111th CONGRESS, Votes 21-30

The Freedom Index

A Congressional Scorecard Based on the U.S. Constitution
Our third look at the 111th Congress shows how every Representative and Senator voted on key issues, such as financial regulatory reform, healthcare reform, and increasing the national debt ceiling. scribed by the Washington Times as the most sweeping regulatory overhaul of the nations financial sector since the new Deal, would create a Consumer Financial Protection Agency, and in general tighten federal control of the financial sector on the false premise that the financial crisis was driven by free-market forces, as opposed to government and Fed policies (e.g., artificially low interest rates) that encouraged excessive borrowing and risk-taking. The House passed H.R. 4173 on December 11, 2009 by a vote of 223-202 (Roll Call 968). We have assigned pluses to the nays because more government control of the economy will do more harm than good.

House Vote Descriptions

23 Jobs Funding.

21Omnibus Appropriations.

22

Financial Regulatory Reform.

This legislation (H.R. 4173), de-

Inappropriate appropriations: Peter Orszag, Timothy Geithner, and Christina Romer advise on the 2011 budget. Since government keeps on spending more money, though even balancing the budget will not stave off the collapse of the dollar, we can assume they are not doing their jobs well.

About This Index

he Freedom Index: A Congressional Scorecard Based on the U.S. Constitution rates Congressmen based on their adherence to constitutional principles of limited government, fiscal responsibility, national sovereignty, and a traditional foreign policy of avoiding foreign entanglements. To learn how any Representative or Senator voted on the key measures described herein, look him or her up in the vote charts. The scores are derived by dividing a Congressmans constitutional votes (pluses) by the total number he cast (pluses and minuses) and multiplying by 100.
22

The average House score for this index (votes 21-30), our third for the current Congress, is 40 percent. Three Representatives earned 100 percent. The average Senate score is 38 percent, with 12 Senators earning perfect scores. We encourage readers to commend legislators for their constitutional votes and to urge improvement where needed. For congressional contact information, go to www.votervoice.net/ groups/jbs/address. For a series of pre-written letters to Congress on key issues, go to JBS.org and click on Legislative Action under Action. I
THE NEW AMERICAN JULY 5, 2010

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This catch-all legislative package (H.R. 3288) is comprised of six appropriations bills for fiscal 2010 that Congress failed to complete separately CommerceJustice-Science; Financial Services; Labor-HHS-Education; Military Construction-VA; State-Foreign Operations; and Transportation-HUD. The total price tag in the final version (conference report) of H.R. 3288 is about $1.1 trillion, including $447 billion in discretionary spending. The House adopted the conference report on H.R. 3288 on December 10, 2009 by a vote of 221-202 (Roll Call 949). We have assigned pluses to the nays because many of the bills spending programs e.g., education, housing, foreign aid, etc. are unconstitutional. Moreover, lawmakers should have been able to vote on component parts of the total package.

This legislation (H.R. 2847) would appropriate $154.4 billion for infrastructure and jobs programs to aid state and local governments. Nearly half of the money would be

Freedom Index

House Vote Scores

Votes: 21-30 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 1-30 Votes: 21-30 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 1-30

ALABAMA 1 Bonner (R ) 2 Bright (D ) 3 Rogers, Mike D. (R ) 4 Aderholt (R ) 5 Griffith (R ) 6 Bachus, S. (R ) 7 Davis, A. (D ) ALASKA AL Young, D. (R ) ARIZONA 1 Kirkpatrick (D ) 2 Franks, T. (R ) 3 Shadegg (R ) 4 Pastor (D ) 5 Mitchell (D ) 6 Flake (R ) 7 Grijalva (D ) 8 Giffords (D ) ARKANSAS 1 Berry (D ) 2 Snyder (D ) 3 Boozman (R ) 4 Ross (D ) CALIFORNIA 1 Thompson, M. (D ) 2 Herger (R ) 3 Lungren (R ) 4 McClintock (R ) 5 Matsui (D ) 6 Woolsey (D ) 7 Miller, George (D ) 8 Pelosi (D ) 9 Lee (D ) 10 Garamendi (D ) 11 McNerney (D ) 12 Speier (D ) 13 Stark (D ) 14 Eshoo (D ) 15 Honda (D ) 16 Lofgren (D ) 17 Farr (D ) 18 Cardoza (D ) 19 Radanovich (R ) 20 Costa (D ) 21 Nunes (R ) 22 McCarthy, K. (R ) 23 Capps (D ) 24 Gallegly (R ) 25 McKeon (R ) 26 Dreier (R ) 27 Sherman (D ) 28 Berman (D ) 29 Schiff (D ) 30 Waxman (D ) 31 Becerra (D ) 32 Chu (D )

80% 60% 80% 80% 70% 78% 17% 89% 30% 80% 80% 20% 40% 80% 20% 0% 30% 0% 78% 30% 10% 80% 80% 80% 10% 20% 20% 0% 20% 0% 10% 25% 13% 0% 10% 0% 22% 0% 86% 0% 80% 80% 0% 80% 80% 80% 10% 10% 0% 10% 10% 20%

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + ? ? + + + + + + -

+ + + + + + ? + + + + + + + + + + + ? ? + + + + + + -

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + ? ? + + + + + -

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + ? ? + + + + + -

+ + + + + + + ? + + ? + + ? ? + + + + +

? + + + ? + + + + +

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + -

+ + + + + ? + + + + + + + + + ? + + + + + + -

+ + + + + + ? + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + -

+ + + + ? ? + + + + ? + + + ? ? + ? + + + + + -

77% 47% 60% 72% 50% 76% 23% 64% 27% 87% 83% 10% 37% 93% 17% 10% 21% 0% 86% 27% 7% 83% 83% 90% 7% 17% 14% 0% 17% 0% 10% 21% 26% 0% 10% 10% 17% 7% 92% 10% 90% 86% 3% 83% 80% 77% 10% 7% 3% 7% 7% 12%

