Thad Cochran topics and responses

Stimulus Spending to Beat Great Recession

PRO:

• 12/06/2013: OpEd: Earmarked spending brings federal funds to Mississippi
• 07/30/2009: Voted YES on $192B additional anti-recession stimulus spending

  CON:

• 03/13/2008: Voted NO on increasing tax rate for people earning over $1 million
• 02/10/2009: Voted NO on additional $825 billion for economic recovery package

Acknowledging and Addressing Climate Change

PRO:

• 01/16/2007: Sign on to UN Framework Convention on Climate Change

  CON:

• 04/02/2009: Voted YES on protecting middle-income taxpayers from a national energy tax
• 04/01/2009: Voted YES on requiring full Senate debate and vote on cap-and-trade
• 05/15/2008: Voted NO on addressing CO2 emissions without considering India & China
• 08/12/2008: Opposed the Climate Security Act of 2008
• 04/06/2011: Voted YES on barring EPA from regulating greenhouse gases
• 05/15/2007: Voted NO on factoring global warming into federal project planning

Getting Money Out of Politics

PRO:

• 02/25/2013: Matching fund for small donors, with debate requirements
• 03/20/2002: Voted YES on banning "soft money" contributions and restricting issue ads
• 04/02/2001: Voted YES on banning campaign donations from unions & corporations
• 02/25/2009: Military spouses don't lose voting residency while abroad

  CON:

• 03/29/2006: Voted YES on allowing some lobbyist gifts to Congress
• 03/28/2006: Voted NO on establishing the Senate Office of Public Integrity
• 10/07/1997: Voted NO on favoring 1997 McCain-Feingold overhaul of campaign finance

Saving Elephants, Whales, Dolphins and Lions

PRO:

• 05/08/2013: Voted YES on protecting ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes ecosystems

  CON:

• 01/13/2012: Ranked by HSLF, indicating an anti-animal welfare voting record

Renewable Energy

PRO:

• 01/17/2007: Set goal of 25% renewable energy by 2025
• 09/15/1999: Voted NO on ending discussion of CAFE fuel efficiency standards

  CON:

• 06/17/2008: Voted NO on tax incentives for energy production and conservation
• 06/16/1999: Voted YES on defunding renewable and solar energy
• 06/21/2007: Voted NO on removing oil & gas exploration subsidies
• 03/13/2002: Voted YES on terminating CAFE standards within 15 months
• 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
• 06/10/2003: Voted NO on targeting 100,000 hydrogen-powered vehicles by 2010

Making it Harder to Get a Gun

PRO:

• 03/02/2004: Voted NO on banning lawsuits against gun manufacturers for gun violence

  CON:

• 05/20/1999: Voted NO on background checks at gun shows
• 02/03/2009: Apply concealed carry permit to all other states where legal
• 09/06/2007: Voted YES on prohibiting foreign & UN aid that restricts US gun ownership
• 07/29/2005: Voted YES on prohibiting lawsuits against gun manufacturers
• 05/11/1999: Voted YES on loosening license & background checks at gun shows
• 04/17/2013: Voted NO on banning high-capacity magazines of over 10 bullets
• 07/21/1998: Voted YES on maintaining current law: guns sold without trigger locks
• 01/06/2009: National cross-state standard for concealed carry
• 03/23/2009: Dangerousness, not mental incompetence, limits gun rights
• 03/27/2007: Ban gun registration & trigger lock law in Washington DC
• 04/02/2009: Voted YES on allowing firearms in checked baggage on Amtrak trains
• 12/31/2003: Ranked by the NRA, indicating a pro-gun rights voting record

GMOs and Food Labeling

PRO:

• 06/17/1997: Fund studies of invasive species and algal blooms

  CON:

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

Cutting the US Military Budget

CON:

• 07/11/2007: Voted NO on limiting soldiers' deployment to 12 months
• 03/17/1999: Voted YES on deploying National Missile Defense ASAP
• 02/24/1999: Voted YES on military pay raise of 4.8%
• 04/20/2005: Voted NO on requiring on-budget funding for Iraq, not emergency funding
• 06/04/1996: Voted YES on considering deploying NMD, and amending ABM Treaty
• 12/31/2003: Ranked by SANE, indicating a pro-military voting record
• 05/26/1999: Voted NO on allowing another round of military base closures
• 09/05/1995: Voted YES on 1996 Defense Appropriations
• 10/30/1997: Voted YES on favoring 36 vetoed military projects

Legalizing Marijuana and Industrial Hemp

CON:

• 05/14/1999: Voted YES on more penalties for gun & drug violations
• 07/25/1996: Voted YES on spending international development funds on drug control
• 11/10/1999: Voted YES on increasing penalties for drug offenses

Abortion Rights

PRO:

