David Vitter topics and responses

Stimulus Spending to Beat Great Recession

PRO:

• 07/30/2009: Voted YES on $192B additional anti-recession stimulus spending

  CON:

• 02/04/2013: Audit the Federal Reserve & its actions on mortgage loans
• 03/13/2008: Voted NO on increasing tax rate for people earning over $1 million
• 01/01/2012: Supports the Cut-Cap-and-Balance Pledge
• 10/28/2010: Permanent extension of all Bush tax cuts
• 05/02/2012: Ranked by UFCW, indicating a pro-management voting record
• 02/10/2009: Voted NO on additional $825 billion for economic recovery package

Acknowledging and Addressing Climate Change

PRO:

• 02/28/2012: Get us beyond high-carbon fuels

  CON:

• 04/01/2009: Voted YES on requiring full Senate debate and vote on cap-and-trade
• 04/02/2009: Voted YES on protecting middle-income taxpayers from a national energy tax
• 06/26/2000: Voted NO on starting implementation of Kyoto Protocol
• 05/15/2007: Voted NO on factoring global warming into federal project planning
• 05/15/2008: Voted NO on addressing CO2 emissions without considering India & China
• 04/06/2011: Voted YES on barring EPA from regulating greenhouse gases
• 11/02/2010: Signed the No Climate Tax Pledge by AFP

Getting Money Out of Politics

PRO:

• 07/12/2001: Voted YES on banning soft money donations to national political parties
• 05/11/1999: Restrict campaign donations from foreigners or 3rd parties
• 02/25/2009: Military spouses don't lose voting residency while abroad
• 03/28/2006: Voted YES on establishing the Senate Office of Public Integrity
• 03/29/2006: Voted NO on allowing some lobbyist gifts to Congress

  CON:

• 02/14/2002: Voted NO on campaign finance reform banning soft-money contributions
• 09/14/1999: Voted NO on banning soft money and issue ads
• 05/20/2009: Sponsored bill banning paid voter registration

Saving Elephants, Whales, Dolphins and Lions

PRO:

• 02/28/2011: Regulate all dog breeders down to kennels of 50 dogs
• 01/13/2012: Ranked by HSLF, indicating a pro-animal welfare voting record
• 01/04/2007: Strengthen prohibitions against animal fighting

  CON:

• 05/08/2013: Voted NO on protecting ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes ecosystems

Renewable Energy

CON:

• 08/01/2001: Voted NO on raising CAFE standards; incentives for alternative fuels
• 06/21/2007: Voted NO on removing oil & gas exploration subsidies
• 06/17/2008: Voted NO on tax incentives for energy production and conservation
• 06/16/2005: Voted NO on reducing oil usage by 40% by 2025 (instead of 5%)
• 12/31/2006: Ranked by the CAF, indicating opposition to energy independence

Making it Harder to Get a Gun

PRO:

• 06/18/1999: Voted NO on decreasing gun waiting period from 3 days to 1

  CON:

• 09/06/2007: Voted YES on prohibiting foreign & UN aid that restricts US gun ownership
• 03/23/2009: Dangerousness, not mental incompetence, limits gun rights
• 02/03/2009: Apply concealed carry permit to all other states where legal
• 07/29/2005: Voted YES on prohibiting lawsuits against gun manufacturers
• 04/02/2009: Voted YES on allowing firearms in checked baggage on Amtrak trains
• 04/09/2003: Voted YES on prohibiting suing gunmakers & sellers for gun misuse
• 01/06/2009: National cross-state standard for concealed carry
• 08/11/2010: Ranked by the NRA, indicating a pro-gun rights voting record
• 02/08/2008: Allow firearms in National Parks
• 12/31/2003: Ranked by the NRA, indicating a pro-gun rights voting record
• 03/27/2007: Ban gun registration & trigger lock law in Washington DC
• 04/17/2013: Voted NO on banning high-capacity magazines of over 10 bullets

GMOs and Food Labeling

CON:

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

Cutting the US Military Budget

CON:

• 07/22/1999: Voted YES on $266 billion Defense Appropriations bill
• 04/20/2005: Voted NO on requiring on-budget funding for Iraq, not emergency funding
• 12/31/2003: Ranked by SANE, indicating a pro-military voting record
• 04/03/2003: Voted YES on emergency $78B for war in Iraq & Afghanistan

Legalizing Marijuana and Industrial Hemp

CON:

• 09/25/2001: Voted YES on military border patrols to battle drugs & terrorism
• 10/14/1999: Voted YES on prohibiting needle exchange & medical marijuana in DC

Abortion Rights

CON:

