Many may remember the classic song “I’m Just a Bill” from Schoolhouse Rock!; it’s one of my favorites. It does a great job of explaining the legislative process. But if I were the writer of that catchy tune I would amend the chorus slightly:

“I’m just a bill. Yes I’m only a bill,

And I was rushed into Capitol Hill.

Well, now I’m back in committee

Because Congress violated some rules trying to claim a victory.”

It’s hardly a surprise that the leading party would try to rush a bill into law—both parties do it. This process cost Congress some time in their efforts to pass the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. After the bill was debated in committee it passed for a second time in the House, but violated some budget rules and was edited and sent back for another final vote on December 20th. With this process, it’s easy to get confused about where the bill stands and what provisions remain. So I’m sure you have questions.

It’s time to stop looking at our time as the era of “fake news” and start looking at it as the era of “fact-checking.” It can be difficult to distinguish fact from fiction in the digital age, so it is our responsibility to not always take headlines and viral memes at face value. We at Vote Smart want to help arm you with the tools and resources to do this.

Misinformation online is abundant. Oxford University found that in 2016 “Twitter users got more misinformation, polarizing and conspiratorial content than professionally produced news.” That means that more people read manipulation and falsehoods than facts.

Sensationalized, misleading, or simply false headlines flooded our news feeds in 2016 and 2017, and Vote Smart is here to help you weed out the garbage. By browsing our database of public statements, key votes, and more, you can see if a published claim is truth or trash. We also provide you with the ability to fact-check politicians to see if they have followed up their words with action.

 The White House and Capitol take on immigration, budgets, and taxes as we approach crucial off-year elections in November. Read on for a glimpse at some of our most recent key research.

Notable Public Statements:

• Rep. Mike Rogers (R-AL) views the National Anthem protests as Un-American. Read full statement➤

• Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) statement after the Trump administration declared their intentions to end the DACA program. Read full statement➤

• Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL) and Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) wrote a letter to President Trump urging for additional federal assistance to Puerto Rico. Read full statement➤

• Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) on the resignation of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Tom Price Read full statement➤

• Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD) following the Tax Policy Center’s analysis of the GOP tax reform framework. Read full statement➤

• Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) following the Tax Policy Center’s analysis of the GOP tax reform framework. Read full statement➤

• President Donald Trump discussed tax reform at a recent event. Read full statement➤

• Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) pitched tax reform for middle class families in a recent interview with Face the Nation. Read full statement➤

Did you know that you may have to vote again in your primary if no candidate gets more than half the votes? If not, you may want to find out if this applies to you.

For example, there’s been such a close race for Jeff Sessions’ vacant Senate seat in Alabama that the Republican primary in August did not determine a winner. A primary runoff between the top two Republican candidates, Roy Moore and Luther Strange, is scheduled for September 26.

In over 115 races that Vote Smart has already tracked in 2017, we have encountered other unconventional election practices that voters may not be aware of. Earlier this month, Mississippi held a nonpartisan primary election for its State House Dist. 102 seat that will be determined by a runoff election in October.

Most Americans participate in a first-past-the-post system where winners in primaries and general elections are decided by a “plurality”—the candidate with the most votes wins. Several cities and states across the nation, however, have adopted alternative election methods. Read on for a brief explanation of the unique election practices that are currently used at the state and federal levels.

 While Congress was on recess, discussion over hurricanes, white supremacists, and North Korea kept them from enjoying it. Read our full Research Wrap-Up to catch up on what you may have missed.

From "fire and fury", to "locked and loaded", and most recently "All options are on the table", the President has had some tough and controversial words for Kim Jong-Un and North Korea after several Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) tests and now a hydrogen bomb test. Some critics worry that these words have worsened the rising tensions with North Korea; other critics simply worry that Twitter may not be the best outlet to issue these statements. Those who defend him feel that Trump’s words should reflect North Korea’s actions.

While members of Congress have debated the President’s statements, sanctions on North Korea have been strongly supported in both the Capitol and the White House in 2017. Following nuclear tests, the death of Otto Warmbier, and sanctions on North Korea, we’ve seen that tensions between the US and North Korea have only continued to snowball.   

This snowball has been rolling for far longer than 2017, however--while Americans threw literal snowballs celebrating New Year’s Day, Kim Jong-un issued a statement about his nuclear plans--setting the tone for the rest of the year. Skip forward 6 months and several missile tests and we arrive at another holiday--the 4th of July. As Americans launched fireworks in their backyards, North Korea celebrated by testing its first ICBM.