• 06/04/2004: Expand embryonic stem cell research
• 04/11/2007: Voted YES on expanding research to more embryonic stem cell lines
• 03/13/2008: Voted NO on prohibiting minors crossing state lines for abortion

  CON:

• 10/18/2007: Voted YES on barring HHS grants to organizations that perform abortions
• 06/20/2000: Voted YES on maintaining ban on Military Base Abortions
• 07/25/2006: Voted YES on notifying parents of minors who get out-of-state abortions
• 03/12/2003: Voted YES on banning partial birth abortions except for maternal life
• 05/05/2011: Prohibit federal funding for abortion
• 01/22/2008: Prohibit transporting minors across state lines for abortion
• 12/31/2003: Ranked by NARAL, indicating a pro-life voting record
• 03/25/2004: Voted YES on criminal penalty for harming unborn fetus during other crime
• 03/05/2009: Voted YES on restricting UN funding for population control policies
• 03/14/2008: Voted YES on defining unborn child as eligible for SCHIP
• 03/17/2005: Voted NO on $100M to reduce teen pregnancy by education & contraceptives

Gay Rights and Gay Marriage

CON:

• 06/20/2000: Voted NO on expanding hate crimes to include sexual orientation
• 09/10/1996: Voted NO on prohibiting job discrimination by sexual orientation
• 06/11/2002: Voted NO on adding sexual orientation to definition of hate crimes
• 06/07/2006: Voted YES on constitutional ban of same-sex marriage
• 12/31/2006: Ranked by the HRC, indicating an anti-gay-rights stance
• 09/10/1996: Voted YES on prohibiting same-sex marriage

Repealing ObamaCare

PRO:

• 12/31/2003: Ranked by APHA, indicating a anti-public health voting record
• 03/17/2005: Voted NO on negotiating bulk purchases for Medicare prescription drug
• 11/03/2005: Voted NO on increasing Medicaid rebate for producing generics
• 11/01/2007: Voted NO on adding 2 to 4 million children to SCHIP eligibility
• 01/29/2009: Voted NO on expanding the Children's Health Insurance Program
• 06/22/2000: Voted NO on including prescription drugs under Medicare
• 06/24/1997: Voted YES on Medicare means-testing
• 04/18/2007: Voted NO on requiring negotiated Rx prices for Medicare part D
• 02/02/2006: Voted NO on expanding enrollment period for Medicare Part D
• 04/03/2001: Voted YES on funding GOP version of Medicare prescription drug benefit
• 07/13/1999: Voted YES on limiting self-employment health deduction
• 04/18/1996: Voted NO on blocking medical savings acounts
• 05/25/2011: Voted YES on the Ryan Budget: Medicare choice, tax & spending cuts

  CON:

• 05/08/2006: Voted YES on limiting medical liability lawsuits to $250,000
• 06/11/2009: Voted YES on regulating tobacco as a drug
• 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
• 03/13/2008: Voted NO on means-testing to determine Medicare Part D premium
• 03/11/2008: Establish a National Diabetes Coordinator
• 06/26/2003: Voted YES on $40 billion per year for limited Medicare prescription drug benefit

Addressing and Fighting Income Inequality

PRO:

• 10/02/1998: Voted NO on Internet sales tax moratorium

  CON:

• 03/21/2007: Voted YES on raising estate tax exemption to $5 million
• 02/02/2006: Voted NO on $47B for military by repealing capital gains tax cut
• 06/08/2006: Voted YES on permanently repealing the `death tax`
• 08/03/2006: Voted YES on supporting permanence of estate tax cuts
• 12/31/2006: Ranked by the CTJ, indicating opposition to progressive taxation
• 04/05/2000: Voted YES on prioritizing national debt reduction below tax cuts
• 04/04/2001: Voted NO on spending $448B of tax cut on education & debt reduction
• 02/13/2008: Voted YES on raising the Death Tax exemption to $5M from $1M
• 03/13/2008: Voted YES on allowing AMT reduction without budget offset
• 04/02/1998: Voted YES on requiring super-majority for raising taxes
• 05/17/2001: Voted NO on reducing marriage penalty instead of cutting top tax rates
• 11/18/2005: Voted YES on extending the tax cuts on capital gains and dividends
• 03/23/2007: Voted YES on repealing the Alternative Minimum Tax
• 07/18/2000: Voted YES on eliminating the 'marriage penalty'
• 05/23/2003: Voted YES on $350 billion in tax breaks over 11 years
• 02/02/2006: Voted YES on retaining reduced taxes on capital gains & dividends

Building the Keystone XL Pipeline

PRO:

• 04/06/2000: Voted YES on preserving budget for ANWR oil drilling
• 07/10/2008: Establish energy security strategy with domestic production
• 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