• 04/11/2007: Voted NO on expanding research to more embryonic stem cell lines
• 06/11/2008: Apply 14th amendment protections to pre-born fetuses
• 07/25/2006: Voted YES on notifying parents of minors who get out-of-state abortions
• 02/26/2004: Voted YES on making it a crime to harm a fetus during another crime
• 03/05/2009: Voted YES on restricting UN funding for population control policies
• 12/31/2003: Ranked by NARAL, indicating a pro-life voting record
• 01/22/2008: Prohibit transporting minors across state lines for abortion
• 01/24/2013: Sponsored banning family assistance that includes abortion
• 10/18/2007: Voted YES on barring HHS grants to organizations that perform abortions
• 10/02/2003: Voted YES on banning partial-birth abortion except to save mother`s life
• 03/17/2005: Voted NO on $100M to reduce teen pregnancy by education & contraceptives
• 05/16/2001: Voted YES on banning Family Planning funding in US aid abroad
• 05/05/2011: Prohibit federal funding for abortion
• 12/31/2006: Ranked by the NRLC, indicating a pro-life stance
• 09/25/2002: Voted YES on funding for health providers who don't provide abortion info
• 06/30/1999: Voted YES on barring transporting minors to get an abortion
• 04/05/2000: Voted YES on banning partial-birth abortions
• 08/11/2010: Supports prohibiting human embryonic stem cell research
• 02/04/2009: Declare preborn as persons under 14th amendment
• 03/13/2008: Voted YES on prohibiting minors crossing state lines for abortion
• 03/14/2008: Voted YES on defining unborn child as eligible for SCHIP

Gay Rights and Gay Marriage

CON:

• 12/31/2006: Ranked by the HRC, indicating an anti-gay-rights stance
• 02/12/2014: State definition of marriage supersedes federal gay marriage
• 06/25/2008: Amend Constitution to define traditional marriage
• 06/07/2006: Voted YES on constitutional ban of same-sex marriage
• 07/29/1999: Voted YES on banning gay adoptions in DC
• 09/30/2004: Voted YES on Constitutional Amendment banning same-sex marriage

Repealing ObamaCare

PRO:

• 03/13/2003: Voted YES on capping damages & setting time limits in medical lawsuits
• 11/22/2003: Voted YES on limited prescription drug benefit for Medicare recipients
• 11/01/2007: Voted NO on adding 2 to 4 million children to SCHIP eligibility
• 10/28/2010: Introduced legislation to repeal ObamaCare
• 01/29/2009: Voted NO on expanding the Children's Health Insurance Program
• 11/03/2005: Voted NO on increasing Medicaid rebate for producing generics
• 02/02/2006: Voted NO on expanding enrollment period for Medicare Part D
• 12/31/2003: Ranked by APHA, indicating a anti-public health voting record
• 07/15/2008: Voted NO on overriding veto on expansion of Medicare
• 06/28/2000: Voted YES on subsidizing private insurance for Medicare Rx drug coverage
• 03/13/2008: Voted YES on means-testing to determine Medicare Part D premium
• 10/27/2010: I fought ObamaCare & I'm still fighting it
• 10/18/2010: ObamaCare injects government into private decisions
• 07/04/2010: Repeal any federal health care takeover
• 04/18/2007: Voted NO on requiring negotiated Rx prices for Medicare part D
• 05/25/2011: Voted YES on the Ryan Budget: Medicare choice, tax & spending cuts
• 02/14/2008: Voted YES on allowing tribal Indians to opt out of federal healthcare
• 03/17/2005: Voted NO on negotiating bulk purchases for Medicare prescription drug
• 10/06/1999: Voted YES on establishing tax-exempt Medical Savings Accounts

  CON:

• 05/08/2006: Voted YES on limiting medical liability lawsuits to $250,000
• 07/24/2003: Voted YES on allowing reimportation of prescription drugs
• 06/11/2009: Voted YES on regulating tobacco as a drug

Addressing and Fighting Income Inequality

CON:

• 04/18/2002: Voted YES on making the Bush tax cuts permanent
• 08/11/2010: Opposes both marriage penalty & federal tax increases
• 01/01/2012: Supports the Taxpayer Protection Pledge
• 08/12/2010: Taxpayer Protection Pledge: no new taxes
• 02/02/2006: Voted NO on $47B for military by repealing capital gains tax cut
• 03/21/2007: Voted YES on raising estate tax exemption to $5 million
• 03/09/2000: Voted YES on $46 billion in tax cuts for small business
• 07/12/2000: Voted YES on eliminating the "marriage penalty"
• 02/02/2006: Voted YES on retaining reduced taxes on capital gains & dividends
• 05/16/2001: Voted YES on Tax cut package of $958 B over 10 years
• 03/29/2001: Voted YES on reducing Marriage Tax by $399B over 10 years
• 03/13/2008: Voted YES on allowing AMT reduction without budget offset
• 08/03/2006: Voted YES on supporting permanence of estate tax cuts
• 03/14/2001: Phaseout the death tax
• 02/13/2008: Voted YES on raising the Death Tax exemption to $5M from $1M
• 06/08/2006: Voted YES on permanently repealing the `death tax`
• 11/18/2005: Voted YES on extending the tax cuts on capital gains and dividends
• 04/04/2001: Voted YES on eliminating the Estate Tax ("death tax")
• 03/11/2009: Keep reduction of capital gains tax
• 12/31/2006: Ranked by the CTJ, indicating opposition to progressive taxation
• 03/23/2007: Voted YES on repealing the Alternative Minimum Tax

Building the Keystone XL Pipeline

PRO:

• 06/26/2013: Let states lease energy rights on federal lands
• 08/01/2001: Voted NO on prohibiting oil drilling & development in ANWR
• 03/16/2005: Voted NO on banning drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
• 11/03/2005: Voted NO on disallowing an oil leasing program in Alaska's ANWR
• 06/26/2008: Open the Outer Continental Shelf for oil & gas leasing