33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53

Watson (D ) Roybal-Allard (D ) Waters (D ) Harman (D ) Richardson (D ) Napolitano (D ) Sanchez, Linda (D ) Royce (R ) Lewis, Jerry (R ) Miller, Gary (R ) Baca (D ) Calvert (R ) Bono Mack (R ) Rohrabacher (R ) Sanchez, Loretta (D ) Campbell (R ) Issa (R ) Bilbray (R ) Filner (D ) Hunter (R ) Davis, S. (D )

10% 0% 30% 10% 20% 10% 20% 80% 80% 80% 0% 80% 80% 80% 20% 90% 78% 78% 30% 80% 0% 0% 33% 0% 10% 80% 80% 0% 20% 0% 0% 10% 10% 70% 80% 10% 0% 80% 80% 80% 78% 10% 80% 86% 0% 78% 80% 88% 80% 80% 0% 80%

+ + + + + + + + + + ? + + + + ? + + + ? + + + + + + + +

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + ? + + + + + +

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + ? + + + + + +

+ + + + + + + + ? -

+ + + + + + + + + + + ? -

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +

+ + + + + + + ? + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +

+ + + + + + + + ? + + + + + + + + + + ? + ? + + + -

14% 3% 17% 7% 13% 13% 11% 90% 83% 83% 3% 77% 62% 83% 14% 86% 83% 66% 23% 83% 3% 0% 28% 10% 17% 87% 77% 3% 10% 3% 0% 3% 7% 50% 87% 20% 3% 80% 70% 73% 83% 17% 77% 69% 3% 71% 68% 89% 87% 73% 7% 50%

COLORADO 1 DeGette (D ) 2 Polis (D ) 3 Salazar, J. (D ) 4 Markey, B. (D ) 5 Lamborn (R ) 6 Coffman (R ) 7 Perlmutter (D ) CONNECTICUT 1 Larson, J. (D ) 2 Courtney (D ) 3 DeLauro (D ) 4 Himes (D ) 5 Murphy, C. (D ) DELAWARE AL Castle (R ) FLORIDA 1 Miller, J. (R ) 2 Boyd, A. (D ) 3 Brown, C. (D ) 4 Crenshaw (R ) 5 Brown-Waite, G. (R ) 6 Stearns (R ) 7 Mica (R ) 8 Grayson (D ) 9 Bilirakis (R ) 10 Young, C.W. (R ) 11 Castor (D ) 12 Putnam (R ) 13 Buchanan (R ) 14 Mack (R ) 15 Posey (R ) 16 Rooney (R ) 17 Meek, K. (D ) 18 Ros-Lehtinen (R ) 19 Deutch (D )

The scores are derived by dividing the constitutionally correct votes (pluses) by the total number of pluses and minuses and multiplying by 100. (A ? means a Rep. did not vote; a P means he voted present. If a Rep. cast fewer than five votes in this index, a score is not assigned.) Match numbers at the top of the chart to House vote descriptions on pages 22, 24, and 26.

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111th CONGRESS, Votes 21-30

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powers with few limitations. For instance, the records provision allows the government to obtain any tangible thing that, it says, has relevance to a terrorism investigation. Relevance is a much lower standard if it can even be called a standard at all than the probable cause and a court warrant standard explicitly required by the Fourth Amendment. The House agreed to extend the provisions on February 25, 2010 by a vote of 31597 (Roll Call 67). We have assigned pluses to the nays because the provisions violate the right of the people to (in the words of the Fourth Amendment) be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures.
Government giveth, and taketh away: A woman looks for work at a federally funded job training center. Companies that hire unemployed persons get a temporary tax break. Of course, stimulus bills and taxes take money out of the private sector and cause unemployment in the first place.

redirected from the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP). The money for the jobs programs would have to be siphoned out of the economy in the first place and so would result in a loss of jobs in the economy as a whole in order to create other jobs in government-favored sectors, based on the premise that government can allocate resources better than the private sector. As Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas) noted during floor debate on this bill, You cannot spend your way into more jobs, you cannot borrow your way into more jobs. The House agreed to the jobs funding on December 16, 2009 by a vote of 217212 (Roll Call 991). We have assigned pluses to the nays because spending federal dollars to create jobs is unsustainable and unconstitutional.

crease on February 4, 2010 by a vote of 233-187 (Roll Call 48). We have assigned pluses to the nays because raising the national debt allows the federal government to borrow more money and continue its gross fiscal irresponsibility.

25 Patriot Act.

This bill (H.R. 3961) would extend by one year three Patriot Act provisions that were set to expire on February 28, 2010. The provisions allow the federal government to exercise wide-ranging surveillance and seizure

This legislation (House Concurrent Resolution 248) would direct the President to remove the U.S. Armed Forces from Afghanistan within 30 days of enactment, or by the end of the year if the President determines they cannot be safely removed sooner. The House rejected H. Con. Res. 248 on March 10, 2010 by a vote of 65 to 356 (Roll Call 98). We have assigned pluses to the yeas because the U.S. military presence in Afghanistan cannot be justified on the basis of defending the United States, there has been no declaration of war, and Congress needs to assert constitutional authority to decide when we do go to war.

From Afghanistan. 26 Withdrawing U.S.

Soldiers

24 Debt Limit Increase.

This bill (House Joint Resolution 45) would raise the national debt limit from $12.4 trillion to $14.29 trillion a $1.9 trillion increase. This increase, reported Congressional Quarterly, should be large enough to cover borrowing into early next year. Really? To put this astronomical $1.9 trillion increase in perspective, consider that the total national debt did not top $1 trillion until 1981. The House approved the debt limit in-

Interminable duty: The war in Afghanistan is now the longest war in U.S. history, yet we are not winding down operations, but ramping them up for an indefinite period of time.