To visualize the series of events that followed, we have compiled a timeline below outlining the rising tensions between the US and North Korea since the launch and the statements made and actions taken as a result.

 Republicans win five of the seven races in June, seats remain virtually unchanged. President Trump talks foreign policy.

Many voters don’t like to read–I’ve probably lost those voters already. Politicians use titles and labels to steer the conversation in whatever direction they choose–think Trumpcare vs. Better Care Reconciliation Act. This was no different with the President’s “Travel Ban.” Because many are unlikely to read the executive order, the labels and titles attached to it have a lot of influence into its perceived impact. Is it a Muslim Ban? A Travel Ban? Or extreme vetting?

After several roadblocks, the Supreme Court has, by a unanimous decision, allowed part of the “Travel Ban” (formally titled Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States) to go into effect. Since its inception, this executive order has received criticism for its restrictions that would limit entry from certain predominantly Muslim nations to the US.

 “Good afternoon. Today, the United States of America is changing its relationship with the people of Cuba.” These were the opening lines of Barack Obama’s announcement of his plans to restore diplomatic relations with Cuba back in December of 2014. Those words could have also opened President Trump’s speech on Friday where he announced plans to roll back some of the changes set forth by the Obama administration.  
 

“We will not lift sanctions on the Cuban regime,” President Trump proclaimed, ”until all political prisoners are freed, freedoms of assembly and expression are respected, all political parties are legalized, and free and internationally supervised elections are scheduled. Elections.”

These plans come just weeks after the bipartisan coalition consisting of US Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Mike Enzi (R-WY), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), and Jeff Flake (R-AZ) introduced legislation that would lift the Cuban trade embargo.

On May 9, FBI Director James Comey was let go from his position by President Donald Trump–leaving many to wonder what incidents led to such a serious end.













 

 James Comey, health care, and foreign policy in under 140 characters. Read on to find out what has kept Congress and President Trump's Twitter account so busy.

In political news, there is a lot of talk over the use of filibusters in the Senate, especially during the U.S Senate's recent confirmation of supreme court judge Neil Gorsuch. Are these efforts an effective political strategy or are legislators wasting everyone's time?

 Congress has been very busy in early 2017. Read further to find out what is happening on both sides of the aisle!

 The issue of ocean acidification is slowly coming to prominence in the United States. Largely due to the strong array of scientific data backing up the claims of the changing chemistry of the seas, the issue is largely a bipartisan one.

Renewable energy has grown increasingly popular as evidence of human-caused global climate change accumulates. Solar, hydroelectric, and wind energies make up a large majority of the renewable energy sector, and are seen by some as preferable alternatives to fossil fuel and nuclear energies.

The Political Courage Test, which has been endorsed by major media in every election since 1992, asks candidates to demonstrate their political courage by providing voters with that essential information, in spite of the fact that opponents might use their answers in political attacks. 

 Even in the earliest years of the United States, women have been filling vital roles to support United States military operations.

 State legislatures in the previous months have been passing bills to alter and add to their public school systems’ curriculums.

 On August 3, 2015, President Barack Obama introduced the highly controversial Clean Power Plan (CPP) as part of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) attempt to combat climate change.

 On Wednesday, August 3rd, 2016, President Obama granted clemency, forgiveness of a sentence, to 214 incarcerated individuals, 67 of which were serving life sentences in federal penitentiaries. This raises some questions about what clemency actually entails. Clemency, under the US Constitution, allows the President to grant pardons and commutations to federal prisoners.

 The topic of redistricting elicits reactions from all sides because its effects are heavily felt in elections; no party wishes to be disadvantaged due to district lines. Conflicting interests continue to seek a balance between majority power, geography, and the concept of fair elections.

How did these candidates get on the ballot? Why are they in particular on the ballot, while others who may have been running don’t appear? For that matter, how do the candidates of the two major parties get on the ballot? The answers to these questions depend on your state’s ballot access laws.

On May 26, 2016, Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards signed into law HB 953, or what media outlets are dubbing the “Blue Lives Matter” bill. The first of its kind, HB 953 prosecutes crimes against law enforcement and other first responders as hate crimes, increasing their penalties and punishments.

 Widely considered the most significant financial regulatory reform since the Great Depression, the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank) instantly became a debated political battle in Washington.

 Gun control will continue to be an emotionally charged topic as mass shootings are a major driver of the conversation.

 Each year, as billions of dollars are funneled into American elections, more and more questions continue to rise regarding not only the legality of these financial contributions, but also the true intentions behind them.

