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. 15, 2022 National HR 7776 James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (83 - 11)
Dec. 14, 2022 National S J Res 60 A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Education relating to "Final Priorities, Requirements, Definitions, and Selection Criteria-Expanding Opportunity Through Quality Charter Schools Program (CSP)-Grants to State Entities (State Entity Grants); Grants to Charter Management Organizations for the Replication and Expansion of High-Quality Charter Schools (CMO Grants); and Grants to Charter School Developers for the Opening of New Charter Schools and for the Replication and Expansion of High-Quality Charter Schools (Developer Grants)". Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (49 - 49)
Dec. 1, 2022 National H Con Res 119 Providing for a Correction in the enrollment of H.J. Res. 100. Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (52 - 43)
Dec. 1, 2022 National H J Res 100 To provide for a resolution with respect to the unresolved disputes between certain railroads represented by the National Carriers' Conference Committee of the National Railway Labor Conference and certain of their employees. Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (80 - 15)
Nov. 15, 2022 National S J Res 63 A joint resolution relating to a national emergency declared by the President on March 13, 2020. Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (62 - 36)
July 28, 2022 National HR 7776 James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 Bill Passed - Senate (93 - 1)
May 26, 2022 National S J Res 46 A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security relating to "Procedures for Credible Fear Screening and Consideration of Asylum, Withholding of Removal, and CAT Protection Claims by Asylum Officers". Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (46 - 48)
May 26, 2022 National S J Res 46 A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security relating to "Procedures for Credible Fear Screening and Consideration of Asylum, Withholding of Removal, and CAT Protection Claims by Asylum Officers". Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (46 - 48)
May 19, 2022 National S 4008 Small Business COVID Relief Act of 2022 Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (52 - 43)
March 15, 2022 National S J Res 37 A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention relating to "Requirement for Persons To Wear Masks While on Conveyances and at Transportation Hubs". Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (57 - 40)
March 8, 2022 National HR 3076 Postal Service Reform Act of 2022 Bill Passed - Senate (79 - 19)
Feb. 28, 2022 National HR 3755 Women's Health Protection Act of 2021 Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (46 - 48)
Date No. Title Outcome
12/15 HR 7776 James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (83 - 11)
12/14 S J Res 60 A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Education relating to "Final Priorities, Requirements, Definitions, and Selection Criteria-Expanding Opportunity Through Quality Charter Schools Program (CSP)-Grants to State Entities (State Entity Grants); Grants to Charter Management Organizations for the Replication and Expansion of High-Quality Charter Schools (CMO Grants); and Grants to Charter School Developers for the Opening of New Charter Schools and for the Replication and Expansion of High-Quality Charter Schools (Developer Grants)". Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (49 - 49)
12/01 H Con Res 119 Providing for a Correction in the enrollment of H.J. Res. 100. Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (52 - 43)
12/01 H J Res 100 To provide for a resolution with respect to the unresolved disputes between certain railroads represented by the National Carriers' Conference Committee of the National Railway Labor Conference and certain of their employees. Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (80 - 15)
11/15 S J Res 63 A joint resolution relating to a national emergency declared by the President on March 13, 2020. Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (62 - 36)
7/28 HR 7776 James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 Bill Passed - Senate (93 - 1)
5/26 S J Res 46 A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security relating to "Procedures for Credible Fear Screening and Consideration of Asylum, Withholding of Removal, and CAT Protection Claims by Asylum Officers". Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (46 - 48)
5/26 S J Res 46 A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security relating to "Procedures for Credible Fear Screening and Consideration of Asylum, Withholding of Removal, and CAT Protection Claims by Asylum Officers". Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (46 - 48)
5/19 S 4008 Small Business COVID Relief Act of 2022 Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (52 - 43)
3/15 S J Res 37 A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention relating to "Requirement for Persons To Wear Masks While on Conveyances and at Transportation Hubs". Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (57 - 40)
3/08 HR 3076 Postal Service Reform Act of 2022 Bill Passed - Senate (79 - 19)
2/28 HR 3755 Women's Health Protection Act of 2021 Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (46 - 48)

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