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THE NEW AMERICAN JULY 5, 2010

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Freedom Index
Votes: 21-30 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 1-30 Votes: 21-30 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 1-30

20 21 22 23 24 25

Wasserman Schultz (D ) 0% Diaz-Balart, L. (R ) 89% Klein, R. (D ) 0% Hastings, A. (D ) 20% Kosmas (D ) 20% Diaz-Balart, M. (R ) 78% 80% 0% 89% 10% 20% 89% 75% 30% 80% 89% 20% 0%

+ + + + + + + + + -

+ + + + + + + + -

+ + + + + + ? + + -

+ + + + + + ? + + -

+ ? + + ? ? -

? ? + + -

+ + + + + + + + + + -

? + + + + + + + + -

+ + + + + + + + + + -

+ ? + + + + + + -

4% 59% 0% 10% 17% 55% 83% 7% 90% 10% 19% 90% 88% 40% 90% 82% 27% 7%

KANSAS 1 Moran, Jerry (R ) 2 Jenkins (R ) 3 Moore, D. (D ) 4 Tiahrt (R ) KENTUCKY 1 Whitfield (R ) 2 Guthrie (R ) 3 Yarmuth (D ) 4 Davis, G. (R ) 5 Rogers, H. (R ) 6 Chandler (D ) LOUISIANA 1 Scalise (R ) 2 Cao (R ) 3 Melancon (D ) 4 Fleming (R ) 5 Alexander, R. (R ) 6 Cassidy (R ) 7 Boustany (R ) MAINE 1 Pingree (D ) 2 Michaud (D ) MARYLAND 1 Kratovil (D ) 2 Ruppersberger (D ) 3 Sarbanes (D ) 4 Edwards, D. (D ) 5 Hoyer (D ) 6 Bartlett (R ) 7 Cummings (D ) 8 Van Hollen (D ) MASSACHUSETTS 1 Olver (D ) 2 Neal (D ) 3 McGovern (D ) 4 Frank, B. (D ) 5 Tsongas (D ) 6 Tierney (D ) 7 Markey, E. (D ) 8 Capuano (D ) 9 Lynch (D ) 10 Delahunt (D ) MICHIGAN 1 Stupak (D ) 2 Hoekstra (R ) 3 Ehlers (R ) 4 Camp (R ) 5 Kildee (D ) 6 Upton (R ) 7 Schauer (D ) 8 Rogers, Mike (R ) 9 Peters (D ) 10 Miller, C. (R ) 11 McCotter (R ) 12 Levin, S. (D ) 13 Kilpatrick (D ) 14 Conyers (D ) 15 Dingell (D ) MINNESOTA 1 Walz (D ) 2 Kline, J. (R )

80% 80% 0% 80% 80% 80% 0% 80% 80% 30% 70% 60% 40% 80% 80% 75% 80% 20% 20% 40% 0% 10% 20% 0% 80% 10% 0% 20% 20% 20% 22% 10% 20% 20% 20% 13% 0% 38% 88% 67% 89% 0% 80% 0% 80% 30% 80% 80% 0% 0% 0% 10% 0% 80%

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + ? + + + + + + + + +

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + ? + + + + + + + + +

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +

+ + + + + + + + + + + ? + + ? + ? + + + + + + +

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + ? + + -

+ + + + + + + + + + + + ? ? ? -

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +

+ + + + + + + + + ? + + ? + + + + + + ? +

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +

+ + + + + + + + + + + + ? + + + + + + +

83% 87% 7% 80% 82% 70% 3% 83% 77% 20% 80% 37% 30% 77% 76% 64% 76% 20% 20% 33% 4% 7% 17% 3% 90% 7% 3% 7% 13% 17% 10% 14% 20% 13% 17% 11% 7% 21% 79% 62% 79% 3% 67% 3% 70% 17% 53% 67% 3% 3% 14% 7% 7% 83%

GEORGIA 1 Kingston (R ) 2 Bishop, S. (D ) 3 Westmoreland (R ) 4 Johnson, H. (D ) 5 Lewis, John (D ) 6 Price, T. (R ) 7 Linder (R ) 8 Marshall (D ) 9 Vacant 10 Broun (R ) 11 Gingrey (R ) 12 Barrow (D ) 13 Scott, D. (D ) HAWAII 1 Djou (R ) 2 Hirono (D ) IDAHO 1 Minnick (D ) 2 Simpson (R ) ILLINOIS 1 Rush (D ) 2 Jackson, J. (D ) 3 Lipinski (D ) 4 Gutierrez (D ) 5 Quigley (D ) 6 Roskam (R ) 7 Davis, D. (D ) 8 Bean (D ) 9 Schakowsky (D ) 10 Kirk, M. (R ) 11 Halvorson (D ) 12 Costello (D ) 13 Biggert (R ) 14 Foster (D ) 15 Johnson, Timothy (R ) 16 Manzullo (R ) 17 Hare (D ) 18 Schock (R ) 19 Shimkus (R ) INDIANA 1 Visclosky (D ) 2 Donnelly (D ) 3 Vacant 4 Buyer (R ) 5 Burton (R ) 6 Pence (R ) 7 Carson (D ) 8 Ellsworth (D ) 9 Hill (D ) IOWA 1 Braley (D ) 2 Loebsack (D ) 3 Boswell (D ) 4 Latham (R ) 5 King, S. (R )

10% 60% 80% 0% 10% 20% 13% 20% 80% 10% 10% 20% 78% 10% 20% 70% 10% 90% 80% 10% 80% 80% 20% 20% 75% 80% 78% 0% 20% 20% 10% 10% 0% 80% 80%

