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
Oct. 16, 2013 National HR 2775 Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 Concurrence Vote Passed - House (285 - 144)
Oct. 16, 2013 National HR 2775 Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 Bill Passed - Senate (81 - 18)
Oct. 4, 2013 National H J Res 75 Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 Joint Resolution Passed - House (244 - 164)
Sept. 12, 2013 National HR 2775 No Subsidies Without Verification Act Bill Passed - House (235 - 191)
Sept. 3, 2013 MI HB 4714 Expands Medicaid Eligibility Concurrence Vote Passed - House (75 - 32)
Aug. 27, 2013 MI HB 4714 Expands Medicaid Eligibility Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 18)
July 24, 2013 NC HB 392 Authorizes Drug Testing for Work First Program Applicants Conference Report Adopted - House (92 - 21)
July 3, 2013 PA HB 1075 Amends Public Welfare Code Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 22)
July 1, 2013 PA HB 1075 Amends Public Welfare Code Concurrence Vote Passed - House (108 - 94)
June 20, 2013 National H Amdt 231 Authorizes States to Require Federal Welfare Work Requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Amendment Adopted - House (227 - 198)
June 20, 2013 National HR 1947 Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 2013 Bill Failed - House (195 - 234)
June 19, 2013 National H Amdt 176 Restores $20.5 Billion in Appropriations for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Amendment Rejected - House (188 - 234)
June 13, 2013 AZ HB 2608 Amends Retirement Plans for Elected Officials Concurrence Vote Passed - House (35 - 24)
June 13, 2013 MI HB 4714 Expands Medicaid Eligibility Bill Passed - House (76 - 31)
June 10, 2013 National S 954 Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act of 2013 Bill Passed - Senate (66 - 27)
May 27, 2013 IL SB 26 Expands Medicaid Eligibility Bill Passed - House (63 - 55)
May 23, 2013 IA SF 446 2013-2014 Health and Human Services Budget Conference Report Adopted - House (80 - 17)
May 23, 2013 ME LD 1546 Expands Medicaid and Authorizes Liquor Operation Bonds Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15)
May 22, 2013 IA SF 446 2013-2014 Health and Human Services Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 24)
May 22, 2013 ME LD 1546 Expands Medicaid and Authorizes Liquor Operation Bonds Bill Passed - House (87 - 56)
May 8, 2013 AZ HB 2608 Amends Retirement Plans for Elected Officials Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13)
May 7, 2013 OK HB 2077 Establishes an Optional Defined Contribution Plan for New State Employees Concurrence Vote Passed - House (72 - 20)
May 2, 2013 IL SB 1 Amends State Employee Pension Plans Bill Passed - House (62 - 51)
May 1, 2013 IA SF 446 2013-2014 Health and Human Services Budget Bill Passed - House (52 - 46)
April 24, 2013 OR SB 822 Amends the Public Employee Retirement System Bill Passed - House (33 - 27)
April 24, 2013 AL SB 191 Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10)
April 23, 2013 MT HB 377 Appropriates Funds for the Teachers' Retirement System Concurrence Vote Passed - House (56 - 44)
April 18, 2013 MT HB 377 Appropriates Funds for the Teachers' Retirement System Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 19)
April 16, 2013 WI AB 82 Prohibits the Unauthorized Transfer of Food Stamps Bill Passed - House (73 - 24)
April 11, 2013 OR SB 822 Amends the Public Employee Retirement System Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13)
April 8, 2013 AR SB 875 Reduces Maximum Weekly Unemployment Benefit Amounts Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 12)
April 3, 2013 NH HB 2 2013-2015 Biennium Budget Bill Passed - House (193 - 166)
March 21, 2013 IL HB 1165 Establishes Cost of Living Adjustments in Pensions Bill Passed - House (66 - 50)
March 20, 2013 IL SB 1 Amends State Employee Pension Plans Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 22)
March 13, 2013 UT HB 391 Prohibits Medicaid Expansion Concurrence Vote Passed - House (51 - 23)
Feb. 28, 2013 IL SB 26 Expands Medicaid Eligibility Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 19)
Feb. 26, 2013 NC SB 4 Prohibits Medicaid Expansion Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 16)
Feb. 26, 2013 NC SB 4 Prohibits Medicaid Expansion Conference Report Adopted - House (74 - 40)
