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
Nov. 19, 2013 National S Amdt 2175 Authorizes the Use of Funds for the Transfer or Release of Guantanamo Detainees to the United States Amendment Rejected - Senate (52 - 46)
Nov. 7, 2013 National S 815 Employment Non-Discrimination Act of 2013 Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 32)
Nov. 7, 2013 National S 815 Employment Non-Discrimination Act of 2013 Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 32)
Nov. 7, 2013 National S Amdt 2013 Exempts Religiously Affiliated Employers from the Prohibition on Employment Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Amendment Rejected - Senate (43 - 55)
Nov. 7, 2013 National S Amdt 2013 Exempts Religiously Affiliated Employers from the Prohibition on Employment Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Amendment Rejected - Senate (43 - 55)
Nov. 4, 2013 National S 815 Employment Non-Discrimination Act of 2013 Cloture Invoked - Senate (61 - 30)
Nov. 4, 2013 National S 815 Employment Non-Discrimination Act of 2013 Cloture Invoked - Senate (61 - 30)
June 27, 2013 National S 744 Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act Bill Passed - Senate (68 - 32)
June 18, 2013 National S Amdt 1228 Requires US-VISIT System to be Established at Every Port of Entry Amendment Rejected - Senate (36 - 58)
June 18, 2013 National S Amdt 1197 Requires the Completion of the Fence Along the United States-Mexico Border Amendment Rejected - Senate (39 - 54)
June 11, 2013 National S 744 Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act Cloture Invoked - Senate (82 - 15)
April 17, 2013 National S Amdt 715 Public Safety and Second Amendment Rights Protection Act Amendment Rejected - Senate (54 - 46)
April 17, 2013 National S Amdt 719 Authorizes Reciprocity for the Carrying of Certain Concealed Firearms Amendment Rejected - Senate (57 - 43)
April 17, 2013 National S Amdt 711 Prohibits the Sale of Assault Weapons Amendment Rejected - Senate (40 - 60)
April 17, 2013 National S Amdt 714 Limits Firearm Magazine Capacity Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 54)
March 23, 2013 National S Amdt 139 Prohibits the United States From Entering into the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty Amendment Adopted - Senate (53 - 46)
Feb. 12, 2013 National S 47 Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 Bill Passed - Senate (78 - 22)
Feb. 12, 2013 National S 47 Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 Bill Passed - Senate (78 - 22)
Date No. Title Outcome
11/19 S Amdt 2175 Authorizes the Use of Funds for the Transfer or Release of Guantanamo Detainees to the United States Amendment Rejected - Senate (52 - 46)
11/07 S 815 Employment Non-Discrimination Act of 2013 Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 32)
11/07 S 815 Employment Non-Discrimination Act of 2013 Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 32)
11/07 S Amdt 2013 Exempts Religiously Affiliated Employers from the Prohibition on Employment Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Amendment Rejected - Senate (43 - 55)
11/07 S Amdt 2013 Exempts Religiously Affiliated Employers from the Prohibition on Employment Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Amendment Rejected - Senate (43 - 55)
11/04 S 815 Employment Non-Discrimination Act of 2013 Cloture Invoked - Senate (61 - 30)
11/04 S 815 Employment Non-Discrimination Act of 2013 Cloture Invoked - Senate (61 - 30)
6/27 S 744 Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act Bill Passed - Senate (68 - 32)
6/18 S Amdt 1228 Requires US-VISIT System to be Established at Every Port of Entry Amendment Rejected - Senate (36 - 58)
6/18 S Amdt 1197 Requires the Completion of the Fence Along the United States-Mexico Border Amendment Rejected - Senate (39 - 54)
6/11 S 744 Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act Cloture Invoked - Senate (82 - 15)
4/17 S Amdt 715 Public Safety and Second Amendment Rights Protection Act Amendment Rejected - Senate (54 - 46)
4/17 S Amdt 719 Authorizes Reciprocity for the Carrying of Certain Concealed Firearms Amendment Rejected - Senate (57 - 43)
4/17 S Amdt 711 Prohibits the Sale of Assault Weapons Amendment Rejected - Senate (40 - 60)
4/17 S Amdt 714 Limits Firearm Magazine Capacity Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 54)
3/23 S Amdt 139 Prohibits the United States From Entering into the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty Amendment Adopted - Senate (53 - 46)
2/12 S 47 Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 Bill Passed - Senate (78 - 22)
2/12 S 47 Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 Bill Passed - Senate (78 - 22)

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