+ + + + + + + + + + + + ? + + + + +

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +

+ + ? + + + + + + + + + + + +

+ + + + + + + + + -

+ + + + + + -

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + +

+ ? ? + + + + + + + + + + + +

+ + + + + + + + + ? + + + +

+ + ? + + + + + ? + +

7% 43% 70% 3% 7% 14% 11% 12% 83% 7% 7% 10% 48% 7% 20% 63% 10% 87% 83% 10% 73% 79% 13% 20% 81% 77% 86% 3% 20% 27% 7% 7% 0% 70% 87%

The scores are derived by dividing the constitutionally correct votes (pluses) by the total number of pluses and minuses and multiplying by 100. (A ? means a Rep. did not vote; a P means he voted present. If a Rep. cast fewer than five votes in this index, a score is not assigned.) Match numbers at the top of the chart to House vote descriptions on pages 22, 24, and 26. Call 1-800-727-TRUE to subscribe today! 25

111th CONGRESS, Votes 21-30

to the nays because the federal government has no constitutional authority to manage the healthcare industry or the student-loan industry.

Look sharp; theres competition: Last summer more than $1.2 billion of stimulus money was spent to help teens find summer jobs, but it did virtually nothing. This year the government plans to spend another $600 million for the same purpose.

27ObamaCare.

This historic bill (H.R. 3590), officially titled the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, went on to be signed into law (Public Law 111-148) by President Obama on March 23, 2010. Popularly known as ObamaCare, this bill essentially completed the government takeover of the American healthcare system that was begun with Medicare and Medicaid in 1965. The ObamaCare law creates 159 new government agencies, which will inevitably drive private healthcare insurers out of the market, just as its pilot program, RomneyCare, is already beginning to do in Massachusetts. Although its official cost estimate was $1 trillion for the first 10 years, ObamaCare will soon join Medicare and Medicaid in the list of unfunded healthcare liabilities of the federal government, which together add up to tens of trillions of dollars. See Senate vote #25 for more information. The House agreed to a motion to concur with the Senate version of H.R. 3590 on March 21, 2010 by a vote of 219-212 (Roll Call 165). We have assigned pluses to the nays because the federal government has no constitutional authority to require individuals to purchase health insurance or to manage the healthcare industry.

additional $5.7 billion in emergency supplemental funding over and above regular appropriations. Most of the money ($5.1 billion) would be for the Federal Emergency Management Agency Disaster Relief Fund and another $600 million would be used to fund youth summer jobs programs. The House passed H.R. 4899 on March 24, 2010 by a vote of 239-175 (Roll Call 186). We have assigned pluses to the nays because the federal government cannot afford to add to existing spending and because the federal government has no constitutional authority to provide disaster relief or jobs funding.

This legislation would authorize $48 billion over three years for science and technology research and education programs. The funding includes $24.4 billion for the National Science Foundation and $16.9 billion for the Energy Departments Office of Science. The bill would also create new programs such as loan guarantees to help small- and medium-sized businesses invest in innovative technologies. The House failed to pass the bill on May 19, 2010 under a suspension of the rules that requires a two-thirds majority vote for passage (Roll Call 277). The vote tally was 261-148, but 273 were needed to obtain the two-thirds majority. We have assigned pluses to the nays because entrepreneurs and not government should decide which technologies to invest in and to what extent. Q

grams. 30 Science and Technology Pro-

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Funding for FEMA and Youth 28 Supplemental Summer Jobs.

This bill (H.R. 4899) would provide an
26

This bill (H.R. 4872), officially titled the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, was passed to amend the ObamaCare bill at the insistence of disaffected House Democrats. Among other things, it increases subsidies to help uninsured individuals buy health insurance and increases some taxes and fees to help pay for the expanded coverage provided by ObamaCare. This bill also makes the federal government the sole provider of student loans after July 1, which is just one more example of a complete government takeover of a significant sector of our economy. The House agreed to the motion on March 25, 2010 by a vote of 220-207 (Roll Call 194). We have assigned pluses

29 ObamaCare

Reconciliation.

A coin flip, or something better? The Office of Science and the National Science Foundation dispense money to programs they feel are worthy, causing some to wonder whether the money is being put to the best uses.
THE NEW AMERICAN JULY 5, 2010

Freedom Index
Votes: 21-30 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 1-30 Votes: 21-30 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 1-30

3 4 5 6 7 8

Paulsen (R ) McCollum (D ) Ellison (D ) Bachmann (R ) Peterson (D ) Oberstar (D )

80% 10% 20% 80% 40% 11% 40% 0% 80% 60% 11% 80% 0% 40% 20% 78% 80% 70% 80% 80% 80% 80% 80% 0% 90% 0% 10% 10% 0% 80% 40% 80% 80% 10% 80% 0% 0% 20% 80% 10% 0% 0% 40% 10% 0% 0% 80% 0% 0% 11% 20% 20%

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + -

+ + ? + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + -

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + -

+ + + + ? + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + ? -

+ + + + + + + + + + ? + + +

+ + + + + +

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + -

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + -

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + -

+ + + + ? + + + + + + + + + + + + + -

73% 10% 17% 87% 33% 7% 37% 0% 79% 63% 7% 83% 0% 18% 10% 82% 83% 67% 80% 73% 77% 70% 90% 7% 86% 7% 17% 10% 3% 43% 28% 53% 87% 7% 57% 4% 3% 17% 63% 7% 3% 7% 31% 10% 0% 3% 60% 0% 0% 7% 10% 10%