Feb. 22, 2013 SD HB 1214 Authorizes Prenatal Care for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - House (39 - 28)
Feb. 21, 2013 AZ HB 2147 Requires Individuals Seeking Unemployment Benefits to Provide Proof of Eligibility Bill Passed - House (36 - 23)
Date No. Title Outcome
10/16 HR 2775 Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 Concurrence Vote Passed - House (285 - 144)
10/16 HR 2775 Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 Bill Passed - Senate (81 - 18)
10/04 H J Res 75 Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 Joint Resolution Passed - House (244 - 164)
9/12 HR 2775 No Subsidies Without Verification Act Bill Passed - House (235 - 191)
9/03 HB 4714 Expands Medicaid Eligibility Concurrence Vote Passed - House (75 - 32)
8/27 HB 4714 Expands Medicaid Eligibility Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 18)
7/24 HB 392 Authorizes Drug Testing for Work First Program Applicants Conference Report Adopted - House (92 - 21)
7/03 HB 1075 Amends Public Welfare Code Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 22)
7/01 HB 1075 Amends Public Welfare Code Concurrence Vote Passed - House (108 - 94)
6/20 H Amdt 231 Authorizes States to Require Federal Welfare Work Requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Amendment Adopted - House (227 - 198)
6/20 HR 1947 Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 2013 Bill Failed - House (195 - 234)
6/19 H Amdt 176 Restores $20.5 Billion in Appropriations for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Amendment Rejected - House (188 - 234)
6/13 HB 2608 Amends Retirement Plans for Elected Officials Concurrence Vote Passed - House (35 - 24)
6/13 HB 4714 Expands Medicaid Eligibility Bill Passed - House (76 - 31)
6/10 S 954 Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act of 2013 Bill Passed - Senate (66 - 27)
5/27 SB 26 Expands Medicaid Eligibility Bill Passed - House (63 - 55)
5/23 SF 446 2013-2014 Health and Human Services Budget Conference Report Adopted - House (80 - 17)
5/23 LD 1546 Expands Medicaid and Authorizes Liquor Operation Bonds Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15)
5/22 SF 446 2013-2014 Health and Human Services Budget Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 24)
5/22 LD 1546 Expands Medicaid and Authorizes Liquor Operation Bonds Bill Passed - House (87 - 56)
5/08 HB 2608 Amends Retirement Plans for Elected Officials Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13)
5/07 HB 2077 Establishes an Optional Defined Contribution Plan for New State Employees Concurrence Vote Passed - House (72 - 20)
5/02 SB 1 Amends State Employee Pension Plans Bill Passed - House (62 - 51)
5/01 SF 446 2013-2014 Health and Human Services Budget Bill Passed - House (52 - 46)
4/24 SB 822 Amends the Public Employee Retirement System Bill Passed - House (33 - 27)
4/24 SB 191 Requires Drug Testing for Certain Welfare Recipients Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10)
4/23 HB 377 Appropriates Funds for the Teachers' Retirement System Concurrence Vote Passed - House (56 - 44)
4/18 HB 377 Appropriates Funds for the Teachers' Retirement System Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 19)
4/16 AB 82 Prohibits the Unauthorized Transfer of Food Stamps Bill Passed - House (73 - 24)
4/11 SB 822 Amends the Public Employee Retirement System Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13)
4/08 SB 875 Reduces Maximum Weekly Unemployment Benefit Amounts Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 12)
4/03 HB 2 2013-2015 Biennium Budget Bill Passed - House (193 - 166)
3/21 HB 1165 Establishes Cost of Living Adjustments in Pensions Bill Passed - House (66 - 50)
3/20 SB 1 Amends State Employee Pension Plans Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 22)
3/13 HB 391 Prohibits Medicaid Expansion Concurrence Vote Passed - House (51 - 23)
2/28 SB 26 Expands Medicaid Eligibility Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 19)
2/26 SB 4 Prohibits Medicaid Expansion Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 16)
2/26 SB 4 Prohibits Medicaid Expansion Conference Report Adopted - House (74 - 40)
2/22 HB 1214 Authorizes Prenatal Care for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - House (39 - 28)
2/21 HB 2147 Requires Individuals Seeking Unemployment Benefits to Provide Proof of Eligibility Bill Passed - House (36 - 23)

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