Use of renewable energy sources is definitely a contentious issue in some states, with some passing legislation, and other states’ governors taking things into their own hands and signing agreements having to do with energy.

Daily fantasy sports is a concept that is as tricky to say as it is to understand.  It exists in a legal gray area that has remained unregulated for years.  Recently, after several scandals that brought widespread public attention, legislators have attempted to define and regulate the practice.  

 One of the most contentious issues in 2016 has been the question of gun control.

The death penalty has been a hotly debated topic for centuries, but just recently in 2016, it has for the first time in history become part of an official party platform - that of the Democratic Party, who supports abolishing it.

How can the benefits of GMOs be utilized while respecting the consumer’s right to transparency?

The ideological debate between campus carry supporters and opponents remains contentious, with students rallying around both sides of the argument.

Some legislators are beginning to act on the task of increasing the minimum wage, while others are actively trying to stop the increases.

In the past year and a half, several states have passed laws changing the age at which one can legally smoke cigarettes and other tobacco products.

On June 27, the Supreme Court issued a 5-3 ruling on Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt. Justice Breyer wrote the majority opinion, reversing and remanding two provisions of HB 2, which was passed by the Texas legislature during a special session in 2013.

2016 has seen several state legislators propose changes in the regulation of voting rights for individuals with felonies, and the timeframe for felons to receive the right to vote.

The legislative year of 2016 has seen a multitude of bills passed that authorizes the use of marijuana in many states.

 The state of American Indian land sovereignty, health, and welfare becomes more and more complex as the demand for American energy independence grows.........

 In 2016, there are five Senators who are retiring: two Republicans and three Democrats. Flocks of candidates have put their bid in for the chance to become their state’s newest junior Senator.

 This past week, the world watched as 30 million Brits took to the polls to vote on a referendum deciding Britain's future within the European Union. A referendum is a general vote by the constituency on a single political question.....................

 On Wednesday, June 22, 2016, more than 170 House Democrats led by Rep. John Lewis (D-GA), a former leader in the Civil Rights movement, staged a sit-in on the floor of the House of Representatives to try to spur votes..........

 Have you seen a recent headline about Congress passing an omnibus bill? Curious about what this obscure sounding piece of legislation is? Below we provide a non-partisan explanation of omnibus bills.....

 Has your state recently passed a Voter ID law? Want to know what the arguments for/ against this legislation are? Read our non-partisan breakdown of this heated political issue: 

Heard of Common Core, but not sure what it is? Curious about how states receive federal funding for education? Below, we break down this hot-button issue, and provide the 2016 presidential candidates’ stances towards Common Core......

Multiple “religious freedom” bills are currently capturing the attention of state legislatures across the country. “Religious freedom” bills are proposed legislation that call for religious organizations, businesses, and individuals to be protected from penalties for declining to provide services to individuals whose lifestyle conflicts with their sincerely held religious beliefs.

May Common Ground E-Newsletter: See what is going on at Vote Smart!

 ..foreign policy has become one of the main focuses of the election cycle. Each presidential candidate has their own take on foreign policy and America's role in the Middle East right now.

 Emerging onto the floor of numerous state legislatures across the United States of America is a new and divisive kind of legislation: “bathroom bills.” Bathroom bills are proposed legislation that address whether individuals may use the bathroom that corresponds with the gender they identify with or with the gender they were assigned at birth. 

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Did you miss our Live-Tweet event for the Republican Debate? You can get a recap of all we did here!

Did you miss our Live-Tweet event for the Democratic Debate? You can get a recap of all we did here!

 After repeated requests, less than 10% of Virginia's legislative candidates were willing to tell citizens where they stand on 10 key issues. This is fewer responses than from those running for federal offices, which is a trend in lock step with the increasing nastiness of political tactics.

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Preferring to protect themselves from opposition research, only 20% of the 1282 candidates for Congress were willing to provide voters or media with direct answers to the issue questions on Vote Smart’s National Political Courage Test.

Today, Vote Smart released the results of the National Political Courage Test to VoteEasy at VoteSmart.org, giving New Hampshire voters an invaluable resource for identifying their best political match November 4th. Fifty-one of the congressional, state legislative and gubernatorial candidates passed the 2014 Political Courage Test.

Today, Vote Smart released the results of the National Political Courage Test to VoteEasy at VoteSmart.org, giving Maine voters an invaluable resource for identifying their best political match November 4th. Twenty-three congressional, state legislative and gubernatorial candidates passed the 2014 Political Courage Test.