MISSISSIPPI 1 Childers (D ) 2 Thompson, B. (D ) 3 Harper (R ) 4 Taylor (D ) MISSOURI 1 Clay (D ) 2 Akin (R ) 3 Carnahan (D ) 4 Skelton (D ) 5 Cleaver (D ) 6 Graves (R ) 7 Blunt (R ) 8 Emerson (R ) 9 Luetkemeyer (R ) MONTANA AL Rehberg (R ) NEBRASKA 1 Fortenberry (R ) 2 Terry (R ) 3 Smith, Adrian (R ) NEVADA 1 Berkley (D ) 2 Heller (R ) 3 Titus (D ) NEW HAMPSHIRE 1 Shea-Porter (D ) 2 Hodes (D ) NEW JERSEY 1 Andrews (D ) 2 LoBiondo (R ) 3 Adler (D ) 4 Smith, C. (R ) 5 Garrett (R ) 6 Pallone (D ) 7 Lance (R ) 8 Pascrell (D ) 9 Rothman (D ) 10 Payne (D ) 11 Frelinghuysen (R ) 12 Holt (D ) 13 Sires (D ) NEW MEXICO 1 Heinrich (D ) 2 Teague (D ) 3 Lujan (D ) NEW YORK 1 Bishop, T. (D ) 2 Israel (D ) 3 King, P. (R ) 4 McCarthy, C. (D ) 5 Ackerman (D ) 6 Meeks, G. (D ) 7 Crowley (D ) 8 Nadler (D )

9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29

Weiner (D ) Towns (D ) Clarke (D ) Velazquez (D ) McMahon (D ) Maloney (D ) Rangel (D ) Serrano (D ) Engel (D ) Lowey (D ) Hall, J. (D ) Murphy, S. (D ) Tonko (D ) Hinchey (D ) Owens (D ) Arcuri (D ) Maffei (D ) Lee, C. (R ) Higgins (D ) Slaughter (D ) Vacant

10% 20% 20% 20% 20% 22% 11% 20% 10% 0% 0% 0% 0% 11% 10% 30% 30% 70% 0% 0%

+ + -

? + ?

+ + -

+ + + -

+ + + + + + + + -

+ + + + + + + -

+ + + -

? + -

+ + + -

? ? -

10% 10% 13% 13% 14% 11% 10% 20% 7% 0% 3% 13% 3% 7% 9% 20% 17% 55% 3% 4%

NORTH CAROLINA 1 Butterfield (D ) 2 Etheridge (D ) 3 Jones (R ) 4 Price, D. (D ) 5 Foxx (R ) 6 Coble (R ) 7 McIntyre (D ) 8 Kissell (D ) 9 Myrick (R ) 10 McHenry (R ) 11 Shuler (D ) 12 Watt (D ) 13 Miller, B. (D ) NORTH DAKOTA AL Pomeroy (D ) OHIO 1 Driehaus (D ) 2 Schmidt (R ) 3 Turner (R ) 4 Jordan (R ) 5 Latta (R ) 6 Wilson, Charlie (D ) 7 Austria (R ) 8 Boehner (R ) 9 Kaptur (D ) 10 Kucinich (D ) 11 Fudge (D ) 12 Tiberi (R ) 13 Sutton (D ) 14 LaTourette (R ) 15 Kilroy (D ) 16 Boccieri (D ) 17 Ryan, T. (D ) 18 Space (D ) OKLAHOMA 1 Sullivan (R ) 2 Boren (D ) 3 Lucas (R ) 4 Cole (R ) 5 Fallin (R )

0% 0% 80% 10% 80% 80% 40% 20% 89% 80% 30% 10% 0% 10% 20% 80% 80% 80% 80% 0% 80% 80% 10% 50% 10% 80% 0% 80% 0% 10% 10% 40% 89% 50% 80% 80% 89%

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +

+ + ? + + + + + ? ?

+ + -

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +

0% 3% 76% 3% 87% 80% 37% 21% 90% 90% 27% 7% 3% 10% 17% 83% 63% 90% 87% 3% 67% 89% 17% 50% 7% 66% 3% 57% 7% 13% 3% 20% 84% 33% 83% 77% 90%

The scores are derived by dividing the constitutionally correct votes (pluses) by the total number of pluses and minuses and multiplying by 100. (A ? means a Rep. did not vote; a P means he voted present. If a Rep. cast fewer than five votes in this index, a score is not assigned.) Match numbers at the top of the chart to House vote descriptions on pages 22, 24, and 26.

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111th CONGRESS, Votes 21-30

Votes: 21-30 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 1-30 Votes: 21-30 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 1-30

OREGON 1 Wu (D ) 2 Walden (R ) 3 Blumenauer (D ) 4 DeFazio (D ) 5 Schrader (D ) PENNSYLVANIA 1 Brady, R. (D ) 2 Fattah (D ) 3 Dahlkemper (D ) 4 Altmire (D ) 5 Thompson, G. (R ) 6 Gerlach (R ) 7 Sestak (D ) 8 Murphy, P. (D ) 9 Shuster (R ) 10 Carney (D ) 11 Kanjorski (D ) 12 Critz (D ) 13 Schwartz (D ) 14 Doyle (D ) 15 Dent (R ) 16 Pitts (R ) 17 Holden (D ) 18 Murphy, T. (R ) 19 Platts (R ) RHODE ISLAND 1 Kennedy (D ) 2 Langevin (D ) SOUTH CAROLINA 1 Brown, H. (R ) 2 Wilson, J. (R ) 3 Barrett (R ) 4 Inglis (R ) 5 Spratt (D ) 6 Clyburn (D )

10% 80% 10% 20% 22% 0% 0% 10% 20% 78% 70% 0% 10% 80% 10% 0% 0% 10% 78% 89% 22% 70% 70% 0% 0% 80% 89% 100% 80% 0% 0%

+ + + + + + + + + + + + ? + + + + ? + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +

