Richard Durbin topics and responses

Stimulus Spending to Beat Great Recession

PRO:

• 11/19/2013: Raise the minimum wage to $10.10 per hour by 2016
• 03/13/2008: Voted YES on increasing tax rate for people earning over $1 million
• 01/22/2013: Strengthen infrastructure, including rail, dams, & Internet
• 05/02/2012: Ranked by UFCW, indicating an anti-management/pro-labor record
• 02/10/2009: Voted YES on additional $825 billion for economic recovery package
• 07/30/2009: Voted YES on $192B additional anti-recession stimulus spending

Acknowledging and Addressing Climate Change

PRO:

• 03/19/2004: Keep efficient air conditioner rule to conserve energy
• 05/15/2007: Voted YES on factoring global warming into federal project planning
• 04/06/2011: Voted NO on barring EPA from regulating greenhouse gases
• 07/30/2002: Support UNCED Rio Declaration at 2002 conference
• 04/02/2009: Voted NO on protecting middle-income taxpayers from a national energy tax
• 05/15/2008: Voted YES on addressing CO2 emissions without considering India & China
• 01/24/2008: Let states define stricter-than-federal emission standards
• 04/01/2009: Voted NO on requiring full Senate debate and vote on cap-and-trade
• 02/10/2005: Establish greenhouse gas tradeable allowances
• 01/16/2007: Sign on to UN Framework Convention on Climate Change

Getting Money Out of Politics

PRO:

• 03/20/2002: Voted YES on banning "soft money" contributions and restricting issue ads
• 02/25/2009: Military spouses don't lose voting residency while abroad
• 01/16/2014: No photo IDs to vote; they suppress the vote
• 10/07/1997: Voted YES on favoring 1997 McCain-Feingold overhaul of campaign finance
• 01/06/2009: Repeal automatic Congressional pay raises
• 02/25/2013: Matching fund for small donors, with debate requirements
• 07/10/2012: Require full disclosure of independent campaign expenditures
• 03/28/2006: Voted YES on establishing the Senate Office of Public Integrity
• 04/02/2001: Voted YES on banning campaign donations from unions & corporations

  CON:

• 03/29/2006: Voted YES on allowing some lobbyist gifts to Congress

Saving Elephants, Whales, Dolphins and Lions

PRO:

• 01/04/2007: Strengthen prohibitions against animal fighting
• 01/13/2012: Ranked by HSLF, indicating a pro-animal welfare voting record
• 05/08/2013: Voted YES on protecting ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes ecosystems
• 02/28/2011: Sponsored regulating all dog breeders down to kennels of 50 dogs

Renewable Energy

PRO:

• 02/08/2002: Include pickup trucks in CAFE; include hybrids in HOV lanes
• 01/17/2007: Set goal of 25% renewable energy by 2025
• 06/16/2005: Voted YES on reducing oil usage by 40% by 2025 (instead of 5%)
• 06/10/2003: Voted YES on targeting 100,000 hydrogen-powered vehicles by 2010
• 12/31/2006: Ranked by the CAF, indicating support for energy independence
• 07/19/2006: Sponsored bill raising CAFE by a 4% per year until 2018
• 06/17/2008: Voted YES on tax incentives for energy production and conservation
• 03/13/2002: Voted NO on terminating CAFE standards within 15 months
• 06/21/2007: Voted YES on removing oil & gas exploration subsidies
• 06/16/1999: Voted NO on defunding renewable and solar energy

  CON:

• 09/15/1999: Voted YES on ending discussion of CAFE fuel efficiency standards

Making it Harder to Get a Gun

PRO:

• 04/17/2013: Voted YES on banning high-capacity magazines of over 10 bullets
• 12/31/2003: Ranked by the NRA, indicating a pro-gun control voting record
• 04/02/2009: Voted NO on allowing firearms in checked baggage on Amtrak trains
• 07/21/1998: Voted NO on maintaining current law: guns sold without trigger locks
• 05/20/1999: Voted YES on background checks at gun shows
• 03/02/2004: Voted NO on banning lawsuits against gun manufacturers for gun violence
• 09/06/2007: Voted NO on prohibiting foreign & UN aid that restricts US gun ownership
• 01/22/2013: Ban large-capacity ammunition
• 05/07/2009: Close the Gun Show Loophole; restrict show sales
• 05/11/1999: Voted NO on loosening license & background checks at gun shows
• 07/29/2005: Voted NO on prohibiting lawsuits against gun manufacturers

  CON:

• 08/21/1994: Support tradition of hunting on wildlife refuges

GMOs and Food Labeling

PRO:

• 12/31/2003: Ranked by the LCV, indicating pro-environment votes

Cutting the US Military Budget

PRO:

• 10/30/1997: Voted NO on favoring 36 vetoed military projects
• 02/24/1999: Voted NO on military pay raise of 4.8%
• 03/17/1999: Voted NO on deploying National Missile Defense ASAP
• 12/31/2003: Ranked by SANE, indicating a pro-peace voting record
• 07/11/2007: Voted YES on limiting soldiers' deployment to 12 months

  CON:

• 05/26/1999: Voted NO on allowing another round of military base closures

Legalizing Marijuana and Industrial Hemp

PRO:

• 11/10/1999: Voted NO on increasing penalties for drug offenses
• 06/27/2007: End harsher sentencing for crack vs. powder cocaine
• 05/14/1999: Voted NO on more penalties for gun & drug violations

  CON:

• 09/19/2007: Require chemical resellers to certify against meth use

Abortion Rights

PRO:

• 12/17/2009: Emergency contraception at all military health facilities
• 06/20/2000: Voted NO on maintaining ban on Military Base Abortions
• 06/16/2011: Let military perform abortions in cases of rape or incest
• 12/31/2003: Ranked by NARAL, indicating a pro-choice voting record
• 03/17/2005: Voted YES on $100M to reduce teen pregnancy by education & contraceptives
• 03/05/2009: Voted NO on restricting UN funding for population control policies
• 01/11/2006: Troubled that Alito 1985 memo shows closed mind on abortion
• 12/31/2006: Ranked by the NRLC, indicating a pro-choice stance
• 03/02/2008: Preserve women`s reproductive rights
• 03/17/2009: Teach teens about both abstinence & contraception
• 03/13/2008: Voted NO on prohibiting minors crossing state lines for abortion
• 10/18/2007: Voted NO on barring HHS grants to organizations that perform abortions
• 03/14/2008: Voted NO on defining unborn child as eligible for SCHIP
• 04/11/2007: Voted YES on expanding research to more embryonic stem cell lines
• 07/25/2006: Voted NO on notifying parents of minors who get out-of-state abortions
• 11/13/2013: Ban anti-abortion limitations on abortion services
• 03/25/2004: Voted NO on criminal penalty for harming unborn fetus during other crime
• 03/12/2003: Voted NO on banning partial birth abortions except for maternal life
• 06/04/2004: Expand embryonic stem cell research

Gay Rights and Gay Marriage

PRO:

• 04/03/2001: More funding and stricter sentencing for hate crimes
• 03/03/2010: Repeal Don't-Ask-Don't-Tell, and reinstate discharged gays
• 06/24/2009: ENDA: prohibit employment discrimination for gays
• 12/31/2006: Ranked by the HRC, indicating a pro-gay-rights stance
• 05/05/2013: Extend partner immigration rights to gay couples
• 12/19/2007: Provide benefits to domestic partners of Federal employees
• 06/04/2013: Enforce against anti-gay discrimination in public schools
• 06/11/2002: Voted YES on adding sexual orientation to definition of hate crimes
• 06/07/2006: Voted NO on constitutional ban of same-sex marriage
• 06/20/2000: Voted YES on expanding hate crimes to include sexual orientation
• 03/10/2011: Prohibit sexual-identity discrimination at schools