Today, Vote Smart released the results of the National Political Courage Test to VoteEasy at VoteSmart.org, giving Texas voters an invaluable resource for identifying their best political match November 4th. Forty-six of the congressional, state legislative and gubernatorial candidates passed the 2014 Political Courage Test.

Today, Vote Smart released the results of the National Political Courage Test to VoteEasy at VoteSmart.org, giving New York voters an invaluable resource for identifying their best political match November 4th. Eleven of the congressional, state legislative and gubernatorial candidates passed the 2014 Political Courage Test. 

 Today, Vote Smart released the results of the National Political Courage Test to VoteEasy at VoteSmart.org, giving Minnesota voters an invaluable resource for identifying their best political match November 4th. Thirty congressional, state legislative and gubernatorial candidates passed the 2014 Political Courage Test.
 

Today, Vote Smart released the results of the National Political Courage Test to VoteEasy at VoteSmart.org, giving Iowa voters an invaluable resource for identifying their best political match November 4th. Eleven congressional, state legislative and gubernatorial candidates passed the 2014 Political Courage Test.

Today, Vote Smart released the results of the National Political Courage Test to VoteEasy at VoteSmart.org, giving South Carolina voters an invaluable resource for identifying their best political match November 4th. Eight of the congressional, state legislative and gubernatorial candidates passed the 2014 Political Courage Test.

Today, Vote Smart released the results of the National Political Courage Test to VoteEasy at VoteSmart.org, giving Nebraska voters an invaluable resource for identifying their best political match November 4th. Six congressional, state legislative and gubernatorial candidates passed the 2014 Political Courage Test.  

Today, Vote Smart released the results of the National Political Courage Test to VoteEasy at VoteSmart.org, giving North Carolina voters an invaluable resource for identifying their best political match November 4th. Twenty-two of the congressional and state legislative candidates passed the 2014 Political Courage Test.

Today, Vote Smart released the results of the National Political Courage Test to VoteEasy at VoteSmart.org, giving Tennessee voters an invaluable resource for identifying their best political match November 4th. Twenty of the congressional, state legislative and gubernatorial candidates passed the 2014 Political Courage Test.

Today, Vote Smart released the results of the National Political Courage Test to VoteEasy at VoteSmart.org, giving Kansas voters an invaluable resource for identifying their best political match November 4th. Twenty-one congressional, state legislative and gubernatorial candidates passed the 2014 Political Courage Test.

 Today, Vote Smart released the results of the National Political Courage Test to VoteEasy at VoteSmart.org, giving Delaware voters an invaluable resource for identifying their best political match November 4th. Nine of the congressional and state legislative candidates passed the 2014 Political Courage Test.

 Today, Vote Smart released the results of the National Political Courage Test to VoteEasy at VoteSmart.org, giving Mississippi voters an invaluable resource for identifying their best political match November 4th. Three of the congressional candidates passed the 2014 Political Courage Test. 

Today, Vote Smart released the results of the National Political Courage Test to VoteEasy at VoteSmart.org, giving Alabama voters an invaluable resource for identifying their best political match November 4th. Seven congressional, state legislative and gubernatorial candidates passed the 2014 Political Courage Test.

Today, Vote Smart released the results of the National Political Courage Test to VoteEasy at VoteSmart.org, giving Vermont voters an invaluable resource for identifying their best political match November 4th. Fifteen of the congressional, state legislative and gubernatorial candidates passed the 2014 Political Courage Test.

Today, Vote Smart released the results of the National Political Courage Test to VoteEasy at VoteSmart.org, giving New Jersey voters an invaluable resource for identifying their best political match November 4th. Nine of the congressional candidates passed the 2014 Political Courage Test.

Today, Vote Smart released the results of the National Political Courage Test to VoteEasy at VoteSmart.org, giving Illinois voters an invaluable resource for identifying their best political match November 4th. Thirteen congressional, state legislative and gubernatorial candidates passed the 2014 Political Courage Test.

Today, Vote Smart released the results of the National Political Courage Test to VoteEasy at VoteSmart.org, giving Maryland voters an invaluable resource for identifying their best political match November 4th. Twenty-two congressional, state legislative and gubernatorial candidates passed the 2014 Political Courage Test.

Today, Vote Smart released the results of the National Political Courage Test to VoteEasy at VoteSmart.org, giving Oklahoma voters an invaluable resource for identifying their best political match November 4th. Nine of the congressional, state legislative and gubernatorial candidates passed the 2014 Political Courage Test.

Today, Vote Smart released the results of the National Political Courage Test to VoteEasy at VoteSmart.org, giving West Virginia voters an invaluable resource for identifying their best political match November 4th. Ten of the congressional and state legislative candidates passed the 2014 Political Courage Test.