+ ? + + + + + + + + + + + + + ? + + + + + + + + + + + + +

+ + + ? ? ? ? + + ? + -

+ + ? + -

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +

+ ? + + + + + + + + ? + + + + + ? + + + + + + + + + + + + +

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +

+ + + + ? + + + ? + + + ? + + + + + + + + + + ? +

3% 70% 7% 17% 14% 3% 3% 14% 23% 69% 53% 0% 3% 77% 14% 7% 0% 7% 62% 86% 17% 52% 57% 0% 3% 90% 90% 90% 83% 0% 0% 37% 73% 97% 79% 24% 11% 10% 87% 25% 10% 89% 79% 90% 76% 90% 80% 90% 90% 7% 83% 90% 81% 87%

14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32

Paul (R ) Hinojosa (D ) Reyes (D ) Edwards, C. (D ) Jackson-Lee (D ) Neugebauer (R ) Gonzalez (D ) Smith, Lamar (R ) Olson (R ) Rodriguez (D ) Marchant (R ) Doggett (D ) Burgess (R ) Ortiz (D ) Cuellar (D ) Green, G. (D ) Johnson, E. (D ) Carter (R ) Sessions, P. (R )

100% 0% 0% 40% 11% 80% 0% 80% 80% 0% 80% 10% 80% 10% 10% 0% 11% 80% 78% 90% 50% 90% 20% 80% 40% 10% 80% 20% 80% 80% 0% 38% 70% 10%

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + ? + + + + + + + ? + + + +

+ + + + + + + + + + ? + + + + + + + ? + + + + + + + ? + + +

+ + + + + + + ? + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + ? + + +

+ + + + + + + ? + ? + + + -

+ + + + + + + + -

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +

+ ? + + + + + + + + + + + + + + ? + + + + ? + + + + + +

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + ? + + + + +

? + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +

100% 3% 3% 20% 4% 89% 3% 90% 90% 10% 86% 23% 86% 10% 10% 7% 7% 87% 86% 92% 50% 90% 20% 77% 43% 10% 83% 18% 90% 83% 4% 19% 67% 10% 10% 3% 27% 83% 83% 0% 17% 44% 10% 3% 62% 3% 90% 18% 27% 7% 90% 73% 3% 17% 90%

UTAH 1 Bishop, R. (R ) 2 Matheson (D ) 3 Chaffetz (R ) VERMONT AL Welch (D ) VIRGINIA 1 Wittman (R ) 2 Nye (D ) 3 Scott, R. (D ) 4 Forbes (R ) 5 Perriello (D ) 6 Goodlatte (R ) 7 Cantor (R ) 8 Moran, James (D ) 9 Boucher (D ) 10 Wolf (R ) 11 Connolly (D )

SOUTH DAKOTA AL Herseth Sandlin (D ) 40% TENNESSEE 1 Roe (R ) 2 Duncan (R ) 3 Wamp (R ) 4 Davis, L. (D ) 5 Cooper (D ) 6 Gordon (D ) 7 Blackburn (R ) 8 Tanner (D ) 9 Cohen (D ) TEXAS 1 Gohmert (R ) 2 Poe (R ) 3 Johnson, S. (R ) 4 Hall, R. (R ) 5 Hensarling (R ) 6 Barton (R ) 7 Culberson (R ) 8 Brady, K. (R ) 9 Green, A. (D ) 10 McCaul (R ) 11 Conaway (R ) 12 Granger (R ) 13 Thornberry (R ) 80% 100% 78% 33% 13% 10% 80% 30% 10% 80% 80% 80% 89% 80% 80% 80% 80% 10% 70% 80% 78% 80%

WASHINGTON 1 Inslee (D ) 0% 2 Larsen, R. (D ) 0% 3 Baird (D ) 20% 4 Hastings, D. (R ) 80% 5 McMorris Rodgers (R )80% 6 Dicks (D ) 0% 7 McDermott (D ) 20% 8 Reichert (R ) 71% 9 Smith, Adam (D ) 20% WEST VIRGINIA 1 Mollohan (D ) 2 Capito (R ) 3 Rahall (D ) WISCONSIN 1 Ryan, P. (R ) 2 Baldwin (D ) 3 Kind (D ) 4 Moore, G. (D ) 5 Sensenbrenner (R ) 6 Petri (R ) 7 Obey (D ) 8 Kagen (D ) WYOMING AL Lummis (R ) 0% 80% 0% 80% 25% 20% 11% 80% 80% 10% 20% 80%

The scores are derived by dividing the constitutionally correct votes (pluses) by the total number of pluses and minuses and multiplying by 100. (A ? means a Rep. did not vote; a P means he voted present. If a Rep. cast fewer than five votes in this index, a score is not assigned.) Match numbers at the top of the chart to House vote descriptions on pages 22, 24, and 26. 28 THE NEW AMERICAN JULY 5, 2010

