation Act of 2012 | Bill Passed - House (218 - 199) |
| 4/26 | S 1925 | Reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act | Bill Passed - Senate (68 - 31) |
| 4/25 | S 1789 | United States Postal Service Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (62 - 37) |
| 2/09 | S 2038 | Prohibits Insider Trading by Government Officials | Bill Passed - House (417 - 2) |
| 2/02 | S 2038 | Prohibits Insider Trading by Government Officials | Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 3) |
| 2/01 | HR 3835 | Extends Pay Freeze for Congress and Non-Military Federal Workers | Bill Passed - House (309 - 117) |
| 2/01 | HR 1173 | Repeals the CLASS Act | Bill Passed - House (267 - 159) |