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. 14, 2021 National HR 5665 Combating International Islamophobia Act Bill Passed - House (219 - 212)
Dec. 14, 2021 National HR 5665 Combating International Islamophobia Act Bill Passed - House (219 - 212)
Oct. 26, 2021 National HR 2119 Family Violence Prevention and Services Improvement Act of 2021 Bill Passed - House (228 - 200)
July 22, 2021 National HR 3985 Averting Loss of Life and Injury by Expediting SIVs Act of 2021 Bill Passed - House (407 - 16)
June 29, 2021 National HR 3005 To direct the Joint Committee on the Library to replace the bust of Roger Brooke Taney in the Old Supreme Court Chamber of the United States Capitol with a bust of Thurgood Marshall to be obtained by the Joint Committee on the Library and to remove certain statues from areas of the United States Capitol which are accessible to the public, to remove all statues of individuals who voluntarily served the Confederate States of America from display in the United States Capitol, and for other purposes. Bill Passed - House (285 - 120)
June 29, 2021 National HR 3005 To direct the Joint Committee on the Library to replace the bust of Roger Brooke Taney in the Old Supreme Court Chamber of the United States Capitol with a bust of Thurgood Marshall to be obtained by the Joint Committee on the Library and to remove certain statues from areas of the United States Capitol which are accessible to the public, to remove all statues of individuals who voluntarily served the Confederate States of America from display in the United States Capitol, and for other purposes. Bill Passed - House (285 - 120)
June 24, 2021 National HR 1443 LGBTQ Business Equal Credit Enforcement and Investment Act Bill Passed - House (252 - 176)
June 24, 2021 National HR 239 Equal Access to Contraception for Veterans Act Bill Passed - House (245 - 181)
June 23, 2021 National HR 2062 Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act of 2021 Bill Passed - House (247 - 178)
June 22, 2021 National S 2093 For the People Act of 2021 Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (50 - 50)
June 16, 2021 National S 475 Juneteenth National Independence Day Act Bill Passed - House (415 - 14)
June 16, 2021 National S 475 Juneteenth National Independence Day Act Bill Passed - House (415 - 14)
June 15, 2021 National HR 1443 LGBTQ Business Equal Credit Enforcement and Investment Act Bill Failed - House (248 - 177)
May 18, 2021 National S 937 COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act Bill Passed - House (364 - 62)
April 22, 2021 National S 937 COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act Bill Passed - Senate (94 - 1)
April 21, 2021 National PN 79-4 Nomination of Vanita Gupta to be Associate Attorney General Nomination Confirmed - Senate (51 - 49)
April 21, 2021 National HR 1573 Access to Counsel Act of 2021 Bill Passed - House (217 - 207)
April 21, 2021 National HR 1333 NO BAN Act Bill Passed - House (218 - 208)
March 18, 2021 National HR 6 American Dream and Promise Act of 2021 Bill Passed - House (228 - 197)
March 18, 2021 National HR 1603 Farm Workforce Modernization Act of 2021 Bill Passed - House (247 - 174)
March 17, 2021 National H J Res 17 Removing the deadline for the ratification of the equal rights amendment Joint Resolution Passed - House (222 - 204)
March 17, 2021 National HR 1620 Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2021 Bill Passed - House (244 - 172)
March 11, 2021 National HR 1446 Enhanced Background Checks Act of 2021 Bill Passed - House (219 - 210)
March 11, 2021 National HR 8 Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2021 Bill Passed - House (227 - 203)
March 6, 2021 National S Amdt 1386 Prohibits funds made available under title II to States, local educational agencies, and institutions of higher education that permit any student whose biological sex is male to participate in an athletic program or activity designated for women or girls. Amendment Rejected - Senate (49 - 50)
March 3, 2021 National HR 1280 George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2021 Bill Passed - House (220 - 212)
March 3, 2021 National HR 1280 George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2021 Bill Passed - House (220 - 212)