Freedom Index

Senate Vote Descriptions

and Science Appro21 Commerce, Justice, priations.
dont purchase health insurance, subsidize the purchase This legislation of health insurance for in(H.R. 2847) would appropriate dividuals earning up to 400 $65.1 billion in fiscal 2010 for percent of the poverty level, the Commerce and Justice Derequire employers with 50 or partments, and agencies includmore employees to provide ing NASA, the National Science healthcare coverage or pay Foundation, and the Census Bua fine if any employee gets reau. Congressional Quarterly a subsidized healthcare plan reported that the bills $64.9 from the exchange, and probillion in discretionary funding hibit insurance companies is nearly 13 percent more than from denying coverage based was appropriated for such proon pre-existing conditions. grams in fiscal 2009. See House vote #27 for more The Senate passed H.R. information. 2847 on November 5, 2009 by The Senate passed H.R. a vote of 71-28 (Roll Call 340). Keep adding: Though President Obama spoke often about ObamaCare 3590 on December 24, 2009 We have assigned pluses to the cutting $143 billion from future deficits caused by healthcare, savings are by a vote of 60-39 (Roll nays because spending needs to unlikely. The Congressional Budget Office has already said that ObamaCare Call 396). We have assigned could add $115 billion in government healthcare spending over 10 years. be cut, not increased. pluses to the nays because the federal government has Abortion. During consideration Constitutional Point of Order no constitutional authority to require indiAgainst the Healthcare Bill. viduals to purchase health insurance or to of healthcare reform legislation (H.R. 3590), Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) During consideration of the healthcare bill manage the healthcare industry. offered an amendment to prohibit the use (H.R. 3590), Sen. John Ensign (R-Nev.) of any funding authorized by the bill to raised a point of order that the mandate Debt Limit Increase. This legislation (House Joint Resolution 45) pay for abortions or for health plans that that individuals purchase health insurance cover abortions, except in cases of rape is unconstitutional because it falls outside would raise the national debt ceiling by or incest or when the life of the mother is the scope of the enumerated powers in Ar- $1.9 trillion to $14.29 trillion (see House endangered. ticle I, Section 8, of the Constitution, and vote #24 for more information). The Senate passed H. J. Res. 45 on The Senate voted to table (kill) the pro- because it violates the Fifth Amendments life Nelson amendment on December 8, ban on taking private property for public January 28, 2010 by a vote of 60 to 39 (Roll Call 14). We have assigned pluses 2009 by a vote of 54-45 (Roll Call 369). use without just compensation. We have assigned pluses to the nays beThe Senate rejected Ensigns constitu- to the nays because raising the national cause government should not subsidize the tional point of order against the healthcare debt limit allows the federal government killing of innocent human life. legislation on December 23, 2009 by a vote to borrow more money and continue its of 39-60 (Roll Call 389). We have assigned gross fiscal irresponsibility. Omnibus Appropriations. The pluses to the yeas because requiring Amerfinal version (Conference Report) icans to buy a particular product health Bernanke Confirmation. On of this catch-all $1.1 trillion bill (H.R. insurance in this instance is both unconJanuary 28, 2010, the Senate voted 3288) consisting of six appropriations stitutional and an abridgment of economic 70 to 30 to confirm Ben Bernanke to a bills for fiscal 2010 is described in freedom. The same day, the Senate also second four-year term as Federal Reserve House vote #21. rejected by 39-60 a point of order raised Chairman (Roll Call 16). With Bernanke The Senate passed the conference report by Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison that the leg- at the helm, the Fed, which can create money out of thin air, has pumped trilon December 13, 2009 by a vote of 57-35 islation violates the 10th Amendment. lions of newly created fiat (unbacked) (Roll Call 374). We have assigned pluses ObamaCare. This healthcare re- dollars into the economy, even though to the nays because many of the bills form bill (H.R. 3590) would create this reckless expansion of the money supspending programs e.g., education, housing, foreign aid, etc. are uncon- an exchange in each state for the purchase ply (inflation) will diminish the value of stitutional. Moreover, lawmakers should of government-approved health insurance, the dollar and further hurt the economy have been able to vote on component parts mandate that most individuals purchase in the long run. Bernankes Fed has also health insurance, fine individuals who kept interest rates artificially low, enof the total package.

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29

111th CONGRESS, Votes 21-30

Senate Vote Scores

Votes: 21-30 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 1-30 Votes: 21-30 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 1-30

ALABAMA Shelby (R ) Sessions, J. (R ) ALASKA Murkowski (R ) Begich (D ) ARIZONA McCain (R ) Kyl (R ) ARKANSAS Lincoln (D ) Pryor (D ) CALIFORNIA Feinstein (D ) Boxer (D ) COLORADO Udall, Mark (D ) Bennet (D ) CONNECTICUT Dodd (D ) Lieberman (I ) DELAWARE Carper (D ) Kaufman (D ) FLORIDA Nelson, Bill (D ) LeMieux (R ) GEORGIA Chambliss (R ) Isakson (R ) HAWAII Inouye (D ) Akaka (D ) IDAHO Crapo (R ) Risch (R ) ILLINOIS Durbin (D ) Burris (D ) INDIANA Lugar (R ) Bayh (D ) IOWA Grassley (R ) Harkin (D ) KANSAS Brownback (R ) Roberts (R ) KENTUCKY McConnell (R ) Bunning (R ) LOUISIANA Landrieu (D ) Vitter (R )

80% 100% 80% 10% 100% 80% 20% 20% 0% 10% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 20% 0% 90% 90% 89% 0% 0% 100% 100% 0% 0% 80% 30% 90% 10% 90% 100% 80% 100% 0% 90%

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + -

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + ? +

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + ? +

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + ? +

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + +

+ + + + + + + + + ? + + + + + + + + +

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + +

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +

73% 93% 57% 10% 90% 80% 13% 10% 3% 7% 7% 3% 3% 3% 3% 10% 3% 87% 86% 83% 3% 3% 83% 83% 0% 0% 50% 40% 87% 7% 73% 80% 83% 92% 4% 83%

MAINE Snowe (R ) Collins (R ) MARYLAND Mikulski (D ) Cardin (D ) MASSACHUSETTS Kerry (D ) Brown, Scott (R ) MICHIGAN Levin, C. (D ) Stabenow (D ) MINNESOTA Klobuchar (D ) Franken (D ) MISSISSIPPI Cochran (R ) Wicker (R ) MISSOURI Bond (R ) McCaskill (D ) MONTANA Baucus, M. (D ) Tester (D ) NEBRASKA Nelson, Ben (D ) Johanns (R ) NEVADA Reid, H. (D ) Ensign (R ) NEW HAMPSHIRE Gregg (R ) Shaheen (D ) NEW JERSEY Lautenberg (D ) Menendez (D ) NEW MEXICO Bingaman (D ) Udall, T. (D ) NEW YORK Schumer (D ) Gillibrand (D ) NORTH CAROLINA Burr (R ) Hagan (D ) NORTH DAKOTA Conrad (D ) Dorgan (D ) OHIO Voinovich (R ) Brown, Sherrod (D ) OKLAHOMA Inhofe (R ) Coburn (R )

60% 50% 0% 0% 0%

+ -

+ + -

+ + -

+ + -

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + +

+ + + + + + + + +

+ + + + + + + + + +

30% 30% 0% 3% 4%

0% 0% 0% 10% 70% 100% 67% 20% 0% 0% 20% 80% 0% 100% 70% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 90% 0% 10% 33% 67% 0% 100% 89%

+ + + + + + +

+ + + + + + + + + + + + +

+ ? + + + + + ? ? ? ?