Today, Vote Smart released the results of the National Political Courage Test to VoteEasy at VoteSmart.org, giving Pennsylvania voters an invaluable resource for identifying their best political match November 4th. Seventeen of the congressional, state legislative and gubernatorial candidates passed the 2014 Political Courage Test.

Today, Vote Smart released the results of the National Political Courage Test to VoteEasy at VoteSmart.org, giving Rhode Island voters an invaluable resource for identifying their best political match November 4th. Nine of the congressional, state legislative and gubernatorial candidates passed the 2014 Political Courage Test.

Today, Vote Smart released the results of the National Political Courage Test to VoteEasy at VoteSmart.org, giving Virginia voters an invaluable resource for identifying their best political match November 4th. Seven of the congressional candidates passed the 2014 Political Courage Test.

Today, Vote Smart released the results of the National Political Courage Test to VoteEasy at VoteSmart.org, giving Louisiana voters an invaluable resource for identifying their best political match November 4th. Four of the congressional candidates passed the 2014 Political Courage Test.

Today, Vote Smart released the results of the National Political Courage Test to VoteEasy at VoteSmart.org, giving South Dakota voters an invaluable resource for identifying their best political match November 4th. Nine of the congressional, state legislative and gubernatorial candidates passed the 2014 Political Courage Test.

Today, Vote Smart released the results of the National Political Courage Test to VoteEasy at VoteSmart.org, giving North Dakota voters an invaluable resource for identifying their best political match November 4th. Five of the congressional and state legislative candidates passed the 2014 Political Courage Test.

Today, Vote Smart released the results of the National Political Courage Test to VoteEasy at VoteSmart.org, giving Indiana voters an invaluable resource for identifying their best political match November 4th. Seventeen of the congressional and state legislative candidates passed the 2014 Political Courage Test. 

Today, Vote Smart released the results of the National Political Courage Test to VoteEasy at VoteSmart.org, giving Missouri voters an invaluable resource for identifying their best political match November 4th. Twelve of the congressional and state legislative candidates passed the 2014 Political Courage Test.

Today, Vote Smart released the results of the National Political Courage Test to VoteEasy at VoteSmart.org, giving Oregon voters an invaluable resource for identifying their best political match November 4th. Twenty-one of the congressional, state legislative and gubernatorial candidates passed the 2014 Political Courage Test.

Today, Vote Smart released the results of the National Political Courage Test to VoteEasy at VoteSmart.org, giving Washington voters an invaluable resource for identifying their best political match November 4th. Twenty-three of the congressional and state legislative candidates passed the 2014 Political Courage Test.
 

Today, Vote Smart released the results of the National Political Courage Test to VoteEasy at VoteSmart.org, giving California voters an invaluable resource for identifying their best political match November 4th. Twenty-eight congressional, state legislative and gubernatorial candidates passed the 2014 Political Courage Test.

Today, Vote Smart released the results of the National Political Courage Test to VoteEasy at VoteSmart.org, giving Nevada voters an invaluable resource for identifying their best political match November 4th. Fourteen congressional, state legislative and gubernatorial candidates passed the 2014 Political Courage Test.

Today, Vote Smart released the results of the National Political Courage Test to VoteEasy at VoteSmart.org, giving Hawaii voters an invaluable resource for identifying their best political match November 4th. Sixteen congressional, state legislative and gubernatorial candidates passed the 2014 Political Courage Test.
 

Today, Vote Smart released the results of the National Political Courage Test to VoteEasy at VoteSmart.org, giving Alaska voters an invaluable resource for identifying their best political match November 4th. Thirteen congressional, state legislative and gubernatorial candidates passed the 2014 Political Courage Test.

Today, Vote Smart released the results of the National Political Courage Test to VoteEasy at VoteSmart.org, giving Montana voters an invaluable resource for identifying their best political match November 4th. Forty-six of the congressional and state legislative candidates passed the 2014 Political Courage Test.

Today, Vote Smart released the results of the National Political Courage Test to VoteEasy at VoteSmart.org, giving New Mexico voters an invaluable resource for identifying their best political match November 4th. Four of the congressional, state legislative and gubernatorial candidates passed the 2014 Political Courage Test. 
 

Today, Vote Smart released the results of the National Political Courage Test to VoteEasy at VoteSmart.org, giving Utah voters an invaluable resource for identifying their best political match November 4th. Twenty-four of the congressional and state legislative candidates passed the 2014 Political Courage Test.