March 3, 2021 National HR 1 For the People Act of 2021 Bill Passed - House (220 - 210)
Feb. 25, 2021 National HR 5 Equality Act Bill Passed - House (224 - 206)
Feb. 25, 2021 National HR 5 Equality Act Bill Passed - House (224 - 206)
Date No. Title Outcome
12/14 HR 5665 Combating International Islamophobia Act Bill Passed - House (219 - 212)
12/14 HR 5665 Combating International Islamophobia Act Bill Passed - House (219 - 212)
10/26 HR 2119 Family Violence Prevention and Services Improvement Act of 2021 Bill Passed - House (228 - 200)
7/22 HR 3985 Averting Loss of Life and Injury by Expediting SIVs Act of 2021 Bill Passed - House (407 - 16)
6/29 HR 3005 To direct the Joint Committee on the Library to replace the bust of Roger Brooke Taney in the Old Supreme Court Chamber of the United States Capitol with a bust of Thurgood Marshall to be obtained by the Joint Committee on the Library and to remove certain statues from areas of the United States Capitol which are accessible to the public, to remove all statues of individuals who voluntarily served the Confederate States of America from display in the United States Capitol, and for other purposes. Bill Passed - House (285 - 120)
6/29 HR 3005 To direct the Joint Committee on the Library to replace the bust of Roger Brooke Taney in the Old Supreme Court Chamber of the United States Capitol with a bust of Thurgood Marshall to be obtained by the Joint Committee on the Library and to remove certain statues from areas of the United States Capitol which are accessible to the public, to remove all statues of individuals who voluntarily served the Confederate States of America from display in the United States Capitol, and for other purposes. Bill Passed - House (285 - 120)
6/24 HR 1443 LGBTQ Business Equal Credit Enforcement and Investment Act Bill Passed - House (252 - 176)
6/24 HR 239 Equal Access to Contraception for Veterans Act Bill Passed - House (245 - 181)
6/23 HR 2062 Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act of 2021 Bill Passed - House (247 - 178)
6/22 S 2093 For the People Act of 2021 Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (50 - 50)
6/16 S 475 Juneteenth National Independence Day Act Bill Passed - House (415 - 14)
6/16 S 475 Juneteenth National Independence Day Act Bill Passed - House (415 - 14)
6/15 HR 1443 LGBTQ Business Equal Credit Enforcement and Investment Act Bill Failed - House (248 - 177)
5/18 S 937 COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act Bill Passed - House (364 - 62)
4/22 S 937 COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act Bill Passed - Senate (94 - 1)
4/21 PN 79-4 Nomination of Vanita Gupta to be Associate Attorney General Nomination Confirmed - Senate (51 - 49)
4/21 HR 1573 Access to Counsel Act of 2021 Bill Passed - House (217 - 207)
4/21 HR 1333 NO BAN Act Bill Passed - House (218 - 208)
3/18 HR 6 American Dream and Promise Act of 2021 Bill Passed - House (228 - 197)
3/18 HR 1603 Farm Workforce Modernization Act of 2021 Bill Passed - House (247 - 174)
3/17 H J Res 17 Removing the deadline for the ratification of the equal rights amendment Joint Resolution Passed - House (222 - 204)
3/17 HR 1620 Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2021 Bill Passed - House (244 - 172)
3/11 HR 1446 Enhanced Background Checks Act of 2021 Bill Passed - House (219 - 210)
3/11 HR 8 Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2021 Bill Passed - House (227 - 203)
3/06 S Amdt 1386 Prohibits funds made available under title II to States, local educational agencies, and institutions of higher education that permit any student whose biological sex is male to participate in an athletic program or activity designated for women or girls. Amendment Rejected - Senate (49 - 50)
3/03 HR 1280 George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2021 Bill Passed - House (220 - 212)
3/03 HR 1280 George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2021 Bill Passed - House (220 - 212)
3/03 HR 1 For the People Act of 2021 Bill Passed - House (220 - 210)
2/25 HR 5 Equality Act Bill Passed - House (224 - 206)
2/25 HR 5 Equality Act Bill Passed - House (224 - 206)

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