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. 17, 2011 | National | HR 2055 | Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2012 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (67 - 32) |
Dec. 16, 2011 | National | HR 2055 | Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2012 | Conference Report Adopted - House (296 - 121) |
Dec. 15, 2011 | National | HR 1540 | National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (86 - 13) |
Dec. 14, 2011 | National | HR 1540 | National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 | Conference Report Adopted - House (283 - 136) |
Dec. 1, 2011 | National | S Amdt 1274 | Authorizes Further Detention After Trial During Wartime | Amendment Rejected - Senate (41 - 59) |
Dec. 1, 2011 | National | S Amdt 1126 | Prohibits Detention of U.S. Citizens Without Trial | Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 55) |
Dec. 1, 2011 | National | S Amdt 1125 | Limits New Detention Rules to Prisoners Captured Outside the U.S. | Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 55) |
Nov. 29, 2011 | National | S Amdt 1107 | Removes Provisions Requiring Military Custody of al-Qaeda Suspects | Amendment Rejected - Senate (38 - 60) |
Nov. 29, 2011 | National | S Amdt 1064 | Repeals Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq | Amendment Rejected - Senate (30 - 67) |
Oct. 21, 2011 | National | S Amdt 753 | Prohibits the Use of Funds for Prosecution of Enemy Combatants in Civilian Courts | Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 52) |
Sept. 23, 2011 | National | HR 2608 | Stopgap Spending and Disaster Relief | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (219 - 203) |
Sept. 22, 2011 | National | S Amdt 634 | Sale of F-16 Aircraft to Taiwan | Amendment Rejected - Senate (48 - 48) |
June 24, 2011 | National | HR 2278 | Limits the Use of Funds in Support of NATO Operations in Libya | Bill Failed - House (180 - 238) |
June 24, 2011 | National | H J Res 68 | Authorizes Limited Use of US Armed Forces in Libya | Joint Resolution Failed - House (123 - 295) |
June 13, 2011 | National | H Amdt 414 | Prohibits Use of Funds in Contravention of the War Powers Resolution | Amendment Adopted - House (248 - 163) |
June 3, 2011 | National | H Res 292 | Ground Forces in Libya | Resolution Passed - House (268 - 145) |
June 3, 2011 | National | H Con Res 51 | Removing Armed Forces from Libya | Joint Resolution Failed - House (148 - 265) |
June 2, 2011 | National | H Amdt 385 | Prohibiting Funds From Being Used in Contradiction to the War Powers Resolution | Amendment Rejected - House (208 - 213) |
June 2, 2011 | National | HR 2017 | Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act | Bill Passed - House (231 - 188) |
April 18, 2011 | AZ | SB 1495 | Establishment of an Arizona State Guard | Bill Passed - House (39 - 20) |
April 9, 2011 | National | HR 1363 | 2011 Department of Defense Budget and Additional Continuing Appropriations | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (348 - 70) |
April 7, 2011 | National | HR 1363 | 2011 Department of Defense Budget and Additional Continuing Appropriations | Bill Passed - House (247 - 181) |
March 17, 2011 | National | H Con Res 28 | Removing Troops from Afghanistan | Joint Resolution Failed - House (93 - 321) |
March 9, 2011 | National | S Amdt 149 | Department of Defense funding and Continuing Appropriations | Amendment Rejected - Senate (42 - 58) |
March 8, 2011 | AZ | SB 1495 | Establishment of an Arizona State Guard | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
Feb. 18, 2011 | National | H Amdt 92 | Prohibiting the Use of Federal Funds for NASCAR Sponsorships | Amendment Rejected - House (148 - 281) |
Feb. 17, 2011 | National | H Amdt 69 | Reducing Federal Funding of the US Institute of Peace | Amendment Adopted - House (268 - 163) |
Feb. 16, 2011 | National | H Amdt 16 | Reducing Navy and Air Force Appropriations | Amendment Adopted - House (233 - 198) |
Feb. 15, 2011 | National | H Amdt 13 | Reducing Navy and Air Force Aircraft Procurement | Amendment Rejected - House (105 - 326) |
Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|
12/17 | HR 2055 | Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2012 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (67 - 32) |
12/16 | HR 2055 | Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2012 | Conference Report Adopted - House (296 - 121) |
12/15 | HR 1540 | National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (86 - 13) |
12/14 | HR 1540 | National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 | Conference Report Adopted - House (283 - 136) |
12/01 | S Amdt 1274 | Authorizes Further Detention After Trial During Wartime | Amendment Rejected - Senate (41 - 59) |
12/01 | S Amdt 1126 | Prohibits Detention of U.S. Citizens Without Trial | Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 55) |
12/01 | S Amdt 1125 | Limits New Detention Rules to Prisoners Captured Outside the U.S. | Amendment Rejected - Senate (45 - 55) |
11/29 | S Amdt 1107 | Removes Provisions Requiring Military Custody of al-Qaeda Suspects | Amendment Rejected - Senate (38 - 60) |
11/29 | S Amdt 1064 | Repeals Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq | Amendment Rejected - Senate (30 - 67) |
10/21 | S Amdt 753 | Prohibits the Use of Funds for Prosecution of Enemy Combatants in Civilian Courts | Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 52) |
9/23 | HR 2608 | Stopgap Spending and Disaster Relief | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (219 - 203) |
9/22 | S Amdt 634 | Sale of F-16 Aircraft to Taiwan | Amendment Rejected - Senate (48 - 48) |
6/24 | HR 2278 | Limits the Use of Funds in Support of NATO Operations in Libya | Bill Failed - House (180 - 238) |
6/24 | H J Res 68 | Authorizes Limited Use of US Armed Forces in Libya | Joint Resolution Failed - House (123 - 295) |
6/13 | H Amdt 414 | Prohibits Use of Funds in Contravention of the War Powers Resolution | Amendment Adopted - House (248 - 163) |
6/03 | H Res 292 | Ground Forces in Libya | Resolution Passed - House (268 - 145) |
6/03 | H Con Res 51 | Removing Armed Forces from Libya | Joint Resolution Failed - House (148 - 265) |
6/02 | H Amdt 385 | Prohibiting Funds From Being Used in Contradiction to the War Powers Resolution | Amendment Rejected - House (208 - 213) |
6/02 | HR 2017 | Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act | Bill Passed - House (231 - 188) |
4/18 | SB 1495 | Establishment of an Arizona State Guard | Bill Passed - House (39 - 20) |
4/09 | HR 1363 | 2011 Department of Defense Budget and Additional Continuing Appropriations | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (348 - 70) |
4/07 | HR 1363 | 2011 Department of Defense Budget and Additional Continuing Appropriations | Bill Passed - House (247 - 181) |
3/17 | H Con Res 28 | Removing Troops from Afghanistan | Joint Resolution Failed - House (93 - 321) |
3/09 | S Amdt 149 | Department of Defense funding and Continuing Appropriations | Amendment Rejected - Senate (42 - 58) |
3/08 | SB 1495 | Establishment of an Arizona State Guard | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 9) |
2/18 | H Amdt 92 | Prohibiting the Use of Federal Funds for NASCAR Sponsorships | Amendment Rejected - House (148 - 281) |
2/17 | H Amdt 69 | Reducing Federal Funding of the US Institute of Peace | Amendment Adopted - House (268 - 163) |
2/16 | H Amdt 16 | Reducing Navy and Air Force Appropriations | Amendment Adopted - House (233 - 198) |
2/15 | H Amdt 13 | Reducing Navy and Air Force Aircraft Procurement | Amendment Rejected - House (105 - 326) |