Today, Vote Smart released the results of the National Political Courage Test to VoteEasy at VoteSmart.org, giving Idaho voters an invaluable resource for identifying their best political match November 4th. Nineteen congressional, state legislative and gubernatorial candidates passed the 2014 Political Courage Test.

Today, Vote Smart released the results of the National Political Courage Test to VoteEasy at VoteSmart.org, giving Arizona voters an invaluable resource for identifying their best political match November 4th. Nineteen congressional, state legislative and gubernatorial candidates passed the 2014 Political Courage Test.

Today, Vote Smart released the results of the National Political Courage Test to VoteEasy at VoteSmart.org, giving Wyoming voters an invaluable resource for identifying their best political match November 4th. Fifteen of the congressional, state legislative and gubernatorial candidates passed the 2014 Political Courage Test.

Today, Vote Smart released the results of the National Political Courage Test to VoteEasy at VoteSmart.org, giving Ohio voters an invaluable resource for identifying their best political match November 4th. Twenty of the congressional, state legislative and gubernatorial candidates passed the 2014 Political Courage Test.

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Politicians have discovered it is not only cheaper but easier to manipulate voters emotionally rather than informing them intellectually. Since politics has become a dollars race, whoever raises the most money will win. Platforms, competence, and ideas have taken a back seat to attack ads and courage-less politicians. 

Vote Smart announced today that the 2014 Voter’s Self-Defense Manual is available free to all voters by simply calling 888-VoteSmart or emailing membership@votesmart.org.

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Today, Vote Smart announces the unveiling of its powerful new tools that provide every citizen interactive, instant access to the facts on any politician, on any issue, at any time.

Three prominent political research experts, Brooks Jackson, Ted McConnell, and Sheila Krumholz, have joined the board of Vote Smart (VoteSmart.org), the leading non-partisan national research organization focused on politicians and elections.

Vote Smart (VoteSmart.org), the leading non-partisan national research organization focused on politicians and elections, announced a series of massive additions to its factual database on over 150,000 current and former elected officials and candidates. 

 Vote Smart’s Great Divide Research Center reported today that its member contributions have increased in 2014 by 81%, and that it has gotten Charity Navigator’s highest four star rating. 

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We are only a few weeks away from announcing the biggest event in Vote Smart history.  It will transform the way you use our data and the way you view candidates and elections in the future. 

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If you are a member and have ever thought of volunteering at Vote Smart and haven't done it yet, or if you want to return for another tour of duty, 2014 would be a great year to come volunteer at the ranch! 

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On November 21, 2013, the Senate voted 52-48 to amend the rules regarding confirmation of executive and judicial nominees.

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It's Election Day! Well, for many of you it is.

Ted McConnell, the Director for the Campaign for the Civic Mission of Schools and about to be one of Vote Smart's new board members sent me the following information about a critically important report issued yesterday.

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Take a look at what Manonh had to say about her internship...

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Vote Smart first partnered with the Annette Strauss Institute for Civic Life in 2011, and they have graciously housed our office at the University of Texas, Austin since then. Our partnership has been going so well that, for the first time, we have been able to establish an intern program during the summer months, where college students can experience our Key Votes Department through researching bills and compiling voting records.

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What comes to mind when you think of Minnesota? Hockey? Lakes? Maybe the movie “Grumpy Old Men”? How about Hotdishes?

As of this morning, Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont.,has joined an increasingly long list of senators that will not seek reelection in 2014.

We here at Project Vote Smart often lament the lack of civility in Congress and in state legislatures across this nation.

After Wednesday's vote in the Senate on President Obama's proposed gun bill, the Internet was rife with mixed emotions.

The Keystone XL Pipeline: it's been dominating headlines for what seems like forever...

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For over a decade Vote Smart worked at various methods of building the Voter’s Self-Defense System.

Vote Smart exists to help citizens and organizations trying to provide citizens with easy access to abundant, accurate, relevant information about those who govern or those who wish to replace those who do.

The “Fiscal Cliff” and how it relates to our most recent financial conundrum, “The Sequester.”

Immigration: it's an issue that's been on the minds of a lot of prominent people involved in politics lately.

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Six days after Jesse Jackson Jr. pleaded guilty to the misuse of campaign funds, voters in his long-held district go the polls to begin the process of finding a replacement.

Mike Johanns, the republican senior senator from Nebraska, won't seek reelection in 2014.

New Jersey's senior senator, Frank R. Lautenberg decided today that he will not seek reelection.

Recently, something called an “assault weapons ban” has been making major news.

