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
July 6, 2016 National S 2193 Stop Illegal Reentry Act Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (55 - 42)
July 6, 2016 National S 2193 Stop Illegal Reentry Act Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (55 - 42)
June 20, 2016 National S Amdt 4720 Prohibits the Transfer of Firearms to Suspected Terrorists Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (47 - 53)
June 20, 2016 National S Amdt 4749 Authorizes the Attorney General to Delay Transfer of Firearms to Suspected Terrorists Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 47)
June 20, 2016 National S Amdt 4750 Fix Gun Checks Act of 2016 Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (44 - 56)
June 20, 2016 National S Amdt 4751 Protecting Communities and Preserving the Second Amendment Act of 2016 Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 47)
May 25, 2016 National H Amdt 1128 Prohibits Use of Funds for Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity Amendment Adopted - House (223 - 195)
May 19, 2016 National H Amdt 1079 Prohibits Use of Funds for Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity Amendment Rejected - House (212 - 213)
March 17, 2016 National H Res 639 Authorizing the Speaker to Appear as Amicus Curiae on Behalf of the House of Representatives in the Matter of United States, et al. v. Texas, et al., No. 15-674 Resolution Passed - House (234 - 186)
Feb. 26, 2016 National HR 2406 Sportsmen's Heritage and Recreational Enhancement (SHARE) Act of 2015 Bill Passed - House (242 - 161)
Feb. 26, 2016 National HR 2406 Sportsmen's Heritage and Recreational Enhancement (SHARE) Act of 2015 Bill Passed - House (242 - 161)
Feb. 2, 2016 National HR 3762 Restoring Americans' Healthcare Freedom Reconciliation Act of 2015 Veto Override Failed - House (241 - 186)
Jan. 6, 2016 National HR 3762 Restoring Americans' Healthcare Freedom Reconciliation Act of 2015 Concurrence Vote Passed - House (240 - 181)
Date No. Title Outcome
7/06 S 2193 Stop Illegal Reentry Act Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (55 - 42)
7/06 S 2193 Stop Illegal Reentry Act Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (55 - 42)
6/20 S Amdt 4720 Prohibits the Transfer of Firearms to Suspected Terrorists Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (47 - 53)
6/20 S Amdt 4749 Authorizes the Attorney General to Delay Transfer of Firearms to Suspected Terrorists Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 47)
6/20 S Amdt 4750 Fix Gun Checks Act of 2016 Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (44 - 56)
6/20 S Amdt 4751 Protecting Communities and Preserving the Second Amendment Act of 2016 Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 47)
5/25 H Amdt 1128 Prohibits Use of Funds for Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity Amendment Adopted - House (223 - 195)
5/19 H Amdt 1079 Prohibits Use of Funds for Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity Amendment Rejected - House (212 - 213)
3/17 H Res 639 Authorizing the Speaker to Appear as Amicus Curiae on Behalf of the House of Representatives in the Matter of United States, et al. v. Texas, et al., No. 15-674 Resolution Passed - House (234 - 186)
2/26 HR 2406 Sportsmen's Heritage and Recreational Enhancement (SHARE) Act of 2015 Bill Passed - House (242 - 161)
2/26 HR 2406 Sportsmen's Heritage and Recreational Enhancement (SHARE) Act of 2015 Bill Passed - House (242 - 161)
2/02 HR 3762 Restoring Americans' Healthcare Freedom Reconciliation Act of 2015 Veto Override Failed - House (241 - 186)
1/06 HR 3762 Restoring Americans' Healthcare Freedom Reconciliation Act of 2015 Concurrence Vote Passed - House (240 - 181)

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