+ + + + + + + + + +

+ + + + + + + + + +

+ + + + + + + + + +

+ + + + + -

3% 3% 7% 11% 66% 77% 54% 23% 7% 3% 27% 76% 3% 97% 57% 7% 3% 3% 3% 3% 3% 0% 86% 3% 7% 18% 41% 3% 93% 96%

30

THE NEW AMERICAN JULY 5, 2010

Freedom Index

Votes: 21-30

21 22 23 24 25

26 27 28 29 30

1-30

Votes: 21-30

21 22 23 24 25

26 27 28 29 30

1-30

OREGON Wyden (D ) Merkley (D ) PENNSYLVANIA Specter (D ) Casey (D ) RHODE ISLAND Reed, J. (D ) Whitehouse (D ) SOUTH CAROLINA Graham (R ) DeMint (R ) SOUTH DAKOTA Johnson, Tim (D ) Thune (R ) TENNESSEE Alexander, L. (R ) Corker (R ) TEXAS Hutchison (R ) Cornyn (R )

10% 11% 11% 10% 0% 10% 90% 100% 0% 100% 70% 80% 90% 100%

+ + + + +

+ + + + + + + +

? + + + + + + +

+ + + + + + +

+ + + + + + +

+ + + + + + +

+ + + + + + +

+ + + + + + +

+ + + + + +

? + + + + + + +

10% 7% 17% 3% 3% 3% 86% 97% 3% 90% 48% 72% 76% 90%

UTAH Hatch (R ) Bennett (R ) VERMONT Leahy (D ) Sanders (I ) VIRGINIA Webb (D ) Warner (D ) WASHINGTON Murray (D ) Cantwell (D ) WEST VIRGINIA Byrd (D ) Rockefeller (D ) WISCONSIN Kohl (D ) Feingold (D ) WYOMING Enzi (R ) Barrasso (R )

90% 70% 0% 20% 10% 0% 0% 30% 0% 0% 0% 40% 89% 90%

+ ? + +

+ + ? + +

+ + ? + + +

+ + + +

+ + + +

+ + ? +

+ + + -

+ + + +

+ + + + ? + + +

+ + + ? + + +

78% 67% 3% 20% 10% 7% 4% 17% 11% 4% 3% 37% 86% 87%

The scores are derived by dividing the constitutionally correct votes (pluses) by the total number of pluses and minuses and multiplying by 100. (A ? means a Senator did not vote; a P means he voted present. If he cast fewer than five votes in this index, a score is not assigned.) Match numbers at the top of the chart to Senate vote descriptions on pages 29 and 31.

couraging excessive borrowing and malinvestments. And Bernanke has called for the Fed which already possesses the power to create booms and busts through its control of the money supply and interest rates to be given new powers to manage the financial sector. We have assigned pluses to the nays because of the economic havoc Bernanke is accountable for at the Fed, a central bank that should not even exist.

by a vote of 37-62 (Roll Call 138), after unanimously adopting a watered-down audit-the-Fed amendment offered by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) Sanders had much earlier introduced legislation in the Senate that mirrored the audit-the-Fed legislation in the House championed by Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas). When Sanders caved and offered his watered-down amendment, Vitter stepped in and offered an amendment for a full Fed audit along the lines of Pauls (and Sand-

28 ObamaCare

Reconciliation.

This bill (H.R. 4872), officially titled the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, was passed to amend the ObamaCare bill at the insistence of disaffected House Democrats (see House vote #29 for more information). The Senate passed H.R. 4872 on March 25, 2010 by a vote of 56-43 (Roll Call 105). We have assigned pluses to the nays because the federal government has no constitutional authority to manage the healthcare industry
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ers earlier) proposal. The Sanders amendment allows for a onetime audit of the Feds emergency actions taken in response to the 2008 financial crisis. However, unlike the Vitter amendment, the Sanders amendment (in Pauls words) exempts monetary policy decisions, discount window operations, and agreements with foreign central banks from [GAO] audit. The vote on the Vitter amendment is used here to rate Senators on their position on auditing the Fed. We have assigned pluses to the yeas because the American people need to know what the Fed is doing and because this may represent a first step in eliminating the unconstitutional Federal Reserve.

30 Financial Regulatory Reform.

During consideration of the financial regulatory reform bill (S. 3217), Sen. David Vitter (R-La.) offered an amendment to audit the Federal Reserve. The Senate rejected the Vitter amendment on May 11, 2010
www.TheNewAmerican.com

29 Audit the Fed.

Turncoat: Though Bernie Sanders took a loud and public stand that the Federal Reserve needed to be fully audited, he introduced a watered-down audit bill.

The Senate version of this legislation (which has the same bill number as the House version, H.R. 4173) would create a new consumer financial watchdog (a Consumer Financial Protection Agency) run by the Federal Reserve and in general give the Fed more power to intervene in and regulate the financial sector. The Senate passed H.R. 4173 on May 20, 2010 by a vote of 59-39 (Roll Call 162). We have assigned pluses to the nays because more government control of the economy will do more harm than good. Q
31