With new technology comes new debates and in 2012 many state legislatures attempted to regulate a relatively new industry they did not know much about. 

Throughout the past decade there has been a national trend of legislation on bullying.

In August 2011, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued an interim final rule concerning contraception.

States across America considered legislation in their most recent sessions that would change voting and voter registration requirements.

There's still time to make your 2013 Membership contribution before the Dec. 31st tax deadline!  

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Are you a student or recent graduate interested in contributing to Project Vote Smart's mission of providing factual, free and unbiased information on your elected officials? Then our National Internship Program is for you! 

The North Carolina General Assembly has biennial sessions with a regular long session in odd years and a short session held on even years.

Read our November Common Ground E-Newsletter here...

Over the past few years, the country has witnessed an abundance of legislation on both the state and national levels regarding same-sex marriage.

During the 2012 election cycle, 1.5 million NEW users discovered Vote Smart adding to the millions already "voting smart." 

Learn more about interning at the Project Vote Smart ranch...

Find out if your state allows for same-day registration.

Vote Smart announces today their added technological capacity which is now sufficient to handle the millions of undecided voters expected to use its award-winning candidate match tool, VoteEasy. 

A  20-year study of over 15,000 congressional candidates and their willingness to answer questions on the major issues

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VoteEasy is now available for voters in all 50 states.

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Find out if your state-level candidates have shown courage in their 2012 campaigns. 

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For those of you living under rocks, Mitt Romney announced his running mate last Saturday – Wisconsin congressman Paul Ryan. You've probably heard a fair amount about Ryan, probably about his time spent as chair of the House Budget committee, and the budget proposal he crafted. But what about the information voters really want to know, like the fact that he's a fan of Monty Python*? At votesmart.org you can find out all you need to know (and more) about both vice-presidential contenders.

We are still looking for bright, politically-minded individuals for our 2012 National Internship Program available this Summer and Fall 2012. Spend 10-weeks at our beautiful ranch-style research facilities and help us provide citizens with the factual, unbiased information. Trust us, this isn't your typical internship.

With the the 2010 Citizens United v. Federal Elections Commission Supreme Court ruling, parts of four decades of campaign finance regulation were ruled unconstitutional.  

 For more information on volunteering at the Great Divide Ranch, click here...

The United States House Appropriations Committee recently approved the Fiscal Year 2013 Interior-Environment Appropriations Funding Bill.  

The opening ceremony for the 2012 summer Olympics officially begins on Friday July 27th, but here at Project Vote Smart we’re interested in a different race – the Presidential Election.  And while the 10,500 athletes are proudly representing their respective countries, Project Vote Smart staff and interns are hard at work researching the over 40,000 candidates and officials fighting to represent us.

At votesmart.org you can find out how your representatives feel about defense and defense spending in a few different ways: 

For more information on our National Intern Program, click here.

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The first Friday of every month is more than just an excuse for the monthly office pizza party - it's when the Bureau of Labor Statistics puts out their unemployment report, an event that is sure to grow in intensity with every passing month as November approaches. 

We threw the spotlight on one of our interns, Megan, and asked her a few questions about her time, so far, here at the Great Divide Ranch...

We celebrate the 4th of July with parades, barbecues and fireworks and sometimes forget about the 14th of January, “Ratification Day”, which commemorates the ratification of the Treaty of Paris in 1784; 8 hard fought years after the Declaration of Independence was signed. And it wasn't just 8 years of suffering and sacrifice that secured the promise laid down in that original document. In many ways we're still fighting for it today. 

We threw the spotlight on one of our returning interns, John, and asked him a few questions about his time, so far, here at the Great Divide Ranch...

The Supreme Court are expected to announce their decision on the constitutionality of The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 this week. Read some recent comments on this issue here.

Are you a member of Project Vote Smart? Are you interested in contributing your time to volunteering? Member Janet Paduhovich tells us about her experience volunteering for 2-weeks at the Great Divide Ranch.
For more information on our Member Volunteer Program, click here. 

We threw the spotlight on one of our new interns, Sean, and asked him a few questions about his time, so far, here at the Great Divide Ranch... 
For more information on our National Internship Program, click here. 

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The February 26 shooting of Trayvon Martin has ignited a media firestorm surrounding so-called “stand your ground” or “castle doctrine” laws in the United States. 

We are still looking for bright, politically-minded individuals for our 2012 National Internship Program available this Summer and Fall 2012. Spend 10-weeks at our beautiful ranch-style research facilities and help us provide citizens with the factual, unbiased information. Trust us, this isn't your typical internship.

The US unemployment rate was published at 8.2% for the month of May, rising a tenth of a point from April's 8.1%. Here's what several congress members had to say about it...

Every election year, Project Vote Smart uses the Political Courage Test (PCT) to measure the willingness of candidates to provide their positions on key issues. Find out now if your candidates are currently being tested. 

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As media outlets and bloggers scrambled to find the back story on Democratic Presidential Primary Candidate Keith Judd, who won a surprising 41% of the vote in a West Virginia primary, against his more well-known and better-funded opponent, President Barack Obama, it began to emerge that only one (very) reputable source had bothered to reach out to this possible nominee – us. 

Summer is almost here and as always, we could sure use help from those Vote Smart members who are looking to pair a vacation with good works. Whether you have watched our introduction video or visited us in the past, you should know that our research headquarters are uniquely nestled in the high peaks, lakes and streams of the Continental Divide, at the Great Divide Ranch in southwestern Montana. You have to see it to believe it! 

Project Vote Smart is teaming up with MTV to launch a desktop and mobile game where points will be earned through information provided by PVS and other organizations, and candidates will be rewarded if they choose to participate in our "Political Courage Test"

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At PVS, interns and staff contribute to a comprehensive research library of information on local and national politics, which can be easily utilized on the PVS website.

It's that time again! We're trying  to coax the truth out of politicians across the country with the Political Courage Test. Find out if your candidates are being tested now. 

Sign-up now to receive a copy of this monthly publication. 

What if, following Super Tuesday, all four GOP candidates are still in the game and no clear frontrunner has emerged? 

Legislators describe the difficulties of choosing sides in contentious and emotionally-charged debate. 

Following the resignation of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, Arizona was faced with a unique situation in holding elections to replace the former Congresswoman.

No matter your experience-level or political preference, our researchers are here to answer even your most basic questions on U.S. candidates, officials, issues, and voting.

The South Carolina Republican Presidential Preference Primary is scheduled for Saturday, January, 21st and while in most of our minds there are only four candidates still vying for the GOP nomination, one look at the ballot will tell a slightly different story. 

We released the 2012 Political Courage Test results today for Oregon's special election showing neither major party congressional candidate running for the state's 1st Congressional District seat was willing to answer even the most basic issue-related questions addressed inside the Test.

As expected, the Iowa Caucus, the first nominating contest of the 2012 election season, proved to shake things up inside the GOP race.

Special elections typically are a result of unusual circumstances, scandal, or tragedy, and the race for Oregon's 1st Congressional district is no exception. 

"...an increase in the amount of tomato paste required for the paste to be considered a serving of vegetables." Do you agree? 

There is one issue that only pops up every decade with noticeable consequences, and that issue is redistricting.

University of Southern California student, and current intern, David Hernandez discusses his experience working as a part of our research team. 

The inability of the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction, or 'Supercommittee', to come to an agreement to reduce the United States' government debt by over one trillion dollars has prompted a significant response by both Democrats and Republicans. 

Research intern Julie Bissinger takes a closer look at what the 2012 presidential candidates have said recently on the issue of immigration.

The U.S. Congress Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction was established with the goal of improving both the short and long term financial outlook of the US and reducing the deficit “...by at least $1,500,000,000 over the period of fiscal years 2012 to 2021” But they missed their deadline...

Our Legislative Research Department’s primary responsibility of tracking legislation at the state and federal levels has been so well-received that we are thinking about expanding to other areas that might be useful to voters, but we need your input.

Voters aren’t stupid; they know that political ads are emotionally deceptive, and they hunger for real facts. Project Vote Smart can help. Why do I volunteer here? Because it matters.

Research intern Julie Bissinger takes a closer look at what the 2012 presidential candidates have said recently on the issue of health care.

With the presidential election exactly one year away, Project Vote Smart has launched VoteEasy (winner of the best there is at the 2011 Webvisionary Awards), the interactive tool for voters to instantly see which presidential candidate they are most compatible with. To use VoteEasy now visit www.votesmart.org.

“It shouldn’t take courage for a politician to complete a survey regarding positions on issues. Yet seemingly it does.” – South Bend Tribune

The 2011 Webvisonary Awards (Web Academy Awards) selects VoteEasy as the best there is.  

Project Vote Smart is putting a BIG GUARD DOG onto the political playing field. Today VoteEasy will go national with the attached release.  It has not been easy to create and we need your help to build on it. Even if you be a contributing member or volunteer, please use it to defend yourself from the political nonesense that frustrates and often disgusts us all.