Repealing ObamaCare

PRO:

• 05/20/2003: Let states make bulk Rx purchases, and other innovations

  CON:

• 05/25/2011: Voted NO on the Ryan Budget: Medicare choice, tax & spending cuts
• 06/24/1997: Voted NO on Medicare means-testing
• 11/03/2005: Voted YES on increasing Medicaid rebate for producing generics
• 03/17/2005: Voted YES on negotiating bulk purchases for Medicare prescription drug
• 04/18/2007: Voted YES on requiring negotiated Rx prices for Medicare part D
• 07/15/2008: Voted YES on overriding veto on expansion of Medicare
• 02/14/2008: Voted NO on allowing tribal Indians to opt out of federal healthcare
• 04/07/2008: Preserve access to Medicaid & SCHIP during economic downturn
• 06/26/2003: Voted YES on $40 billion per year for limited Medicare prescription drug benefit
• 06/22/2000: Voted YES on including prescription drugs under Medicare
• 12/31/2003: Ranked by APHA, indicating a pro-public health record
• 03/16/2009: Expand health services for women veterans
• 01/29/2009: Voted YES on expanding the Children's Health Insurance Program
• 11/01/2007: Voted YES on adding 2 to 4 million children to SCHIP eligibility
• 02/02/2006: Voted YES on expanding enrollment period for Medicare Part D
• 04/03/2001: Voted NO on funding GOP version of Medicare prescription drug benefit
• 03/13/2008: Voted NO on means-testing to determine Medicare Part D premium
• 06/11/2009: Voted YES on regulating tobacco as a drug
• 03/04/2009: Expand the National Health Service Corps
• 07/13/1999: Voted NO on limiting self-employment health deduction

Addressing and Fighting Income Inequality

PRO:

• 01/05/1993: Make employee educational assistance tax-deductible
• 12/31/2006: Ranked by the CTJ, indicating support of progressive taxation
• 01/06/2013: Close tax loopholes and gain $1.2T from the wealthy
• 12/31/2003: Ranked by NTU, indicating a "Big Spender" on tax votes
• 07/18/2000: Voted NO on eliminating the 'marriage penalty'
• 02/02/2006: Voted NO on retaining reduced taxes on capital gains & dividends
• 06/08/2006: Voted NO on permanently repealing the `death tax`
• 08/03/2006: Voted NO on supporting permanence of estate tax cuts
• 03/22/2012: Minimum tax rate of 30% for those earning over $1 million
• 04/05/2000: Voted NO on prioritizing national debt reduction below tax cuts
• 04/04/2001: Voted YES on spending $448B of tax cut on education & debt reduction
• 03/02/2008: Call on the wealthiest people to pay their fair share
• 11/18/2005: Voted NO on extending the tax cuts on capital gains and dividends
• 02/02/2006: Voted YES on $47B for military by repealing capital gains tax cut
• 03/23/2007: Voted NO on repealing the Alternative Minimum Tax
• 02/13/2008: Voted NO on raising the Death Tax exemption to $5M from $1M
• 03/13/2008: Voted NO on allowing AMT reduction without budget offset
• 04/02/1998: Voted NO on requiring super-majority for raising taxes
• 05/17/2001: Voted YES on reducing marriage penalty instead of cutting top tax rates
• 03/21/2007: Voted NO on raising estate tax exemption to $5 million
• 05/23/2003: Voted NO on $350 billion in tax breaks over 11 years

  CON:

• 10/02/1998: Voted YES on Internet sales tax moratorium

Building the Keystone XL Pipeline

CON:

• 04/06/2000: Voted NO on preserving budget for ANWR oil drilling
• 11/03/2005: Voted YES on disallowing an oil leasing program in Alaska's ANWR
• 11/07/2007: Designate sensitive ANWR area as protected wilderness
• 03/16/2005: Voted YES on banning drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge